In the world of high-profile media and political squabbles, it seems like the latest bout involves none other than California’s own Governor Gavin Newsom and the unapologetic podcast giant Joe Rogan. What stirred the pot this time? Well, Newsom decided to throw some shade at Rogan, casting aspersions that the curious eyebrows-tattooed podcaster didn’t take too kindly. Rogan, not one to mince words, has since decided that hosting a friendly chat with the Governor ranks pretty low on his to-do list.
Rogan’s approach to a roast is simple yet effective. He suggests that having a verbal spar with Newsom would be a cinematic opportunity to grill him thoroughly. It seems Newsom underestimated Rogan’s ability to boil down political bragging into something as trivial as California’s sunny disposition. Rogan’s rhetorical punch argues that California’s bragging rights—like leading in education or Fortune 500 companies—existed long before Newsom’s reign, all thanks to the state’s enviable weather rather than any gubernatorial heroics.
Meanwhile, while this verbal Rumble in the California Jungle unfolds, a certain former White House Press Secretary, known for her ever-present binder and now sporting some “ballooned highlights,” steps into the ring. Her journey from being an emblem of political messaging for the Democratic Party to penning a tell-all book is nothing short of a spectacle. It’s apparent that, for some in the political world, unbinding the binder comes with an attempt to tether some literary success.
It’s almost amusing that while she criticizes her party’s readiness to thrust Biden out of the political spotlight, she ironically does so on a book tour. Irony seems to be a theme as she apparently saw or heard no evil during her White House tenure, even when the discussions on President Biden’s age were palpable. Yet, she insists, nothing seemed notably amiss on her watch, despite what her new literary venture seems to suggest.
Giving her critics ample material, her tour isn’t seamless. Despite her insider view reportedly seeing nothing concerning, she persistently argues that the aging President managed to navigate challenges head-on, quite contrary to perceptions. Perhaps she believes that appearing on shows and podcasts will suffice to weave a compelling narrative. Such efforts make it clear that even in politics, how you package words—or bind them—makes all the difference.
All this drama comes at a time when the Democratic Party’s troubles feel much like a sitcom running out of fresh ideas. From shutdowns that lead to nowhere to the lack of convincing leadership, it almost makes one long for the straightforward transparency of the binder days. In sharp contrast, the Republican camp continues to tout their unwavering captain and former President Trump, whose media magneticism is unyielding. While Democrats fumble with a Seinfeldesque “show about nothing,” the GOP seems intent on solidifying their narrative with a clarified mission and leader who they claim welcomes anyone willing to put America first.
