Gov. Gavin Newsom | The UNGA Games

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Featuring Gov. Gavin Newsom | "The UNGA Games"

Aired: September 24, 2025

---

Overview

This episode of The Late Show Pod Show blends the show’s trademark sharp political satire and humor with a substantive guest interview. Host Stephen Colbert opens by skewering current headlines—especially President Trump’s performance at the UN General Assembly—before welcoming California Governor Gavin Newsom for a wide-ranging, candid discussion on his new communication style, political polarization, authoritarian tendencies in U.S. politics, California's policy innovations, and the crisis of democracy.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Satirizing the UN General Assembly ("UNGA Games") and Trump’s Speech

[03:56–16:16]

• Colbert comments humorously on the annual chaos of the UNGA in NYC, including global leaders being stuck in traffic and the unique plight of French President Emmanuel Macron.
• He lampoons Trump’s UN speech, highlighting Trump’s statements on borders, climate, and international relations, pointing out both the factual errors and the bizarre delivery.
  • Quote:
    "The theme of his speech was that the UN and the delicts are all ugly and their mothers dress them funny... Trump, he mouth shambled for almost an hour..."
    — Stephen Colbert [06:47]
• Mocks Trump’s inability to pronounce acetaminophen and his unsubstantiated claim that Tylenol causes autism.
  • Quote:
    "Now, listen, I'm not a doctor, but you know who is? Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who posted this about the Tylenol claims: 'The preponderance of evidence shows that this is not the case.' Ooh, I think Bill Cassidy just lost his late night talk show."
    — Stephen Colbert [11:02]
• Presents a satirical product, the "Bite Stick," poking fun at the suggestion for pregnant women to "tough it out" without medication.

2. Gavin Newsom’s Interview: Strategy and Substance

Part 1: On Political Communication
[18:29–24:27]

• Colbert asks Newsom about his new, more humorous communication strategy online and in media, aimed at breaking through to a polarized public.
  • Quote:
    "You've got this new communication strategy, or at least new for a Democrat. It's called, I hope I'm pronouncing this correctly, being interesting."
    — Stephen Colbert [19:15]
• Newsom explains Democrats often lack humor but felt it was necessary to break through with something novel. The approach has gotten under the skin of opponents and generated substantial response—even from conservative media.
  • Quote:
    "Oftentimes Democrats, we're a little, you know, just... We're not as humorous as we should be."
    — Gavin Newsom [20:12]
• Newsom references the importance of “fighting back” both symbolically (with humor) and substantively (e.g., lawsuits against Trump administration policies).

Part 2: Policy Leadership—California & the Western Alliance
[26:43–28:40]

• Newsom outlines California’s collaborative, evidence-driven approach to public health and climate, working in coalition with other West Coast states due to distrust in federal agencies.
  • Quote:
    "We are advancing an independent scientific review panel with other states to counter the mis and disinformation coming from the CDC. They simply are not trustworthy."
    — Gavin Newsom [27:02]
• Discusses new state laws requiring insurance coverage for recommended vaccines and treatments, with independent scientific review in place of defaulting to CDC, to safeguard residents as federal guidelines become politicized.

Part 3: Bridging Political Divides
[28:40–31:26]

• Newsom speaks about his efforts (including through his podcast) to dialogue with ideological opponents like Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon.
  • Quote:
    "I got a lot of criticism for quote, unquote, platforming people we disagree with. But look, it's not complicated. Divorce is not an option. At the end of the day, we got to figure out a way to live together and advance together across our differences."
    — Gavin Newsom [29:29]
• He details learning from these conversations, noting surprising similarities in populist messaging and emphasizing the importance of understanding opposition tactics.

Part 4: Democracy Under Threat
[31:26–37:05]

• Newsom shares strong warnings about the risk of authoritarianism and manipulation of elections—highlighting Trump’s efforts to change Congressional districting and use federal resources for political intimidation.
  • Quote:
    "Trump is weakness masquerading as strength. He's weak in every key category... And that's why he dialed not for votes, but for seats... He's consolidating power."
    — Gavin Newsom [32:09]
• Describes the militarization of federal agencies (ICE, National Guard) and the dangers of normalizing masked, unaccountable law enforcement tactics.
• Cites California’s legislative response: a new law banning ICE from concealing their identities, restoring accountability and trust in law enforcement.
  • Quote:
    "I'm deeply proud that I had the privilege of signing the nation's first bill to address the issue of masking. Also to require you have simple identification..."
    — Gavin Newsom [36:18]
• Relates real incidents of harm, especially to vulnerable communities, from unaccountable law enforcement actions.
  • Quote:
    "Masked men jumping out of unmarked cars, people disappearing. No due process, no oversight, zero accountability. Happening in the United States of America today."
    — Gavin Newsom [36:40]

