I would add that this mode of operating—trying to play to "electability" and basing stances on how you think they might poll—gets politics entirely backwards. One point of politics is to persuade and lead. If people never tried to act on something that might be unpopular in the moment, we would never bring about change. Unfortunately, this mindset of "popularism" that Newsom seems to be embracing is spouted by a bunch of the most influential Dem consultants and the dominant mode of operating for the vast majority of official Democratic Party leaders.
Newsome's problem is that you can't be the Democratic candidate for President without winning the Democratic primaries first, and he's speaking to primary voters who don't exist any more. He's speaking to the Consultant Class, without understanding that the voters have moved on. May his presidential campaign meet with all the success and enthusiasm of Michael Bloomberg's.
I may be but one Californian, but I can assure you, Newsom's support among those that elected him and supported him has pretty much cratered. Anyone who believes the right-wing smear that the Dems lost in 2024 because of trans folks is unfit to lead the party, much less the state.
I try to look on the bright side, so I'll say it's a good thing Newsome is running for the Dem nomination, and a good thing he's taking the approach he's taking, so we can all enjoy watching it all go to shit in the primaries.
This is so true. Public opinion is also notoriously malleable and not based on factual evidence. Elected officials are in a powerful position to shape it and when they try to follow it instead, their positions become incoherent and their lack of conviction is obvious.
A minor point in this accurate essay: the government lawyers say the capture and rendition of
Abrego Garcia was a mistake. But they are fighting in court to hide exactly who made the decision both to kidnap him and to send him to El Salvador, and they have refused to bring him back, as they have refused to bring back teh other people deprived of their right to due process.
I would give the benefit of the doubt to DoJ in non-Trump administrations. I do not believe anything DoJ lawyers say today. They have repeatedly lied and dissembled. and attempted to unreasonably delay proceedings. They do not make the inquiries all lawyers are required to make to ensure that they are not being used by their clients. These are violations of the rules of professional conduct applicable to all lawyers and enforce by the state in which they are licensed.
Newsom goes back a long way in my world. Always was a pretty face in an empty suit. With some flare (gay marriage) and much stupidity (Kimberly Guilfoyle marriage). Fortunately, I don't think he'll sell nationally.
I would add that this mode of operating—trying to play to "electability" and basing stances on how you think they might poll—gets politics entirely backwards. One point of politics is to persuade and lead. If people never tried to act on something that might be unpopular in the moment, we would never bring about change. Unfortunately, this mindset of "popularism" that Newsom seems to be embracing is spouted by a bunch of the most influential Dem consultants and the dominant mode of operating for the vast majority of official Democratic Party leaders.
Newsome's problem is that you can't be the Democratic candidate for President without winning the Democratic primaries first, and he's speaking to primary voters who don't exist any more. He's speaking to the Consultant Class, without understanding that the voters have moved on. May his presidential campaign meet with all the success and enthusiasm of Michael Bloomberg's.
I may be but one Californian, but I can assure you, Newsom's support among those that elected him and supported him has pretty much cratered. Anyone who believes the right-wing smear that the Dems lost in 2024 because of trans folks is unfit to lead the party, much less the state.
But he's SO popular with the editorial boards of the New York Times and Washington Post! That's gotta count for MILLIONS of votes, huh?
I try to look on the bright side, so I'll say it's a good thing Newsome is running for the Dem nomination, and a good thing he's taking the approach he's taking, so we can all enjoy watching it all go to shit in the primaries.
This is so true. Public opinion is also notoriously malleable and not based on factual evidence. Elected officials are in a powerful position to shape it and when they try to follow it instead, their positions become incoherent and their lack of conviction is obvious.
A minor point in this accurate essay: the government lawyers say the capture and rendition of
Abrego Garcia was a mistake. But they are fighting in court to hide exactly who made the decision both to kidnap him and to send him to El Salvador, and they have refused to bring him back, as they have refused to bring back teh other people deprived of their right to due process.
I would give the benefit of the doubt to DoJ in non-Trump administrations. I do not believe anything DoJ lawyers say today. They have repeatedly lied and dissembled. and attempted to unreasonably delay proceedings. They do not make the inquiries all lawyers are required to make to ensure that they are not being used by their clients. These are violations of the rules of professional conduct applicable to all lawyers and enforce by the state in which they are licensed.
We need to keep that in mind.
Newsom goes back a long way in my world. Always was a pretty face in an empty suit. With some flare (gay marriage) and much stupidity (Kimberly Guilfoyle marriage). Fortunately, I don't think he'll sell nationally.
And I used to think favorably of Newsoome’