Gavin Newsom 2028: Can California's Governor Win a National Election? Liberal vs Conservative
California Governor Gavin Newsom is everywhere right now - doing podcasts, engaging with conservative voices, and very obviously positioning himself for a 2028 presidential run. He's got the hair, the charisma, and the baggage that comes with governing California. Today we're talking about whether Newsom could actually win a national election, and whether the kid I (Nicole) knew from afar in high school, wearing blazers and slicked-back hair, could actually become president.
I (Nicole) went to high school with Gavin Newsom. Even back then, he had this air of sophistication that set him apart. While the rest of us were in parachute pants and off the shoulder Madonna t-shirts, Gavin showed up in blazers looking like he was already running for something. It's surreal to think that the same person I knew as a teenager might shape America's political future. But what's actually beneath that perfectly coiffed exterior?
Jolene's been watching Newsom with curiosity. As a conservative, she sees him as the political shapeshifter of our time. Someone with Bill Clinton-level charisma who can connect across party lines, but who also carries the weight of California's very visible problems. Homelessness, crime, cost of living, people fleeing the state - these aren't just Republican talking points; they're real issues that Newsom would have to answer for on a national stage.
From my liberal perspective, Newsom represents something the Democratic party desperately needs: authenticity and vulnerability. He openly discusses personal struggles and failures, whether it's the French Laundry scandal during the pandemic, his affair or his story of growing up with a single mom. That kind of honesty is rare in politics, and it's exactly what voters are craving after years of carefully scripted politicians who never admit mistakes.
What's particularly interesting is Newsom's willingness to engage with voices from all corners of the political spectrum. On his own podcast, he has done interviews with Steve Bannon, Charlie Kirk, and other conservative figures that most Democrats wouldn't touch. His podcast features actual conversations that don't devolve into shouting matches. For both of us, that's incredibly appealing. The idea that a potential presidential candidate is willing to have real dialogue instead of just preaching to his base is so refreshing.
The bigger question is whether Newsom can overcome California's reputation on a national stage. Both parties will absolutely hammer him on homelessness, crime, and the exodus of residents and businesses from the state. It’s possible that Republicans will paint him as the embodiment of failed liberal policies, the guy who turned the Golden State into a cautionary tale.
The counterargument is that California is the world's fifth-largest economy, a hub of innovation and technology, and home to 40 million people with incredibly diverse needs. Governing California is an incredibly complicated task. The problems are massive, and while Newsom hasn't solved them, he's also navigating challenges that would break most politicians.
What strikes me about Newsom is his communication style. When you listen to his interview on "The Diary of a CEO" with Steven Bartlett, you hear someone who can articulate complex policy in accessible ways, who shares personal stories that humanize him, and who seems genuinely interested in solving problems rather than just scoring political points. CNN soundbites can't capture that depth, which is why long-form conversations are so valuable.
Jolene isn't convinced yet, and I get it. She's watching his narrative unfold with intrigue but also skepticism. Can he answer for California's issues if he runs nationally? Will his charisma be enough to overcome the baggage? Does his willingness to engage with conservatives signal genuine open-mindedness or just political calculation?
Those are fair questions, and honestly, I don't have all the answers. What I do know is that Newsom represents a different kind of Democrat. One who's willing to have uncomfortable conversations, admit mistakes, and engage with people who disagree with him. In today's political climate, that alone is noteworthy.
The 2028 presidential race feels like a lifetime away, but Newsom is clearly laying the groundwork. He's building a national profile, refining his message, and positioning himself as the Democratic alternative to whatever the Republican party offers. Whether that's enough to win a general election is anyone's guess.
What's interesting to both of us is how Newsom forces a conversation about what we actually want in leaders. Do we want perfectly polished politicians who never make mistakes, or do we want flawed humans who own their failures and try to do better? Do we want leaders who only talk to people who agree with them, or do we want someone willing to engage across ideological lines?
Jolene's watching to see if Newsom can address California's problems convincingly. I'm watching to see if his authenticity and communication skills can translate to a national campaign. We're both curious about whether someone who's willing to talk to Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk can actually bridge America's political divide, or if that's just good PR.
The real test will be whether Newsom can turn his podcast conversations and long-form interviews into actual policy solutions that resonate with voters outside of California. Charisma is great, vulnerability is appealing, but ultimately people want leaders who can improve their lives. Can Newsom make that case? We'll find out.
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Gavin Newsom Content: Gavin Newsom TikTok (Specific Video): https://www.tiktok.com/@gavinnewsom/video/7557082684074315039 Gavin Newsom TikTok Profile: https://www.tiktok.com/@gavinnewsom?lang=en
Interview and Media Appearances: Steven Colbert Interview 1: https://youtu.be/xixWODj3-UE?si=xDpHZO2S1X0HVh-F Steven Colbert Interview 2: https://youtu.be/OC71635to-I?si=mZN9Penj0BujZpbr Additional Video: https://youtu.be/1NLoTuRR3hE?si=pgTP37jZJkgkNTOG
Gaming/Streaming Content: Connor Eats Pants (Twitch): https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2582490833?_bhlid=b8eb6d1a74c7924b7a3be6e3447580fa7b99716b
https://youtu.be/yEX1xJcvRqI?si=ks7RBEUDEYt16AZa
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[00:00:00] nicole: She's a conservative and I'm liberal, and yet we've been friends for almost 40 years. Everyone says you shouldn't talk about politics, religion, or money. And we say that's exactly what friends should be talking about.
[00:00:12] nicole: Join us as we tackle the conversations you're having in your head, but are too scared to say out loud. Hello, Jolene?
