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Gavin Newsom’s latest book-tour misstep proved less like a humble confession and more like a tone-deaf political performance when he told an Atlanta audience, “I’m like you. I’m no better than you. I’m a 960 SAT guy,” and explained he can’t read speeches because of dyslexia. The clip of his remarks spread like wildfire online, instantly becoming the defining moment of his tour stop and raising real questions about whether this was empathy or condescension.
The backlash was immediate and bipartisan in its disgust, with voices from the right and even prominent Black figures calling out the patronizing nature of his line of attack. Rap star Nicki Minaj and Senator Tim Scott led a chorus of critics who rightly saw Newsom’s words as treating Black Americans like a low bar instead of offering meaningful policy solutions to lift communities up.
Conservatives weren’t shy about calling this what it is: liberal paternalism, dressed up as vulnerability. Commentators compared Newsom’s remarks to the “soft bigotry of low expectations,” pointing out that playing the underachiever card to curry favor is both insulting and cynical—exactly the kind of elitist maneuver voters are tired of.
Nicki Minaj didn’t mince words, blasting Newsom on X and accusing him of slowing his cadence and performing as if he were talking down to the crowd, not talking with them. Her response cut through the media spin and reminded Americans that culture-war stars and everyday citizens alike can spot patronizing rhetoric a mile away.
This isn’t a harmless gaffe for a man widely discussed as a future presidential hopeful; it’s a revealing snapshot of how the coastal elite sees the country they want to lead. If Newsom’s gambit was meant to humanize him, it instead exposed a calculated mixture of performative humility and contempt—an ugly combination that could alienate the very voters Democrats claim to champion.
Hardworking Americans deserve leaders who respect their intelligence and their effort, not candidates who pander with pity. The conservative movement will keep calling out this condescension and insisting on policies that empower communities, not patronize them, and it’s encouraging to see public figures from all walks of life refuse to accept being spoken down to.
