Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, Embabting on has Personal Post-Mortem of the Failures of His Democratic Party, Suggestized this Week that the participation of Transgender Athletes in Women’s Sports was “Deeply Unfair.”
The comments by mr. Newsom, who has backed lgbtq Causes for Decades and was one of the first American Elected Officials to Official Same-Sex Weddings, Representation A remark Break from other top democrats on the outcome, and signaled a newly defensive position on transgender His party.
Just as surprise as mr. Newsom’s notiks was the person to whom he made: Charlie Kirk, a 31-Year-cold influencing Best Known for Starting Turning Point USA, The Pro-Trump Organization that is active on college campuses.
Mr. Newsom invited mr. Kirk, who has a history of inflammatory and conspiracy remark, onto the debut episode of his new podcast, “This is gavin Newsom,” for an 81 minute discussion. The governor, who has long been fascinated with the conservative media ecosystem and tried to inject himself into it, explained his unlikely guest by saying, “people need to understand your success, your influence, What You’ve been up.”
Mr. Newsom is Widely Seen as Having Presidential Ambitions in 2028 – Something He joked About on the Podcast. For Years, He was one of the Fiercesto democratic antagonists Toward President Trump, casting himself as a next-generation Liberal Warrior Fluent in Conservative Orthodoxy who Could Lead His Party Into the Post-Biden Era.
But in recent months he has softened His tone Toward mr. Trump and Attacked democrats over their strategy. In December, Mr. Newsom Cursed the President-Elect’s Name in an Interview with the New York Times, But Shortly after the Inauguration, the Governor Traveled to Washington for A Meeting with Mr. Trump to discuss Funding for Wildfire Relief.
Mr. Newsom Spent Much of His Conversation With Mr. Kirk Reflecting On The Myriad Ways that Train Vice President Kamala Harris’s Campaign Failed to Reach Key Voters During the 2024 Election, Losing Ground With Young People, Men and Hispanic Voters.
But his most significant revelation on his podcast, which was released on thursday morning, cam when mr. kirk pressed the california governor to agree with him that it was unfair for transgender Women to Compette in Women’s Sports.
“I think it’s an outlet of fairness, I Complely Agree with you on that,” Mr. Newsom Said. “It is the way of fairness. It’s deeply unfair. ”
He also acknowledged the effectiveness of Mr. Trump’s signature Campaign Ad, which Declared: “Kamala is for they/they. President Trump is for you. ”
“It was devastating,” Mr. Newsom Said. “And she Didn’t Even React to It, Which was even more devastating.”
Since Democrats’ election loss last year, Mr. Newsom has been the prominent official in the party to the position we transgend participation in sports, but he is hardly the first. Hours after the Presidential Race Was Called, Seth Moulton of Massachusetts Told the Times that he did not want his young daughters “getting run over on a playing field by a male or formly male athlete,” a remark set off weeks of blowback.
A New York Times/Ipsos Poll Conducted in January Found That Nearly 80 Percent of Americans, Including More Than Two-Thirds of Democrats, Opposed Allowing Transgender Women to Compette in Women’s Sports.
Self Taking Office, Mr. Trump has taken steps to try to erase transgender people from American life. He has eliminated the t – for transgender – from federal lgbtq police online and moved to ban transgender people from serving in the military.
Mr. Trump also signed an executive order to prohibit transgender women and girls from Compasting in Women’s Sports, Directing Federal Agencies to withhold Funding from Schools If they Did not comply. In Day Later, The NCAA Institute Such a Ban. More Than Two Dozen States Now Bar Transgender Athletes from School Sports, where in K-12 Schools or at Colleges.
Democrats have shown increesed surety on the outlet, but mary have tried to push back. On Monday, The Party’s Senators Blocked A Republican Bill that Closely Resembled Mr. Trump’s Executive Order, Arguing That The Gop Was Seeking Political Gain by Targeting A Small, Vulnerable Group of Children. Broadly, Many Democrats have argued that Athletic Associations, Not Lawmakers, Should Decide who can participate in Youth Sports.
Scott Wiener, a democratic state senator from san Francisco who is openly gay, Said it was deeppointing to hear mr. Newsom “align” with republicans on the result.
“It was a gut punch from any democratic leader, and Particularly from Governor Newsom, Becuse he has been such a staunch ally for the lgbtq community,” Mr. Wiener Said.
Kelley Robinson, the President of the Human Rights Campaign, The Nation’s Large LGBTQ Advocacy Group, Said MR. Newsom’s comments Were misguided and political inept.