---

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "Trump, he mouth shambled for almost an hour, saying at one point that he has stopped seven wars without any help from the UN and then added this: 'All I got from the United nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle.'"
  — Stephen Colbert [06:47–07:13]

• On the role of humor:
  "We thought we'd have some fun with it, but I never imagined it would break through like it has and get under the skin of the President of the United States."
  — Gavin Newsom [20:35]

• On information integrity:
  "We're making sure that our own independent analysis provides a list of recommendations based on facts, based on science, not based on bull and fear."
  — Gavin Newsom [28:15]

• On authoritarian shifts:
  "These are not just authoritarian tendencies. These are authoritarian actions by an authoritarian government... This can't be normalized."
  — Gavin Newsom [36:49]

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• UN General Assembly & Trump Satire: 03:56–16:16
• Gavin Newsom Interview (Communication & Reaction): 18:29–24:27
• California’s Public Health & Western Alliance: 26:43–28:40
• Outreach Across Aisle & Learning from Opponents: 28:40–31:26
• Threats to Democracy & Authoritarianism: 31:26–37:05

---

Tone and Style

The episode preserves Stephen Colbert’s wit, nimble comic timing, and skill at distilling complex issues through satire. Gov. Newsom matches Colbert’s energy with openness and occasional self-deprecation, weaving humor into his detailed, passionate appeals on policy and democracy.

---

Summary

This episode will satisfy both fans of late-night political comedy and listeners seeking perspective on current policy divides and democracy’s fragility. Colbert’s UNGA and Trump sketches set an irreverent stage, leading into Governor Newsom’s candid discussion of how Democrats must upend old strategies with humor, direct engagement, and policy leadership. The conversation is as funny as it is urgent, with both Colbert and Newsom unwavering in warning against authoritarian drift in America and the imperative to fight for facts, accountability, and hope.

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, everybody. Stephen Colbert here about to read the copy for our sponsor. This is from our friends at Wonderful Pistachios. And I was the wonderful pistachio spokesman for years. Yeah, I have a real close association with nut meat. Okay. You know what they say when they reach for a snack? Don't hold back. And that's exactly the approach with Wonderful Pistachios. The don't hold back snack. These little wonders are so tasty, it feels like getting away with something. But surprise. Each serving has 6 grams of protein and 0 grams of regret. That's right. No guilt. Just glory, glory in our nuts. Whether it's a satisfying crack of in shell pistachios, and that's capitalized in shell, or the smooth, instant gratification of no shells. No judgment. That's just it. Just eat. No judgment. I take issue with one thing. It's instant gratification. It's super tasty smooth.

[Kelly Clarkson]

It's a hard nut smooth.

[Gavin Newsom]

Exactly.

[Stephen Colbert]

I mean, even out of the shell, it's still a nut.

[Kelly Clarkson]

We can't disparage the nuts.

[Stephen Colbert]

You. I'm not disparaging the nut. I'm describing the nut.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Don't disparage any flavors.

[Gavin Newsom]

I'm not.

[Stephen Colbert]

I am celebrating the pistachio right now. I'm on board. I love pistachios. I love. I love crushed pistachio. Like a pistachio crusted trout. Oh, unbelievable. Instead of a trout amandine, a trout pistachio. Fantastic. Enough butter?

[Donald Trump]

Who cares?

[Kelly Clarkson]

Very good.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I love pistachio ice cream.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Have you had the sea salt and vinegar? Wonderful pistachio. It's delicious. I get them.

[Stephen Colbert]

I didn't even know I get them.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Before the softball games.

[Stephen Colbert]

But that's. You see, it's been a while since I've been the spokesman for wonderful pistachios. I didn't realize we'd achieved new pistachio technology. Yeah.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. Wonderful pistachios has every snack style covered. Right now. There's an obsession with jalapeno lime. There is an obsession session. It's almost a disorder. It's spicy, it's zesty. It's basically a flavor roller coaster in a nut. Snacking on the go. Grab a bag of no shells. Feeling contemplative and want to work for it a little. So earning it, they're saying if you want to earn your nut, crack open those in shell beauties. Either way, it's snacking like a champ. So the next time hunger strikes, don't hold back. Unless it's a hunger strike. And Then it's important that you do, because whatever you're doing that for, I'm sure it's a worthwhile cause. Snack like you mean it with wonderful pistachios. Visit wonderfulpistachios.com to learn more.

[Kelly Clarkson]

That was a wonderful.

[Stephen Colbert]

I wonder what more there is to learn. We just told them so much. We just told them so much about pistachios. But evidently, there's a whole other world. There's an unexplored vista.

