Gavin Newsom says the Democratic party “must fight fire with fire”

Summary

Podcast Summary: Consider This from NPR

Episode: Gavin Newsom says the Democratic party “must fight fire with fire”
Air Date: February 24, 2026
Host: Ilsa Chang (NPR)
Guest: Governor Gavin Newsom

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on a candid conversation with California Governor Gavin Newsom during his nationwide tour in support of Democrats ahead of the midterms. With his new memoir, Young Man in a Hurry, just released and speculation about his presidential ambitions mounting, Newsom discusses his approach to political engagement, his personal journey, bridging political divides, and the evolving strategy he thinks Democrats need to embrace—what he describes as “fighting fire with fire.”

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Newsom’s Nationwide Efforts and Political Strategy

• Grassroots Focus: Newsom has been traveling extensively, including stops in Trump-leaning counties in the South and internationally, to energize voters and support local Democratic candidates.
  • “County races matter. State races matter. You matter. City council members matter. Mayors matter.” (Newsom, 00:40)
• Not Giving Up on ‘Red’ States: Newsom emphasizes that Democrats should not write off conservative-leaning or rural regions, reflecting a strategy of engagement rather than retreat.
  • “I think it’s really important for the Democratic Party not to give up on red states and rural parts of the country. And I’ve been doing this for years now.” (Newsom, 03:33)
• Possible Presidential Run: While Newsom hasn’t announced a 2028 presidential bid, his actions and visibility have fueled speculation.
  • “I honestly don’t know... I got to sell by date as governor, and we’ll see what happens.” (Newsom, 11:03 & 11:43)

Memoir and Personal Story

• Young Man in a Hurry: Newsom discusses his memoir, describing it as “deeply reflective” and “self-critical.” He highlights struggles growing up with dyslexia, feeling like an outsider, and “posing” to fit in.
  • “They may write an autobiography, but not like this. This is a little different. I mean, this is pretty self critical. This is very deeply reflective.” (Newsom, 04:10)
  • “Somebody once said, Oscar Wilde, I think he said in boys life, he said, the first phase of life, we all have a pose... I guess I was posing and I didn’t know who I was.” (Newsom, 05:16)
• Class and Privilege: Newsom acknowledges his proximity to influential families (Getty, Pelosi) but stresses his personal and family challenges, such as his mother’s struggles and his own learning disabilities.
  • “I’m not trying to force feed anything. I’m just sharing my story... of my mom’s life, story of her struggles, story of my struggles as it relates to reading and learning disabilities.” (Newsom, 07:05)

Engaging with Conservatives and Bridging Divides

• Podcast Outreach: With his own podcast, Newsom intentionally brings on conservative figures, aiming for dialogue over division.
  • “That’s who I am. Open hand, not a closed fist.” (Newsom, 08:07)
  • “Divorce is not an option. It’s just not. We have to get along.” (Newsom, 08:18)
• Criticism of ‘Pandering’: Newsom addresses criticism that talking to conservatives is pandering, arguing the point of engagement is understanding.
  • “Well, I think it’s fair. And that’s why you don’t have to listen... I brought on Charlie Kirk because I wanted to understand what motivated him.” (Newsom, 08:28)
  • “Just because we don’t want to focus on [them] doesn’t mean they go away. It’s my... it’s who I am.” (Newsom, 08:59)

Tone and Political Rhetoric: ‘Fight Fire with Fire’

• Contradictions Questioned: Ilsa Chang challenges Newsom on the contrasting tones between his podcast’s outreach and his often combative presence on social media, including trolling Trump and mocking opponents.
  • “How do you square those playground insults with the listening sessions that you’re having with these conservatives on the podcast?” (Chang, 09:56)
  • “I think you can be both. And.” (Newsom, 10:05)
• Consistency and Authenticity: Newsom insists his approach is authentic and multidimensional, highlighting both empathy and sharper tactics.
  • “I am. I’m who I am. I’m consistently me. I’m interested in other people. I’m interested in what makes them work.” (Newsom, 10:16)
  • “I’m putting a mirror up to President Trump and I’m fighting fire with fire and I’m punching a bully back in the mouth.” (Newsom, 10:39)
• Leadership Philosophy: He describes his approach as one that blends conviction, openness, and willingness to fight aggressively when needed to protect democratic values.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On engagement in red states:
  • “I think it’s really important for the Democratic Party not to give up on red states and rural parts of the country.” (Newsom, 03:33)
• On self-discovery and youth:
  • “The first phase of life, we all have a pose... I guess I was posing and I didn’t know who I was.” (Newsom, 05:16)
• On authenticity:
  • “I am. I’m who I am. I’m consistently me.” (Newsom, 10:16)
• On fighting Trump:
  • “I’m putting a mirror up to President Trump and I’m fighting fire with fire and I’m punching a bully back in the mouth.” (Newsom, 10:39)
• On potential presidential run:
  • “I honestly don’t know... I got to sell by date as governor, and we’ll see what happens.” (Newsom, 11:03 & 11:43)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction & Newsom’s Tour: 00:00 – 02:57
• Book Tour & Memoir Discussion: 03:33 – 07:47
• Podcast Outreach & Conservative Guests: 07:47 – 09:18
• Confronting Tone & Public Rhetoric: 09:18 – 11:00
• Presidential Ambitions & Wrap Up: 11:00 – 12:12

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Overall Tonality & Approach

• The conversation is friendly but pressing, with Chang thoroughly probing Newsom’s authenticity, philosophy, and approach.
• Newsom maintains a casual, approachable tone—frequently self-deprecating, quick-witted, and candid about his flaws.
• The episode captures Newsom’s blend of reflective self-awareness and combative political energy, presenting him as both bridge-builder and fighter.

