Overview
- At an Atlanta book-tour event with Mayor Andre Dickens, Gavin Newsom said he was a “960 SAT guy” and that he “cannot read a speech,” comments that spread widely after a short clip was posted by the End Wokeness account.
- Newsom and his spokesperson called the backlash “MAGA-manufactured outrage,” noting he has long discussed his low SAT score and dyslexia in public settings.
- Responding directly to Sean Hannity on X, Newsom accused critics of hypocrisy and referenced racist content previously shared or defended by President Trump’s circle.
- Dickens urged viewers to consider the full context and a separate video showed a racially mixed audience, countering claims the remarks were delivered to an exclusively Black crowd.
- Conservatives and some public figures, including Nicki Minaj, Senators Ted Cruz and Tim Scott, condemned the comments as patronizing toward Black Americans, as coverage weighed potential fallout for Newsom’s often-discussed 2028 prospects while his book tour continues to major cities and early-primary states.