[Kelly Clarkson]

They got a bunch of flavors. They got dill pickle, jalapeno lime, as we learned, smoky barbecue. There's a lot of different flavors.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. And I would not disparage any of them.

[Kelly Clarkson]

No, no, no.

[Stephen Colbert]

Bring it on.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Nothing bad to say.

[Stephen Colbert]

Nut me.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Nut.

[Stephen Colbert]

Nut me with nut meat.

[Kelly Clarkson]

We're nut.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, we got nothing but nut. Nutty, nutty, nutty, nutty. Talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about nutty. Good.

[Kelly Clarkson]

It's Kelly Clarkson, here to talk all things Wayfair. The best place to buy furniture, decor, and anything else you can think of to create a home you absolutely love. I know when I shop with Wayfair, I find options for every style. Whether I'm feeling boho or farmhouse, modern, traditional French country. I can find exactly what I need for my home and more. No matter your space, style or budget. Shopwayfair.com to make your home way more you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wayfair.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Every style, every home.

[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome one and all to the Late Show. I'm your host, Stephen Colbert. I just want to start off, you know, I'm so grateful to have this show. I'm going to say thanks to everybody in here and. And to everybody watching from home who I think might just be my wife, Evie. Because everybody. El watching abc because tonight, Jimmy Kimmel returned to the airwaves. I'm glad Kimmel's back. He is a wonderful fella. To know him well is to admire him immensely, even if he takes the whole summer off. What else happened? Oh, today. Today's also it's the start of the UN General assembly, when the entire world comes to New York to be stuck in traffic and no one is exempted from. From the crushing traffic, including French President Emmanuel Macron. And it was just last night, right? Last night. Here he is trying to convince New York cops to just let him through.

[Gavin Newsom]

I'm sorry, President. I'm really sorry. It's just that everything's imposing right now. There's a border kid coming, right? That's why if you don't see.

[Stephen Colbert]

Let me pause.

[Gavin Newsom]

I negotiate with you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Let me negotiate with you. Let me try again in your native tongue. I am, how you say, walking here. I want you to, if you please. Chevous. Forget about it. Turns out Macron was stuck behind President Trump's motorcade, so he got on the horn to let him know he'd be late. How are you?

[Donald Trump]

Guess what?

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm waiting the street because everything is closing for you. Oh, yeah. Oh, boohoo. You got stuck in a little traffic. We do that every day. Would you like some cheese with that wine?

[Gavin Newsom]

Oh, you would?

[Stephen Colbert]

That's actually your favorite thing because you're French. Okay. Even before the General assembly began, the United States was taking a hard line with some of its international adversaries. Yesterday, the State Department announced that the US Is blocking Iranian diplomats in the US from shopping at Costco. No, you dummies. You want the Iranians to eat a bulk bushel of croissants and they'll get all logie and pliable. That's why the Yolta conference went so well. FDR gifted Stalin a five gallon bucket of Nutella. The General assembly heard from a lot of world leaders and Donald Trump. The theme of his speech. Oh, he's on it. He's on it. Chris.

[Gavin Newsom]

Chris.

[Stephen Colbert]

The theme of his speech was that.

[Gavin Newsom]

The UN.

[Stephen Colbert]

And the delicts are all ugly and their mothers dress them funny. Trump, he mouth shambled for almost an hour, saying at one point that he has stopped seven wars without any help from the UN and then added this.

[Donald Trump]

All I got from the United nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes. The escalator he was on stop. And we know there is a God because we have footage of the broken escalator. Here he is walking up to the working escalator. As soon as he steps foot on it, there's Melania. He steps on and escalator. That escalator. The escalator goes. No, actually, they don't really know why it stopped. My theory is that the entire escalator community feels really guilty about what they did to us back in 2015, so they're trying to make it up. In the speech, Trump came down hard on immigration.

[Donald Trump]

It's time to end the failed experiment of open borders. You have to end it now. I can tell you I'm really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.

[Stephen Colbert]

Keep in mind this is his welcome speech to the un. I'd love to see him host a dinner party. Welcome to my home. May I take your hat and your coat? Wow. Your kids are ugly and your wife has a horse face. Your whole family is going to hell. Pig in a blanket, which is also what I call your wife. Then, yeah, not nice. The point is not nice. Then Trump trashed international efforts to do anything about global warming.

[Donald Trump]

If you don't get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail. And I'm really good at predicting things. You know, they actually said during the campaign they had a hat, the best selling hat. Trump was right about everything. And I don't say that in a braggadocious way, but it's true. I've been right about everything.

