The California governor described White House reporters as ‘sycophants’

California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the media for what he described as overly deferential coverage of Donald Trump, characterizing reporters in Oval Office press briefings as “sycophants.”

The Democratic governor — widely seen as a potential contender for the 2028 presidential race — made the remarks during a Sunday interview with progressive commentator Jack Cocchiarella.

Cocchiarella pressed Newsom on what he framed as “hesitancy” within the White House press corps to scrutinize certain subjects: namely, the 80-year-old president’s health.

“You see these press conferences in the Oval Office,” the governor replied. “You maybe have one or two reasonable reporters. They ask a question; there's no chance for a follow-up. And then it’s seven sycophants from news outlets.”

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 68 points 4 months ago (123 children)

Lefties you gotta get your person up and ready. Presuming elections still exist and should this guy emerge as the frontrunner you have about 814 days before you have to vote for this guy or continue flushing ourselves down the republican hole.

Every article about him brings the boo-birds. That’s fine, but there’s still no champion for our leftier-than-thou politicos. You just gonna let it ride on Bernie again?

  • source
  • hideshow 123 child comments
  • [–] 30 points 4 months ago (81 children)

    Bernie is officially too old (honestly, he was in 2015)

    If Newsome is on the ballot in november I'll vote for him. Of course if Lassie was on the ballot as a democrat in 2028, I'll vote for her.

    Don't give a shit. Anything is better than a republican.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 81 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 23 points 4 months ago (9 children)

    And that's how people like Trump become president. Pure and simple.

    Sometimes the lesser of two evils is quite a lot less fucking evil.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 9 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 7 points 4 months ago (4 children)

    That's what primaries are for.

    Like it or not, we live in a two-party system. The electoral college and the congressional rules make it so. We can either make it work, or we can give up.

    I'm going to vote for the leftist, most progressive person i can in the primaries. But when that fails, I'm going to vote for the democrat on the ticket because even the worst democrat is better than the best republican at this point.

    We can't afford another 4 years of Trump-Light in JD Vance.. Millions of people have already died as a result of Trump getting back in this time... and more people will die, and it will be marginalized people. People of Color, Trans people, immigrants. As in real death.

    Not Voting has real consequences.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago (3 children)

    The Democratic socialists of America would like to have a word with you

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    This piece of giant shit fucked up California so much. He's to blame for all the fires, he stopped funding fire departments to do controlled burns and left it to the "consumers".

    Also, so many whistleblowers came out from his fundraising foundation that he and his wife were embezzling funds during the Biden administration, Biden's doj launched an investigation still going on today.

    He also used prison populations to fight fires as slave labor with no chance of becoming a fire fighter upon release because of their criminal records.

    He regularly makes sure to cover for his habitually drunk driving asshole of an uncle, including VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER. And plays the stock market just like his corrupt cunt aunt.

    He gave billionaires WATER RIGHTS to waste on growing fucking almonds that DIRECTLY CAUSED droughts in the central valley.

    This fucking swamp taint needs to have his personal winery dumped with the round up he approved to dump on forests, killing any life and draining into municipal water infrastructure. He's directly causing more cancer and health issues for regular people

    Newsom is JUST AS MUCH OF A FASCIST AS TRUMP.

    HE SUCKS BILLIONAIRE COCK EVERYDAY, THAT'S WHY CALIFORNIA HAS THE MOST BILLIONAIRES IN THE FUCKING COUNTRY NOW.

    HE FUCKING DESTROYED MY HOME STATE

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago (2 children)

    Newsom is just as much of a fascist as the orange pedophile

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago

    This piece of giant shit fucked up California so much. He's to blame for all the fires, he stopped funding fire departments to do controlled burns and left it to the "consumers".

    Also, so many whistleblowers came out from his fundraising foundation that he and his wife were embezzling funds during the Biden administration, Biden's doj launched an investigation still going on today.

    He also used prison populations to fight fires as slave labor with no chance of becoming a fire fighter upon release because of their criminal records.