[00:00:21] Jolene: Nicole
[00:00:22] nicole: listen, couple things, please, uh, click on that subscribe button and share with your friends. We are building a community here
[00:00:32] nicole: Okay.
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[00:01:08] nicole: We've got to talk.com and go to the contact page and give us a shout out and we will get right back to you. spread the word people spread the word. Alright, so. Thing today,
[00:01:23] Jolene: on, we've got to talk
[00:01:25] nicole: I am excited 'cause I have zero idea what's about to happen here
[00:01:30] Jolene: Woo
[00:01:31] nicole: and it kind of makes me tingle and makes and makes me a little nervous, but more tingle than nervous. So Brianna, our producer, she really wanted us to talk about Gavin Newsom and his,
[00:01:47] Jolene: hair.
[00:01:47] nicole: his hair. His hair like in her Australian wor world.
[00:01:51] nicole: She's hearing about Gavin Newsom and how he's approaching politics, how he's approaching his governorship. she sent [00:02:00] us, a bunch of things to look at, which we will also put in the show notes so that you can have a look as well, which might be fun. she had us look at, uh, Connor Eats pants, a Fortnite channel for, for the kids out there.
[00:02:18] nicole: she had us look at, his TikTok account and how creative she thought it was, and then, uh, Stephen Colbert, interview that he was on, and then this I thought, really incredible episode, diary of a CEO, where he was a guest on this past summer. she gave us this, all this homework and she was like, go do it. And so here we are, and I think. We've seen all the things and read all the things. Is this correct? Jolene?
[00:02:49] Jolene: is correct. I did the homework.
[00:02:51] nicole: Okay. And listen. I have my own very like, non-story, but we went to high school together, Gavin and [00:03:00] I, he was a junior and a senior when I was a freshman and a sophomore, so I only knew him as a big kid that he, like on the front lawn where we would hang out.
[00:03:12] nicole: He literally wore a blazer, a button down shirt his hair back, a slicked back, sometimes a tie every day, and you're always like, who's that grownup? Who's a kid?
[00:03:25] Jolene: Which is funny
[00:03:26] nicole: So,
[00:03:27] Jolene: now that you listen to a story like the, the diary of a CEO and
[00:03:31] nicole: mm-hmm.
[00:03:31] Jolene: is not, those two stories don't go together for me because when I heard you talk about him, that's what he looked like and acted like in high school. That's not kind of the story that you got from him growing up.
[00:03:45] Jolene: Right. That he grew up by a, a single mom, kind of an absent father.
[00:03:50] nicole: Definitely not. I mean, I didn't know him. Yeah, I didn't know him. I knew that his friends were these hyper rich kids from San Francisco, [00:04:00] like the Gettys, which if you, if you're a San Franciscan, you know who the Gettys are. but for those of you that don't, the Gettys are a, uh, an incredibly blue blood blood rich family from the San Francisco Bay area from the beginning of.
[00:04:15] nicole: Basically California. so those were the kids. He hung around. I can't speak to it, but I agree. And then when, 'cause I watched that at the diary of a CEO, I watched it on YouTube versus listening to it. And so they had all these really great pictures and there was a photograph of him and a blazer with a scarf.
[00:04:34] nicole: I was like, that's who I remember. That's who I remember. let's start at the beginning when Brianna was asking us to do this subject. What was your initial reaction to it? And when you went through the material, did your thoughts change at all?
[00:04:54] nicole: I.
[00:04:55] Jolene: my initial reaction, I, I, I'm gonna even back up.
[00:04:59] nicole: [00:05:00] Okay.
[00:05:00] Jolene: that when Biden had decided to step down,
[00:05:04] nicole: I
[00:05:04] Jolene: thought that it was going to be Gavin Newsom. I thought that he would, it would, that the Democratic party would, national committee, the Democratic National Committee would. put Gavin forth, I think as a Republican, we just assumed that Gavin Newsom would be a contender for the Democrat, nominee for the next presidential election. So I think I've just always kind of had an interest in him because he is very presidential, you know, and Okay, so when Brianna asked us then to, to look into him, I started listening and watching and, and all the things, I gotta, you know, who he reminds me of? Bill Clinton. But he's very charismatic. He has that, listen, I'm just a, poor kid from San Francisco who an entrepreneur, and [00:06:00] I, and I worked hard and I've, you know, made my way. I mean, he has a really compelling story. and so listening to him tell his story, he's going to get a lot of people who contrast him to Trump and, um, and go either there's, you could either look at this as there's a lot of similarities or they're completely different.
[00:06:25] Jolene: And, and if you hate Trump, you're going to probably think that Gavin Newsom is the greatest thing, because he's gonna be completely different. He's going to be a man of the people. And, very understanding and. Loving. And, you know, he cried during his interview when he talked about emotional moments in his life, you know, something that Trump would never do.
[00:06:46] Jolene: So, he, he's doing a really good job of telling his story and, I think also being the anti-Trump for the Democrats. Okay. What do you think?
[00:06:57] nicole: so [00:07:00] strangely, I have these memories of him in high school, but I didn't know him. Right. So he was like the older boy and I actually have. Yearbooks.
[00:07:11] Jolene: Oh, you have props.
[00:07:14] nicole: I have props y'all. So I thought it would be fun to, there's not a ton, but this was, I dunno, 1984 and there he is playing basketball.
[00:07:30] Jolene: Oh, hello Gavin.
[00:07:32] nicole: Hello Gavin. Okay. and then this would've been his senior year. Let me see here. Gimme one second. Okay.
[00:07:46] nicole: There's Gavin right there.
[00:07:48] Jolene: There he
[00:07:49] Jolene: is Okay.
