Let the campaign begin?
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is getting “vulnerable” on his march toward a widely expected White House bid, hyping his memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry” — which was delayed earlier this year after wildfires ripped through the Los Angeles area.
The book is an “intimate and poignant account of identity, belonging, and the defining moments that inspired a life in politics,” according to its publisher, Random House.
In a video posted to X Tuesday, Newsom said the memoir will reveal the man behind the political persona — a familiar play for pols gunning for the White House.
“A lot of people look at me in the stark white shirt and blue suit and, yeah, the gelled hair and think ‘I know this guy,’” Newsom said in a video posted to X.
“This is a truly vulnerable book.”
The book was originally slated for release in May, but delayed as Newsom dealt with a torrent of criticism over the fires that consumed parts of Los Angeles in January. The book is out Feb. 24, 2026.
The memoir pulls back the curtain on Newsom’s life in San Francisco as the son of a prominent attorney and judge, William Newsom, who introduced him to the Gettys, the powerful oil clan that bankrolled his rise in politics.
Newsom’s parents divorced when he was young, and his mother struggled, the governor has claimed in interviews. Gordon and Ann Getty, the billionaire couple that ruled San Francisco society during Newom’s rise, considered him a surrogate son and paid for lavish experiences such as an African safari when he was young, per media reports.
In the video, Newsom waxed on his family history and political battles alongside photos of family and friends such as Billy Getty, with whom he reportedly had a falling out — hinting at personal regrets.
“It’s all part of the ‘exploring the presidency’ formula: book tour, couple sexy anecdotes that get picked up in major news outlets … you get everybody talking about you,” said Christina Bellantoni, a USC professor of journalism who covered politics for 25 years.
“We know what he’s positioning himself for and in the end, it’s not about selling books — it’s about getting your name out there and talked about,” Bellantoni added.
Newsom, as San Francisco mayor, was dogged by embarrassing personal scandals after his messy marriage and divorce from Kimberly Guilfoyle, who went on to become a Fox News host and MAGA diehard who dated Donald Trump Jr.
In 2007, Newsom admitted sleeping with his campaign manager’s wife, Ruby Rippey Tourk and vowed to seek treatment for alcohol abuse. He also made headlines for stepping out with a 19-year-old collegiate lacrosse player before ultimately settling down with actress Jennifer Siebel.
Newsom’s office has been contacted for comment.
Former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden each released memoirs before running for president — Obama’s, called “Dreams from My Father,” delved into his backstory as the biracial son of a single mother searching for identity.
Biden’s “Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics” hit shelves a year before his failed 2008 presidential bid.