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For listeners seeking insights into the Democratic Party’s current and future direction—as well as Newsom’s evolving political playbook—this episode offers direct perspective from one of the party’s most high-profile figures, blending the personal with the sharply political.

Transcript

[A]

Gavin Newsom is finishing up his final year as governor of California, but lately he's been touring the country to energize voters ahead of the midterm elections.

[B]

Good to see you. I say hello, Gavin. Nice to see you.

[A]

This week we caught up with him in rural South Carolina.

[B]

It's an extraordinary moment.

[A]

He was stumping for Democrats in a county that voted for President Trump in the last two elections.

[B]

Donald Trump knows he's going to get crushed in the midterm election. He knows he's going to crush going,

[A]

newsom says. This is the kind of grassroots work that will help Democrats reclaim power.

[B]

County races matter. State races matter. You matter. City council members matter. Mayors matter.

[A]

Now, Gavin Newsom has not officially announced that he's running for president in 2028, but his busy travel schedule certainly resembles that of a presidential hopeful and he, at the moment widely considered a leading potential candidate. He's also out with a new memoir called Young man in a Hurry. It tells a story of his childhood, his struggles with dyslexia and his political rise. Consider this Gavin Newsom is one of the loudest voices in the Democratic Party right now. He's pushing back on President Trump with his policies and his own viral all capsule social media posts. But what is the California governor's next move? From npr, I'm Ilsa Chang.

[C]

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[A]

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[C]

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[A]

It's Consider this from NPR in his final year as governor of California, Gavin Newsom has been spending a lot of time outside of California. In just the last month, he was in Germany meeting with global leaders at the Munich Security Conference. After that he was in the UK signing a new clean energy pact. And then over the last few days, he's been touring the American south talking about his new memoir, Young man in a Hurry, all while folding in a string of events to rally voters for local Democratic candidates in places like Manning, South Carolina.

[B]

I think it's really important for the Democratic Party not to give up on red states and rural parts of the country. And I've been doing this for years now. I had a PAC that's exclusively focused Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, where, you know, we spend a day or two in the way someplace else and make sure we're supporting local Democratic causes.

[A]

You're on book tour right now. Often when people are planning to run for president, they write an autobiography. Your new memoir is out this week.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Why does now feel like the right time to be telling everybody your life story?

[B]

Well, I appreciate the question. You know, they may write an autobiography, but not like this.

[A]

What do you mean? What's different about yours?

[B]

This is a little different. I mean, this is pretty self critical. This is very deeply reflective. And it's not. I'm not out of office when I'm writing this. This is not looking back in the rocking chair. But it was an opportunity to talk about my own journey in terms of discovering who I am. It's called Young man in a Hurry, A Memoir of Discovery.

[A]

One of the things that I learned about you for the first time when I was reading this book was how you kind of felt like a dork growing up. I mean, you were bullied in high school. You wondered how to remake your image, which led to the whole origin story of your now famous hairstyle.

[B]

Oh, gosh. Yeah. You read that.

[A]

I read that.

[B]

You decided you should have skipped that.

[A]

Well, this is what I want to ask you because you decided you wanted to look like Pierce Brosnan from the TV show Remington Steele. Explain why that was the solution to your teenage problems at the time you

[B]

used the word dork. It was also used by my sister who said I looked like one when I started showing her.

[A]

She said you weren't helping her luck in high school.

[B]

I was actually. She said, literally, she gave me money to buy jeans because she was so embarrassed I was walking around in suits in high school. Look, I think it was. Somebody once said, Oscar Wilde, I think he said in boys life, he said, the first phase of life, we all have a pose. And I guess I was posing and I didn't know who I was. I was going through a positive process of discovery. I mean, quite literally, there's a funny chapter in there about discovering dippity doo,

[A]

which is, you know, or whatever, that

[B]

substance, whatever that just disgusting translucent substance.

[A]

But it stuck, so to speak.

[B]

Yeah. And it was sort of a metamorphosis. It was, you know, I remember from sophomore to junior year. And then I started, you know, put on a mask and quite literally put on a suit. Yeah, put on, you know, and you know, was sort of trying to emulate other people, just testing, you know, as kids do, trying to discover who I am. But, you know, that process continues to this day.

[A]

I mean, you did live sort of a split screen reality between growing up with your single mom and then the occasional proximity to the Getty family and the privileges. You do acknowledge, right, that you were a beneficiary of that proximity. And so I felt that in this book you do take great pains to paint yourself in some aspects as an outsider, but you do also acknowledge that you've been on the inside as well. Right. Like you have had these family connections to the Gettys, family connections to the Pelosi's, and frankly, by this time, Governor, you've been famous for half of your life. So I guess my question, my basic question for you is why should ordinary Americans feel that they can relate to you?

