His social media, etc, is managed by Camille Zapata, a Latina woman in her late twenties. I’m CERTAIN that Newsom has some hand in the satirical approach. Only crediting her because she wasn’t mentioned and it’s likely he’s not writing all of this himself.
Me too! The title should be updated to Gavin Newsom Finds His Sharpest Weapon: Satire and the brave and brilliant Latinx woman, Camille Zapata, who's writing it.
Suzanne, yes! We must all be ready to laugh and point at them when they call it “undignified!” Don’t just let them get away with it. This is a tool, use it!
I think it’s great. For far too long the mainstream media has treated Trump’s 4th-grade level communication and histrionics (no offense intended, 4th graders!) as some sort of normal Presidential behavior. It has always been cringeworthy and embarrassing and has made us a laughingstock around the world. Newsome and his team are doing a great job using Trump’s own ridiculous behavior against him so everyone else can see that the emperor has no clothes. (Sincere apologies for putting unwanted images in anyone’s mind.)
Mixed bag for me. Glad that someone is talking "loud enough" to get people's attention. It highlights the ridiculousness of our current moment/method of communication. However, I miss decorum... I miss "when they go low, we go high"
I agree to a point but people don't seem to respond to when they go low we go high. They say that's what they want, but then when it comes down to it they respond to what Newsom is doing now.
I fully agree. I get why Newsom is doing it, and I honestly think it’s probably what we need in this moment. But it does feel like just another step into the Idiocracy of it all.
Yes, Ashley, we are hip deep in idiocracy. But sometimes you have to go through it, to get to the other side. We’ve tried going around it, but it didn’t work. I’d love another path that is effective, but right now we are literally fighting in all fronts.
I think this is really well said. Sometimes we have to go through to get out of it. I think that's exactly where we are. These are the small moments of hope that get me through thinking we may not be stuck here forever.
Kinda of the same for me, but I don’t know if we’ll ever go back to decorum in politics. I often think it’s horrible my children only remember the politics of the MAGA era.
Evidently, "high" is not what the country wants; so sinking the republic to maintain higher standards still means we're sinking under the DJT onslaught. So fighting back, hopefully only rhetorically, may be the only way to save our 250-year experiment.
I miss that too! But to continue to have that mindset while the other side continues to break the rules and go lower and lower.... it just simply isn't working.
I don’t love trolling in general, but I also feel it is the only way Trump’s base can understand how silly all of Trump’s social media posts and speeches are. If they can’t handle Newsom doing it, they need to call out their own leader or they’re just choosing party over principle.
Jessica, I don’t think Gavin is doing this to influence Trump’s base. I think it’s to get the do-nothing middle’s attention. The maga’s are all about party over principle. That’s their brand.
I don’t like trolling either but I think it’s great someone is holding up a mirror to show how truly ridiculous this situation is; a petty, small president acting like a school yard bully
While it would be nice not to have to go to satire, it is quite amusing that Newsom has decided to troll Trump. Do I still have mixed feelings about Newsom? Yes. Is it nice that someone seems to be taking a visible stand? Also, yes. If I were still a Californian (used to be), I would be voting for the maps, as Texas's move is a blatant power grab.
I am wildly unsure about Newsome as an good presidential candidate. As a foil for Trump at this precise moment, he seems to be the only one that has come close to doing well.
I think Newson's trolling of Trump is pretty hilarious. Sure, I'd love it if we could all get along, but fascism won't listen to reason. Humor is the kind of non-violent offense that we need.
Lifelong Californian here, 67, and have experienced his degrading of our state. He is an embarrassment. It's so frustrating how we are viewed now as the worst state in the Union. My county is around 1 million and our conservative vote never makes a dent in the democratic majority in the state. Our state needs serious help to get back to being the Golden State! And it's not about parties. If he did something good I'd appreciate him. But it's all bad. All the time.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think your state is viewed as the worst in the nation. Who is telling you that? I know there are some policies that are not popular and it’s expensive to live there, but all of my California friends absolutely love living there.
As a lifelong resident of California, age 70, I’m proud of Gavin Newsom’s decision to fight fire with fire. How can California be the worst state in USA, and at the same time be the 4th largest economy in the world?
What do you believe has been degraded in CA? Why do you think it's viewed as the worst state in the Union.
I agree that California is the best argument for doing away with the electoral college, because both democrats AND republicans are vastly underrepresented to their proportion to the country.
But I think CA is great- lived there for 18 years, and I wish the rest of the country was run as successfully as CA is.
