The beauty of Newsom is that it is both laugh out loud funny and turning the mirror on the GOP. Plus, it has the added bonus of being EXACTLY what we have been begging the Democrats to do.
The only way to combat a raging, narcissistic, pathological liar like Donald Trump is to mock them mercilessly at every turn.
Ggrrrrr. We were duped. Or enough of Dem “leadership”’had heads in the sand. Nobody wants to remember that Biden’s staying in the race til “too late” is a big chunk of why we have the nightmare we living in
And Newsom is apparently just the narcissist to do it. Takes one to know one? He's a smarmy creature but apparently that's what we need. People with more self-awareness can't do this so well. (OK, I'm being a little harsh on Newsom. He is obviously doing this as a "bit." I don't think Trump is).
Lots of people whining on Bluesky that they won’t support Newsom in any capacity because of his stance on homeless and trans people, so they’re exercising purity politics because it doesn’t align perfectly. Childish stance, I think, and clearly they’re not understanding the severity of the moment.
It is also what allowed Trump to enter the scene back in 2015. This purity BS needs to stop and the Democratic Party needs be aware of that. I dislike Newsom for many reasons but this is exactly what needs to be done - the mindset specifically, maybe different tactics than memes over time
By different tactics I mean for example redistricting CA to offset Texas. Blue states do that a couple of times and the insane right will give that tactic up pretty quickly
Yes, expecting perfection in politicians is a sure way to lose every election. They are killing the "good" in pursuit of a non-existent "ideal." Sure, we need to vet candidates and come up with the best ones possible based on the "pros" and "cons" scale, but if people refuse to vote for someone because they don't perform well on their pet issue then Democrats are doomed to wither away into obscurity. "Best" does not mean "perfect" and it never will. Voters expecting perfection need to tone down their idealism just a notch.
Sorry, I agree we are all on team anti-MAGA and I fully endorse Newsom’s strategy here. I just think he’s not a great standard bearer for the Dems ultimately because he has shown himself to be slimy. The trick is to be able to hit back against Trump/MAGA while also being an acceptable alternative
You can think he is slimy, but understand that I don't, so there is no point in deriding a team member if we have different opinions but all share the same goal. I am endlessly thankful when someone stands up and takes one for the team. It takes a certain personality to become vulnerable by standing up and I will support as many of that type as I can. We need all types in this war.
With the divorce rate near 50%, judging people by their ex-spouses is tricky business. Especially since they've made the decision to NOT be associated with that person anymore. Nevertheless, his romantic life has been...not great. But worrying about that these days is almost quaint.
As a CA voter, it has taken me some time to warm to Dark Gavin. Sure, he looks like a politician from central casting (he apparently raises the pulse rate of some women of a certain age) and has made some missteps like his French Laundry hypocrisy. But I've never been one to dismiss or cancel someone for a few relatively minor mistakes; overall, I'd say he's doing excellent work nowadays, in a way that no one else seems to have the guts or the standing to do. Is he "the" guy/gal for 2028? I have no idea. But he's definitely building support ...
Hmm. Words could be said, but i won't. I dont care that he is an ambitious used-car salesman. I support him 100% and i will do whatever, and i mean whatever, i can do to get him elected if he is our standard bearer. I don't care. Seriously. Nothing else matters except defeating trump and trumpism.
Well, I don't want to get into a protracted debate about this, but there's also platforming MAGAs on his podcast and not pushing back on their MAGAisms.
I suspect he probably realizes that was a mistake. He's doing the opposite of that now, and frankly, I don't care what he did before or what his motivations are. Bringing the fight, the mockery, and going smash-mouth is what the anti-Trump side needs right now.
He wasn’t “platforming” them. They already have a platform. He was trying to reach their voters, especially Gen Z males, many of whom are still persuadable. Again, with the virtue signaling. It was strategy, and certainly worth a shot .
Newsome definitely looks like the sort of person who in looking at media he has 2 lists. List A is articles about himself. List B is article about all other subjects.
I'd rather go with Gavin than worry with Terry. Does it surprise anyone that a prominent politician cares a lot about his/her public image? So did Julius Caesar. Why such snark?
Wasn't aware that Newsom is running for President - yet.
Anything that lifts the stone on trump's idiocy is OK by me - and this tactic seems to do it.
However, Newsom's name IS getting recognition from this - I'd like to see other Dem. politician's up their game. Getting into the race in 2027 won't cut it.
If all he manages to do is wedge the door open and let in enough oxygen for others to find their feet, I’ll be flying my W flag high for AMERICA’S (WORLD’S MANY SAY) MOST BEAUTIFUL GOVERNOR AND KING OF ALL MEDIA GAVIN CHRIST CARRIER NEWSOM (Baba Booey!)
Yes. Right now, he is exactly what we need. Someone to make us feel a bit more hopeful. Someone who is willing to TAKE ON Trump and give it back to him as good as he gives. Count me in on Team Newsom.