    He regularly makes sure to cover for his habitually drunk driving asshole of an uncle, including VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER. And plays the stock market just like his corrupt cunt aunt.

    He gave billionaires WATER RIGHTS to waste on growing fucking almonds that DIRECTLY CAUSED droughts in the central valley.

    This fucking swamp taint needs to have his personal winery dumped with the round up he approved to dump on forests, killing any life and draining into municipal water infrastructure. He's directly causing more cancer and health issues for regular people

    Newsom is JUST AS MUCH OF A FASCIST AS TRUMP.

    HE SUCKS BILLIONAIRE COCK EVERYDAY, THAT'S WHY CALIFORNIA HAS THE MOST BILLIONAIRES IN THE FUCKING COUNTRY NOW.

    HE FUCKING DESTROYED MY HOME STATE

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • [–] 32 points 4 months ago (14 children)

    Primaries are where you decide. After that, you choose the least worst. And sorry, a "Democrat that does nothing" is not just as bad as open fascism.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 14 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 13 points 4 months ago (4 children)

    No 3rd party candidate will win a General Election unless something changes in the way the Is voting system works. Voting for a 3rd party is literally throwing your vote away at best, or helping the Republicans at worst.

    It’s either naivety or intentional disinformation to spout otherwise.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago (6 children)

    And they have next to no chance of winning.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago (3 children)

    For one thing, there is no serious third party. For another: history.

    If we had ranked choice voting, it might be different. If Democratic Socialists want to run in and win primaries and run as Democrats, hey, great.

    I am not throwing away my vote in the general for some unserious party like the Green Party (which is probably just a cutout anyway) who runs a candidate at the national level every 4 years and does next to nothing at the local level.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 5 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    Cool. Let's peel off just enough Democratic votes to throw away put into some column C that is going into a record, while we install the next Trump, dutifully carrying out the next iteration of Project 2025.

    I'm sure that'll show 'em. We will all take solace in the fact that we can....point to the third party votes that are on the record while the conservatives have several more years of free reign to utterly destroy the country.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (2 replies)
  • [–] 12 points 4 months ago (18 children)

    So just like last time, not gonna vote if they aren't perfect?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 18 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 12 points 4 months ago (5 children)

    Gee, I wonder why the fascists are in office.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
  • [–] 6 points 4 months ago

    Because the DNC is completely incapable of fielding a candidate that can clear even the miniscule bar set by the Republicans.

    Chuck Schumer never endorsed Mamdani, not even after he was the official Democratic nominee, running against Andrew Cuomo. Shit like that is why the fascists are in office.

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (2 replies)
  • load more comments (7 replies)
  • [–] 6 points 4 months ago (6 children)

    Voting for a Democrat that does nothing is just as bad.

    Good luck convincing anyone who has eyes and a brain

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 6 child comments
  • [–] 5 points 4 months ago (4 children)

    Dude lemmy eats this shit up like a fat kid getting after a cupcake.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • load more comments (3 replies)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago (12 children)

    You think Trump term 2 is just as bad as Bush? Even trump term 1 was not this bad.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 12 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago (11 children)

    Bush killed millions of middle easterners. Did you forget about all the dead brown kids because they weren't actively affecting your life at home?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 11 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago (8 children)

    Can't wait for this one to be removed, lol. I'll write a comment anyway.

    You implied trump term 2 is worse than Bush, I informed you that Bush killed millions of people in his 8 year term.

    The you put words in my mouth and fucking flipped out and resorted to ad hominem attacks.

    I'm under no obligation to answer your pancakes and waffles bullshit ass questions, lmao.

    Seems to me like trump has a few million more people to kill before he's even on the same level as your evil ex president. Maybe try and be a little more civil next time you talk to me.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 8 child comments
  • load more comments (8 replies)
  • load more comments (2 replies)
  • load more comments (15 replies)
  • [–] 16 points 4 months ago

    Every article about him brings the boo-birds. That’s fine, but there’s still no champion for our leftier-than-thou politicos.