30+ years in CA and I'm pretty neutral on Newsom. There are a lot of challenges (some unique or unique in magnitude here), but I'm curious to know why you consider it as 'viewed as the worst state'? (other than Trump's wild claims).
And of those concerns, what do you contribute to Newsom's leadership vs. things that have been decades in the making (which is what I see as culminating in main issues today). Genuine interest to understand...
The people who tell you we're the "worst state in the Union" are likely living on the handouts CA provides the rest of the country. They are people who are happy to eat the produce, nuts, and dairy we produce. They are people who are delighted to visit the many national parks and attractions we have here. You're always free to believe what you want, but that doesn't make it factual.
And frankly, if you own a home here, you could easily move to almost any other state just by selling your home.
Lifelong and multi-generation Californian here, not sure what you mean by “degrading our state.” Where are you getting your information? Yes, it has problems like every huge and highly populated place. But California has an incredible economy (objectively, one of the strongest in the world) and is one of the most beautiful, and dynamic, places on earth. You may be upset that your red county’s vote don’t “count,” but that is the nature of a democracy - the more votes you have, the more power you have. More important, this is deeply offensive to your fellow Californians, and fundamentally opposed to our system of government. You are implying that some number of votes in LA or SF shouldn’t count so that you have more power than another individual. Yikes.
Humor is a powerful tool against power. I think this is an example of satire used well, to call out the rhetoric and injustice we are at risk to being numbed to.
If satire has been used in the past, and we have gone on to defeat injustice and establish decorum in conversation again, surely we can do that yet again.
His social media, etc, is managed by Camille Zapata, a Latina woman in her late twenties. I’m CERTAIN that Newsom has some hand in the satirical approach. Only crediting her because she wasn’t mentioned and it’s likely he’s not writing all of this himself.
Thank you, Mandy and Susannah, for saying her name. Camille Zapata. Viva Zapata!
Don’t let anyone overlook women’s accomplishments.
Thank you! I was coming to the comments to say the same thing.
Me too! The title should be updated to Gavin Newsom Finds His Sharpest Weapon: Satire and the brave and brilliant Latinx woman, Camille Zapata, who's writing it.
This was my first thought...who is the ghost writer!
I find it wonderfully hilarious. Even more hilarious is when Republicans say it’s undignified. 😂
Suzanne, yes! We must all be ready to laugh and point at them when they call it “undignified!” Don’t just let them get away with it. This is a tool, use it!
MAGA is so irony impaired that it makes it that much funnier!
It's even better when Fox and friends criticize his communications as childish and unprofessional - um, HELLO!?!
Elizabeth, yes! Please call out F and F when they do it. They are not self-aware. We must poke them with a sharp stick.
I think it’s great. For far too long the mainstream media has treated Trump’s 4th-grade level communication and histrionics (no offense intended, 4th graders!) as some sort of normal Presidential behavior. It has always been cringeworthy and embarrassing and has made us a laughingstock around the world. Newsome and his team are doing a great job using Trump’s own ridiculous behavior against him so everyone else can see that the emperor has no clothes. (Sincere apologies for putting unwanted images in anyone’s mind.)
Your "unwanted images" apology at the end nearly made me spit coffee all over my phone! 😂😂😂
Apologies for the apology!😂
No apology needed. It was the funniest thing I've read in a while! 😂😂😂
Love, love, love Gavin Newsom's satire - please keep it up!
Mixed bag for me. Glad that someone is talking "loud enough" to get people's attention. It highlights the ridiculousness of our current moment/method of communication. However, I miss decorum... I miss "when they go low, we go high"
I agree to a point but people don't seem to respond to when they go low we go high. They say that's what they want, but then when it comes down to it they respond to what Newsom is doing now.
Margo, I do, too. But we can go high all the way to the gulag. The high boat has sunk.
I fully agree. I get why Newsom is doing it, and I honestly think it’s probably what we need in this moment. But it does feel like just another step into the Idiocracy of it all.
Yes, Ashley, we are hip deep in idiocracy. But sometimes you have to go through it, to get to the other side. We’ve tried going around it, but it didn’t work. I’d love another path that is effective, but right now we are literally fighting in all fronts.
I think this is really well said. Sometimes we have to go through to get out of it. I think that's exactly where we are. These are the small moments of hope that get me through thinking we may not be stuck here forever.
Kinda of the same for me, but I don’t know if we’ll ever go back to decorum in politics. I often think it’s horrible my children only remember the politics of the MAGA era.
Evidently, "high" is not what the country wants; so sinking the republic to maintain higher standards still means we're sinking under the DJT onslaught. So fighting back, hopefully only rhetorically, may be the only way to save our 250-year experiment.
