Comments: Iran, Israel, pet otters and hair gel. Gavin Newsom’s book tour stops in LA

Israel, Iran, ICE, dyslexia, single mothers and a pet otter named Potter were among the topics discussed Tuesday evening on a tour stop by Gov.

Speaking to a sold-out crowd of about 1,300 in LA at the historic Wilshire Ebell Theater, the hour-long Q&A hosted by Writers Bloc and moderated by “Pod Save America” ​​hosts John Favreau and Tommy Vietor was equal parts get-to-know-the-man-behind-the-mask conversation and conversation about the country facing the challenges of the time.

The joint discussion was intended to remove the image of Newsom as “that smart boy” (his words), by closing his journey from an insecure, cocky young man trying to please those around him to an adult who, with his success and stupidity, is comfortable in his own skin.

He explained that he was a young, former politician in a suit: “I thought I was Pierce Brosnan in ‘Remington Steele.’ I just got some hair gel,” Newsom joked. He said that in those early years he often carried his feelings of inadequacy to the extreme as the son of a single mother who had trouble paying the rent. As a child with learning differences, his undiagnosed dyslexia held him back in school. Whose “broke and broken” father neglects his family while taking drugs with the rich families of San Francisco, including the heirs to the Getty oil fortune.

The chatty, free-spirited and sometimes outspoken Newsom didn’t need to be briefed by the moderators when talking about his childhood, his family’s odd choice of pet (the aforementioned otter) or more serious matters. He said Democrats need to “fight fire with fire” and be “brutal” in their fight to take the country back.

Newsom’s political-speak has been reflected in some of his usual efforts to convince the crowd that he is a normal guy (he may not have changed many diapers with his first daughter, but he got better at his duties as a father with his next three children). But those situations were matched by unvarnished comments that seemed true, and risked alienating some of his base.

One of those events came early in the interview, when Newsom was asked where he stood on President Trump’s new war on Iran, and the administration’s shifting reasons for launching military action without consulting Congress.

“[The Trump administration’s] The first reason is that we have to make sure that they are not armed with nuclear weapons [weapons]. But I thought that was resolved, that we had ‘destroyed’ it completely,” said Newsom, using Trump’s claims against him. “Then maybe it wasn’t, so now about their missiles, and maybe they can hit the United States, and then wait, that’s been ten years and more. So it’s BS. Then it’s about their forces, it’s about their representative. Then no, it’s about their navy. And then no, it is a response to the opportunities that Israel would have [go in] so we had to go in ourselves. God help us … these are the Keystone police.”

Newsom was then asked if the United States should consider reconsidering its military support for Israel, which he said would make sense.

“The story of BB [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] it’s interesting because he has his own issues at home,” Newsom said. “He’s trying to get out of jail. You have an election coming up. I mean, to say this is in America’s interest, at a time when affordability is at a critical point, when you have an elected official literally saying this is the exact opposite of what they would think of doing. The fact that we are in this war now, a regional war. “…

He also said that Netanyahu “may be on the ropes. He has people, strong, who want to unify the West Bank.” Newsom suggested that some critics have “correctly described” Israel as a kind of “apartheid state.” His comments sparked an uproar Wednesday from pro-Israel advocates who feel Newsom is pandering to their interests.

But most of the conversation was about the book, and home affairs. Newsom has been a vocal critic of Trump and his policies, positioning himself as part of the opposition, being one of the few senior leaders to be held accountable for policy (Proposition 50) and a strong media presence through his podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom,” and his Trump social media accounts.

“Nothing goes to anyone’s heart [Donald Trump] there was a press conference yesterday, where he was crying [that] four Americans are dead,” Newsom said. “He mentioned it in passing. And then it went on, in detail, about the drapes and the Imperial Palace in the East Wing [of the White House] that you build. He talked about it [it] with true love and conviction. It says everything about Donald Trump, the uncertainty in the world, the fact that we have threatened allies, the UAE, we have a proxy war with, also, Hezbollah and Lebanon. We have all concerns about 20% of the world’s oil flow, problems related to oil prices and stocks.”

Although Newsom was speaking to a hall of fans in the blue state, his tour began last week in the South, with stops in Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina. His attempts to connect with his audience were captured in time, during an interview with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, addressing the audience, saying, “I’m just like you,” before revealing his low SAT score. He has been called out for his comments, which have been labeled racist by critics, particularly those from the right-wing media.

In Los Angeles on Tuesday, he was asked how he felt about the California Democratic Party chairman’s recent suggestion that some candidates drop out of the gubernatorial race, to avoid a potential Republican win. “I agree. I agree. With all the promise and danger pointing to this moment in California, a state without Trump in America,” we cannot risk a Republican victory, he said.

The California Highway Patrol and a private security firm have deployed officers and agents throughout the area for tight security (no bags or purses allowed). On at least three occasions, one or more protesters interrupted the discussion with shouts from balconies and lower seats, demanding that Newsom do something about private prisons and ICE immigration sweeps.

After they were removed from security, Newsom said he understood the “increasing pressure” over the past decade or so, and defended his record, saying he signed the first bill to ban private prisons and was “against the violence” of what’s happening on America’s streets.

Those who attended the event applauded Newsom’s record, and everything he said. After all, there were people who had paid up to $80 to hear an interview and get a copy of his book. He walked into the crowd afterward and spent about half an hour talking to the audience, taking selfies and signing copies of his memorabilia. Newsom was in no rush.