    Crazy, It's almost like the DNC is complicit in keeping any viable economically left winged candidates away from any seat of power where they could one day become a decent candidate for president.

    I really can't understand why anyone would think Gavin Newsome is a good candidate. Imo the only thing different between the mainstream Democrats and the Republicans is an affectation of wokeness, and Gavin Newsome doesn't even clear that hurdle.

    His only talent in life is cheating on his wife and befriending the Gettys. Literally has not had to work for a thing in his life. Daddy bought him a degree at a private school, got a baseball scholarship..... never played a single game. His best friend bought him a winery, and then had Mayor Brown take him under his wing in SF, and then had governor brown do the same exact thing.

    Can we not go a little bit farther to the left than the best friend of an oil Barron?

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 10 points 4 months ago (26 children)

    I’ll do what I always do watch the Dem establishment shit all over everything while I hold my nose and vote for a shit stain like newsowm. There’s plenty of time for a “lefty” candidate to rise as long as the DNC fucks off to hell.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 26 child comments
  • [–] 8 points 4 months ago* (23 children)

    I'll be shocked if AOC runs for president and not against Schumer.

    If she doesn't then just vote Michelle Obama in, as there's really nobody else I can think of in a position to run by then. Not a leftist at least in the surface but she'd win in a landslide. Easily. And I'd prefer her over someone like Newsom or Shapiro..

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 23 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 9 points 4 months ago* (21 children)

    I think it has been debunked that a woman or person of color is why we lost. Key to note: Anyone who was a true sexist racist piece of shit was already core maga and never, ever going to vote for any Democrat.

    People must remember that nobody has polled higher against Trump -- ever -- than Michelle Obama. IF she wants to run (and a big if), she would win. Just need a tad bit more charisma.

    (If anyone has any evidence whatsoever beyond speculation or shoddy N=2 statistics, I'm all ears, but I have not found evidence).

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 21 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago (3 children)

    What you're missing is that even racists and misogynists will vote for women or minorities if they say the right talking points. Just look at all the pick-mes on the fascist side. This argument is always trotted out by "centrists" against progressives, but the centrists love to run women and minorities, act like that makes them progressive, and blame racism/misogyny when they lose for being uninspiring empty suits. I'm sick of the hypocrisy.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    I get where you're coming from. I just think people are sick of hearing the argument that we shouldn't run woman or minority candidates because racism/misogyny will harm their chance of success, myself included. I believe that the number of people who will absolutely refuse to ever vote for a woman or minority is often greatly exaggerated, and the number of people harboring racist/misogynist views who would still vote for a woman or minority in the right circumstances is vastly underestimated. When we talk about why a candidate won or lost an election it's disingenuous to attribute it to something that had only a minor impact when compared to something that has proven to have had a massive (and election swinging) impact. In the case of the 2024 presidential election that something was Harris's support for Israel's genocide, and so it isn't wrong to say that was the deciding factor in the election and racism/misogyny wasn't.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago* (9 children)

    Go ahead and sell me that bridge because there is a complete and total lack of evidence to support the claim. Can't really prove a counterfactual. Others made the claim she lost because of this; when asked for evidence, they always come up short.

    Counterpoints:

    • Biden polled worse than Harris at the end. (White Guy polling worse than Black Woman). Hence the switch in the first place, even Biden agreed!

    • Michelle Obama has always polled higher than anyone against Trump (Black Woman polling better than White Guy).

    Sexists bigots were already core Republican voters never voting for any D no matter who. The battle was lost elsewhere.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 9 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago* (7 children)

    Still no evidence, and an increased propensity for aggression and ad hominems substituting said total lack of evidence, I see. Lots of fingers-in-ear denial and deflection as well.

    Certainly aren't convincing me of anything, lol.

    I win.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 7 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago* (3 children)

    There you go with the fallacies again... What is this, Pokemon of fallacies? Trying to catch 'em all or something?

    Well you've caught strawman.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago* (1 child)

    Not fallacy; seems pretty on-point. Bigots coalesce around far-right extremism, and thus MAGA. That logically tracks.

