California Governor Gavin Newsom, widely regarded as apotential 2028 presidential contender, has found himself at the centre of an intense political firestorm following comments made during his national book tour for his new memoir, 'Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery.'
While appearing alongside Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a February promotional event, Newsom attempted to foster relatability by referencing his lifelong struggle with dyslexia and his academic history. '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,' Newsom stated during the event. 'I'm a 960 SAT guy. And you know, I'm not trying to offend anyone — you know — trying to act all there if you got 940 — but literally, a 960 SAT guy.'
He claimed it was in his bid to relate to the average American. Those words were picked up by critics, particularly the Republicans. They contended that it was offensive to suggest that, like Dickens, Black Americans are not so successful in school.
The remarks were swiftly amplified by conservative commentators and political rivals, who accused the governor of perpetuating racial stereotypes by invoking his academic struggles while appearing with a prominent Black official. Critics, including South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, characterised the comments as an example of the 'bigotry of low expectations,' arguing that the governor was patronising Black Americans by implying their academic success might be lower.
The backlash prompted a sharp response from Newsom and his office, who decried the criticism as 'MAGA-manufactured outrage.'
In a heated post on X, the governor emphasised that his comments were a sincere reflection of his personal challenges with dyslexia—a subject he has addressed publicly for years across diverse audiences—rather than a veiled critique of any specific demographic.
Black Americans aren’t your low bar. We’ve built empires, created movements, outworked, outhustled and outsmarted people like you. Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronize communities. Its ridiculous!https://t.co/fQYIOfeA1T
One of the prominent black senators replied that Black Americans have managed to create empires and accomplish big things despite being under stereotypes.
'Black Americans aren't your low bar,' (R) South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who is Black,wrote on social media.'We've built empires, created movements, outworked, outhustled and outsmarted people like you. Stop using your mediocre academics as a way to patronise communities. It's ridiculous!' he continued.
Scott's tirades didn't end there. 'Gavin Newsom suffers from the "bigotry of low expectations" and I for one am tired of Democrats (including the likes of Kathy Hochul and Joe Biden) stereotyping Black people,' he posted another update.
Source: International Business Times UK