[Stephen Colbert]

I've been right about everything. I once thought I was wrong about being right about everything. Turns out I was wrong. Right. Staying. Am I staying? On the environment and air pollution, Trump said something.

[Donald Trump]

We have a border strong and we have a shape. And that shape doesn't just go straight up. That shape is amorphous. When it comes to the atmosphere.

[Stephen Colbert]

It does. America has a shape. It has a shape. In fact, it doesn't go straight up and down. It's got a shape. In fact, I got a map of the United States right here. Show them the map. There you go.

[Gavin Newsom]

There.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's. It's just. That's what it looks like. Wow. That's a map right there. That went so.

[Gavin Newsom]

Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

You're very kind. That went so well that he stayed on the topic of air.

[Donald Trump]

We have very clean air. We have the cleanest air we've had in many, many years. But the problem is that other countries like China, which has air that's a little bit rough. It blows.

[Stephen Colbert]

Fascinating. Mr. President, how do you think the speech is going?

[Donald Trump]

It blows.

[Stephen Colbert]

Really? I'm just wondering, what do you think history's review of your presidency will be?

[Donald Trump]

It blows.

[Stephen Colbert]

The UN Speech bookended perfectly with yesterday's insane press conference in which Trump blamed Tylenol for autism.

[Gavin Newsom]

Okay.

[Stephen Colbert]

Autism is a simple term that actually covers a variety of developmental differences across the spectrum. And you can't blame anyone, even Donald Trump, for seeking answers. But experts in the field caution that what President Trump said in his speech yesterday was, and I don't want to get bogged down in technical jargon here, crazy. Now, listen, I got. I got two. I got two. There you go. Now, listen, I'm not a doctor, but you know who is? Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who posted this about the Tylenol claims. The preponderance of evidence shows that this is not the case. Ooh, I think Bill Cassidy just lost his late night talk show. Cassidy Tonight, Cassidy. Tonight. Great. This claim appears to be based on one paper that found some correlation between prenatal use of acetaminophen and. And offspring diagnosed with autism. But even the lead author of that study cautioned that correlation is not causation. Exactly. For example, I picked a side salad over fries the day my show got canceled. Is that why? Probably not. But just to be safe, I will never eat a salad again. So the fry fans out there. So the medical doctor folk are saying that what Trump's saying isn't actually what the studies say. And it turns out some of what he was saying wasn't even words.

[Donald Trump]

Effective immediately, the FDA will be notifying physicians that the use of acet. Well, let's see how we say that. Acetaminophen. Acetaminophen. Is that okay?

[Stephen Colbert]

No. Nope. No, that's not okay. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Mr. Smith, before we do your open heart surgery, we'll have to put you to sleep, which means we'll need to bring in the anas. Ooh, anas. Anastasia Hollandaise sauce. The anal stevia apologist. The knockout guy. The knockout guy will come knock you out. The problem is that pregnant women are not supposed to take other common pain relievers like aspirin, Advil, or bourbon. But Coach Trump has a solution. Walk it off.

[Donald Trump]

They are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary. The word. Tough it out. You know, it's easy for me to say. Tough it out.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, that is easy for him to say. You know what isn't easy for him to say? Acid. Aceta. Acida. That's a toughie. That's a toughie right there. Acetamide. Acella to Boston beans. Ass blaster. Methamphetamines. Now, Trump spoke directly to pregnant women who might be thinking about taking Tylenol.

[Donald Trump]

Don't take Tylenol. There's no downside. Nothing bad can happen. It can only good happen.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay? It's that simple. It can only good happen if take you not pill healthy smart like my brain did do do. My brain did smart. It did do do. It did do do. It did do do. Now, regardless of whether or not anything he said was factual, this press conference is just going to add to the natural anxiety of expectant parents. Again, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy tweeted, the concern is that women will be left with no options to manage pain in pregnancy. We must be compassionate to this problem. And we here at the Late show are nothing if not compassionate, which is why we're proud to announce our newest sponsor who I believe has an answer to this problem that our president would approve of.

[Gavin Newsom]

Being pregnant is hard with general discomfort, back pain and headaches. So how can pregnant women tough it out? Introducing the Prescott Pharmaceuticals Bite Stick, the latest in science based jaw clenching technology. Here's how it works. When you're pregnant and uncomfortable, put the stick in your mouth, bite down and chomp away the pain. Bite Stick works for fever, swollen limbs or when you have to listen to this.

[Donald Trump]

I said, well let's see how we say that. Acetaminophen.

[Gavin Newsom]

And remember when you use Bite Stick.

[Donald Trump]

Nothing bad can happen. It can only good happen.

