California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s podcast has made quite a splash, even among conservatives. That seems to be the point.
The governor made more than a few waves since launching the podcast in February, especially when it came to his choice of guests. His first guest, conservative podcaster and TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, garnered quite a bit of attention given that Newsom is a dyed-in-the-wool California progressive.
Yet, the conversation was not a contentious back-and-forth. Instead, it came off like a conversation between two reasonable individuals who happen to disagree on policy. Yet, Newsom also found areas of commonality, affirming that forcing female athletes to compete against biological males is “deep unfair.”
Newsom recently had former Trump adviser and podcaster Steve Bannon on his show, a move that did not sit well with his fellow progressives. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he thought Newsom “bringing on different voices is great” but that 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.”
In response to Beshear, Newsom argued that it was “critically important” to engage with Trump supporters, saying “I think we all agreed after the last election that it’s important for Democrats to explore new and unique ways of talking to people.”
It appears Newsom’s ultimate goal is to promote healthy dialogue between those with differing political beliefs.
I’m not buying it.
I love the idea of having civil political discourse. But in this case, either Newsom is slowly becoming a Republican, or he’s leveraging this podcast for something more.
We know the former can’t possibly be true, so the latter seems more likely. Newsom wants to run for president in 2028 and he is leveraging the podcast to gain a national audience. But even more than that, Newsom is branding himself as a sensible progressive who can reach across the aisle to work with those who want to move America forward.
I hate to say it, but it’s a brilliant idea.
Building a national brand will do wonders for elevating his visibility beyond the Golden State. Yes, many who pay attention to politics know who he is, but that’s about it. Using this podcast, he can push his views out to the nation while slowly building his 2028 platform. This could help him cultivate a national image of sensibility while appealing to moderates and independents.
Through the show, Newsom can ensure he is putting his best foot forward and cast himself as a reasonable, pragmatic politician, and potentially shed his image as a far-leftist ideologue. We should expect to see him inch gradually closer to the center over the coming years. Transgender athletes will not be the only issue on which he bucks his party. He will likely highlight issues on which progressive views are wildly unpopular to have watered-down Sister Souljah moments.
The Democrats’ defeat in 2024 reveals that the party is in dire need of leadership and a new standard-bearer. Clearly, former Vice President Kamala Harris wasn’t it. But perhaps Newsom is.
Another advantage is that using the podcast medium will help him reach younger voters who may not be as familiar with him and his long career in California politics. Indeed, President Donald Trump used social media and other forms of alternative media to reach a wider swath of American voters. Newsom can do the same if he plays his cards right. He has already acknowledged that Democrats are “losing the media war” during his conversation with Kirk.
By having his own podcast, Newsom has a platform he can control instead of only going on other people’s platforms.
A podcast is a perfect way for someone like Newsom to not only raise his profile, but to make inroads with more voters.
As it stands currently, there aren’t many Democrats who are favored to become the nominee four years from now. Yes, there are rumblings of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel possibly throwing his hat into the ring. But, so far, Newsom is the only one who might fit the bill.
Regardless of how Trump’s last term ends, there will likely be calls for unity. Newsom’s focus on engaging with high-profile conservatives will give the impression that he can unite Americans of all political persuasions.
Of course, none of this means that Newsom will ever be anything other than a far leftist hellbent on expanding government power. It will take more than a podcast to get people to believe this tiger managed to change his stripes.
But the strategy he is using could become an issue for Republicans when it comes time to elect a new president. The fact that the governor has started this early shows that he is playing the long game. Republicans must be doing the same.
Yes, it’s still early. But if Newsom has taken a lesson from the latest election, then it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the party does the same.