Totally agree. Unfortunately, that time has passed. Fighting fire with fire seems to be our only chance now.
I miss that too! But to continue to have that mindset while the other side continues to break the rules and go lower and lower.... it just simply isn't working.
I don’t love trolling in general, but I also feel it is the only way Trump’s base can understand how silly all of Trump’s social media posts and speeches are. If they can’t handle Newsom doing it, they need to call out their own leader or they’re just choosing party over principle.
Jessica, I don’t think Gavin is doing this to influence Trump’s base. I think it’s to get the do-nothing middle’s attention. The maga’s are all about party over principle. That’s their brand.
👍🏼
Not sure what you mean by "do-nothing middle's"?
Chris, Everyone I know that claims not to b MAGA, but do nothing.
I don’t like trolling either but I think it’s great someone is holding up a mirror to show how truly ridiculous this situation is; a petty, small president acting like a school yard bully
Newsom gives me hope. Fighting fire with fire is the only way forward.
While it would be nice not to have to go to satire, it is quite amusing that Newsom has decided to troll Trump. Do I still have mixed feelings about Newsom? Yes. Is it nice that someone seems to be taking a visible stand? Also, yes. If I were still a Californian (used to be), I would be voting for the maps, as Texas's move is a blatant power grab.
I am wildly unsure about Newsome as an good presidential candidate. As a foil for Trump at this precise moment, he seems to be the only one that has come close to doing well.
I think Newson's trolling of Trump is pretty hilarious. Sure, I'd love it if we could all get along, but fascism won't listen to reason. Humor is the kind of non-violent offense that we need.
I'm obsessed
Lifelong Californian here, 67, and have experienced his degrading of our state. He is an embarrassment. It's so frustrating how we are viewed now as the worst state in the Union. My county is around 1 million and our conservative vote never makes a dent in the democratic majority in the state. Our state needs serious help to get back to being the Golden State! And it's not about parties. If he did something good I'd appreciate him. But it's all bad. All the time.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think your state is viewed as the worst in the nation. Who is telling you that? I know there are some policies that are not popular and it’s expensive to live there, but all of my California friends absolutely love living there.
As a lifelong resident of California, age 70, I’m proud of Gavin Newsom’s decision to fight fire with fire. How can California be the worst state in USA, and at the same time be the 4th largest economy in the world?
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly80zlk1lyo.amp
What do you believe has been degraded in CA? Why do you think it's viewed as the worst state in the Union.
I agree that California is the best argument for doing away with the electoral college, because both democrats AND republicans are vastly underrepresented to their proportion to the country.
But I think CA is great- lived there for 18 years, and I wish the rest of the country was run as successfully as CA is.
30+ years in CA and I'm pretty neutral on Newsom. There are a lot of challenges (some unique or unique in magnitude here), but I'm curious to know why you consider it as 'viewed as the worst state'? (other than Trump's wild claims).
And of those concerns, what do you contribute to Newsom's leadership vs. things that have been decades in the making (which is what I see as culminating in main issues today). Genuine interest to understand...
CA has its issues but is definitely not the worst state!
Viewed by whom as the worst state in the union? And by what measure?
The people who tell you we're the "worst state in the Union" are likely living on the handouts CA provides the rest of the country. They are people who are happy to eat the produce, nuts, and dairy we produce. They are people who are delighted to visit the many national parks and attractions we have here. You're always free to believe what you want, but that doesn't make it factual.
And frankly, if you own a home here, you could easily move to almost any other state just by selling your home.
Lifelong and multi-generation Californian here, not sure what you mean by “degrading our state.” Where are you getting your information? Yes, it has problems like every huge and highly populated place. But California has an incredible economy (objectively, one of the strongest in the world) and is one of the most beautiful, and dynamic, places on earth. You may be upset that your red county’s vote don’t “count,” but that is the nature of a democracy - the more votes you have, the more power you have. More important, this is deeply offensive to your fellow Californians, and fundamentally opposed to our system of government. You are implying that some number of votes in LA or SF shouldn’t count so that you have more power than another individual. Yikes.
Good for clever Gavin!
"Above all else , the devil can not stand to be mocked." C.S Lewis
That about says it all. Keep at it, Gov. Newsom!
Humor is a powerful tool against power. I think this is an example of satire used well, to call out the rhetoric and injustice we are at risk to being numbed to.
If satire has been used in the past, and we have gone on to defeat injustice and establish decorum in conversation again, surely we can do that yet again.