[Stephen Colbert]

We got a great show for you tonight.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Coming up. Governor Gavin Newsom.

[Indeed Advertiser]

You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast? Easy. Just use Indeed Stop struggling to get your job posts seen on other job sites. Indeed Sponsored Jobs help you stand out and hire fast. With Sponsored Jobs. Your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster and it makes a huge difference. According to Indeed data, Sponsored Jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non sponsored jobs. Plus with Indeed sponsored Jobs, there are no monthly subscriptions, no long term contracts, and you only pay for results. And listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsor job credit to get your jobs more [e-mail] listen just go to indeed.com listen right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com listen terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need.

[Kelly Clarkson]

The first few weeks of school are in the books. Now it's time to keep that momentum going. IXL helps kids stay confident and ahead of the curve. Teachers move fast, but IXL keeps your child right on track, building skills at the same pace they're learning in school. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning, whether they're brushing up on math or diving into social studies. It covers math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. With content that's engaging, personalized and yes, actually fun, it's the perfect tool to keep learning going without making it feel like school. If your child is struggling, this is the smartest investment you can make. A single hour of tutoring costs, more than a month of IXL make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and listeners of this podcast can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixcelearning.com audio visit ixlearning.com audio to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Stephen Colbert]

My first guest tonight is the former mayor of San Francisco and currently in his second term as the governor of California. Please welcome to the Late Show Governor Gavin Newsom.

[Gavin Newsom]

Thank you. Unbelievable, people.

[Stephen Colbert]

Look at that. Governor, thanks for being here.

[Gavin Newsom]

It is good to be with you.

[Stephen Colbert]

This is my first time talking to you not in character. You were on the old show. I was on the old show. I was in character. He did not care for you. Listen, I'll just. Card's on the table. You wish you were on Kimmel tonight. I wish I was on Kimmel tonight, but thank you for being here.

[Gavin Newsom]

Get the hell off, stat. Then I gotta.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly. Lock the doors.

[Gavin Newsom]

Lock the doors.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay. You've been getting a lot of attention lately. I'm sure you're well aware you've got this new communication strategy, or at least new for a Democrat. It's called, I hope I'm pronouncing this correctly, being interesting. When did it occur to you, when did the lightning bulb go on over your head that perhaps you should do something that was kind of funny and makes a point? Where did this strategy come from? Because let's give the people an idea.

[Gavin Newsom]

Of what it is. Yeah. What do we got?

[Stephen Colbert]

Here's an example of you aping someone, style. I'm not going to say who. And it says, wow, what an honor on Mount Rushmore. Thank you. Okay. Wow. An honor. Thank you. Nobel Priest Prize.

[Gavin Newsom]

It feels good.

[Stephen Colbert]

It does. It does. Congratulations, by the way.

[Gavin Newsom]

Thank you for acknowledging. Yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

You got to.

[Gavin Newsom]

You earned that.

[Stephen Colbert]

You earned that. Yeah.

[Gavin Newsom]

No, and that the. Well, look, the strategy is inspiration, desperation. Right. The two driving forces of life. And everything we were doing to try to break through wasn't working anymore. And so we decided to do something to your point, novel called humor. And I gotta say, oftentimes Democrats, we're a little, you know, just. We're not as humorous as we should be.

[Stephen Colbert]

A little stiff.

[Gavin Newsom]

It could be a little stiff. And so we thought we'd have some fun with it, but I never imagined it would break through like it has and get under the skin of the President of the United States. And some of my friends.

[Stephen Colbert]

Some of your friends. Who are these friends?

[Gavin Newsom]

Some of my friends.

[Stephen Colbert]

Who are these friends?

[Gavin Newsom]

Some of.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, and some of my friends on.

[Gavin Newsom]

You know, Pravda, Fox.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, yeah. Matter of fact, here we are. This is. I think this is Dana Perino. She's not too Thrilled with you.

[Gavin Newsom]

No.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Gavin Newsom. And why am I giving him advice? You have to stop it with the Twitter thing. I don't know where his wife is. If I were his wife, I would say you are making a fool of yourself.

[Stephen Colbert]

Stop it. She has to have some sense. There's no way. She's a very smart person. She has to have some sense of the irony of that.

[Gavin Newsom]

Yeah, but it wasn't even Dana. It was Hannity. All these guys outraged, offended, disgusted. Because we put a mirror up to Trump and the absurdity of what's going on in this country. The absurdity of Donald Trump, the absurdity of these networks playing into it.

[Stephen Colbert]

Just because it's ridiculous, just because this can't be normalized doesn't mean you can't make some coin on it, because you've got some pretty. You've got some pretty good merch here, too.

[Gavin Newsom]

Yeah. Thank you for that.

