In a rare case of events, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) took aim at his own party, accusing Democrats of being too weak against Republicans.
During an interview with HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, Newsom defended himself after the host accused the governor of going too far overboard with progressive legislation.
Maher questioned Newsom about a recent bill requiring stores to have a “gender-neutral” toy section, calling it “silly.”
In defense, the governor claimed department stores were “already moving in that direction.” However, instead of leaving well enough alone, Newsom took it upon himself to force stores to move in the same radical direction or face hefty fines.
The late-night host also criticized Newsom for attacking Red states, in which the governor said he “didn’t feel my party was doing enough.”
“The reason I started to go into those red states, the reason I started to take on [Republican Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis, and the reason I started doing ads in those red states, is I didn’t feel my party was doing enough,” Newsom said. “It was CRT one year, and then it’s ESG, and then it’s DEI — anything with three letters, and these guys keep coming.”
Newsom claimed that leaders within his own party were too “timid” and was tired of the Democrat Party being “on our heels,” saying that Republicans needed to be called out for their actions.
Last year, speculation began to swirl that President Joe Biden would eventually drop out of the 2024 presidential race, leaving Newsom to sweep in and take his place. However, when asked about the possibility, the governor quickly dodged the question.
Meanwhile, Newsom is set to stump for Biden in South Carolina and Nevada, focusing on how the president’s term has affected people’s personal finances and well-being.
“It’s about honing in on the message that is not in the aggregate, but actually connects in a rational way with their lived experiences,” Newsom told Politico.