California obviously loves him enough; he’s the Governor! I’m talking about how he’s perceived nationwide simply because of where he’s from. Everywhere I go when I tell people I live in San Francisco the first question I get is “Is it really as bad as they say?” That’s because the nationwide narrative, mostly conservative but also independent and liberal is that SF = 70s NYC = post-steel industry shut down PIT = 30s Chicago = 10s Flint, MI. I know better, you know better (I think?) but the PERCEPTION is that CA is a fucking disaster, a failed state, France without the positives of France, not a success, especially San Francisco where he was mayor.
I don’t think Trump will have a problem selling himself against this man, because he wouldn’t be running against a man, but against the national, non-denominational perception of the place he’s from and all he knows. And Trump won’t EVER debate him.
I don’t think Newsom is your savio(u)r, Captain — not against Trump on an emergency basis, at any rate. Maybe in 28 after he’s termed out in CA and has a chance to polish his knowledge base and rep.
I don’t see anyone, certainly amongst the names floated, who can stand tall, look professional, speak intelligently in the issues, and even riff with humor…let alone have policy answers for anything and everything that crops up, other than Newsom. He has spent his career polishing that stone for his national run.
I recently saw him turn the immigration debate on its head by touting how immigration, and by simple extension immigrants, wasn’t a problem in America, it was a solution that has worked for centuries and has been turned into a bludgeoning tool by people who actually know better, but think it’s a good, and scary, wedge issues to people they think aren’t smart enough to realize it!
He’s good at pointing out that YOU are smarter than THEY are trying to make you by selling you the division that feeds THEM!
Sure, the ongoing argument about immigration is about “illegals” and a broken asylum system, but he’s quick to point out the nuance of how they’ve turned that, much smaller problem into “immigrants, not a broken immigration system, are the problem!” Paradoxically, not only are they not the problem, but they are the widely acknowledged (even by Republicans!) solution!
This is just one example where he attacks the THESIS, rather than trying to solve the problem, which is genius! It changes mindset.
Republicans love nothing more than telling you, in great detail, what is “wrong,” usually with zero solutions to any problem they can find. Dems love nothing more than THINKING they can wink you into thinking they have some decades-long policy solution to fix that problem and, if you’ll just give them free rein to do it over a couple of presidencies and a few senate Majority terms, they will fix everything!!!!
Against that backdrop, “this is wrong” beats “Rube Goldberg has a solution for you” every single time…and here we sit.
I’ve found Newsom to be the only politician I’ve heard in recent years to have taken that analysis and perfect his responses.
And, much as your mindset is that he will be seen as the leader of the far-left wing Communist state of California, he can blunt that with most of the problems in California that Republicans scream about are things that the rest of the country often picks up and runs with shortly thereafter, because, as state full of immigrants with fresh perspectives, new ideas and a strong work ethic, Californians have hustled California into the 5th largest economy in the world ALL BY ITSELF, and that without CA, theYSA would not be the #1 economy in the world with some of the US HQs if some of the biggest companies in the world!
And, sure, CA has its problems that rural states don’t have because people flock to places where there are jobs and great weather, but then global economic crises and pandemic affect them to a greater degree and that takes more work to fix than in a small rural town. However, that doesn’t make CA a worse place to live, work or operate your global company…as is proven by it being the most populous, largest economic engine in the world, leading the global tech revolution.
Unlike Trump’s numerous failed businesses, bankruptcies, and related 34 felony convictions, Newsom has overseen and helped nurture the economic boom of places like Silicon Valley and been “President” of the 5th largest economy in the world, bigger than places like UK and France!
NO-ONE ELSE in the U.S. can offer that and bring the complete package to the table. No-one. Meanwhile, he’s spent the last few months being a brilliant surrogate for Biden (just in case, and because Biden can’t do it for himself!), selling the Dem ideas on every show that would have him. He was smooth as silk in Bill Maher and can hold his own (and then some) whether you need serious, sober policy wink discussion or you want to yuk it up and seem almost normal!
He’s America’s Central Casting choice for President, too, and the questions of age and virility become strong negatives for Trump if Newsom even dips his toe. Then, throw in an accomplished, swing state Governor in Gretchen Whitmer as VP (who is well liked by both men and women) who can hold her own on any and all policy matters, and you have a much younger, all-American TEAM to beat the car crash and all around threat to democracy that is Trump and the MAGA Cult.
Indeed, given the massive lurch to the far right of the SCOTUS, and Trump only running to enrich himself and keep his felony ass out of jail while pardoning the reprehensible behavior of his friends and insurrectionists, this election should have been a lay up, but Biden has put that in even greater jeopardy today than it was in on Weds!!!
Newsom-Whitmer…say it with me!!