[Stephen Colbert]

I like this one, Newsom. Newsom was right about everything. That's right. Yeah. Yeah, everything.

[Gavin Newsom]

And that's.

[Stephen Colbert]

There's.

[Gavin Newsom]

That. There's, by the way, the Bible on. It's on our Patriot store if you want to check it out.

[Stephen Colbert]

You have your own Bible?

[Gavin Newsom]

We have our own Bible, but it's sold out, so. Of course.

[Stephen Colbert]

I can imagine.

[Gavin Newsom]

That thing went right up. You know, there's tank tops with Trump's Not Hot, and there's a tank top.

[Stephen Colbert]

I like this one. I like this T shirt here. This is you. This is you. It's really a moving scene.

[Gavin Newsom]

Yeah, it was very special.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's you being blessed. Yeah, it's being blessed by the late, great Hulk Hogan, Tucker Carlson and Kid Rock right there. The Kid Rock. What a moving moment this must have been.

[Gavin Newsom]

Very moving. In fact, very emotional just seeing that.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, exactly. And that you had. And that Michelangelo was on hand to paint it for you.

[Gavin Newsom]

Pretty special. The prices must be 1999. So if you will.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay. Steve Bannon has said he's admired what's happened for you. Your approval rating has gone up 18% since the summer. Nicely done. Now, before I get to Bannon, I'm just curious. I mean, we enjoy this. Why do you think it so deeply resonates with people? Why do you think this has made such a difference? I mean, you're glad it is, but what do you think people are responding to?

[Gavin Newsom]

Just the fight, I think. You know, this has been. This is a tough time. I'm aware. No, but this. A lot of anxiety, a lot of stress. A lot of folks that honestly just don't know we're going to get our country back. And I get it, people, this guy is flooding the zone. He's dominating the narratives. Facts don't seem to matter. And Democrats, frankly, have had a difficult time pushing back. And Democrats feel that, you know, times there's sort of this weakness that dominates our brand and our party. And I think what people appreciate is that we're willing to fight and not only fight symbolically by having a little bit fun, but fight substantively. We have 41 lawsuits against this son of a bitch. We're pushing back and we're winning, you know, and, you know, and we're filling a void on a lot of issues. I'm out here for Climate Week. California is the tent pole in terms of climate policy in this country. As he walks away from Paris, he walks away from leadership, moral authority around the rest of the world. California is trying to assert itself on health policy. Same thing. We created this West Coast Collaborative. We're not going to listen to this guy. We're not going to listen to him trying to pronounce a scene of medicine or we're not going to sit there, listen to all that. No one trusts the guy.

[Stephen Colbert]

We have to take a quick break. We'll be right back with more Gavin Newsom. Everybody stick around.

[Kelly Clarkson]

When you can't agree on what to order or you're settling for whatever, mealtime can be a major. That's where Wonder comes in. Download the app for access to everything you're craving. Mix and match hundreds of freshly prepared dishes from menus by renowned chefs delivered in one order. Say goodbye to compromise. From poke bowls to filet mignon, it's all on Wonder. Order fast, free delivery, or pick up and dine in at a Wonder location near you. Wonder the cravings expert. Get the app today. Hi, I'm Kristen Bell, and if you know my husband, Dax, then you also know he loves shopping for a car. Selling a car, not so much.

[Gavin Newsom]

We're really doing this, huh?

[Kelly Clarkson]

Thankfully, Carvana makes it easy. Answer a few questions, put in your van or license, and done. We sold ours in minutes this morning and they'll come pick it up and pay us this afternoon.

[Gavin Newsom]

Bye, bye, Truckee.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Of course, we kept the favorite.

[Gavin Newsom]

Hello, other Truckee.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Sell your car with Carvana today. Terms and conditions apply. The first few weeks of school are in the books. Now it's time to keep that momentum going. IXL helps kids stay confident and ahead of the curve. Teachers move fast, but IXL keeps your child right on track, building skills at the same pace. They're learning in school. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning, whether they're brushing up on math or diving into social studies. It covers math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. With content that's engaging, personalized and yes, actually fun. It's the perfect tool to keep learning going without making it feel like school. If your child is struggling, this is the smartest investment you can make. A single hour of tutoring costs more than a month of IXL make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and listeners of this podcast can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixcelearning.com audio visit ixlearning.com audio to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Stephen Colbert]

We're back with the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. Tell us about the sort of the collective health policy you're putting together with the west coast states. So over here, you guys, what do you call this?

[Gavin Newsom]

You call this west coast offense? It's a Western Alliance.

[Stephen Colbert]

Western Alliance. Okay, what are you guys, what are you guys doing? What's the agreement between these states?