The thing that really makes me feel good is that Gavin seems to be THE ONLY ONE who shows he is not afraid of Trump. He will hit Trump good and hard and damn the consequences. Other people in the party do stand up to Trump's policies, but they don't go after him with the "I dare 'ya" attitude that Gavin has and it is exactly what gets under Trump's skin and forces him to make foolish mistakes with his own comments. I would put Rick Wilson in the same category as Newsom. And the people at the Meidas Touch are pretty close. We need more of this, not less.
Bravo Ashley. Yet! Even now the hand wringing, pearl clutching old school Dems are whining about Newsom “going low.!”
What fog do these people live in?!?
They have wiped their rear ends with us and finally someone is rising to take them on. Feeble Dems too “proper” ? They may like being used as toilet paper!?!?
Re Newsome. Love it. I'm an old centrist D and have been so sick and tired of the lame D response (AOC/Bernie notwithstanding). Show some huevos. Quit lying down like whipped pups.
Count me among the Newsom lovers. And, to answer some of the perhaps rhetorical questions, no, nothing that anyone on the left is doing now is too extreme because the alternative is to meekly submit to the coming outright theft of the 2026 midterms and every election thereafter. I was puzzled by the assertion that Newsom is on his back foot because Texas as successful in passing their gerrymandered map. Newsom's strategy has never been to actually prevent TX from acting - no one believed anything Newsom said or did would get those fascists to stand down - but to respond assuming TX would go forward. My money is on that referendum passing comfortably and CA taking back whatever advantage TX has gained in the interim. Newsom's only on his back foot in the way Rafi Nadal was in preparing for a hard return of service.
Same reaction here (back foot). I think most Bulwark staff don't like Newsom no matter what - kind of the opposite of how they love Reagan no matter what.
Did you read Lauren's piece recently (https://www.thebulwark.com/p/democrats-victories-limbo-texas-redistricting-midterms)? I felt like I was reading the Times or the Post. It was like she just couldn't bring herself to say anything positive about the Dems, or offer any hope. She even talked about the Dems who "fled" TX, after Lizzie Fletcher had been on w/ Sarah and specifically pointed out that they didn't flee anything. They legally left the state to call attention to the incredibly dangerous authoritarian takeover - thank goodness! I thought they were incredibly courageous.
I appreciate TB folks so much, but sometimes the Republican roots of some of them are just too deep and too much for me. I have no idea of Lauren's background, but I sure wish they'd find someone else to do the reporting on Dems. She's not doing us any favors.
I was puzzled too. Maybe they meant that now that the TX legislature has affirmatively decided to redistrict mid-decade, and implementation of CA's ballot measure depends on whether TX does it, that makes the measure moot?
If so, I disagree. The measure is a good political tool to show how Trump is dictating to state legislatures and CA is putting the action before the voters; you know, how it's done in a democracy?
Just finished reading it - as a retired Army officer, it really hit home. Not a single officer that I am aware of has resigned over the politicalization of the military and the use of the armed forces in American (blue) cities. Trump always said that he wanted loyal generals like Hitler had; well, he may have them now. (PS - don't listen when you hear the MSM say "oh, but Hitler's generals tried to kill him!" It was only a tiny fraction of German officers who attempted to kill Hitler. The overwhelming majority of generals and other officers were loyal to him to the bitter end.)
From what I have read, it appears that he was told to retire. And his news release (quoted from Military.com) hardly rings of resistance: "I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 23rd Air Force chief of staff, and I'm thankful for Secretary Meink, Secretary Hegseth and President Trump's faith in me to lead our service." While the military is filled with people who have displayed physical courage, I think moral courage is as rare in the military as it is everywhere else. The vast majority of the officers that I served with in my career were moral, decent human beings. However, I suspect that many, if not most, of the officers today rationalize their behavior by convincing themselves that they can ameliorate the execution of Trump's policies. Unfortunately, I think complicity is like the boiling frog - it starts small and then just completely overtakes you.
I read it, 4 months in. Now we’re nearing 8 months in. We’ve seen what happens to Generals their Lieutenants (men and any/every woman) who may still be operating under an oath to country and constitution, and not to a President: they’ve been disappeared by Henchman Hegseth for not passing his smell test for loyalty above all to Trump. If there are such oath-believers and leaders left, let’s pray they will be there or able to return when their Commander in Chief and his jackboots are soundly and justly defeated by We The People. (Note: A reputable journalist here in LA interviewed several of the Marines who were deployed here to ostensibly bring back “law and order” to our City; they, anonymously, were not happy campers, unsettled at the thought of warring against American citizens; they felt betrayed, setup, and were very relieved when the order was finally lifted and they could return to their bases. National Guard also were conflicted, but not sure with the lowering of the bar for qualified personnel to fill ICE ranks we’ll see any restraint, in fact all restraints seem to be off in DC’s occupation with untrained malicious recruits. The new Brown Shirts. Vicious punks.)
