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Eric Blair's avatar

Newsom is trying to imitate Trump's style but of course it's completely fake. He will excite the contingent of Democratic voters who can't tell the difference between affected symbolic behavior and authenticity, but the schticky, manipulative fakeness of it will repel everyone else.

And if Newsom somehow becomes the candidate the election will come down to a referendum on the condition of LA and San Francisco: Do you want your whole country to look like that?

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Cid's avatar
30mEdited

Lmao that is an easy referendum - it would be sweet if every state had a global entertainment powerhouse like LA and a capital of the tech world like SF.

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Wolfy Jack's avatar

But that is not what the average American thinks but of homeless encampments, shoplifting, astronomical rents, budget deficits, sanctuary cities. And liberals, should face up to reality that there is a reason that people are leaving the state.

I am a Dem but there is a reason that no candidate from NY, CA, or MA has won since JFK whereas a good heartland governor like Clinton, Carter or today's Basheer, Cooper, can reach out beyond the liberal bubble and win some swing states and some of the non college demographic

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Eric Blair's avatar

If Newsom could convince voters that he's responsible for the successes of Hollywood and Silicon Valley but not the heroin needles, crime, and piles of human shit in the streets or the $135 billion stump of a rail line between the cities, he wouldn't need to debase himself by trying to imitate Trump's belligerent busker mannerisms.

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David Roberts's avatar

Did you have to remind me of my beleaguered Jets?

Enjoyed this.

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Jeff Maurer's avatar

I should have said "Trigger warning: New York Jets content ahead."

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David Burse's avatar

The "content ahead" part not needed.

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Ben's avatar
3hEdited

My take for what it's worth. This past weekend the photograph of US troops unfurling the red carpet for a monstrous and implacably evil child kidnapping/killing war criminal blew my mind - it was the like the photo of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi in complete reverse. It got me very down. This morning I gazed upon a portrait of a benign Jesus placing his hand on Gavin's shoulder and I burst out laughing. Like the recent South Park episodes, I NEEDED that. Desperately. Like Jeff and many readers, I have my doubts about Newsome's viability as a presidential candidate. But this is political jui-jitsu combat played at a very high level and it just may succeed where all other strategies have thus far failed. BTW, between Putin and Epstein, does anyone else appreciate Trump's almost demonic affinity for the at-scale tormenters of children? Fucking amazing.

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Hunterson7's avatar

It is like democrats don't understand that you keep your enemies close. TDS makes idiots of the infected no matter how allegedly educated the infected may be.

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Ben's avatar

Well, what exactly is TDS? I’m a white middle aged, politically moderate slightly upper middle class suburban dad. And I revile Trump with every fiber of my being because he is objectively, empirically hateful and growing more with every passing day. TDS just seems more and more like an empty slogan reflexively used by Trump supporters.

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merisiel's avatar

Yeah, there’s this annoying idea that if you can accuse someone of “__ Derangement Syndrome”, then you win the argument by default and they couldn’t possibly be justified in their objection to whatever the argument is about.

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Ben's avatar
2hEdited

At this point, it’s basically gaslighting exactly because Trump has exceeded our worst fears about who he is and the damage he’s causing.

. In any event, we don’t talk about pol pot derangement syndrome or Stalin derangement syndrome. Some fuckers earn and deserve the widespread hatred they incite.

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Sarah's avatar

I feel the same way about Gavin. I've never liked him, but can't help but enjoy what he's doing now. But much as I love seeing him mock Trump, I'm also looking nervously around at my fellow Democrats thinking, "We're not going to just nominate him because of stuff like this, right, guys?!"

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Lucidamente's avatar

“I worry that liberals and progressives might be falling in love with Newsom for the wrong reasons.”

Newsom-mania reminds me of the adulation bestowed upon another Californian, now a guest of the Federal Government, Michael Avenatti. In 2018, Stormy Daniels’s lawyer was worshipped as a Democratic god (he even claimed he was the Democrats’ best shot for the Presidency in 2020, and a lot of Democrats believed him), only to be revealed as a criminal a few years later. While I don’t think legal jeopardy is in Gavin Newsom’s future, I also don’t believe his current celebrity will translate into the nomination in 2028. The Newsom - Ocasio Cortez - Buttigieg threesome (sorry) you cite is more likely a function of name recognition than anything else.

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Jen C's avatar

Isn't the engagement off? I thought they sent Guilfoyle halfway across the world so Junior didn't have to look at her anymore.

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Jeff Maurer's avatar

Oh, I didn't know that. I've updated the article.

(I blame Fuzetti...this is his beat)

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Mapledurham's avatar

They did. I can’t blame them/him.