[Gavin Newsom]

Well, we believe. Look, I run the largest public health system in the United States of America, California. It's size of 21 state populations combined with some of the best and the brightest scientists, researchers, Nobel laureates in our state. And as a consequence, we are advancing an independent scientific review panel with other states to counter the mis and disinformation coming from the cdc. They simply are not trustworthy. Yeah, putting that out public health complicated.

[Stephen Colbert]

What's happening at the NIH and the CDC is heartbreaking to me. My dad was an immunologist who was at NIH under Kennedy. And I love seeing this personally, but tell the people why it's important that there are governmental institutions that actually are going to certify and say these are the proper treatments of these drugs. What does that mean in terms of people's insurance?

[Gavin Newsom]

Well, and we required, we just required that insurers provide insurance and cover the cost of all of these vaccines as well. And so we are. We're not.

[Stephen Colbert]

Again, it's because normally they would use the CDC guidelines.

[Gavin Newsom]

Yeah, they're going to use the CDC guidelines that are automatically default. And as a consequence, if they're not making those recommendations, they're not going to cover the costs of those treatments of those vaccines. And as a consequence of that, millions and millions of people potentially could lose that coverage. So in California, we're requiring our health plans, we're acquiring those insurance companies to provide access. And we're making sure that our own independent analysis provides a list of recommendations based on facts, based on science, not based on bull and fear.

[Stephen Colbert]

So when you say, when you talk about, like, we've got to push back, and I know in this case you're specifically referring to Democrats, but you've made an outreach to move beyond Democrats, that it's not like Democrat versus Republican is what I hear from you. Sometimes it's that, like sanity versus insanity or like reason versus fear. And you've gone to some lengths to do that. You've got your own podcast. You've talked to Steve Bannon. You spoke to the late Charlie Kirk.

[Gavin Newsom]

He was my first guest on the podcast.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I'm just curious, what did you get from those conversations? Because. Because sometimes some people come on podcasts or even television shows and aren't honest representatives of their ideas. I'm curious what you got from those conversations.

[Gavin Newsom]

I got a lot of grief. I got a lot of criticism for quote, unquote, platforming people we disagree with. But look, it's not complicated. Divorce is not an option.

[Stephen Colbert]

I mean, at the end of the.

[Gavin Newsom]

Day, we got to figure out a way to live together and advance together across our differences. And there is something, look, success leaves clues. They were successful in the last election. People need to understand what motivates them, how they keep winning in the context of how they keep organizing and building a coalition, particularly young men. Charlie Kirk and what he was able to do. So he was kind enough to fly out. We spent an hour and a half together. Interestingly, we were staying connected up until just a few weeks ago, until his tragic assassination. We had Steve Bannon on for the same reason. And no exaggeration. About 40 minutes into the Bannon conversation, I thought I was talking to, and this is not an indictment of Bernie Sanders, but it sounded more like Bernie Sanders in terms of the populist messaging. And I never expected that we didn't get into January 6th, all the things we disagree on. So, look, I just, I think it's important to have those civil engagements. I think it's important to dialogue. It's important to learn from your opponents, and it's important to reconcile your weaknesses as a Democratic Party. We have a lot of work to do to make up for our failures in the past. We got crushed in this last election, and now we're in a position where we are struggling to communicate. We're struggling to win back. Now the majority in the House of Representatives. And that's a big part of what I'm doing, not just today in terms of the work out here, raising money, but also raising awareness around how Donald Trump is trying to rig the midterm elections and how I fear that we will not have election in 2028. I really mean that in the core of my soul, unless we wake up to the code red, what's happening in this country and we wake up soberly to how serious this moment is. We're going to take another quick break here.

[Stephen Colbert]

We'll be right back with more. Gavin Newsom, everybody. Hey, everybody, it's Gavin Newsom, governor of California. I wanted to ask you about Prop 50. But before I do that, you, you raise a bigger question about, like, who will win in the midterms to the idea that perhaps we won't have free and fair and open elections in 2026, Putin type election. How would you imagine that? Where do you see the sort of the breadcrumbs to that right now? I mean, it's the ultimate fear is that you no longer have your democracy to be able to make change peacefully.