[00:07:50] Jolene: Okay.
[00:07:50] nicole: And Here, this is the picture that was in the diary of the CEO. I knew it was a yearbook picture. This picture. That's [00:08:00] Gavin and that's what I remember. And this was, and if you go, if you watch the diary of the CEO on YouTube, you will see that. And it's funny because when I saw that picture, I was like, I know that picture.
[00:08:12] nicole: That's from my yearbook. But anyway, so, so I had this idea of who he was, and then I knew him as a mayor. I knew Plump Jack Wine, the, the wine store and restaurants that he created. 'cause I'd come home to San Francisco all the time, you know, as a, in my twenties and thirties.
[00:08:41] nicole: And he had these really great, Venues and wine store. I mean, it was just cool. so then I knew he was the mayor and then, you know, he had some scandals, which he actually talks about. And he was very, what I appreciated with Diary of a [00:09:00] CEO especially was it seemed so organic One thing that I appreciated that Steven Bartlett said at the very end of the interview was, was I so appreciate how much you, you shared and that your team never said I couldn't ask anything. Like there was nothing, everything was, was
[00:09:21] Jolene: on the
[00:09:22] nicole: nothing was off. Yeah. Nothing was off, off limits. that's what it seemed like from the conversation. where I started to get impressed, because that scandal in, when he was mayor, He wa his, he wasn't married anymore, but he had an affair with his chief of staff's wife.
[00:09:40] nicole: I mean, it was ugly. It was all over the news. I knew people in that world like there, so there was, it was tainted for me. So I was like, Ugh, this guy, right. And then, you know, he gets older, starts to grow up. And the [00:10:00] Biden debate last year that was went complete, like horribly wrong as we all saw, after the debate, Gavin was interviewed and he was so articulate and real.
[00:10:16] nicole: He didn't try to spin anything. He seemed genuinely concerned for his friend and mentor but didn't also throw him under the bus immediately like everyone else did. I was intrigued by that. I was like, huh,
[00:10:32] Jolene: Do you think that could have been though? Because people were wanting him to take over and so
[00:10:37] nicole: But it was,
[00:10:38] Jolene: play it. Cool.
[00:10:40] nicole: I don't know how he would know that. 'cause it was like literally 30 seconds after the debate.
[00:10:45] Jolene: gotcha.
[00:10:45] nicole: I mean, maybe in his brain he would, but it just seemed, 'cause as we all, we were all completely shocked about what happened. Even Trump was shocked during that debate. so that's where I started to [00:11:00] be curious about him like, huh, what's.
[00:11:02] nicole: He's interesting. he actually doesn't seem like he's totally full of shit, which I think the way how slick he is, the way he looks, I think he gets that rap. I mean, I honestly, as I told you, when I watched the diary of his CEOI cried when I heard his story because I felt so sad that this boy, that I sort of, I certainly knew him.
[00:11:28] nicole: I mean, I didn't know him, but I would see him at school that there was a juxtaposition from this, how he would dress and appear and what was going on in his life and how hard it was and how, it just sort of made me think about like, we just don't. In general, don't know what's going on with people.
[00:11:47] nicole: They might present one way, but you have absolutely no idea what's going on in their life.
[00:11:52] Jolene: Yeah.
[00:11:53] nicole: and like, honestly better to give someone grace because you have zero idea what's happening. Right. [00:12:00] so I was really moved by, that interview I mean, he's a politician I watched part of that Fortnite thing.
[00:12:08] nicole: I didn't watch all three hours. Did you watch, did you watch some of it? Okay.
[00:12:12] Jolene: Yeah. I watched
[00:12:13] nicole: Yeah.
[00:12:13] Jolene: part of it. Yeah.
[00:12:14] nicole: I was most impressed that both of them could play a video game and talk about real stuff at the same time.
[00:12:19] Jolene: God, that is
[00:12:20] nicole: I was like, I was like, wow, I'm so old.
[00:12:24] nicole: Right. And I, I can't be, I like, I was like, Gavin, I'm impressed. And then the guy was sort of giving him shit 'cause he would like die or, and I'm like, how is he supposed to play the game and talk?
[00:12:35] nicole: But I, but one thing that Gavin said in that interview that I really like as we know, that he started his podcast, I think a week after we did. And so I was super intrigued that he was put doing this podcast where he was bringing completely opposite voices. His first, his first guest was Charlie Kirk.
[00:12:54] nicole: He had Steve Bannon on. And I listened to all these people and I've never listened to them before. [00:13:00] And I was really curious because I thought, this is not totally what we're doing, but a similar, you know, let's talk to people and ask questions and get curious. And one thing that he has said, time and time again, he said, you need to meet people where they are.
[00:13:19] nicole: So he's not trying to. Play down or lecture, which I feel like the Democratic party a lot these days is really good at that. telling people how smart we are and what needs to be done versus listening.
[00:13:35] Jolene: yep. had a lot of ex, I mean, I say he's young, younger, um, you know, he's not 60 yet, right?
[00:13:44] nicole: he's 58.
[00:13:45] Jolene: so, uh, he's been involved enough in politics and, and specifically San Francisco and then California politics that I think he's done a good job of setting himself up for this position. If this is the way that he [00:14:00] chooses, don't, don't you think that he's gonna run for president?
[00:14:02] nicole: I think so.
[00:14:03] Jolene: Yeah.
[00:14:04] nicole: He's not ready to say it.
[00:14:05] Jolene: Yeah.
[00:14:06] nicole: I, I, I, I, I think so. I mean, he, you know, I liked his story in the Diary of a CEO EO where he said like, he just tells you, like, he was a very successful entrepreneur at that point, and he was complaining. He would complain to the city about the parking and traffic and the, and Willie Brown was our mayor and he in, in San Francisco, he is super famous guy.
