Gov. Gavin Newsom is firing back at critics who’ve accused him of racism over comments about his low SAT scores in an onstage chat with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
“You didn’t give a s— about the President of the United States of America posting an ape video of President Obama or calling African nations s—holes — but you’re going to call me racist for talking about my lifelong struggle with dyslexia?” Newsom fumed on X.
“Spare me your fake f—ing outrage.”
The governor was referring to a shocking and offensive video posted this month on President Donald Trump’s Truth Social showing former president Barack Obama and wife Michelle Obama as apes. The video was taken down.
Newsom was dragged for attempting to relate to an audience in predominantly black Atlanta, Ga. by quoting his low SAT score.
“I’m not trying to impress you, I’m just trying to impress upon you, ‘I’m like you. I’m not better than you.’ I’m a 960 SAT guy,” Newsom told Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a Sunday night event promoting his memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry.”
“And I’m not trying to offend anyone,” the potential 2028 Democratic contender went on. “I’m not trying to act all there if you got 940 … You’ve never seen me read a speech because I cannot read a speech.”
Sen.Ted Cruz (R-Texas) accused Newsom of expressing “the soft bigotry of low expectations,” reposting a message from political scientist Carol M. Swain, who wrote: “Liberal racism on display.”
Vocalist Nicki Minaj, a frequent Newsom critic, also lambasted the governor for his comments.
“His way of bonding with black ppl is to tell them how stupid he is & that he can’t read,” she wrote on X.
Newsom is set to appear in Rock Hill, S.C. on Monday evening for another stop on his book tour.
