In a brazen display of political theater, California Governor Gavin Newsom traveled to Atlanta this week, not to offer solutions for a nation in crisis, but to peddle a personal memoir and a manufactured persona. Before a predominantly Black audience, Newsom attempted to shed his image as a scion of West Coast privilege by claiming common ground through academic struggle, declaring “I’m like you” while citing a low SAT score and dyslexia.
This calculated performance, captured in a clip now viewed tens of millions of times, reveals a politician in a frantic race to rehabilitate his image after presiding over California’s economic decline and authoritarian lockdown policies. The event, part of a thinly-veiled 2028 presidential campaign tour, shows Newsom groveling to new demographics while the state he governs crumbles under the weight of vacant offices, rampant crime, and the cultural devastation he helped engineer.
Key points:
- Disgraced California Governor Gavin Newsom told a Black audience in Atlanta he is "like them" due to a 960 SAT score and dyslexia, a comparison widely condemned as offensive and politically tone-deaf.
- The incident occurred during a promotional tour for his memoir, fueling speculation about a 2028 presidential run and efforts to soften his image as an elite, failed governor.
- Critics, including the Trump campaign and commentators, accused Newsom of implying intellectual inferiority, noting his stated score is still higher than the average for Black test-takers.
- The controversy mirrors past political gaffes that frame intelligence in racial terms and exposes Newsom's desperate attempt to connect with voters beyond his California base.
- This image management push occurs as the economic and social consequences of Newsom's governance in California create a national record he must overcome.
A performance of false kinship
Newsom’s appearance at the Rialto Center for the Arts, seated beside Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, was crafted as a moment of disarming vulnerability. When asked what he hoped readers would take from his book, Young Man in a Hurry, the governor leaned into a narrative of shared struggle. “I’m not trying to impress you,” Newsom said. “I’m just trying to impress upon you I’m like you. I’m no better than you. I’m a 960 SAT guy.” He compounded this by stating, “You’ve never seen me read a speech, because I cannot read a speech. Maybe the wrong business to be in.”
The live audience chuckled, but the digital sphere erupted. The clip spread like wildfire, amassing over 35 million views and drawing immediate condemnation. The core of the outrage lies in the governor’s chosen point of connection: standardized test scores and reading ability. According to the College Board, the 2024 national average SAT score is 1024. The average for Black test-takers is 907. Newsom’s score of 960, which he presented as a badge of commonality, is actually above the average for the very group he sought to identify with. This mathematical reality transformed his self-deprecation into a moment of profound political misjudgment, leading critics to ask what specific trait he believed he shared with the Atlanta community.
The desperate rewrite of a political brand
This incident is not a simple gaffe; it is a window into a calculated political rebranding effort, where humility is feigned to appeal to disillusioned voters. Newsom is on a multi-state tour, endorsing candidates and selling a memoir that reframes his biography, all while speculation about a future presidential run intensifies. He is actively working to undo the growing national perception of him as the architect of California’s decline—a governor who enforced brutal lockdowns, watched as crime and homelessness soared, and presided over an exodus of residents and businesses.
His attempt in Atlanta was to trade the image of a polished, Napa Valley winery owner with a net worth in the tens of millions for that of a relatable every-man. He wanted to discuss frozen lasagna, not the shuttered storefronts in San Francisco where office vacancy rates have exploded to 34.5%. He chose to talk about a decades-old test score instead of the contemporary statistics detailing the flight of citizens from his state to places like Florida. This is the action of a politician who understands that his record is a liability and believes personal charm and narrative manipulation can erase it.
The backlash was swift and pointed. The Trump campaign accused Newsom of calling “black people dumb.” Political commentator Sean Hannity posted, “Newsom Thinks a 960 SAT Makes Him ‘Like’ Black Americans. Let That Sink In.” Newsom fired back with characteristic aggression, but the damage to his repackaging effort was done. The moment echoes the failed rhetoric of other elites, like Joe Biden’s 2019 comment that “poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids,” which similarly reduced intellect to a racial and class-based framework.
For Americans watching, the lesson is clear. While the political class engages in awkward performances of false kinship, the real world suffers the consequences of their governance. As banks teeter and a commercial real estate crisis looms, the nation needs leaders with proven competence and moral clarity, not those who believe a well-told story about a bad test score can compensate for a legacy of failure. Newsom’s Atlanta appearance proves he is no longer a master of image. His slick political facade is cracking, As millions live with the results of his failed policies, the image is eroding, revealing the grim reality beneath the polished surface.
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