[00:14:31] nicole: Like, he's a character Willie Brown. and Willie Brown called him and said, Hey, will you come and be on the, on the film commission? And he's like, oh, okay, sure. And he gets to the meeting and Willie Brown's like, you are gonna be in charge of parking in traffic. And, and he, and he was like, okay. Like he just said yes.
[00:14:50] nicole: He's like, I'll try it. And I, you know, I commend people like that. And he's worked really hard in that way. Um. He sort [00:15:00] of like step by step, gotten to where he is. And I think what I appreciated from, I think it was, you could hear it more because it was a two, a two hour conversation with Stephen Bartlett versus a 15 minute interview on Stephen Colbert.
[00:15:15] Jolene: yeah.
[00:15:16] nicole: he even did, had some touch points playing video games. I gotta, I gotta give him some credit, well he's, he's dyslexic and he talks about how dyslexics are really good at failing and that you fail and you have to get back up and that he will always talk about his failures or that if something doesn't work, he'll try something different, which I think is a real positive and a person, let alone a leader, that he's willing to admit when he gets things wrong and
[00:15:48] Jolene: again, if he's trying to set himself up, and not that he's running against Trump, because Trump, no matter what you Democrats say, no, he's not gonna run again, don't worry.
[00:15:59] nicole: Do you have some [00:16:00] insight intel, my dear? To,
[00:16:02] nicole: to, to just
[00:16:04] nicole: calm down. Calm down the,
[00:16:05] Jolene: No,
[00:16:06] nicole: liberals.
[00:16:07] Jolene: going to happen. So
[00:16:08] nicole: All right,
[00:16:09] Jolene: that.
[00:16:09] Jolene: I think that,
[00:16:10] nicole: all right.
[00:16:10] Jolene: that's,
[00:16:12] nicole: All right, everybody. Jolene has said,
[00:16:14] Jolene: that is someone that is trying to bait you into
[00:16:18] nicole: yeah,
[00:16:19] Jolene: has. He can do it and he can't.
[00:16:23] nicole: listen, I don't think he's gonna be alive because he's just old,
[00:16:27] Jolene: he's
[00:16:28] nicole: you think?
[00:16:29] Jolene: Yeah. For another three years. No, I think he's fine. Um,
[00:16:33] nicole: he's old. Anyway.
[00:16:34] Jolene: I think, um, the first time that I really heard about him, I, I think like really knew anything about him though, was during COVID when he got in trouble for, um, the
[00:16:47] nicole: know that was such a dumb move. Gavin,
[00:16:51] Jolene: there were pictures
[00:16:52] nicole: went to the French laundry.
[00:16:54] Jolene: restaurant, at his
[00:16:55] nicole: Uhhuh? No, it wasn't his restaurant.
[00:16:58] nicole: but so French laundry is [00:17:00] like the reservation. If you are a foodie of any kind of foodie in the foodie, foodie world, you wanna go to the French laundry in Napa, it is the most impossible reservation.
[00:17:13] nicole: And so, yeah, it was a horrible thing that he did. And he will admit that that was the stupidest move. And it was Gavin. It was a really dumb move that during COVID, he got a, he got a reservation and went to the French laundry with his friends.
[00:17:29] Jolene: else in California had to have masks and had to be social distancing.
[00:17:34] nicole: Oh yeah,
[00:17:34] Jolene: up and nobody had a mask on and nobody was social distancing. And so there was
[00:17:39] nicole: listen.
[00:17:40] Jolene: disconnect of, oh, in, in charge and you're gonna do what you want, but you're telling us that we can't go to restaurants.
[00:17:48] nicole: It was a real bad move. Really bad move.
[00:17:51] nicole: Yeah,
[00:17:51] Jolene: thing. As a Republican that doesn't live in California, that was the first thing that we're like, oh, this California [00:18:00] governor is a little
[00:18:01] nicole: Well, ' cause I would think too that, 'cause I would imagine, I mean he looks slick, he's handsome and he wears nice clothes and, and, and sometimes there's this idea that the coastal, um, nominees never can win 'cause they can't relate to America.
[00:18:20] Jolene: else. Yeah.
[00:18:22] nicole: And what do you think about that with him? Do you, I mean obviously that was, that's a really bad impression that you experienced, I would imagine when you that French laundry,
[00:18:31] Jolene: yeah, but as a Republican, we're all going, no. The why are we social distancing? Like we all thought it was
[00:18:37] nicole: that's true.
[00:18:38] Jolene: that we're like,
[00:18:39] nicole: true. You're like, you're like, that's my guy.
[00:18:42] Jolene: right. Like, yeah, we
[00:18:44] nicole: I know the Democrats were pissed. That is very funny
[00:18:48] Jolene: it,
[00:18:49] nicole: and makes sense,
[00:18:50] Jolene: Like you,
[00:18:51] nicole: right?
[00:18:51] Jolene: Democrats are so high and mighty, you're telling us what to do, but then you go off and go do your own thing.
[00:18:57] Jolene: And we're like, no,
[00:18:58] nicole: Well, yeah, that was, that was a bad look.
[00:18:59] Jolene: [00:19:00] Yeah. So here's where I am. I think where my mind is going with Gavin Newsom.
[00:19:05] nicole: He
[00:19:05] Jolene: is this Bill Clinton esque, um, slick, uh, smooth talker. he feels your pain, um, type
[00:19:16] nicole: But did you feel that Bill Clinton was sincere? Like, are we putting, I,
[00:19:20] nicole: think at the
[00:19:21] Jolene: time, right? I
[00:19:22] nicole: okay. Okay.