We are often ignored. Our Governor, who was our Attorney General, Bob Ferguson made a public statement and sent a response telling Bondi where she could stuff her immigration demands. And, don’t forget Maria Cantwell, our other Senator, she doesn’t pull any punches either.
At this point I’m voting for the creation of Cascadia so we can go back to normal. Canada and Mexico would be happy to trade with us.
I hear you, Hannah, RE: Newsom Social Media, but I think the left will drop the crazy act if Trump just started acted normal. On the left it is a bit, on the right it is their way of life. ALWAYS mock the authoritarian. They hate it and it weakens them. I have no issue with Gov. Newsom acting like this and if he does become President Newsom, I pray he will just be normal online... But for now, if it pisses off Trump and makes Dems feel something in our cold dead hearts, I am for it. But yeah please don't be the way forward forever.
This is EXACTLY my take. Thanks for sharing. I really done want a Newsom presidency. But anyone sane who will fight and be competent is fine. We have to get rid of perfection ideals . We’re a big tent and no one is going to be your dream. Is Obama better, IMO? Sure, but we can’t go back. We have to go forward with what we have in the times we are in — which are frankly, insane. And we must beat Trump et al at any cost.
I loved watching the Fox News hosted being very upset at how juvenile and inappropriate it was for a governor to communicate this way. It's a shame that a large fraction of their audience won't appreciate the irony.
All kidding aside, if Fox News is this concerned, that means the tactic is working. Keep going!
To me, it's like last summer. The Harris campaign was getting traction with the "weird" framing. However, the Harris campaign stopped using "weird" because of concerns from the usual suspects. We all know how that worked out.
While I have issues with Newsom, he's right to keep going!
I have no idea why they dropped the "weird" campaign. It was working. "eating the pets" is weird. Trying to strip people of their rights is weird. Making everyone pay higher prices to give rich people tax cuts is weird.
maybe that's the terminology you need to use. They are weirdos, and they don't like you. Don't get you. Use you. Do you want to be a tool for weirdos to do their thing?
All the consultants and the media chatterers (even here in the Bulwark) cautioned against this attack. It was "alienating" to the middle voters and undignified. Unfortunately, the Harris campaign listened.
Undignified? There is vast space between pinkie-up “dignified”
And being a knuckle dragging MAGA
Dems have a strange antiquated idea of what dignified means in 2025 politics.
Anyone remember the Kennedy Family ethos, established by grandpa Joe?!? They were backed by street fighters , mobsters and worse, but somehow projected purity and integrity
I think the attack was compelling and the cowardly retreat hurt them in November. Maybe not enough to win the election, but I suspect they would have done better if similar attacks continued.
Right? Drove me nuts. It’s effective and TRUE! But the focus group everything crowd and they “let’s win over the mythological GOPers and Indies that will vote for a Dem” (as if) is what wins every time. If they’d turn out their own people but being real and leaning in, hard, to the ideals, I believe they might actually peel SOME people off from those groups and win. But this milquetoast b.s. is why we lose. And is always what everyone who is “smart and does this for a living” recommends. And the outcome is always the same. Nope. No thanks.
Any State that has built and relied on WINDMILLS and SOLAR for power are seeing RECORD BREAKING INCREASES IN ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY COSTS. THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY! We will not approve wind or farmer destroying Solar. The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!! MAGA
I am glad that Newsom is not just doing what Democrats and progressives have been doing for the last almost ten years when it comes to felon Trump, just shaking their heads and go on.
Throwing the same level of crap back in the face of MAGA and our convicted felon president is what is called for.
If left unchallenged, bullies, dictators, and authoritarians continue to escalate.
Staying high while the MAGA cult continue to go low and lives in the gutter, was and is never going to work. Democrats need to get down and fight fire with fire.
love what he's doing....seems to be one of the few Dems willing to fight dirty. No more of this "if they go low, we go high" nonsense. Politics has always been a bloodsport. it's about time we got back in the octagon. as Sean Connery taught us in UNTOUCHABLES..."if they pull a knife, you pull a gun...THAT'S how you get Capone."
OHMSS is perhaps my favorite Bond movie. Right up there with From Russia with Love and Skyfall. A different side of Bond for sure that we didn't see from Connery: closer to Daniel Craig.
OHMSS and From Russia With Love are hands-down my faves of the classic era. While I enjoyed all of the Craig ones, I don't find them as compelling a rewatch. The ending of Skyfall is the best moment of Craig's films.
The new films don't need tge DB5 in every movie. Spies are supposed to blend in, not drive a 60 year-old classic car. 😀
This might be the best effort I've seen to break through into the attention economy. Gavin should periodically post that, if Trump goes back to some meaningful and professional communication methods, so will he.