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Greg Nix's avatar

Newsom has terrible political instincts, so I expect he will waste this goodwill by having the Idaho killer on his podcast or something. In the meantime, I will happily be entertained by anyone who’s able to annoy Trump.

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I Drive a Saturn's avatar

This might be the most accurate piece of current political analysis! Have you read any of the academic political science takes on Trump and pro-wrestling? This one is great: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1478929920963827. Trump is the greatest Heel of all time. And this heel-dom has given the GOP a practically unassailable brand, in which the more terrible, mendacious, and outrageous it is, the more it is on brand. Trump is sincerely insincere, and many Americans would rather be lied to with a wink, than with the Democrats brand of condescending insincere sincerity. And this Democratic type of lying keeps them acting like jobbers. Or worse, makes them think they're the ref, only to have Trump clobber them over the head with a folding chair. Newsom could be the Face we need, but it will only work if he re-brands himself as the Ultimate Warrior, and channels an unapologetically fervent and sincere sincerity for the USA. This will mean pulling no punches with the USA-haters on the Left. Remember, the only thing Trump has sincere sincerity for is himself. And the Democratic loveless love for "shared humanity" has created a crappy upper-management corporate mental health "wellness" campaign that is incapable of solving structural problems and grappling with the reality of threats to our democracy and national security. It's a shame that Mayor Pete, upon Harris's defeat, didn't stepped into the role of unabashed protector of American liberty and constitutional protections. He has the brainpower to outwit and outquip Trump, military service to give sincerity to his love of country, and a personal stake in the constitutional dialectic of "good citizenship" and progressive-leaning freedom of consciousness.

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Hunterson7's avatar

The problematic thing about pretentious motivated intellectuals is when they confuse their pretense with serious analysis.

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I Drive a Saturn's avatar

Oh, I'm very serious. Summer Slam 1990 steel cage event between Rick Rude and the Ultimate Warrior serious.

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Wolfy Jack's avatar

Newsom's numbers are largely about that he seems like he is running. And early frontrunners - think Howard Dean or Hillary in 2008 don't mean a lot. It is refreshing that somebody might take on the bully on his terms as opposed to the Dems refusing to get their hands dirty.

Newsom's pivots on the homeless and transgenders in women's sports, indicates he is trying to pivot middle but California bestows too many albatrosses on anybody, like Trump nailing Harris for having supported taxpayer funded transgender surgery for prisoners. At least Newsom realizes he needs to reinvent himself on woke, where Harris never played defense, but in the end I just dont think that since JFK any Dem from NY, CA, MA went anywhere.

The other one who is willing to take off the gloves on Trump is Buttigieg and like Newsom he is willing to go on FOX and not just hide from the non liberal public.

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Hunterson7's avatar

Even in recognizing just how horrible Newsom is, the TDS sufferers cannot help themself.

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anvlex's avatar

You have an actual point, or do you just love holding up a “I am retarded” sign?

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Wolfy Jack's avatar

Just another troll likely who thinks that making what we can call an "I hate broccoli" statement adds to anything. Who cares. He doesn't like Newsom. No content or reason given as if his disapproval adds to anything.

Now does he/she really care or is the point just to aggravate other people and trigger us, like the guy in 4th grade making farting noises in the back of the room.

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Andrei Petrovitch's avatar

Counterpoint: will anything matter by 2028?

What if Trump continues to fuck things up so royally that by 2028, fatigue has set in and voters are ready to vote for a goddamn day old ham sandwich just to move on? In 2008, McCain didn’t stand a chance because of his predecessor’s standing, and anything with an R next to its name was toxic.

Also, more idiots - excuse me, voters - simply vote based on, “oh yeah, I heard of that guys name” than anyone else. So, advantage Newsom, I guess?

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Mapledurham's avatar

A lot of Americans just vote for whoever (male) has the best hair, don’t they? In which case, Newsom’s the guy. And please god, not Mark Kelly.

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Hunterson7's avatar

Says someone who voted Obama, Clinton, Biden and Harris. The irony is hilarious.

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Keith Rasmussen's avatar

"I might be wrong" Maybe measure twice before cutting/posting?

Kimberly Guilfoyle is not currently married. She was previously married to Gavin Newsom from 2001 to 2006 and to Eric Villency from 2006 to 2009. She was also engaged to Donald Trump Jr. from 2020 until their split in 2024.

Oh, and "barely literate President"?

Stop it, yer killin' me.

Hahaha....

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Jay Moore's avatar

Pssst: “Deal Lord” -> “Dear Lord”

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