So what game is playing Gavin Newsom?
Since the Democrats have lost the White House against Donald Trump four months ago, the governor of California has turned on his political image, going from the defense of leftist policies, such as health care with single paying, support for almost conductive causes, such as the abolition of street crime and cleaning of homeless camps.
The slow derives from Newsom to the right became a shock last week when, on the First segment of his new podcast, “It’s Gavin Newsom,” he told the opposition to transgender women in competition in female sports.
“I think it’s a problem of equity. I fully agree with you on this subject, “he told Charlie Kirk, a right-wing provocateur and the first guest of Podcast from Newsom. “It is a problem of equity. It is deeply unfair. I do not fight with the problem of equity. I totally agree with you.
Newsom quoted his two daughters, the history of his wife as a university art and his own baseball career at the University of Santa Clara to shape his post, saying: “I worship sport. And so the question of equity is completely legitimate. »»
Unsurprisingly, the surprising declaration of Newsom aroused the fire defenders of LGBTQ rights who had long counted the governor as a supporter, dating from 2004 when, as mayor of San Francisco, he challenged the law of the state to issue marriage licenses to same -sex couples.
“We are deeply disappointed and angry by the comments of Governor Newsom on young Transgender and their ability to participate in sports,” said Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California, in a statement. “Transgender children – like all children – deserve the chance to play sports alongside their teammates and learn important values such as leadership, teamwork and sporting spirit. The young transgender people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. »»
Despite the indignation of Hoang and other defenders, the newly expressed position of Newsom places it in the national political current. In January New York Times / Ipsos survey have found that almost 80% of Americans oppose transgender women to participate in female sports and who included more than two -thirds of the Democrats.
Something other than Newsom said on the subject was an acute excavation in Kamala Harris, his ally and sometimes rival, for having failed to counter a Donald Trump Commercial This has shown that Harris approves sex change operations for transgender prison prisoners.
The announcement was widely praised as the most effective assault on the Trump campaign against Harris, and Newsom described it as “big announcement” that Harris campaign has neglected to respond.
During his political career in California, which lasted half of his life, Newsom has often said and did things that attract the attention of the national media, starting with his decree supporting gay marriage as mayor. His remarks on transgender sports were only the last of these Zingers.
If he really believes that transgender women should be prohibited from female sports, he would publicly support the Recently introduced legislation To repeal a 2013 law which allows such participation. If he does not support his words with action, we will know that it is only a political stratagem.
So what is Newsom’s end game?
The national political media assume that Newsom will finish the remaining 22 months of its governor, then will officially or otherwise launch a campaign for the president. Trump apparently cannot present himself for another mandate in 2028, although he can try to bypass the limit of two mandates of the Constitution. And for the moment, Democrats have no other potential candidates outside the competition.
Consequently, if Newsom intends to continue the presidency in 2028 or to remain under political spotlight, align with popular feeling about a question also with hot buttons is an intelligent tactical decision.
Likewise, creating a personal podcast and inviting foils as obvious as Charlie Kirk would be a means of maintaining national exhibition to the media, the prerequisite for all those looking for the White House.