Inject a periodic sane post about important stuff so people don't forget what leadership style communication should look like.
And keep hammering on the stupid style we have become complacent with. Trigger away!
And I'm 25,000% not feeling the slightest, merest, least, tinge of guilt or regret or sorrow or shame over what Newsom (please note that M is the last letter in his name, not E as many seem to think) is doing. It's about time D's had some fun in these dreadful times.
There will be a point where Newsom's pokes will become normalized and lose the impact, so the left needs to keep inventing. I don't know what that looks like but I do know it can't just be Newsom
I honestly LOVE IT! It is not only LMAO funny, it is throwing it all back in the 100 year old Trump's face. Mocking is perfect. It is about time Dems unclenched their backsides and started rolling all this crap back in their ugly face. You can't bring a knife to a gun fight in this dirty low life bar. It's time to load up and bring it on. Since when was racist, love the rich, screw my neighbor who struggles, etc. a thing everyone likes--?? Actually most don't. It's time to not be shy and call them to the carpet on how embarrassing and disgusting their ideas really are. Go Gavin Go.
The beauty of Newsom is that it is both laugh out loud funny and turning the mirror on the GOP. Plus, it has the added bonus of being EXACTLY what we have been begging the Democrats to do.
The only way to combat a raging, narcissistic, pathological liar like Donald Trump is to mock them mercilessly at every turn.
"The only way to combat a raging, narcissistic, pathological liar like Donald Trump is to mock them mercilessly at every turn."
YES YES YES YES YES ....ONE THOUSAND TIMES, YES. MORE PLEASE !!
Why has it taken ten years for a Democrat politician to do this?
According to Anne Applebaum, mockery of authoritarians is very effective.
Wishy washy pearl-clutchers who cannot differentiate fighting back from “going low.”
Yes, those exact same pearl-clutchers who told us that Biden was perfectly competent and shouldn't drop out and we were all being ageist!
Ggrrrrr. We were duped. Or enough of Dem “leadership”’had heads in the sand. Nobody wants to remember that Biden’s staying in the race til “too late” is a big chunk of why we have the nightmare we living in
Obama is a master at trolling the asshole in chief!
And Newsom is apparently just the narcissist to do it. Takes one to know one? He's a smarmy creature but apparently that's what we need. People with more self-awareness can't do this so well. (OK, I'm being a little harsh on Newsom. He is obviously doing this as a "bit." I don't think Trump is).
Newsom has a social media director who is making those posts, Just to make it more fun, she's a Latina who rocks a cowboy hat better than Noem does: https://www.calonews.com/featured-topics/media/the-latina-behind-governor-gavin-newsom-s-social-media-posts/article_9e97c98e-dfd7-4029-b5e8-11391c2526e6.html
Thanks, yes, I had read about her. She's perfectly on-pitch.
So she gets paid to mock Trump? Dream job.
yeah sign me up for that one
While wearing a cowboy hat and being brown, it seems!
This is how we eat our own! This is how we lose, lose, lose. Purity tests! That’s us.
So fucking true JF. We finally break through and have to self-destruct. Losers. What is the pathology behind self-destruction?
Wow, way to kill your team members. This is the kind of nasty no one needs.
Lots of people whining on Bluesky that they won’t support Newsom in any capacity because of his stance on homeless and trans people, so they’re exercising purity politics because it doesn’t align perfectly. Childish stance, I think, and clearly they’re not understanding the severity of the moment.
Purity-Prig politics kill the Democratic Party's chances over and over again. It helped to kill Harris's chance of winning the election.
Shitposting about the putative "sliminess" of the most successful Democrat to raise his head over the parapet and shoot back is Purity Prig.
It is also what allowed Trump to enter the scene back in 2015. This purity BS needs to stop and the Democratic Party needs be aware of that. I dislike Newsom for many reasons but this is exactly what needs to be done - the mindset specifically, maybe different tactics than memes over time
By different tactics I mean for example redistricting CA to offset Texas. Blue states do that a couple of times and the insane right will give that tactic up pretty quickly
Why don’t you like Gavin?
Yes, expecting perfection in politicians is a sure way to lose every election. They are killing the "good" in pursuit of a non-existent "ideal." Sure, we need to vet candidates and come up with the best ones possible based on the "pros" and "cons" scale, but if people refuse to vote for someone because they don't perform well on their pet issue then Democrats are doomed to wither away into obscurity. "Best" does not mean "perfect" and it never will. Voters expecting perfection need to tone down their idealism just a notch.
THIS!!! 10000000000000000000000000 times this!
Why i left bluesky the day i joined. I would never pass a purity test.
Sorry, I agree we are all on team anti-MAGA and I fully endorse Newsom’s strategy here. I just think he’s not a great standard bearer for the Dems ultimately because he has shown himself to be slimy. The trick is to be able to hit back against Trump/MAGA while also being an acceptable alternative
You can think he is slimy, but understand that I don't, so there is no point in deriding a team member if we have different opinions but all share the same goal. I am endlessly thankful when someone stands up and takes one for the team. It takes a certain personality to become vulnerable by standing up and I will support as many of that type as I can. We need all types in this war.