[00:19:23] Jolene: back, but at the time you're like, no, he absolutely I mean he related
[00:19:28] nicole: to a lot of people. He, he could relate to a lot of people. Absolutely
[00:19:32] Jolene: And
[00:19:32] Jolene: so I think that is exactly where Gavin Newsom is is, is his
[00:19:37] nicole: strength
[00:19:37] nicole: right
[00:19:38] Jolene: now. Um, But the fact that he comes from being the governor of California absolutely will kill him with everyone else. I think, um, he has a lot of obstacles to overcome by looking at the management of his state. you look at the [00:20:00] homeless situation, you look at the high taxes, you look at the, problems with, the infighting of, of government, of LA and San Francisco and all that.
[00:20:10] Jolene: And I think that that's going to be, he's gonna have to answer for a lot of things in California.
[00:20:16] nicole: what is the infighting of LA and San Francisco? What do you mean by that?
[00:20:19] Jolene: I mean like the, um, the la like the fires
[00:20:23] nicole: Are you talking about
[00:20:24] Jolene: it?
[00:20:25] nicole: Oh, the fires?
[00:20:26] Jolene: pie? You know, was
[00:20:27] nicole: Yes.
[00:20:28] Jolene: was
[00:20:28] Jolene: that the problem with the water? Was that the problem with the
[00:20:29] Jolene: mayor
[00:20:30] nicole: Mm-hmm.
[00:20:31] Jolene: all of that,
[00:20:31] nicole: Okay.
[00:20:31] Jolene: the crime that's increasing, that, I mean, that is probably as, as crime as a whole is coming down in other areas. Um, and this came from, 'cause I know you're gonna ask me what my source is.
[00:20:45] nicole: Well, 'cause this morning I was listening to the news and they, that, that, um, Invidia asked them, asked Trump to not bring the National Garden. Is it, is it Nvidia? Is that how you pronounce the name?
[00:20:59] Jolene: In, [00:21:00] um, in
[00:21:00] nicole: in
[00:21:00] nicole: San Francisco? No, in San Francisco.
[00:21:03] nicole: And he said, okay.
[00:21:06] Jolene: Oh. Because of business. Nvidia is
[00:21:08] nicole: Because, because of money and power, just like you talked about money and power. Money and power, money and power, and that crime is down in San Francisco,
[00:21:17] Jolene: Okay. The, this came from, um, the, prop
[00:21:23] nicole: not.
[00:21:23] Jolene: and Prop 57, and I
[00:21:25] nicole: Mm-hmm.
[00:21:26] Jolene: propositions are, but it really ties the hands of law enforcement, um, for repeat offenders. has been one of the things that will come under scrutiny. I think if he runs, the amount of homelessness, this came from a hud, housing and urban development website that homelessness has increased by 31% in California, $24 billion spent on
[00:21:49] nicole: It's true.
[00:21:51] Jolene: to the, to, uh, 2022. And that he is concentrating more on giving houses to homeless people instead of really getting at the root [00:22:00] cause. So those with, you know, mental illness and addiction problems, some of these initiatives aren't really addressing those issues. They're just giving houses away, or, you know, providing housing for homeless people instead of really getting to the, uh, root causes. oh, election integrity. There was a, there was an article on, um, Transparency Foundation, outta California said that it gives a failing grade on election integrity, that there's been evidence of voter fraud, inaccurate voter lists, inadequate signature reviews and voter suppression.
[00:22:35] nicole: can you tell me where you saw that
[00:22:37] Jolene: Yep. Transparency Foundation of California,
[00:22:40] nicole: Let's see.
[00:22:41] Jolene: that it is a non-partisan organization.
[00:22:45] nicole: oh, here we go. Here it is exposing Gavin Newsom's, top 10 frauds and failures.
[00:22:51] nicole: Highest cost of living in the nation? Soaring crime. Soaring crime. [00:23:00] I'm not sure about that one. Worst homelessness crisis in the nation. Weakest election. Integrity. Let's try this. Just for just out of curiosity,
[00:23:11] Jolene: Yep.
[00:23:12] nicole: conservative, you just Googled Gavin Newsom, right? And you got an F,
[00:23:18] Jolene: What
[00:23:19] nicole: okay? You,
[00:23:21] nicole: you that when you Googled Gavin Newsom, a report came up that he gets an F,
[00:23:29] Jolene: Oh, I didn't see that part.
[00:23:30] nicole: right?
[00:23:30] Jolene: I didn't see the
[00:23:31] nicole: Oh, oh, it's an F.
[00:23:32] Jolene: the
[00:23:33] nicole: Okay, so now, now I'm gonna Google him and see what comes up.
[00:23:38] nicole: Gavin Newsom, governor California. His Facebook page, that's it. His Facebook page. He's in the gov. Governor's National Association. Got a little bit about his wife. Nothing about this [00:24:00] foundation.
[00:24:01] nicole: did I just say this to you already? That on, on the diary of a CEO, that, he has been recalled seven times
[00:24:07] Jolene: yeah.
[00:24:08] Jolene: net favorability by 10% or by 10 points after the release of his podcast.
[00:24:16] nicole: Oh really?
[00:24:17] Jolene: Others feel his outreach to conservative figures or adopting less progressive rhetoric Alienates his base. Come on. See people don't even want him to engage with Republicans.
[00:24:31] nicole: that is absolutely true. we talked about this, uh, months ago when, 'cause we, we, I think, like I said, I think he started a week after we did. And he has like the lowest Apple podcast score you can have.
[00:24:51] Jolene: Oh my gosh.
