California Governor Gavin Newsom is calling out Democratic toxicity—from inside his glass house.
In an interview on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Newsom implored Democrats to take accountability for their losses and called the Democratic Party’s brand “toxic.”
Oh, this is rich—pun intended.
Newsom is out here sounding like he just stumbled upon the Democratic Party at a crime scene, pointing fingers like he wasn’t one of the architects of the mess.
Yeah, the brand is toxic—no argument here. But if it’s poisoned, Newsom has been spoon-feeding the venom for years.
Take accountability?
Gavin Newsom plays gatekeeper when it comes to parole decisions in California, denying countless requests because the person didn’t show enough remorse, take ownership of their crime, or admit guilt.
Funny how that same standard of accountability evaporates when it’s Newsom himself on the hook. Suddenly, he’s diagnosing the Democratic Party’s toxicity like some innocent bystander instead of the guy who’s been helping to mix the poison. Pointing fingers at the broader system like he hasn’t been one of its most prominent architects.
If personal responsibility is such a sticking point for Newsom when it comes to parole, maybe he should try applying it to himself. Because if he can demand people admit their mistakes and show remorse to earn a second chance, then he should be willing to do the same when it comes to the mess he’s helped make of the Democratic Party’s brand. Anything less is just hypocrisy dressed up as leadership.
Newsom said, “We talk down to people. We talk past people.” He must mean he talks down to people. He talks past people. And now he’s out here diagnosing the problem like he hasn’t been the walking, talking embodiment of every elitist stereotype Republicans love to weaponize. Newsom has been the poster boy for limousine liberalism, dishing out progressive platitudes while hosting cocktail parties at vineyards. And now he wants credit for stating the obvious? Please.
And before Newsom starts waxing poetic about reaching across the aisle and having some big bipartisan revival, how about he try actually talking to his own party first? The Black and Brown voters who keep dragging the Democratic Party over the finish line every election. The working-class folks who keep getting the “just wait your turn” speech from people like him while he preaches from your eco-friendly, billionaire-adjacent pedestal.
The Democratic brand is toxic? Yeah, no kidding. But if Newsom is going to call out the rot, maybe start with the parts he helped putrefy. You don’t get to spend years helping to build the mess and then show up with a megaphone like some whistleblower. Fix your own mess, Gavin. Then maybe you can start talking.
And this is exactly why we have to call out the foolishness—even when it’s coming from our own damn party. Because if we don’t, people like Newsom will keep feeding us the same garbage with a fresh coat of performative outrage and expect us to applaud.
Jasmyne Cannick is a Delegate in the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and a Democratic strategist.