"Shown himself to be slimy." Stipulating that the trip to the French Laundry was tone-deaf, are there other examples of him being "slimy?"
Well, he was married to Kimberly Guilfoyle....But I don't care who is sliming all over Trump. Should have started this kind of parody years ago.
With the divorce rate near 50%, judging people by their ex-spouses is tricky business. Especially since they've made the decision to NOT be associated with that person anymore. Nevertheless, his romantic life has been...not great. But worrying about that these days is almost quaint.
As a CA voter, it has taken me some time to warm to Dark Gavin. Sure, he looks like a politician from central casting (he apparently raises the pulse rate of some women of a certain age) and has made some missteps like his French Laundry hypocrisy. But I've never been one to dismiss or cancel someone for a few relatively minor mistakes; overall, I'd say he's doing excellent work nowadays, in a way that no one else seems to have the guts or the standing to do. Is he "the" guy/gal for 2028? I have no idea. But he's definitely building support ...
What has he done that is slimy? Had dinner at a fancy restaurant during the pandemic?
Hmm. Words could be said, but i won't. I dont care that he is an ambitious used-car salesman. I support him 100% and i will do whatever, and i mean whatever, i can do to get him elected if he is our standard bearer. I don't care. Seriously. Nothing else matters except defeating trump and trumpism.
Well, I don't want to get into a protracted debate about this, but there's also platforming MAGAs on his podcast and not pushing back on their MAGAisms.
I suspect he probably realizes that was a mistake. He's doing the opposite of that now, and frankly, I don't care what he did before or what his motivations are. Bringing the fight, the mockery, and going smash-mouth is what the anti-Trump side needs right now.
He wasn’t “platforming” them. They already have a platform. He was trying to reach their voters, especially Gen Z males, many of whom are still persuadable. Again, with the virtue signaling. It was strategy, and certainly worth a shot .
Understand.
<sigh> Here we go again.
Define slimy and tell us. how he is slimy?
Newsome definitely looks like the sort of person who in looking at media he has 2 lists. List A is articles about himself. List B is article about all other subjects.
I bet he has a hard to getting to the B list.
Show us a politician who doesn’t have a strong ego.
Trump ego beyond stratospheric…
I agree. But it is still a worry.
Only people with strong egos go into politics.
What is the worry?
I'd rather go with Gavin than worry with Terry. Does it surprise anyone that a prominent politician cares a lot about his/her public image? So did Julius Caesar. Why such snark?
I still react (worry) about the egotism of politicians
Leave Gavin alone. He runs the 4th largest economy on earth.
Wasn't aware that Newsom is running for President - yet.
Anything that lifts the stone on trump's idiocy is OK by me - and this tactic seems to do it.
However, Newsom's name IS getting recognition from this - I'd like to see other Dem. politician's up their game. Getting into the race in 2027 won't cut it.
Aren’t all politicians a bit smarmy?
no
Trolling Trump and MAGA, Love it!
If all he manages to do is wedge the door open and let in enough oxygen for others to find their feet, I’ll be flying my W flag high for AMERICA’S (WORLD’S MANY SAY) MOST BEAUTIFUL GOVERNOR AND KING OF ALL MEDIA GAVIN CHRIST CARRIER NEWSOM (Baba Booey!)
Yes. Right now, he is exactly what we need. Someone to make us feel a bit more hopeful. Someone who is willing to TAKE ON Trump and give it back to him as good as he gives. Count me in on Team Newsom.
The thing that really makes me feel good is that Gavin seems to be THE ONLY ONE who shows he is not afraid of Trump. He will hit Trump good and hard and damn the consequences. Other people in the party do stand up to Trump's policies, but they don't go after him with the "I dare 'ya" attitude that Gavin has and it is exactly what gets under Trump's skin and forces him to make foolish mistakes with his own comments. I would put Rick Wilson in the same category as Newsom. And the people at the Meidas Touch are pretty close. We need more of this, not less.
If anybody can shitpost and get attention, then shitposting for attention becomes white noise devoid of much value.
I've long argued that to save Democracy, we're going to need to do/say things we'd rather not do/say. So, shitpost away.
Bravo Ashley. Yet! Even now the hand wringing, pearl clutching old school Dems are whining about Newsom “going low.!”
What fog do these people live in?!?
They have wiped their rear ends with us and finally someone is rising to take them on. Feeble Dems too “proper” ? They may like being used as toilet paper!?!?
Shitposter in the streets, technocrat in the sheets in my preferred candidate at this time
Oh dude, you made me laugh. I may end up putting that on a banner.