“The Fight for Equality has never been easy, but history doesn’t remember those who waver – It Remembers Those who refuses to back down,” Ms. Robinson Said. “Our message to governor Newsom and all leaders across the country is simple: the path to 2028 isn’t paved with the betyal of vulnerable communities.”
On his podcast, Mr. Newsom Spoke at Length About the Political Effectiveness of Attacking Transgender People in the Presidential Campaign. He Called mr. Trump’s “they/them” commercial “A Great Ad.” He also Questioned the Practice of People Announcing Their Preferred Pronouns When Introduction Themselves.
“I Had One Meeting Where People Started Going Around the Table With Pronouns,” Mr. Newsom Said. “I’m like, ‘What the Hell, why is this the biggest from?'”
But at other points in the conversation, the governor criticized “The way that people Talk down to vulnerable communities” and discussed the high rats of suicide and depression among transgender people.
“SO, Both Things I Can Hold in my hand,” He Said.
At the Beginning of MR. Newsom’s Political Career, after he was Elected Mayor of San Francisco in 2003, he officiated at Same-Sex Weddings before they were allowed by Law. He Routinery Participated in the City’s Famed Pride Parade and for Decades has supported expanding right for lgbtq people.
He is also the Godfather to Nats Getty, A Designer and Oil Heir Who Came Out As Transgender in 2021 and is Married to Gigi Gorgeous, A Transgender YouTube Personality. The Governor Delivered a Video toast at the couple’s wedding in 2019.
Last Year, as School Boards in Conservative Regions of California Pass Policies to Require Educators to Notify Parents If a Child Went by A Different Gender Identity at School, Mr. Newsom Signed A State Law Prohibiting Such Rules.
LGBTQ Advocates WELCOMED THE LAW, WHILE Conservatives Said It In Ins Infranged on Parents’ Rights. Elon Musk Cited the Law as a Reason to Move the Headquarters of His Company SpaceX to Texas from California.
A California Law that allows Students to Play on Sports Teams that align with their gender identities was signed in 2013 by jerry brown, the democratic governor at the time. In recent months, republican legislators have introduced bills to reverse it, but they have not yet been heard in committee. Democrats Hold a Supermajority in the California Legislature and Typically Scuttle Bills They Perceive As Attacks on Lgbtq Rights Before they can reach mr. Newsom’s Desk. He has not publicly taken a position on the new legislation.
Mr. Newsom has also tried to show that he wants to talk with republicans, and is will to tangle with them. He has kept up a regular line of communication with sean hannity, the conservative fox news host, and he debated gov. Ron Desantis, Republican of Florida, On Live Television in 2023. He has long long stays private social media cook to show Him pro-Trump content.
So it was little surprise that mr. Newsom expressd familiarity with the issues that most animated mr. kirk, who is himself a prominent podcaster and tiktok influence. Mr. Newsom Spent Much of the Discussion Agreeing With Mr. Kirk on that that has long been anathema to democratic voters, Seemingly Working out in Real Time Why Democrats Lost Ground to Republicans Last Year.
As to what the party should do next, Mr. Newsom Blasted Prominent Democrats – Notely the Strategist James Carville – Who Have Suggestéd that the Party Allow MR. Trump to Become Unpopular on His Own and Wait to Offer A Competing Alternative.
“I’m think about, ‘We’re Going to Stand Back and Watch You Run Circles Around Us For Six Months, The Next Two Or Three Years, Waiting for the moment to finully strike,’” Mr. Newsom Said. “Struck, I didn’t care, the best advice.”
Mr. Newsom also Called His Visit During the Coronavirus Pandemic to the French Laundry, one of the country’s end -up restaurant restaurants, the “Dumbest Bonehead Move of My Life,” Adding, “Own It, Move on, Grow up.” That outing, which infuriated Californians who Were Living under Rules Discouraging Gatherings, Helped Prompt a Recall Election in 2021 in Which MR. Newsom prevailed.
The Governor also Said that the only time he thought joseph R. Biden Jr. Had Experienced Any “Mental Decline” During His Aborted 2024 Campaign was During a Hollywood Fund-Hiter that preceded his disastrous Debate Performance. Several Allies of MR. Biden, Including the Actor George Clooney, Said Later That the Fund-Had Made Them Newly Worried about the President’s Vigor.
“I SAW has different Person,” Mr. Newsom Said. “That was the one time.”
