Progressive Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom has his own podcast now – and EVERYONE knows it’s all about helping him to raise his profile in the upcoming presidential election in 2028. What I don’t know is why conservatives are helping him.
Launched in February of 2025, Newsom’s podcast “This is Gavin Newsom” is billed as him chatting up MAGA stars. He claims that he launched his podcast [1] to “change the conversation.”
In his description of the show it says: “It’s time to have a conversation. It’s time to have honest discussions with people that agree AND disagree with us. It’s time to answer the hard questions and be open to criticism, and debate without demeaning or dehumanizing one other.”
Unlike most scheduled podcasts released on a consistent schedule, Newsom’s does not adhere to a strict weekly format – or even dropping his crap on the same day of the week. Episodes are released whenever the Newsom folks want them released – and I’m sure that has nothing to do with the news cycle (wink-wink).
Telling everyone that he’s going to be talking with people that he directly disagrees with, Newsom has already welcomed conservatives Charlie Kirk, Michael Savage and Steve Bannon on his podcast.
WHY are the conservatives giving Newsom a platform to run for president?
In my opinion, it’s because these folks think they are smarter than Newsom (they are) and want to be able to prove it – and prove that Newsom is wrong about everything by debating policy. But Newsom doesn’t care about policy except to appear less of a crazy nut job progressive when he runs for president. So why are these folks helping him?
Newsom’s media charm tour: from Bannon banter to Savage sycophancy.
On March 11th, Newsom yukked it up with Steve Bannon, the Trump whisperer himself, for a chummy 57-minute episode. They even bonded over Elon Musk’s rise to power in the Trump White House. Bannon has no love for Musk and has called him a “parasitic illegal immigrant.”
Last week, Kirk got the first slot, letting Newsom play the reasonable guy troubled by transgender sports fairness. Cue the eye rolls – Gavin’s not wrestling with policy; he’s wrestling with his own PR.
When Newsom talked with Savage, it almost felt like a meeting of a mutual admiration society, given their decades-long acquaintance.
Why are right-wing firebrands playing nice with Newsom?
The vibe of the podcasts so far? Less debate, more bromance, with Newsom trying to show that he’s normal, agreeable and not the crazy leftist we all know he is. At every opportunity, Newsom actually tries to insert nuggets of how he’s a little more “conservative” about some things than everyone thinks he is. Give me a break.
Why are these right-wing firebrands boosting Newsom? If they show up on his show at all, conservatives should be using the airtime to torch Newsom’s California record: wildfires, paying for healthcare for illegal aliens, phasing out gas-powered cars, a vocal defender of abortion access, his decriminalization efforts, backing gender-affirming care policies and more. Instead, they are giving Newsom a platform to sound thoughtful and not be grilled mercilessly over his lunacy.
Are they that desperate for relevance they’ll prop up a Democrat’s rehab tour? Or do they think they’re exposing him, only to accidentally make him look bipartisan and likable? Or are THEY trying to help their own brand by appearing reasonable and deliberative?
Newsom’s not-so-clever con: wooing conservatives while peddling the same old radical agenda.
Newsom’s strategy is clear: he knows Democrats will back him no matter what, so he’s making a play for conservatives, independents, and the politically clueless – hoping they either forget or never realize the radical agenda he’s been pushing. Think Biden was bad? Newsom would be Biden on steroids, flashing a fake grin while selling the country the same disastrous policies, all while pretending to be the “nice guy” just like Obama did.
These conservatives are naive and complicit. By showing up on Newsom’s podcast, they’re not owning the libs – they’re polishing Newsom’s resume. He’s not there to nicely spar with conservatives; he’s there to smile, nod, and let voters think, “Hey, maybe he’s not that guy who banned gas cars.”
This podcast isn’t a bridge between two sides – it’s a runway. And the right’s paving it for him. Brilliant, guys. Really brilliant.