Exactly
Re Newsome. Love it. I'm an old centrist D and have been so sick and tired of the lame D response (AOC/Bernie notwithstanding). Show some huevos. Quit lying down like whipped pups.
Bless you Jerry.
Count me among the Newsom lovers. And, to answer some of the perhaps rhetorical questions, no, nothing that anyone on the left is doing now is too extreme because the alternative is to meekly submit to the coming outright theft of the 2026 midterms and every election thereafter. I was puzzled by the assertion that Newsom is on his back foot because Texas as successful in passing their gerrymandered map. Newsom's strategy has never been to actually prevent TX from acting - no one believed anything Newsom said or did would get those fascists to stand down - but to respond assuming TX would go forward. My money is on that referendum passing comfortably and CA taking back whatever advantage TX has gained in the interim. Newsom's only on his back foot in the way Rafi Nadal was in preparing for a hard return of service.
Same reaction here (back foot). I think most Bulwark staff don't like Newsom no matter what - kind of the opposite of how they love Reagan no matter what.
OMG! Thank you for saying this. The Bulwark staff and their endless hagiographic portrayal of Reagan is a major flaw in their overall work.
As JVL wrote in one of his previous Triads, https://open.substack.com/pub/thebulwark/p/was-donald-trump-the-inevitable-endpoint-of-conservatism-conservative-movement?r=2y1hd&utm_medium=ios, Reagan, Buckley, and the “othering” of liberals and other Americans with whom they didn’t agree politically started us down this path, the path that has led us to Trump.
It wasn’t a straight line and the R-squared is not 1, but the pathway and correlation are very clear.
Did you read Lauren's piece recently (https://www.thebulwark.com/p/democrats-victories-limbo-texas-redistricting-midterms)? I felt like I was reading the Times or the Post. It was like she just couldn't bring herself to say anything positive about the Dems, or offer any hope. She even talked about the Dems who "fled" TX, after Lizzie Fletcher had been on w/ Sarah and specifically pointed out that they didn't flee anything. They legally left the state to call attention to the incredibly dangerous authoritarian takeover - thank goodness! I thought they were incredibly courageous.
I appreciate TB folks so much, but sometimes the Republican roots of some of them are just too deep and too much for me. I have no idea of Lauren's background, but I sure wish they'd find someone else to do the reporting on Dems. She's not doing us any favors.
I second this emotion. It gets fatiguing sometimes.
Like the R-squared mention! 👍🏻
We are all in this together. Beggars can't be choosers.
We will get it done in California.
Californians favor it by 20 points.
Source?
Political wire. Its my second read of the morning behind the Bulwark
Looks like the source is Newsom's pollster. Is he credible, given his bias?
A similar survey a while ago showed it was a lot closer. But it has expanded to 22points since then. Granted, there probably is a little bias.
A survey? All I’ve seen is Newsom’s internal polling that was presented to the legislature showing 52%.
I was puzzled too. Maybe they meant that now that the TX legislature has affirmatively decided to redistrict mid-decade, and implementation of CA's ballot measure depends on whether TX does it, that makes the measure moot?
If so, I disagree. The measure is a good political tool to show how Trump is dictating to state legislatures and CA is putting the action before the voters; you know, how it's done in a democracy?
More of this, please. Mocking MAGA is a good thing.
Just as Mel Brooks relentlessly mocked Hitler. Someone should do a “Springtime for MAGA” musical number on YouTube.
Randy Rainbow, where are you?
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/4/14/2316431/-Springtime-for-MAGA-and-Criminals-Winter-for-Justice-and-Hope
Just finished reading it - as a retired Army officer, it really hit home. Not a single officer that I am aware of has resigned over the politicalization of the military and the use of the armed forces in American (blue) cities. Trump always said that he wanted loyal generals like Hitler had; well, he may have them now. (PS - don't listen when you hear the MSM say "oh, but Hitler's generals tried to kill him!" It was only a tiny fraction of German officers who attempted to kill Hitler. The overwhelming majority of generals and other officers were loyal to him to the bitter end.)
I understand that tRump is personally interviewing any general who is due for a promotion to four stars.
At this point, I'd settle for "a tiny fraction." Of officers, I mean, not Trump's.... well, you know.
Air Force Chief of Staff just put in his retirement papers, so there's that
From what I have read, it appears that he was told to retire. And his news release (quoted from Military.com) hardly rings of resistance: "I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 23rd Air Force chief of staff, and I'm thankful for Secretary Meink, Secretary Hegseth and President Trump's faith in me to lead our service." While the military is filled with people who have displayed physical courage, I think moral courage is as rare in the military as it is everywhere else. The vast majority of the officers that I served with in my career were moral, decent human beings. However, I suspect that many, if not most, of the officers today rationalize their behavior by convincing themselves that they can ameliorate the execution of Trump's policies. Unfortunately, I think complicity is like the boiling frog - it starts small and then just completely overtakes you.
