It’s an odd thing if you think about it. When a good-looking guy visits the house while the husband is absent, there may be a reason for tongues to wag. Not only did Gov. Gavin Newsom visit the White House with Joe Biden conveniently out of town; he scored some time with the missus. While it’s doubtful the California pretty boy made a pass at Dr. Jill, Republicans should start paying attention as Gavin Newsom ramps up his run for president.
Run for President
There really does not need to be a question mark behind that statement. Despite demurring when queried about his aspirations – flatly asserting he is not making a run for president – all the signs are there. Actions, as the saying goes, speak louder than words. In that regard, Newsom’s ambition to occupy the White House cannot and should not be ignored by the GOP.
By now, most political observers know the Golden State governor came out swinging on the Fourth of July, picking a fight with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. It’s revealing that Newsom has completely ignored former President Donald Trump and set his sights on his East Coast counterpart. The assumption that DeSantis is likely to be the future Republican standard-bearer may be one he makes at his own peril. But be that as it may, Newsom is trying to position himself as a Democrat pugilist ready to take on the big, bad Republicans. So what are his strengths?
First of all, one cannot ignore Newsom’s looks. It may sound ridiculously shallow, but in the age of television, it has been proven time and again that appearance matters. Polls have consistently shown that being tall helps and being fit is an advantage. Though the pretty boy does not always win, it doesn’t hurt. Think about it: John F. Kennedy, Gary Hart, John Edwards, and back in the day, one could have counted Ronald Reagan among these lookers. Like it or not, being handsome has its advantages.
Second, Newsom’s age, 54, is just about perfect. Recent polls reveal Americans are worried about older men like Messrs. Biden and Trump carrying the weight of the presidency on their geriatric shoulders. The age question has been exacerbated by Joe Biden’s constant blunders that have finally caught the leftist media’s attention. Now, Americans from both sides of the aisle are worried about a president who presents as someone with dementia, and Newsom is a far cry from such concerns.
Gavin Newsom (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
Third, the California governor presents as a fighter who always tries to stay on the offensive in a political battle. He doesn’t just play the old-time liberal; he comes off as someone who believes the leftist talking points. In other words, he can sell it, baby. As reported by MSN, “A day after Politico reported the contents of a leaked Supreme Court draft that would overturn Roe, Newsom slammed Democrats for not taking decisive action to codify access to abortion with a biting exclamation: ‘Where the hell is my party? Where’s the Democratic Party?'”
Gov. Pretty Boy also has a considerable amount of Hollywood in him. He has cast himself “as a hero,” according to Republican strategist Rob Stutzman. Newsom spokesperson Erin Mellon typified this when she tried to amp up her boss’ role as savior of the Republic by saying, “While red states are limiting the choices of parents and students – banning books, limiting speech in the classrooms, and persecuting families with transgender youth – California is prioritizing freedom and choice.”
Newsom recently swatted a recall challenge as if it were the last of the California medflies. His swift and decisive put down of the rebellion served to strengthen him politically. Now he’s maneuvering to take a prominent place in his party. His words and actions are a cry for national attention, and he is a breath of fresh air to a Democratic Party reeling from a series of defeats brought on by its inept control of the executive branch. Indeed, the Santa Ana winds are blowing across the country. As California-based legal expert Jessica Levinson recently said, “The idea that Newsom wouldn’t run for president is ‘total bull—.’”
