California Gov. Gavin Newsom fired again at Fox Information host Sean Hannity after Hannity accused him of creating racist remarks.
However as a substitute of placing the controversy to relaxation, the governor’s profanity-laced response has deepened debate amongst Black political figures about accountability and presidential ambition.
The conflict comes at a pivotal second for Newsom, who’s extensively seen as a number one Democratic contender for 2028. It additionally revives scrutiny over racial controversies which have positioned him in uncomfortable territory earlier than.
Whereas Newsom framed Hannity’s criticism as conservative hypocrisy — pointing to former President Donald Trump’s lengthy report of racially inflammatory rhetoric — some Black voices argue that invoking Trump sidesteps the core concern. In politically charged moments like this, they are saying, accountability mustn’t require comparability.
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The uproar started throughout a hearth chat Sunday on the Rialto Middle for the Arts alongside Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, a part of Newsom’s promotional tour for his new memoir, “Younger Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery.” Talking about his lifelong wrestle with dyslexia, Newsom tried to underscore humility and perseverance.
“I’m not attempting to impress you,” the Golden State governor informed the viewers. “I’m simply attempting to impress upon you, I’m such as you. I’m no higher than you. You realize, I’m a 960 SAT man. And I’m not attempting to offend anybody. Actually a 960 SAT man. You’ve by no means seen me learn a speech, as a result of I can not learn a speech.”
Critics interpreted the comment as racially tone-deaf, suggesting it clumsily invoked comparability moderately than centering his incapacity. Hannity seized on it, posting on X that Newsom “Thinks a 960 SAT Makes Him ‘Like’ Black Individuals” and telling followers to “let that sink in.”
Newsom didn’t retreat. He accused Hannity and conservatives of remaining silent when Trump posted an ape video depicting Barack Obama or referred to African nations as “s—tholes,” however now calling him racist for speaking about dyslexia. “Spare me your pretend f—king outrage, Sean,” he wrote.
That argument resonated with some Democrats — however not all.
Former Ohio state senator Nina Turner responded bluntly: “A whole lot of us care about each. What now?” Others accused the governor of deflection. “Whataboutism a lot, Governor?” one critic wrote. One other added, “That is a type of cases the place all people is improper.”
Some had been extra sarcastic: “Dyslexia was minding its enterprise,” one X consumer stated. Others even issued the governor a warning: “Preserve digging,” one other consumer added.
The argument was clear: condemning Trump and demanding higher from Democrats are usually not mutually unique.
On the similar time, not each Black commentator accepted the viral disapproval. Scholar and political analyst Marc Lamont Hill urged observers to separate official criticism from misinformation.
“There are such a lot of official causes to dislike Gavin Newsom,” Hill wrote on X. “However don’t fall for pretend information. Newsom was speaking to a room stuffed with white individuals. He by no means talked about Black individuals. He was speaking about his dyslexia. And he made the identical precise remark to a white interviewer.”
Mayor Andre Dickens additionally pushed again on the backlash in an Instagram put up, emphasizing the significance of context over headlines.
“Take it from somebody who was really within the chair asking the questions: context issues greater than a headline,” Dickens wrote. He defined that the dialog, a part of Newsom’s promotional tour for his memoir Younger Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery, centered on the governor’s tutorial struggles, together with not performing effectively on the SAT. “That wasn’t an assault on anybody. It was a second of vulnerability about his personal journey.”
Dickens added that trendy political tradition usually distorts such moments. “We’ve gotten so used to loud, chest-pounding politics that when somebody speaks about shortcomings, individuals attempt to twist it into one thing else.”
Nonetheless, he struck a observe of warning: “Let me be clear, although. That is Atlanta. We don’t want anybody to inform us when to be offended. And historical past has proven… after we are, you’ll know.”
Hill’s intervention reframed the talk, suggesting the controversy might have been amplified past what was really stated. Mixed with Dickens’ firsthand account, it complicates a story that originally unfold far quicker than the complete context.
Different Black Democratic allies united behind Newsom. Political commentator Bakari Sellers acknowledged the remarks had been “inartful” however insisted Newsom is “the furthest factor from a racist,” including, “Donald Trump is racist. Gavin just isn’t.” Former Democratic Nationwide Committee Chair Jaime Harrison went additional, accusing Hannity and “MAGA hypocrites” of twisting Newsom’s phrases whereas traditionally staying silent when Trump dehumanized Black leaders and communities.
Nonetheless, the episode underscores the scrutiny going through a governor extensively seen as auditioning for the White Home. Newsom has beforehand confronted criticism over persistent racial wealth gaps in California, disproportionate homelessness amongst Black residents, and inequities in schooling and policing. None of these controversies branded him personally racist, however they contributed to heightened sensitivity round racial optics.
In a political local weather fueled by viral clips and prompt outrage, context can collapse beneath a headline inside hours. For some, the governor’s phrases warranted scrutiny. For others, they had been distorted past recognition.
As Dickens prompt, not each awkward second is an offense, and never each backlash tells the complete story. However for a possible presidential candidate, even vulnerability can develop into a political flashpoint.
