It seems that looking for frequent floor with Republicans isn’t the very best strategy for Democrats hoping to win the favor of their colleagues. Not solely does it danger coming throughout as disingenuous and even as betraying your personal occasion, nevertheless it additionally backfires once you’re caught in a lie.
On Thursday night, California Gov. Gavin Newsom discovered this lesson the laborious approach when CNN known as him out for claiming on his political podcast that nobody in his workplace had ever used the phrase “Latinx.”
Within the debut episode of his present, “This is Gavin Newsom,” the governor mentioned a variety of subjects, together with what he known as the “deeply unfair” nature of transgender highschool ladies collaborating in ladies’ sports activities. He additionally made the daring declare that “not one person” in his workplace had “ever used the word Latinx.”
Going even additional, Newsom then dismissed the time period—which is used as a gender-neutral reference to folks of Latin American descent—as an “out-of-touch fixation.”
“Where did that even—I just didn’t even know where it came from,” Newsom instructed his visitor, right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk.
However Newsom’s declare didn’t maintain up. As CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski identified, a minimum of one particular person in Newsom’s workplace had used the time period—and that particular person was Newsom himself.
Whoops.
Newsom’s rightward shift is probably going tied to his obvious ambition to run for president in 2028. However in his makes an attempt to courtroom conservatives, he’s revealed a major vulnerability: His positions should not based mostly on real ideological evolution however reasonably on a willingness to desert previous convictions to cater to no matter appears widespread with voters.
However in doing so, Newsom dangers alienating his base and undermining his credibility.
CNN’s evaluation uncovered a number of clips from 2020 to 2023 the place Newsom used the time period “Latinx” in public discussions. He has additionally used the time period in social media posts.
A spokesperson for Newsom didn’t instantly reply to Every day Kos’ request for remark, however Newsom’s workplace issued an announcement to CNN, claiming that Latinx is “not a term that is regularly used by the Administration.”
In different phrases, Newsom is now backpedaling his earlier assertion after being caught in an obvious contradiction.
And Newsom’s use of “Latinx” wasn’t restricted to social media both.
CNN highlighted one instance the place he used the time period throughout a press convention about COVID-19 funding.
“I hope we can really paint a picture in terms of our consciousness of how impactful this has been on the Latinx community,” he mentioned.
In one other clip, Newsom criticized Republicans, who he’s been courting currently, for specializing in banning “the word ‘Latinx’ and AP Black history courses” as an alternative of addressing extra urgent points equivalent to gun violence.
“You see there? That’s a lot of use of ‘Latinx’ by him for somebody who said that nobody in his office has ever used that phrase,” Kaczynski mentioned.
Kaczynski additionally known as out Newsom for attempting to distance himself from a California legislation that permits transgender ladies to participate in ladies’s sports activities.
“It turns out in 2014, years before I was governor, there was a law established that established the legal principles that allow trans athletes in women’s sports. But the issue of fairness is completely legit. It is an issue of fairness and I think Democrats have lost that,” Newsom mentioned on his podcast.
Nonetheless, as Kaczynski identified, Newsom was serving because the state’s lieutenant governor in 2014, when he publicly celebrated the legislation’s passage, together with in a put up on X.
Newsom’s podcast has been criticized by each the left and the correct. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who can also be thought-about a possible Democratic presidential contender in 2028, criticized Newsom for interviewing Steve Bannon on his podcast.
“I think that Governor Newsom bringing on different voices is great; we shouldn’t be afraid to talk and to debate just about anyone. But Steve Bannon espouses hatred and anger, and even at some points violence, and I don’t think we should give him oxygen on any platform, ever, anywhere,” Beshear mentioned at a Home Democratic retreat in Virginia.
In the meantime, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, Republican of Illinois, expressed his shock at Newsom’s latest proper flip.
“I am in shock at the stupidity of Newsom inviting Steve Bannon on his podcast,” he mentioned. “Many of us on the right sacrificed careers to fight Bannon, and Newsom is trying to make a career and a presidential run by building him up.”
