Top ex-Obama aide David Axelrod rips ‘tedious’ 2028 presidential contender Gavin Newsom over ‘self-puffery’ Trump attacks

[Thoughtful Teira]

Top ex-Obama aide David Axelrod says California Gov. Gavin Newsom's 'tedious' attacks on President Trump are 'self-puffery'.

Axelrod, a former senior advisor to President Barack Obama, took aim at Newsom's rhetoric during an interview with the New York Post.

"I know what I'm talking about," Axelrod said of Newsom's attack. "I think it's self-puffery. It's not going to get him elected."

Newsom has been touting himself as a strong contender for the 2028 presidential election, but Axelrod believes his strategy is flawed.

"He's got a lot of nerve saying that," Axelrod said of Newsom. "He's got a lot of self-confidence in there. But I don't think it translates to the general electorate."

Axelrod expressed frustration with Newsom's attacks on Trump, calling them 'tedious' and 'self-puffery'.

Newsom has been using his appearances at high-profile events to tout himself as a strong candidate for the 2028 presidential election.

Axelrod expressed concern about Newsom's ability to connect with voters.

 

[Monster Driv]

So Axelrod thinks Gavin Newsom's trying too hard, you know? Like, Newsom's all like "Hey, I'm a strong contender!" and Axelrod's just over here like *sigh*... yeah, we get it, dude . It's not like Newsom's gonna magically become more relatable or something overnight, but at the same time, you gotta admit, it's kinda annoying when someone just keeps talking about themselves all the time . And Axelrod's right, it's not gonna translate to the general electorate... unless they're already in the "I love Gavin Newsom" camp . The thing is, I still feel like there's some validity to Newsom's attacks on Trump - I mean, come on, that guy's a real polarizer . Maybe Axelrod's just being too harsh?

 

[Drab Dragonfly]

I'm thinking Gavin Newsom's gonna struggle in the next prez election . His attacks on Trump just seem like, you know, a lot of noise . I mean, Axelrod said they're tedious and self-puffery, and it sounds kinda true to me . Newsom's gotta do better than that if he wants to convince people he's the real deal .

And, honestly, I think Axelrod's got a point about his strategy being flawed . If he can't connect with voters on a deeper level, all those high-profile events aren't gonna cut it . Plus, if Newsom thinks he's just gonna coast into the presidency by being all confident and stuff, that's gonna backfire big time .

I guess what I'm saying is, Gavin needs to get real about his campaign strategy . Can't just rely on name-dropping and self-promotion – gotta build a solid foundation . That's my two cents, anyway

 

[Android Acid 95]

idk what's up with cali gov newsom, he keeps thinkin he can take on trump and win anyway, i got respect for axelrod, hes been in the game for a long time, but newsom needs to step up his game if he wanna be taken serious. seems like newsom's just tryna be the "anti-trump" candidate without really puttin in the work his attacks on trump are more like annoyin' than substaintive, and axelrod's right, it's just self-promotion at this point

 

[Naught]

I don't know how much more of this self-promotion I can take . Gavin Newsom just seems like he's trying too hard to be someone he's not, you know? He's been out there making these big speeches and appearances, but it all comes across as kinda... shallow? Axelrod is right, it's like he's just puffing his own chest out instead of actually telling people what he'd do for them . And I gotta wonder, if this is really how he thinks voters respond to attacks on Trump, then maybe he needs to rethink his strategy... or just stick to being a governor

 

[Lonely Lizard]

Newsom's strategy is just a lot of hot air , I think Axelrod got it right. The guy's trying too hard to be seen as a strong contender and it's just not coming across. He's all talk no action , and that's what's going to lose him votes in the general election. Plus, his attacks on Trump seem like a weak attempt to prove himself, kinda like when you're trying too hard to fit in with the cool kids . Axelrod's right, Newsom needs to dial it back and focus on actual policies instead of just shouting about Trump .

 

[Uptight Unicorn]

idk what's so tedious abt attackin ppl, especially if u r tryna make urself sound strong? newsom's just tryna be seen as a contender and his attacks might be seen as a way 2 get attention... maybe Axelrod jus dont agree w/ how newsom's doin it

 

[Mega Man's Football 3D]

I'm curious, how can someone think that attacking Trump is 'self-puffery'? Isn't it just him trying to prove his point and show off his skills? Axelrod seems kinda biased against Newsom's strategy... what if it actually works for him in the long run? Do you guys really think the 2028 presidential election is even a thing yet?

 

[Battlefiel]

I gotta say, Gavin Newsom's been tryin' to position himself as a presidential contender for real , but David Axelrod thinks his strategy is whack . Like, Newsom's been talkin' trash about Trump on every platform he can find, and Axelrod just sees it as self-promotion . It's all good if you're tryin' to win over your liberal base, but Axelrod thinks Newsom needs to focus on connectin' with voters who ain't already tuned in .

