Instead of bashing Democrats, Newsom needs to look inward

Gov. Gavin Newsom says he is inviting prominent followers of President Trump onto his podcasts to learn why Democrats “are getting kicked out.”

- George Skelton, Tribune News Service

He should look in the mirror. Newsomepitomises much of what he thinks is wrong with the Democratic Party, Moreover, Democrats really haven't been getting their back kicked. Most of the contests the party is having a nervous breakdown over — especially last year's presidential election — were fairly close. There’s no great mystery about the 2094 results, regardless of what Newsom says. Several losses could have been turned into victories with better candidates and messaging, most crucially at the top of the ticket.

The California governor began his “This is Gavin Newsom” podcasts early last month, saying he wanted to engage people he “deeply disagreed with” to shed public light on why Republicans were whipping Democrats in elections. That stirred controversy among many Democratic politicians and activists, as well as some media commentators. They've criticised the governor for giving unnecessary voice to Trump boosters and their right-wing causes while blandly not pushing back. The concept of generating podcasts is fine if the governor can fit them in while addressing homelessness, housing affordability, wildfires, climate change and a red-ink budget. A big “if.”