Michael Shellenberger Shames Newsom for Trying to Become an Influencer While L.A. Remains an Ash Heap

A couple of days ago, California's Governor Gavin Newsom announced he's starting a podcast. He got dragged for it by Justine Bateman, and rightly so.

Now Michael Shellenberger is taking Newsom to task for seeking to become an influencer instead of, you know, the sitting governor of California:

You cut fire prevention; LA burned. You spent $24 billion on homelessness; it rose 40%. You reduced penalties for violent crime; it's 31% higher in California than in the US as a whole. And instead of taking responsibility, you're trying to become an influencer. It's pathetic. https://t.co/0mInzwtdd5

— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) February 26, 2025

There's a reason this writer calls Newsom Governor Smarmy.

It's been increasingly clear you don't care about the people of California. Now it's obvious your real passion is hearing yourself talk. Please, for everyone's sake, go do what you love: quit now and focus on your podcast. You were never equipped to have larger responsibilities.

— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) February 26, 2025

And Newsom wants to be POTUS.

It may look pathetic to you and me, but not to many of his supporters, who have proven impervious to reality. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him run for president in the next election.

— Barbara (@Barbara_Clemns) February 27, 2025

As we said.

Receipts:https://t.co/jg8IBVG6dVhttps://t.co/CvWaNW0faThttps://t.co/L76As9mSoThttps://t.co/Ftd5iAkNmc pic.twitter.com/hManQdJHG9

— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) February 26, 2025

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And Shellenberger brought the receipts!

Why does he need to talk making so many faces and moving his body, hands and arms like that?

— Ana Paula Henkel (@AnaPaulaVolei) February 27, 2025

His mannerisms are so bizarre.

This is the intended results of “vote blue no matter who”.

— Courage Is A Habit (@CourageHabit) February 27, 2025

Yes it is.

Let's not forget the eqally pathetic CA high speed rail project.

— MSM is complicit in trafficking (@ProudIdealist) February 27, 2025

The high-speed rail project that'll never get finished.

Where did the 7.2B go from the 2014 water bond that voters voted for?

— zeromyhero (@nothng2sumthng) February 27, 2025

Up in smoke.

Newsom’s leadership in a nutshell: Cut fire prevention—wildfires explode. Spend billions on homelessness—it skyrockets. Go soft on crime—violence surges. Now he wants to be an influencer? Gross.

— Seek & Expose (@SeekandExpose) February 26, 2025

He's so gross.

In all my 60-some-odd years, I have yet to see anyone take base, obnoxious narcissism to the heights that Gavin Newsom has managed to go inside of ten years.

Influencer? This Two-Bit Clown Show chump with the swinger wife thinks he's an influencer now? What a POS. https://t.co/koDUWBtI10

— mell (@Mellymelle362) February 28, 2025

Newsom is uniquely vile, and that's quite the accomplishment for a politician.

Hilarious they think podcasting will save them. Bad policies, bad people, corruption is why they lost
Not because of podcasting https://t.co/c7pra7Xsgp

— Mark Reynolds (@MarkAllenRynlds) February 28, 2025

Democrats think everything is a messaging issue. That if they just explain their terrible policies in a better way, they'll stop being terrible policies.

Boom. https://t.co/2Mj5UGVuOJ

— Justine Bateman (@JustineBateman) February 28, 2025

Boom, indeed.