[00:24:52] nicole: And, and it's because people are pissed that he's giving, as they're calling it, giving the [00:25:00] people, these people a platform where I'm like, are you serious?
[00:25:04] nicole: Like, they're just not willing to listen to anyone, which I think is an enormous issue.
[00:25:09] nicole: I mean, and why, why you and I are here. Uh, but it's startling that people. I mean, I've learned, I learned a lot, listening to, uh, Steve Bannon especially. I was like, there was so much I didn't agree with, but then there was so much, I was like, he kind of sounds like Bernie. Like it was just so,
[00:25:32] Jolene: A phrase I'd never thought would come out of your mouth. I have learned so much by listening to Steve Bannon. are
[00:25:39] nicole: listen,
[00:25:40] Jolene: who
[00:25:40] nicole: listening, listening to him in conversation with Gavin, it was just we make these decisions that we hate them, that we hate these people. And maybe there's a right to, there's a reason to hate them. And I'm not saying that there's not, or they, some people are not like the best people on the planet, but.
[00:25:58] nicole: You just sort of get in your [00:26:00] camps and that's it. And I think it's interesting that he's willing to get on there and talk to them. He doesn't always, yeah, he doesn't always push back in a way, which I know a lot of people get mad at us for not pushing on each other the way they
[00:26:16] nicole: screaming at us to ask each other that question that needs to be asked or give, give each other that fact that needs to be, you know, thrown out to each other.
[00:26:26] nicole: But, um, I don't know. I, it's the only time I'm gonna listen. And in some ways, in some ways, I guess I trust it more the conversation because there is a person that thinks a little bit more like me
[00:26:42] Jolene: Mm-hmm.
[00:26:43] nicole: that versus like, I'm gonna watch Steve Bannon on Fox or Newsmax or something. Then, then it's just like they're playing into the whole, uh, performance of it all, I guess.
[00:26:55] Jolene: the other thing that I did find interesting though, is he pushed back, [00:27:00] um, against the, trans women in sports, in girls sports, and got a lot of heat from the LGBT community by saying, Nope, I don't, I think women need to be in women's sports and men need to be in men's sports. which again, if you're, I mean if you're gonna run for president, you, gonna have to have some views that encompass a lot more people.
[00:27:25] Jolene: Then just the Democratic party. So.
[00:27:28] nicole: Well, it's funny because, 'cause he, he went into, um, great detail in the Stephen Bartlett interview about how he was invited to by Nancy Pelosi when he was a new mayor, to hear GW speak. And at the time, everyone at, I guess towards the end of his speech, he talked about we must pass an amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
[00:27:53] nicole: And he was sitting there listening and then some couple was like, yeah. And he's [00:28:00] thinking, huh. And he'd just been elected mayor. And then I guess he left the room and he called his chief of staff and said, I think we need to start marrying couples. And so it was it, and he is the first one
[00:28:15] nicole: started, uh, marrying same sex couples and he's very passionate about, uh, gay rights and, and marriage equality.
[00:28:28] nicole: And so I think, I think it's really interesting how he seems like he's thinking about things and thinking about what. What he thinks about it versus always listening to what, like, is it popular?
[00:28:44] Jolene: Okay.
[00:28:45] nicole: yes.
[00:28:45] Jolene: interesting to me.
[00:28:47] Jolene: Do you find it at all? Absolutely intriguing that he was married to Kimberly Gilfoyle
[00:28:55] nicole: I know, I know, I know, I know, I know.
[00:28:58] Jolene: and then
[00:28:59] nicole: [00:29:00] I,
[00:29:01] Jolene: to Donald Trump
[00:29:03] nicole: Donald Trump Jr. And they have the same slick back hair.
[00:29:08] Jolene: Their engagement's off though they're no longer engaged.
[00:29:10] nicole: Oh.
[00:29:11] Jolene: Yeah. Yeah, but she was still, they, and they broke up before the election, but she was still at the
[00:29:18] nicole: Oh, I didn't realize that. I didn't, yeah. 'cause I remember him being married to her and he says it on the podcast that he, the marriage went south and it wasn't that they were on good terms, that it just, I guess wasn't a good fit. and then I remember her dating Don Jr. And I'm like, okay, what's up lady?
[00:29:39] nicole: With your obsession with the slicked back hair and the politician guy. but they couldn't be more different.
[00:29:46] Jolene: uh, maybe
[00:29:48] nicole: would you vote for him?
[00:29:49] Jolene: I would have to hear more. Uh, I wouldn't say that I wouldn't, it concerns me that he is the governor of [00:30:00] California and I think of California as being in a mess. but I also, so I don't know. I'd have to hear, I'd have to hear a debate.
[00:30:07] nicole: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
[00:30:22] Jolene: questions and,
[00:30:24] nicole: Yes.
[00:30:25] Jolene: like who he really is from a political standpoint and not just a, a emotional or
[00:30:31] nicole: Yeah.
[00:30:32] Jolene: standpoint. know.
[00:30:34] nicole: Yeah. I mean, I, I appreciate from what she was sending to us and just following him in general, that I really like that he's talking to all kinds of people. I think we cra we're craving that as a society too, Republicans as well. We're craving authenticity, we're craving tell it like it is. we're craving telling us real stories versus [00:31:00] the, you know, bullshit political jargon we've heard for how many years. It just rings so inauthentic. I think that's one thing that he's got going for him. but I do think it's a long road. I mean, I also think that's why Mom Donny is doing so well here. because it's very clear even on the right, I think the right an, I think people are really wanting to feel seen and heard. I mean, I think that's human nature, but I think right now, people are tired of this slick. robotic politician thing. And so, like his look doesn't necessarily, like you said at the beginning of the podcast, his story doesn't necessarily match what he looks like,
[00:31:50] Jolene: Yeah.
