California Governor Gavin Newsom, whose progressive policies have often fueled division and economic strain in his state, is now conveniently conceding that Democrats have overplayed their hand with excessive focus on woke agendas—though critics argue this revelation comes far too late to repair the damage done to everyday Americans.
Newsom’s Belated Pivot Away from ‘Woke’ Excesses
In a CNN interview aired Monday with Dana Bash, Newsom acknowledged the need for his party to dial back on cultural obsessions and prioritize practical concerns. He urged Democrats to be “more focused on tabletop issues,” including electricity, childcare and housing costs, while adopting a “tactical perspective” that’s more “culturally normal.”
Newsom stated, “From the prism of purely politics, there’s no doubt that the Democratic party needs to be, dare I say, more culturally normal,” adding, “I believe that.”
He echoed sentiments from a December 2025 New York Times Dealbook Summit interview, criticizing the party’s tendency to get bogged down: “Less prone to spending disproportionate amount of time on pronouns, identity politics, more focused on tabletop issues, things that really matter—the stacking of stress in terms of the electricity bills and childcare costs and health care and obviously housing costs, and how easily we get trapped in that.”
Hypocrisy Highlighted in Identity Politics U-Turn
Despite his history as a trailblazer for progressive causes—like issuing over 4,000 same-s-x marriage licenses in 2004 as San Francisco mayor, dubbed the “Winter of Love” in defiance of laws—Newsom now warns that clinging to “identity politics” could alienate voters.
He reflected, “Here I was, way out front on marriage equality, so I understand this from the receiving end of this and on the front end of this leading the pack, so I think there has to be some consideration of that.”
Yet, he drew a line at issues like transgender participation in sports, saying, “But I think if you can’t hold the line on competitive sports—again, sports, there’s some nuance in the larger conversation—but competitive, medal sports. If we can’t find that nuance, I think we’re gonna lose a lot of people.” This shift raises questions about the authenticity of his stance, especially given how such policies under his watch have contributed to California’s ongoing challenges.
Fresh Backlash Compounds Newsom’s Tone-Deaf Image
Adding to his woes, Newsom faced swift condemnation for remarks at a book promotion event with Atlanta’s Democratic Mayor Andre Dickens, where he claimed “‘I’m like you,” citing his 960 SAT score and inability to “read a speech,” which many interpreted as racially insensitive.
Critics including Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who tweeted, “The soft bigotry of low expectations….,” Fox News host Sean Hannity, and rapper Nicki Minaj accused him of bigotry.
Newsom fired back on X at Hannity: “You didn’t give a sh*t about the President of the United States of America posting an ape video of President Obama or calling African nations sh*tholes,” adding, “But you’re going to call me racist for talking about my lifelong struggle with dyslexia? Spare me your fake f*cking outrage, Sean.”
Hannity retorted: “you didn’t give a sh*t being Joe Biden’s public spokesperson knowing Joe Biden partnered with the former Klansman Robert Byrd as they tried to prevent the integration of public schools. So spare me your F’ing fake phony feigned outrage,” and suggested, “And How about you get homeowners building permits in the Pacific Palisades instead of making an a-s out of yourself daily? Just a thought…..”
These exchanges only amplify perceptions of Newsom as out of touch, prioritizing defensive posturing over addressing real governance failures.
