Overview
- At an Atlanta book-tour event, Gavin Newsom told attendees he was "a 960 SAT guy" while discussing longtime reading struggles tied to dyslexia.
- A cropped clip reposted by the End Wokeness account framed the comment as directed to a Black crowd, driving rapid online condemnation.
- Critics including Sen. Tim Scott, Nicki Minaj, and MLB player Tommy Pham rebuked the remarks as racially condescending.
- TMZ’s Harvey Levin and other commentators shared wider images and footage depicting a mixed, possibly majority-white audience, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the exchange reflected personal academic struggles.
- Newsom defended himself on X and through a spokesperson who called the backlash manufactured, while some outlets note the short viral clip has not been independently authenticated.