California Governor Gavin Newsom has a rallying cry for Democrats in this perilous political moment, where we have witnessed morale-depleting setbacks, as we assumed the rights we held, were permanently protected by settled law.
Here’s the video, a little more than a minute long, where he says what needs to be said, namely:
Republicans are ruthless.
Drop the old mindset when dealing with them.
Democrats: Go on offense, set the agenda and dominate the narrative. (Transcript below the video clip).
You also have to recognize what you’re up against.
And right now we’re up against the ruthlessness of the Republican party.
And I say that, not naively. I don’t say that…that’s not a cheap shot.
You see what’s happening to all of the progress we’ve made in the 21st century.
All of the rights that we, in many ways, have taken for granted; that have been afforded since the 60’s, are being rolled back in real-time.
This is a totally different moment.
We have to wake up with a different mindset.
And not just a mindset, in terms of a collaborative mindset, a cup of tea and everyone is going to work together and get along in big ways to advance the collective cause.
That's where the party needs to come in.
Democrats need the Democratic party—not the President, not a Speaker, not an elected office holder—the party, the infrastructure, I think, has to organize with more ferocity of focus, more determination to set the agenda; set the course and put the other party on the defense.
They are dominating the narrative.
The facts aren't on their side but they're dominating the narrative.
And in this world right now, you dominate the narrative you win and that's what I'm worried about and that's what I’m expressing.
Below is the extended version of the interview with Governor Newsom.
(Here is the full interview on FOX News LA):
In the extended video he explains the catalyst for the ad that he ran in Florida against Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Newsom reveals the motivation behind his Florida ad targeting Ron DeSantis
Newsom said that what pushed him to air an anti-GOP ad in Florida over the Fourth of July was DeSantis’ treatment of the Special Olympics. The state threatened to fine the organization $27.5 million if it didn’t drop its COVID-19 vaccine mandate before the 2022 USA Games in Orlando last month. Special Olympics officials complied.
“He did something that tipped me very directly, and that was going after the Special Olympics. I had an emotional response to that,” Newsom told The Bee, his voice catching momentarily. “That led to the consideration of doing something a little bit more expressive and that was the determination on the ad.”
Newsom spoke Friday to The Bee in the U.S. Capitol, where he has been meeting with federal lawmakers this week on issues such as wildfires, gun violence and education.
He explains in the extended video, what is at stake in this political moment.
7:52
Yeah I mean it was personal in this context: everything that I think our state is about, that I'm about, our values, they're going after them.They're coming after you, us, all of us next and they're winning.
He's succeeding and I felt it needed to be called out.
It is refreshing to hear that a prominent Democrat, with a powerful voice, clearly expressing the sense of urgency that is required from Democrats, right now.