    Or what, you think blue-haired hippies preaching solidarity are dyed-in-the-wool bigots or something, lol?

    By all means, I'm waiting for your evidence of where all these bigots are at that aren't core maga -- and also how this intersects with the facts that Biden was polling worse than Harris, and Michelle Obama has always polled higher than Trump ;)

    Last chance, bud.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (3 replies)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • [–] a comment that isn't shown here: deleted, from someone you've blocked, or on another page. view the thread from it
  • [–] 4 points 4 months ago* (4 children)

    and a bunch of male Democrats that identify as Latin or African American didn’t vote for her because she was a woman.

    Uh, dude show me your evidence this was the reason lol.

    I'm going to give you a hint: You won't find it. This is straight up bull fucking shit and 100% speculative.

    I highly advise you not to make such blatant non-sequitur fallacies devoid of any supportive data. I can think of at least a half a dozen other reasons for why people voted or didn't vote the way they did that actually has data with infinitely less distance to connect the dots than what you're doing right now.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago* (3 children)

    We don't know the why, but it was a big swing among men of color:

    https://navigatorresearch.org/2024-post-election-survey-racial-analysis-of-2024-election-results/

    The largest shifts in support were seen among men, particularly men of color. Donald Trump won the vote of Hispanic men by one point (49 percent Harris – 50 percent Trump), a 35-point difference from 2020, when Joe Biden won the vote of Hispanic men by a 34-point margin. Similarly, there was a 35-point difference in how Black men voted in 2024 compared to 2020. While Black men voted for Harris in 2024 by a 47-point margin (71 percent Harris – 24 percent Trump), it was significantly less than Biden who won the vote of Black men by an 82-point margin over Trump in 2020. White men also moved toward Trump by 5 points (net +23; 37 percent Harris – 60 percent Trump), compared to his margin of 18 points in 2020 (40 percent Harris – 58 percent Trump).

    Without some very careful probing via polls, getting to the why is going to be harder, most likely. Not too many people are just going to be absolutely candid about being sexist.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    I have some insight as to why. As someone who canvassed, who actively spoke to Hispanic activists for Trump in person no less. Though I'll leave that alone considering its anecdotal nature unless you're interested.

    Statistically, these groups -- men across the board -- are significantly less educated and thus susceptible to misinformation. They were explicitly targeted from GamerGate and onward.

    If you break down exit-polling, you'll find a key factor in predicting how someone voted was in fact their education attainment and less so their gender or skin color.

    Does that mean they were less likely to vote for Harris? Yes, but it also means they'd be less likely to vote for any Democrat. More importantly, those who are actual bigots voting on pretenses of skin color or sex were core maga already.

    Put it another way: An Old White Guy Joe Biden was polling worse than Harris. At the same time, Reuters polling has always shown Michelle Obama -- female person of color -- to poll higher against Trump than literally anyone. Ever.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago

    I'd be curious as to how the numbers might shake out if it is for a generic male candidate and a generic female candidate...again, might be hard to determine, as people are not as likely to be honest about it.

  • source
  • parent
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (2 replies)
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    I hear ya. But 814 days is 814 days.

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
  • [–] 10 points 4 months ago

    That's one of the many problems with this system. The DNC is a private organisation and they can put forth or hold back any candidate they want regardless of the will of the people (see: Harris or Sanders the first time).

    So unless the DNC finally gets out of its own way (it won't) and lets an actual progressive candidate run, they'll do the same thing they always do and pick some Milquetoast "centrist" who will keep the status quo, and an actual progressive will have to run independent or form a new party and then get enough people to vote for them without splitting the vote and causing the Nazis to win by default.

    The entrenched powers have no interest in change and don't care what the people actually want.

  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 3 points 4 months ago (5 children)
  • [–] 7 points 4 months ago* (3 children)

    Mamdani cannot run as he was born in Uganda to two non-Americans

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
  • load more comments (1 reply)
  • load more comments (2 replies)