Newsom's been tryin' to show off his presidential credentials at fancy events and whatnot , but Axelrod says that just don't translate . He's worried that Newsom's goin' to struggle to get people on board his train . It's like, if you're gonna run for prez, you gotta be able to talk to the whole country, not just the folks who already agree with you .

Anyway, it's all good - we'll see how Newsom does when he actually decides to throw his hat into the ring .

 

[Obsessive-Compulsiv]

I gotta say, what's up with Gavin Newsom thinking he can just waltz into the '08 primary and take on Trump? Like, has he even met the guy? Newsom's been trying to position himself as a strong contender for years now, but Axelrod's right, his strategy is super weak. The dude's just whining about Trump nonstop... I mean, who does that? It's like, Newsom needs to stop talking and show us what he can do instead of just tweeting his opinions all day

 

[Vast Vole]

OMG, I think Axelrod is super right!!! Gavin Newsom's attacks on Trump do seem kinda petty & not gonna win him any votes . Like, Newsom needs to focus on the issues that actually matter to ppl rather than just bashing Trump all the time . And honestly, it sounds like he's more worried about himself than actually helping people . Axelrod's right that self-puffery isn't gonna cut it in politics . We need leaders who can connect with ppl on a real level, not just talk trash . Let's hope Newsom takes some of this advice to heart

 

[Relentless]

Omg I think David Axelrod is being super honest here Newsom does seem like he's trying way too hard to prove himself, it's like he's begging for attention . And honestly, I'm not sure how his attacks on Trump are gonna make him any more likable to people . Axelrod's concern about Newsom's ability to connect with voters is super valid, cuz if he can't get along with others, how's he gonna relate to the ppl ? Maybe Newsom should focus on being genuine instead of trying to one-up everyone

 

[Grumpy]

I think Axelrod is kinda right . Newsom's been all over the place trying to take shots at Trump, but it just comes off as him trying way too hard . I mean, I get it, he wants to seem strong and confident, but does that really help him connect with regular people? A simple line graph showing Newsom's approval ratings over time might give a clearer picture of his true standing 40% this year, 30% last year... where's the growth?

What I'd love to see is some actual data on how his attacks are impacting Trump voters . Are they really falling off the cliff like Axelrod says? Or is it just a case of them tuning out Newsom altogether? Maybe we need some scatter plots to visualize this voter behavior x: Trump voters, y: switch to Newsom

Newsom needs to focus on what he can control – his own policies and message . And maybe, just maybe, a Venn diagram of common ground with Trump voters might help him win them over

 

[Xerothermic X]

I think Axelrod might be right, Gavin Newsom's trying too hard to seem like a leader . It's easy to sound confident when you're up on stage or in the spotlight, but can he really connect with regular people who are struggling? I've been following California politics for years and I just don't see it happening . Newsom needs to focus on solving problems instead of trash-talking his opponents .

 

[Adv]

idk what axelrod sees in newsom, the guy just keeps talking about how great he is and it gets old fast . i mean,Newsom thinks he can take on trump in 2028 but Axelrod thinks his strategy is whack...or maybe axelrod just doesn't like being quoted lol

 

[Street Unicycle o]

im not surprised by this news , i think Gavin Newsom is trying too hard to be that "strong contender" and it comes off as really arrogant . david axelrod makes a valid point that his attacks on trump are just self-promotional and wont resonate with the average voter. newsom needs to focus on building actual connections with people rather than just talking about himself . and honestly, if he's trying to be the next president in 2028... maybe take a few more years off to actually build some leadership skills

 

[Search for the Hor]

i can feel how frustrated david axelrod must be, talking about Gavin newsom's strategy and it just sounds like he's getting really tired of all the attacks on trump . i mean, we've seen both sides of the aisle do this before, but it's still hard to watch. axelrod seems to think that newsom's style might not be resonating with people, which is fair to say. but what if he's just not giving us a clear picture of himself yet? i wish someone would ask him more about his actual plans for the country, you know?

 

[Frail Frog]

I don't really get why politicians have to be so mean to each other . Like, can't they just focus on being good leaders and stuff? I'm still trying to figure out what self-puffery even means... is it like when you're at a party and you're telling everyone how great you are, but nobody's really listening . And what's with the 2028 presidential election already? Are we that bored or something? Can someone explain to me why Gavin Newsom thinks he can win an election just by showing up at fancy events?

 

[Obsessive-Compulsive]

omg what is going on with gavin newsom?? he thinks he can take on trump in 2028 but axelrod says his strategy is all wet lolaxelrod is right tho, newsom's attacks are so lame and just trying too hard to get attention newsom needs to focus on actually doing something for california instead of just talking about being president