[00:31:51] nicole: like the struggles he's been through.
[00:31:53] nicole: I really appreciated that he shared those struggles, it was more of a reminder of, we, [00:32:00] you have no idea what people go through.
[00:32:03] Jolene: I find it really interesting though that you said at the beginning that he hung out though with the, the super rich and super famous and.
[00:32:14] nicole: not fa I mean not famous, but, um, he, his father, uh, had been in California politics and, um, from what. I gathered, he wasn't really in the picture that he, his world was connected to these boys, um, the Geddes
[00:32:39] Jolene: So I, I find it interesting like knowing that he was this poor kid with a single mom and a sister at home. he was hanging out with the rich
[00:32:52] nicole: yeah.
[00:32:52] Jolene: school, it sounds like. That's exactly who his dad was. His dad, you know, they didn't have any money as a family, but [00:33:00] his dad was hanging out with the, you know, with the hoity-toity people kind of putting on a persona of being. Somebody
[00:33:10] nicole: Which is what Which is yes, which is what his mother did not want.
[00:33:16] nicole: He did. His mother did not want him to go into politics. His mother did not want to be him to be like his father. but it was, I found it striking 'cause I listened to the interview twice 'cause I listened to it a while ago. And so I listened to it the other day and I was just, Steven asked like a, something along those lines and, and what would your mother think?
[00:33:38] nicole: And you just heard him pause and he was like, I hope my mom would be proud of who I've become and the father I am. And it just, it was just like such a simple thing that that's kind of all that matters. Like you're always the kid, you're always hoping. You can [00:34:00] make your mom and dad proud always. It doesn't matter,
[00:34:03] Jolene: Yep.
[00:34:04] nicole: right?
[00:34:04] nicole: It doesn't matter that he might be the president of the United States. He really hopes his mom is proud of him,
[00:34:10] nicole: which I, which I, I I love that he was vulnerable in that way.
[00:34:17] Jolene: if Donald Trump were to say that, what would be people's reaction?
[00:34:21] nicole: Listen, I would be thrilled. I would be thrilled. I don't, then maybe people would think that, that, like his, he's been a, there's been an exorcism or something, but I would be thrilled to see him more human.
[00:34:41] Jolene: Yeah.
[00:34:42] nicole: I mean, I hear that when you're around him. He's very engaging and, and charming and, and you can see sometimes he has a sense of humor.
[00:34:53] nicole: But I don't know. I think our generation as in the Gen Xers and that's what he's in, [00:35:00] what Gavin is in, I think we aren't afraid of our emotions
[00:35:05] nicole: same way. I think we were sort of maybe the beginning of men being able to be, feel, to be vulnerable and it's okay. And I think, I sort of think the time is sort of demanding of that at this point. I want that in a leader. the fact that he's lived through a lot makes me feel more comfortable with him. But, you know, we'll see. I think there's a long way before 2028,
[00:35:35] Jolene: Yep.
[00:35:36] nicole: um, and he's got a lot of, he's got a lot of work to do.
[00:35:39] Jolene: Yeah.
[00:35:40] nicole: Um. I like what he's doing. One thing that Brianna pointed out on his TikTok, which whoever is running his social media, I'm gonna shout out to them because they are clever and they're funny and they're not mean.
[00:35:56] nicole: And we need more of that. And I appreciate that [00:36:00] because these politicians, he's not mean. And I think that's a really great model. Whether he wins or doesn't, just that he's not mean.
[00:36:10] Jolene: yeah,
[00:36:11] nicole: Um, and it's funny. So, any other thoughts?
[00:36:14] Jolene: Nope, that's all.
[00:36:15] nicole: Do you have a good for the soul?
[00:36:17] Jolene: Why do I always forget it? No, I don't have any.
[00:36:23] nicole: ' Okay. I have a good for the soul so Andrew Schultz is this major, major, major comedian, and he's like, kind of like a bro, uh, like Joe Rogan, and he has his own podcast called Flagrant. and it's with this, his co-host. and basically almost every episode you just hear them laughing all the time. Like there's a guest and they really have really interesting questions and conversations, but there's just all like, a lot of laughter. It's very broey. But I really like the podcast.
[00:36:57] nicole: And, uh, it turns out [00:37:00] yesterday they had on Zoran Mond
[00:37:04] Jolene: Oh wow.
[00:37:05] nicole: and our, um, elections coming up here in New York City. And I have been struggling. What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do? And just like reading everything I can and trying to like figure it out. And this podcast, today's podcast, or yesterday's podcast, which I'll put in the show notes, is such a fantastic conversation and I still haven't made my decision yet.
[00:37:35] nicole: But one thing I can say, it was the first time that I had heard not just the sound bites of freeze, the rent, all the things that everyone's so freaking scared about. He actually articulated plans, which made so much sense, which didn't make it sound so nuts. and I just really encourage people to listen to it. but I think it's a [00:38:00] fantastic, um, conversation and it honestly just sort of reminded me, 'cause I think you sent me Jolene, that thing on Instagram about how like Trump and Mom Donny, like we make decisions about, or or, or it's the political campaigns against them.
[00:38:18] Jolene: Yeah.
[00:38:19] nicole: decide what they are and we're also quite hypocritical about we might feel this way about Trump, but not about Mom Donny or vice versa.
[00:38:27] nicole: and so this conversation was really enlightening to me to remind me that, hey. if you're feeling confused or someone is giving a re uh, Insta, um, instigating a reaction in, you ask more questions, dive deeper
[00:38:43] nicole: get some answers.
