Newsom's Atlanta Book Tour Remarks Ignite Controversy Over Racism Claims
California Governor Gavin Newsom's effort to connect with an audience during a promotional event for his memoir, Young Man in a Hurry, in Atlanta has backfired spectacularly, leading to accusations of racism from conservative figures and celebrities. The incident unfolded on Sunday when a right-leaning X account, End Wokeness, shared a clipped video from the event, which quickly amassed over 44 million views by Monday evening.
Viral Clip and Immediate Backlash
In the viral clip, Newsom is seen seated across from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, a Democrat, and states, I'm not trying to impress you. I'm just trying to impress upon you, I'm like you. I'm no better than you. I'm a 960 SAT guy. And you know, I'm not trying to offend anyone [and] act 'all there' if you got 940. The audience and Mayor Dickens responded with laughter, but the clip cuts off before Newsom elaborates on his lifelong struggle with dyslexia in the full video.
The X account captioned the video with, Gov. Newsom to a black crowd in GA: 'I am like you. I'm a 960 SAT guy. I can't read,' framing the remarks in a racially charged context. This prompted swift condemnation from MAGA-aligned voices, including Megyn Kelly, who declared the clip would haunt him forever, and Florida Senator Rick Scott, who accused Newsom of calling black kids stupid.
Celebrity and Media Reactions
Elon Musk shared the clip without comment, while Nicki Minaj launched a scathing critique, alleging Newsom was slowing his speech down as if addressing children, implying he believes the audience is slow. Fox News host Sean Hannity added fuel to the fire by posting, Newsom Thinks a 960 SAT Makes Him 'Like' Black Americans. Let That Sink In.
Newsom's Defense and Context
In response, Newsom retweeted Hannity's post on Monday morning, defending himself by highlighting past racist actions by others and stating, You're going to call me racist for talking about my lifelong struggle with dyslexia? Spare me your fake fucking outrage, Sean. He also shared a clip showing the diverse audience at the event, countering the narrative that it was solely a Black crowd.
Mayor Andre Dickens took to Instagram to provide context, posting images of the mixed audience and a longer video clip. He wrote, Take it from someone who was actually in the chair asking the questions: context matters more than a headline. Dickens explained that Newsom was discussing his academic struggles and personal journey, not attacking anyone, and urged people to watch the full conversation for clarity.
Full Context of the Remarks
In the extended clip, Dickens asks Newsom about the takeaways from his memoir regarding his upbringing. Newsom described his childhood split between a hustler single mother and a father with political privileges, leading him to wear a mask early in his career. He expressed a desire for authenticity, saying, I just want to put it all out there, before making the SAT comment as part of his vulnerability about flaws.
Despite these explanations, the controversy has sparked a heated debate over political rhetoric, race, and media interpretation, with Newsom's attempt at relatability becoming a focal point for partisan attacks.