Awesome, thanks for sharing that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWro_MWmiXU
This one is even better!
OMG! That was incredible. Democrats should add that as a link to every social media post that they make. Thanks!
lol 😺
I read it, 4 months in. Now we’re nearing 8 months in. We’ve seen what happens to Generals their Lieutenants (men and any/every woman) who may still be operating under an oath to country and constitution, and not to a President: they’ve been disappeared by Henchman Hegseth for not passing his smell test for loyalty above all to Trump. If there are such oath-believers and leaders left, let’s pray they will be there or able to return when their Commander in Chief and his jackboots are soundly and justly defeated by We The People. (Note: A reputable journalist here in LA interviewed several of the Marines who were deployed here to ostensibly bring back “law and order” to our City; they, anonymously, were not happy campers, unsettled at the thought of warring against American citizens; they felt betrayed, setup, and were very relieved when the order was finally lifted and they could return to their bases. National Guard also were conflicted, but not sure with the lowering of the bar for qualified personnel to fill ICE ranks we’ll see any restraint, in fact all restraints seem to be off in DC’s occupation with untrained malicious recruits. The new Brown Shirts. Vicious punks.)
Mocking Trumpster by Newsom looks unanimous. Dems take note!
as a feminist I would be remiss if I did not remind you that Senator Patty Murray did this first. thank you for your attention to this matter
She’s awesome. In a perfect world Patty Murray would be getting more airtime.
Being from Washington doesn't help. Now if she were from Ca. or New York.........
We are often ignored. Our Governor, who was our Attorney General, Bob Ferguson made a public statement and sent a response telling Bondi where she could stuff her immigration demands. And, don’t forget Maria Cantwell, our other Senator, she doesn’t pull any punches either.
At this point I’m voting for the creation of Cascadia so we can go back to normal. Canada and Mexico would be happy to trade with us.
As an Oregonian, I'm all with you on Cascadia.
As an Oregonian as well, I sign on to this.
Same here in Mn.I'm sure Canada makes us Minnesotans the exception to US voters.
Yeah, I’m proud of our electeds, too! (And also thankful to be tucked away in the top, left hand corner.)
And younger . . .
and more outgoing like AOC
I hear you, Hannah, RE: Newsom Social Media, but I think the left will drop the crazy act if Trump just started acted normal. On the left it is a bit, on the right it is their way of life. ALWAYS mock the authoritarian. They hate it and it weakens them. I have no issue with Gov. Newsom acting like this and if he does become President Newsom, I pray he will just be normal online... But for now, if it pisses off Trump and makes Dems feel something in our cold dead hearts, I am for it. But yeah please don't be the way forward forever.
Trump can’t act normal, it isn’t in him. He is acting what is normal for him. It’s like expecting him to suddenly speak flawless Greek.
Or flawless English!
Trump acting normal when pigs fly.
frump acting normally in our perspectives is laughable. Keep in mind he is acting in HIS normal
This is EXACTLY my take. Thanks for sharing. I really done want a Newsom presidency. But anyone sane who will fight and be competent is fine. We have to get rid of perfection ideals . We’re a big tent and no one is going to be your dream. Is Obama better, IMO? Sure, but we can’t go back. We have to go forward with what we have in the times we are in — which are frankly, insane. And we must beat Trump et al at any cost.
I loved watching the Fox News hosted being very upset at how juvenile and inappropriate it was for a governor to communicate this way. It's a shame that a large fraction of their audience won't appreciate the irony.
All kidding aside, if Fox News is this concerned, that means the tactic is working. Keep going!
To me, it's like last summer. The Harris campaign was getting traction with the "weird" framing. However, the Harris campaign stopped using "weird" because of concerns from the usual suspects. We all know how that worked out.
While I have issues with Newsom, he's right to keep going!
Yup. Walz himself should pop back into the news.
I have no idea why they dropped the "weird" campaign. It was working. "eating the pets" is weird. Trying to strip people of their rights is weird. Making everyone pay higher prices to give rich people tax cuts is weird.
maybe that's the terminology you need to use. They are weirdos, and they don't like you. Don't get you. Use you. Do you want to be a tool for weirdos to do their thing?
All the consultants and the media chatterers (even here in the Bulwark) cautioned against this attack. It was "alienating" to the middle voters and undignified. Unfortunately, the Harris campaign listened.
Undignified? There is vast space between pinkie-up “dignified”
And being a knuckle dragging MAGA
Dems have a strange antiquated idea of what dignified means in 2025 politics.
Anyone remember the Kennedy Family ethos, established by grandpa Joe?!? They were backed by street fighters , mobsters and worse, but somehow projected purity and integrity
I'm a middle voter and it wasn't alienating to me. But I am anti-MAGA so maybe that's why, because I saw it pissed them off.
I think the attack was compelling and the cowardly retreat hurt them in November. Maybe not enough to win the election, but I suspect they would have done better if similar attacks continued.
