Over the weekend, California Governor Gavin Newsom stumbled into a bit of a pickle with a speech in Atlanta. The governor, potentially eyeing a run for the presidency, gave an oddly personal speech where he disclosed his struggles with dyslexia and mentioned his SAT score of 960. Now, while folks appreciate a bit of honesty from their politicians, Newsom’s way of asserting his everyman relatability didn’t exactly land as planned. It seemed to come off as though he was saying, “Look, I’m just like you—with all our shared limitations!” Some felt it was a jab, even if unintentionally aimed, at his audience.
Critics pounced, questioning the wisdom of his choice of words, especially with the stakes as high as they are for any potential presidential candidate. He appeared to say that he can’t read a speech and is basically surviving despite his dyslexia. While offering sympathy and understanding for his learning struggles, some wondered if he’s pitching to be the leader of the free world, maybe he should work on how he presents himself without pointing out how, in his own words, “dumb” he is. It doesn’t exactly scream leadership skills.
Predictably, when a Democrat makes a slip, it’s seen as a moment of candor or bravery. But if a Republican dared to say anything remotely similar, you’d be sure they’d be branded as out of touch or worse. The media would have been out for blood, labeling such a comment as dripping with condescension or coded racism—because heaven forbid we have a conservative trying to relate to regular folks without being accused of looking down on them.
In another case of jaw-dropping commentary, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently drew attention in Munich when she fumbled questions about U.S. policy on Taiwan. Her response suggested she might need a little night class on foreign policy. Instead of clarifying the position of strategic ambiguity the U.S. has historically maintained, she inadvertently committed the troops. Of course, when cornered, her response was to look back at Trump—as if that’s a magic wand to wave away her own missteps. But as we all know, eventually, these politicians will have to be accountable for their stumbles and should maybe read up on their history books.
All said and done, these instances spotlight a rather sad reality of the political arena today. If you’re a Democrat, you get to say “Oops” and move on, but if a Republican puts even a toe out of line, it’s pitchfork and torch time. As the 2024 elections loom over the horizon, it becomes more apparent than ever that how things are communicated is just as important as what is said. Those politicians vying to be the next president might want to consider brushing up on both their speaking skills and a little bit of policy knowledge before stepping into the ring.