[B]

I'm not trying to force feed anything. I'm just sharing my story, my life story of my mom's life, story of her struggles, story of my struggles as it relates to reading and learning disabilities. And you know, I painted a picture that I paint in detail in the book of someone that always struggled academically, that was bouncing around different schools, that does not read a speech today because I couldn't read a speech today. I'm not suggesting anything, but I'm just offering a glimpse of some of the things that people may not see. Of sweaty hands, of anxiety, insecurity, of trying to be someone I'm not, of making mistakes, learning from those mistakes, and painted a picture of also a family history that I knew nothing about until I wrote the book.

[A]

You've not only written this book, you have launched a podcast about a year ago. Yes, a podcast called this is Gavin Newsom. And you've made a real effort to bring in conservative guests on this podcast like the late Charlie Kurt, like Steve Bannon, Ben Shapiro. Why has that been important to you to bring conservative voices on this podcast?

[B]

Because this is Gavin Newsom. That's who I am. Open hand, not a closed fist. I mean, I said it. We just had a rally here. I said divorce is not an option. It's just not.

[A]

We have to get along. You mean as a country, as human beings.

[B]

It's just exhausting.

[A]

What do you make of the criticism that bringing guests like that onto your podcast is just pandering to the right?

[B]

Well, I think it's fair. It means. And that's why you don't have to listen. You know, I started the podcast with quite literally not one download and not one listener. And I brought on Charlie Kirk because I wanted to understand what motivated him. I wanted to understand why he had built such a successful organization that powered young men, particularly young men who the Democratic Party have lost to Donald Trump's side. And, you know, I thought it was important to understand that. And, you know, some people thought it was offensive, but just because.

[A]

To have someone like him on you.

[B]

Yeah, but, you know, just because, you know, just because we don't want to focus on doesn't mean they go away. And so it's just. It's my. It's who I am. You know, I'm married into a big Republican family, and I love my Republican father in law, and that's why I'm here in a rural part of a red state.

[A]

Okay. I want to understand who you are politically, because I'm trying to understand your overall strategy here. On one hand, you are bringing people like the late Charlie Kirk, like Steve Bannon onto your podcast. On the other hand, you're trolling President Trump on X. Yeah, you mock his writing style. You mock his body. You are selling mega branded knee pads.

[B]

We shouldn't be body shaming. Let me double check that.

[A]

All these MAGA branded knee pads, therefore all your groveling to Trump needs.

[B]

Yeah, no, that's for the universities, the law firms. That's for major corporate leaders as well as major media companies. Yes, knee pads are for them.

[A]

Okay. How do you square those playground insults with the listening sessions that you're having with these conservatives on the podcast?

[B]

Because I think you can be both. And. But what if you're confusing people as

[A]

to what you sincerely believe? Like, why not present just one Gavin Newsom, one consistent tone across all platforms?

[B]

I am.

[A]

What's the consistent tone?

[B]

I'm who I am. I'm consistently me. I'm interested in other people. I'm interested in what makes them work. I don't want to. I don't talk down or pass people. I believe all of us want to be protected, connected, and respective. All of us need to be loved and need to love. To me, that's universal.

[A]

But you don't think you're talking down to President Trump on I'm putting, well,

[B]

I'm putting a mirror up to President Trump and I'm fighting fire with fire and I'm punching a bully back in the mouth. And at the same time, I'm the same guy walked out on the tarmac to welcome him into LA so that he can support the people that were torn asunder because of those wildfires. I was the one who was in the Oval Office, the first Democrat for 90 minutes trying to do the same. That's who I am.

[A]

Well, I'm just going to ask you, are you going to run for president or not?

[B]

I honestly don't know. But you know, I made a, probably a mistake where I was asked a different question. Someone asked me said, have you ever thought about it? And I got caught by saying yes, I thought about it, but briefly. But briefly. So I don't know what makes you

[A]

back away from the thought.

[B]

Just as fate, it's, you know, there's humility. I mean this whole book is about humility. It's about grace. It's about, hey, I'm still that kid

[A]

who, because you're widely considered one of the leading potential candidates for president in the next two years. So whatever you're doing right now, something seems to be working at least right now. What do you think that might be?

[B]

Just conviction, just letting it go, just putting all out there, calling balls and strikes and I'm going to run the 110 yard dash. I got to sell by date as governor and we'll see what happens. But I'm not, I'm not going to be a bystander to this moment and I'm just doing everything I can to meet it head on. And some people will embrace it and others will reject it. And that's okay.

[A]

California Governor Gavin Newsom, thank you very much for your time.

[B]

It's great to be here.

[A]

It's a pleasure.

[B]

Thanks for coming out.

[A]

This episode was produced by Janaki Mehta and Connor Donovan. It was edited by Christopher Intagliata. Our executive producer is Sami Yeniken. It's consider this from npr, I'm Ilsa Chang.

[C]

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