“Young Turk” Ana Kasparian has stated she won’t regard Governor Gavin Newsom as a serious contender for the Democratic presidential nomination unless he starts owning up to California’s struggles.
On her podcast, Her Her Take, she discussed the mix of Democratic leaders eyeing the 2028 election post-Donald Trump’s surprising win in 2024. The party is very much at odds over its future direction and the necessary policy adjustments, or lack thereof.
Former Californian Gillian Michaels highlighted Newsom as a potential candidate, which led to an immediate wave of skepticism from Kasparian.
“This guy tried,” Michaels argued, noting how the governor attempted to change his approach and reach across the aisle. “He took notes and made attempts to be critical of his own party.”
Kasparian, known for her sharp critiques of both left and right in California, responded, “I won’t take that seriously. Yes, I’m talking about Gavin Newsom. It’s not worth my time until he takes responsibility for the devastation of California.”
Instead of examining the party as a whole, she suggested Newsom should reflect on the policies he supported that arguably led to the state’s decline. “He’s blaming Trump for job losses in California,” she pointed out. “But honestly, the job losses started before Trump. Those were the consequences of his regulations, which pushed businesses away.”
Kasparian also noted a spike in crime during his tenure. “People don’t want to face it, but there are persistent crime issues. When businesses shutter, it’s often over the cost of operating here,” she explained. “Insurance rates in California have skyrocketed because of crime.”
She criticized Newsom for preemptively shutting down prisons in four states to save money, which has led to overcrowded county jails. “Now they have to release inmates early, regardless of their sentences,” she lamented. “Some are getting out after just a couple of years when they were sentenced to much longer terms.”
Michaels recounted a frightening incident where a man, released early from prison, broke into her home. “Gavin Newsom is a wrecking ball to California. Adam Corolla called it a ‘policy disaster,’” she sighed.