Right? Drove me nuts. It’s effective and TRUE! But the focus group everything crowd and they “let’s win over the mythological GOPers and Indies that will vote for a Dem” (as if) is what wins every time. If they’d turn out their own people but being real and leaning in, hard, to the ideals, I believe they might actually peel SOME people off from those groups and win. But this milquetoast b.s. is why we lose. And is always what everyone who is “smart and does this for a living” recommends. And the outcome is always the same. Nope. No thanks.
Fun fact about Newsome's communications... he can stop and communicate like a sane human. However, the President...
Spot on. LOVE the fact that Trump has stopped his capitalization schtick. He's so transparent and thin skinned it's ridiculous.
Somebody broke the caps lock on his phone?
I wish that Andrew had provided the post where Trump has retreated from using all-caps.
one of the posts is in the piece among the second set of screenshots Newsom calling the lack of caps "low energy"
LOL!
Still some caps (from today):
Any State that has built and relied on WINDMILLS and SOLAR for power are seeing RECORD BREAKING INCREASES IN ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY COSTS. THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY! We will not approve wind or farmer destroying Solar. The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!! MAGA
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115061417084982814
Probably a result of him being mocked for stopping...
Could be!
"Thank you for your attention".
Darn, I forgot that part. 😀
Seems like Trumpster thinks it is his signature line. I wonder if he will try to patent it?
Exactly!!!
Any Democrat who doesn’t fight like Newsom (not in the same vein but with his intensity) is worthless. No fight= no vote.
I am glad that Newsom is not just doing what Democrats and progressives have been doing for the last almost ten years when it comes to felon Trump, just shaking their heads and go on.
Throwing the same level of crap back in the face of MAGA and our convicted felon president is what is called for.
If left unchallenged, bullies, dictators, and authoritarians continue to escalate.
Staying high while the MAGA cult continue to go low and lives in the gutter, was and is never going to work. Democrats need to get down and fight fire with fire.
Newsom is showing the way!
I agree with what JVL said the other day, try different stuff and see what works.
mockery is a narcissists worst fear (I think it goes beyond not getting attention). Keep at it.
Sorry. But, I’m loving it! Holding up a mirror to the GOP insanity.
love what he's doing....seems to be one of the few Dems willing to fight dirty. No more of this "if they go low, we go high" nonsense. Politics has always been a bloodsport. it's about time we got back in the octagon. as Sean Connery taught us in UNTOUCHABLES..."if they pull a knife, you pull a gun...THAT'S how you get Capone."
"When they put your guy in a hospital, You put theirs in a morgue".
I read that hearing Connery's fake accent. 😀
Connery was great. Best Bond ever.
Agree about Connery, but I find Lazenby under-rated. 😀 Shame Lazenby was such a flake.
OHMSS is perhaps my favorite Bond movie. Right up there with From Russia with Love and Skyfall. A different side of Bond for sure that we didn't see from Connery: closer to Daniel Craig.
OHMSS and From Russia With Love are hands-down my faves of the classic era. While I enjoyed all of the Craig ones, I don't find them as compelling a rewatch. The ending of Skyfall is the best moment of Craig's films.
The new films don't need tge DB5 in every movie. Spies are supposed to blend in, not drive a 60 year-old classic car. 😀
This gambit doesn't strike me as dirty. See https://www.scu.edu/ethics/all-about-ethics/top-5-dirty-tricks-in-politics/.
I applaud this effort. Keep it up California!
This might be the best effort I've seen to break through into the attention economy. Gavin should periodically post that, if Trump goes back to some meaningful and professional communication methods, so will he.
Inject a periodic sane post about important stuff so people don't forget what leadership style communication should look like.
And keep hammering on the stupid style we have become complacent with. Trigger away!
I agree 100...no...120....wait....1500...dare I say 20,000% with your post! :-)
And I'm 25,000% not feeling the slightest, merest, least, tinge of guilt or regret or sorrow or shame over what Newsom (please note that M is the last letter in his name, not E as many seem to think) is doing. It's about time D's had some fun in these dreadful times.
:) :) :)
There will be a point where Newsom's pokes will become normalized and lose the impact, so the left needs to keep inventing. I don't know what that looks like but I do know it can't just be Newsom
Do whatever it takes to defeat the pedophiles and their enablers.
I honestly LOVE IT! It is not only LMAO funny, it is throwing it all back in the 100 year old Trump's face. Mocking is perfect. It is about time Dems unclenched their backsides and started rolling all this crap back in their ugly face. You can't bring a knife to a gun fight in this dirty low life bar. It's time to load up and bring it on. Since when was racist, love the rich, screw my neighbor who struggles, etc. a thing everyone likes--?? Actually most don't. It's time to not be shy and call them to the carpet on how embarrassing and disgusting their ideas really are. Go Gavin Go.