[Gavin Newsom]

He knows he's going to lose the midterm elections. He's underwater. He's weak in every category. Donald Trump is weakness masquerading as strength. He's weak in every key category. That's a fact. And I think it's an important fact. He knows that. And that's why he dialed not for votes, but he dialed for seats. He said he's, quote, unquote, entitled to five seats, called Greg Abbott, who was totally supine, said, yes, sir, and gave him the five seats in Texas to change the maps. He did the same thing in Indiana, Missouri. He's doing the same thing in Florida, likely Ohio, and we'll see what happens in Utah. And Democrats, we were going to, you know, we're going to hold hands, talk about the way the world should be, say it's just so unfair, maybe write an op ed. Meanwhile, this guy's consolidating power. And so for us, we decided to push back and fight back. But it's not just that. That's the tip of the iceberg. Rigging the midterm election because he knows otherwise he'll lose. When we kicked off the campaign, and this is important for people to understand, when we kicked it off at the Democracy center in Los Angeles, he sent out ice and border patrol to intimidate folks from walking in to our event. He ended up arresting this poor soul that was just trying to sell strawberries. As collateral damage to intimidate us. That is a preview, Stephen, of things to come in voting, Bruce. And polling places across this country. He federalized 4,000 National Guard in my state. He still has hundreds of federalized National Guard. He sent the United States Marines not overseas, but to an American city. 700 active duty marines. He sent the military to American cities to police American citizens. And the ICE issue is alarming beyond words. It is the private, largest private domestic army of its type police force anywhere in the world. He'll have 30,000 people that increasingly appear to be swearing an oath of office to him, not the Constitution of the United States. Again. Wake up to what's going on in this country.

[Stephen Colbert]

One of the things.

[Gavin Newsom]

One of the.

[Stephen Colbert]

Things that you just did on that subject over the weekend, you signed a new California law that bans ICE from concealing their identities, which is a great idea. And I'm just curious, I mean, there's all these reasons why you would want to do it for the population that is actually being policed by them. But what I don't understand whenever I hear that they want to hide their identities is why don't any public safety officer understand that they are safer by identifying themselves? Because America is a place loaded for guns. And heaven forbid anything should happen to one of these guys because they were masked, no id, windowless van, that just looks like an attack. For their own safety, I could agree. Shouldn't these people show who they are and normalize their behavior so that people aren't terrified?

[Gavin Newsom]

This is the worst part about it. I had deep empathy for these poor folks in the National Guard. These are, by the way, these are our neighbors. National Guard men and women are teachers, firefighters, paramedics. These were the folks that were helping us with the recovery in la. Being used as pawns. The same thing for a lot of these federal agents. I have deep empathy to your point. They're losing. We're losing confidence and trust in law enforcement. It's having an impact, a chilling impact across the spectrum for other local law enforcement agencies. Look, look, they had. We had a 15 year old disabled kid in Los Angeles, was waiting for his sister to come out of high school and they pulled out guns on this kid. They pulled out guns and handcuffed this young child. That's happening in the United States of America. Masked men jumping out of unmarked cars, people disappearing. No due process, no oversight, zero accountability. Happening in the United States of America today. People ask, well, is authoritarianism. You're being hyperbolic. Bull. We're being hyperbolic. If you're a black and brown community. It's here in this country. And so I, I'm deeply proud that I had the privilege of signing the nation's first bill to address the issue of masking. Also to require you have simple identification. To your point, I mean, if some guy jumped out of an unmarked car in a van with a mask on, tried to grab me, I mean, by definition, you're going to push back. And so these are not just authoritarian tendencies. These are authoritarian actions by an authoritarian government. You saw what Stephen Miller said last week. This should put chills up. Fine. Called the Democratic Party an extremist organization, basically a terrorist organization, saying he's going after his enemies. You saw the tweet that Donald Trump sent out, Truth Social, basically telling Pam Bondi, I want these three people taken out. That's happening in the United States. This can't be normalized. None of this can be normalized.

[Stephen Colbert]

Governor, thank you so much for being here.

[Donald Trump]

I appreciate it.

[Stephen Colbert]

Governor Gavin Newsom, everybody. Thank you for listening to the Late Show POD show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives. And Doug Limu and I always tell you to customize your car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. But now we want you to feel it. Cue the emu music. Limu.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Save yourself the money today.

[Stephen Colbert]

Increase your wealth. Customize and save. We say that may have been too much feeling. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty Liberty, Liberty Liberty Savings.

[Gavin Newsom]

Very unwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company affiliates excludes Massachusetts.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Hey, girl, this is a legging emergency. My favorite Lululemon leggings, the ones you got me years ago, I think they're a line.

[Stephen Colbert]

Maybe.

[Kelly Clarkson]

Well, I just got back from my trip and I think I left them at the B and B. Girl. I need to replace these. Could you send me the link to where you got them? I need a pair asap. Also, my birthday's coming up. So. Anyways, thanks girl. Talk soon. Looking for your newest go to's Lululemon. What's new gear drops on Tuesdays. Every Tuesday, head to lululemon.com to shop. What's new gear.