Not long after former President Donald Trump waxed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency, California Gov. Gavin Newsom moved to position himself as the leader of Resistance 2.0 during the Trump 2.0 Administration.
Shortly after the election, Newsom called for a special session of the state legislature to “safeguard California values,” whatever the hell that means.
In his proclamation, Newsom said he wants the Legislature to approve funding for the Department of Justice and other state agencies to “immediately file affirmative litigation.”
Great, Newsom wants to file one nuisance lawsuit against the federal government after another.
Translation: Cheeseball trial lawyers, start your engines! Move over greasy billboard ambulance chasers. There’s a new lame duck governor in town.
Trump doesn’t seem to be impressed. He took to Truth Social and posted that, “Governor Gavin Newscum is trying to KILL our Nation’s beautiful California” and “stopping all of the GREAT things that can be done to ‘Make California Great Again.’”
Legislative Republicans are equally unimpressed, with Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher writing in a statement, “The only ‘problem’ it will solve is Gavin Newsom’s insecurity that not enough people are paying attention to him…There will not be a single policy implemented in this special session that couldn’t be addressed when the Legislature reconvenes in January.”
Why is Newsom participating in such an obvious and pathetic publicity stunt?
Because he has to.
If Newsom wants to run for president as the de-facto leader of the Democratic Party, he has two years to earn that honor.
In 2026 Newsom will be past his freshness date due to term limits. Of course, the exact date will remain a mystery, since he recently outlawed posting ‘best by’ date stamps on food.
He’ll go from being a “somebody” to being a “former somebody” overnight – like a B-list actor whose sitcom just got canceled. Next stop: signing autographs at the Beverly Garland Hotel in North Hollywood for $25 bucks a pop.
Out of office, Newsom will lose relevance, the ability to make news, and the power to do favors for political benefactors. He will become like so many former politicians — out in the wilderness and looking for a way to get back in the game.
In addition, he will lose the ballot designation as ‘Governor of California,’ which looks a lot better on paper than, oh, I don’t know, Herbalife salesman.
It’s not the old days when nominees were chosen at the conventions by political fat cats in smoke-filled rooms, where long time relationships mattered. There are still backrooms with kingmakers, but these days they’re all vaping.
Now, nominees are chosen by primary voters with short term memories and fleeting attention spans.
For Newsom, the dates on the calendar just don’t work out. 2024 was his chance to run for President as a sitting governor against a much older Republican.
However, one Sunday evening summer tweet from President Joe Biden endorsing Kamala Harris for president took that opportunity away from him, and now he’s trying to make the best of a bad situation.
If Newsom chooses to remain in public office, there aren’t many good options.
Both of California’s U.S. Senate seats are currently occupied by Democrats, including one that Newsom appointed, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla.
Any statewide constitutional office would be a major step down compared to being governor.
And no one is buying Gavin Newsom as Hollywood Mayor Johnny Grant’s successor.
Also, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Kamala Harris won’t be around to make him a cabinet secretary.
The one option he has would be to replace former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi as the member of Congress representing San Francisco. Typically going from governor to congressman would be seen as a step backwards, but not replacing her and not in that seat – particularly for an audience of Democratic primary voters.
If Newsom was the congressman from San Francisco, he could take his dramatic stunts to the floor of the House, and become a reliable flamethrower on the CNN and MSNBC talking-head shows.
And presto, before you know it he’d have had his teeth bonded and he’s dating Kimberly Guilfoyle again.
For this to work, it would require the 84 year-old Pelosi to retire from congress.
Earlier this month Pelosi was re-elected to yet another two-year-term, and then on November 14th, she opened up a campaign account to run for re-election in 2026.
Once again, Newsom gets Trumped by the calendar.
His only remaining shot at the White House will be for him to concoct the mother of all publicity stunts in order to regain the spotlight. My advice: see if Mike Tyson has one more fight left in him.
John Phillips can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on “The John Phillips Show” on KABC/AM 790.