[00:38:45] nicole: And then it's either gonna clarify how you feel or make you feel less icky or make you feel safe or unafraid or all the things that you're worried about. The answers are out there. [00:39:00] You just have to go find them.
[00:39:01] Jolene: Yeah.
[00:39:02] nicole: So that was helpful to me in my struggle. Bus of Mayoral. Crazy
[00:39:10] Jolene: do have a, would you rather. Would you rather have dinner with Gavin Newsom at French Laundry
[00:39:24] nicole: Okay.
[00:39:26] Jolene: or a beer and a reen with a OC in a New York bar? Uh, I'll say with a OC in an Irish pub in New York.
[00:39:40] nicole: Oh man,
[00:39:42] Jolene: Mm-hmm.
[00:39:44] nicole: that's a really, really, really good question.
[00:39:50] Jolene: I mean, you
[00:39:51] nicole: There's not a pan there.
[00:39:52] Jolene: hard to get into French laundry. I
[00:39:53] nicole: for sure. And it's, and there's not a pandemic, right? I'm not gonna get bad press for going, okay.
[00:39:59] Jolene: It's next
[00:39:59] nicole: I,
[00:39:59] Jolene: [00:40:00] going next weekend.
[00:40:01] nicole: my God, it would be so fun. And I could ask him a bunch of questions and then I could ask him to come on the podcast.
[00:40:08] Jolene: Mmm.
[00:40:14] nicole: But a OC seems so cool. But here's the thing,
[00:40:19] Jolene: and you're just having
[00:40:19] nicole: I
[00:40:20] Jolene: and a Ruben with her?
[00:40:21] nicole: listen, I love that you're very specific, that I'm going to have a Ruben.
[00:40:26] Jolene: It okay. It could just
[00:40:27] nicole: And maybe it's at ca and, and maybe it's at, maybe it's, it's at Katz's Deli versus an Irish pub.
[00:40:34] nicole: Yeah.
[00:40:35] nicole: So here's the deal, and maybe this is playing both sides, but there is a possibility that I could actually run into a OC in New York City and go have a beer with her.
[00:40:48] nicole: 'cause she'd be a fun hang I think. I bet she's fun.
[00:40:52] nicole: It's Gavin at the French Laundry.
[00:40:54] Jolene: I knew it. I knew it.
[00:40:56] nicole: It has to be. I gotta talk to him about high school. I gotta talk to him about Redwood High [00:41:00] School.
[00:41:00] Jolene: And you get to go to French laundry?
[00:41:03] nicole: There's that. Would you like to come?
[00:41:06] Jolene: Yes. You get a plus one. Are you choosing me?
[00:41:08] nicole: Yeah. Right. I'm right on. Okay. All right. Cool. Cool, cool, cool. 'cause then you can ask him a bunch of questions and see, and, you know,
[00:41:18] Jolene: okay.
[00:41:21] nicole: you can see what's happening. Okay.
[00:41:22] Jolene: Yeah.
[00:41:24] nicole: Would you rather be colorblind or lose your sense of taste?
[00:41:34] Jolene: Oh, 100% colorblind. Yeah. Do not take my taste away.
[00:41:40] nicole: Listen,
[00:41:41] Jolene: That would be horrible
[00:41:43] nicole: well, as soon as I wrote it, I was like, this is a no-brainer. The girl talks about food all the time. So you just live in black and white and eat some delicious food.
[00:41:57] Jolene: Well, although, you know, colorblind isn't really black and
[00:41:59] nicole: [00:42:00] I know it, I know it is. I had a boyfriend that was colorblind and,
[00:42:03] nicole: um, Brian was colorblind.
[00:42:05] Jolene: I did not know that.
[00:42:06] nicole: Which, which is kind of a bummer for dating a redhead, but, um. Right,
[00:42:13] Jolene: did not appreciate you.
[00:42:14] nicole: well, he, I remember I had this shirt, I had it in sort of like a rust brown and an olive color. And he thought, and then I, it was years before I realized he thought I was wearing the same shirt all the time.
[00:42:27] Jolene: Oh gosh. That's funny.
[00:42:30] nicole: Well darling,
[00:42:31] Jolene: Well
[00:42:31] nicole: I.
[00:42:32] Jolene: good. I hope that we get to take a look back on this episode after Gavin is running as the Democratic nominee for President our next election and see we knew something,
[00:42:46] nicole: And again, we're gonna have all this stuff in the show notes if you wanna check out, um, the interview with Stephen Colbert, the, the Fortnite interview, uh, with Connor Eats pants and the, uh, [00:43:00] dire of A CEO. Stephen Bartlett. That was a wonderful, um, interview and
[00:43:04] Jolene: to Gavin's TikTok.
[00:43:07] nicole: And the link to Gavin's TikTok.
[00:43:09] nicole: Yes, absolutely. And a link to the, um, the Good for the Soul as well. And thank you Brianna for always challenging us.
[00:43:17] Jolene: Bringing this to our attention.
[00:43:19] nicole: Yes. The Australian wanting us to talk about Gavin. Listen,
[00:43:25] Jolene: does she know? I
[00:43:27] nicole: I don't know, and clearly he's got some, he's got some Riz if Australia's talking about him.
[00:43:33] Jolene: right,
[00:43:34] Jolene: Thank
[00:43:34] nicole: Uh,
[00:43:35] Jolene: and watching
[00:43:37] nicole: press the subscribe button. We thank you. Yes. Okay.
[00:43:41] Jolene: Thank
[00:43:42] nicole: Bye honey.
[00:43:42] Jolene: Bye-bye. [00:44:00]
