Move over Senator Chris Van Hollen!
A new star has been born: California Senator Alex Padilla.
And Alex didn’t even have to go to El Salvador and enjoy sugar-rimmed drinks with an alleged MS-13 gang member to get his big break.
Instead, Padilla stormed into DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s news conference in Los Angeles and was subsequently handcuffed and forcibly removed by security.
The attention-seeking spectacle received rave reviews from his colleagues and their agitprop pushers in the media.
“If you can make Alex Padilla forcibly kneel before this executive, when does it stop?” New Jersey Senator Cory “Spartacus” Booker blustered on the Senate floor.
But Padilla wasn’t going to let the famed “tears of rage” filibusterer steal his moment.
He capitalized on his virality by appearing on MSNBC’s Deadline with Nicole Wallace where his emotions over the traumatizing and completely orchestrated ordeal got the best of him.
Homeland Security responded to Padilla’s breakout performance on X, writing: “Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem.”
While there are plenty of pols in DC who are green with envy that Padilla has become the new face of the anti-Trump resistance, no one is kicking themselves more than California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
After all, he went on MSNBC and was begging Border Czar Tom Homan to arrest him just a few days ago.
In the interview, a predictably stylish, perfectly-coiffed Newsom defiantly challenged Homan, saying, “Come after me, arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy, you know? I don’t give a damn.”
Hear that Homan? The governor-turned-podcaster isn’t afraid of being arrested. Perhaps because he knows that being lugged out of the French Laundry in cuffs is the only thing that could potentially salvage his floundering political prospects.
Like in any crisis, Newsom is less interested in solutions or accountability and more interested in his social media footprint and presidential aspirations.
In January, while deadly wildfires raged on in Los Angeles County, Newsom was sitting down with Pod Save America to bitch about Trump’s criticism of his leadership. Fast forward four months, and only 68 building permits have been issued for the Pacific Palisades. On the bright side, Gavin has since started his very own podcast. So that’s something!
His pass the buck strategy hasn’t changed a bit.
In his Tuesday address to Californians regarding the anti-ICE riots in LA, he took zero accountability for the chaos unfolding in his state and instead invoked Trump’s name 13 times throughout his 8-minute speech.
The televised address was plagued from the start with audio glitches that left the governor muted in some cases and his audio distorted in others. And this guy wants to be California’s next top influencer? Talk about amateur hour.
The snafu didn’t prevent Newsom from delivering a Hollywood performance complete with long, dramatic pauses and crocodile tears.
His anti-Trump screed received glowing reviews from the media with the LA Times declaring, Newsom’s “Democracy is under assault” speech could turn the tables on Trump.
Yes. Progressives reciting tired talking points about democracy being under attack and Orange Man being bad is the exact kind of fresh, novel idea that could turn things around for the struggling party!
Why didn’t liberals think of this sooner?
And like all aspiring content creators, Newsom is using multiple platforms to reach his audience: when he isn’t crying about Trump on camera, he is posting about him on X.
While his wife Jennifer spends her time shopping on Rodeo Drive during the LA riots, her hubby spends his time clapping back at criticisms from Trump’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and even actor James Woods on X.
His focus on memes and internet feuds is being lauded by the same people who once thought that a politician leaning into fights on social media was a sign of immaturity and recklessness.
The Washington Post raved, “Locked in an online showdown with Trump, Newsom is styling himself as an internet-era champion of the left.”
I hope the owners of looted stores like Ootoro Sushi in Little Tokyo are taking comfort in the fact that while“peaceful protesters” are destroying their businesses, at least their governor has entered the meme war.
Look, the content creator industry is a hard one to crack into. The current crop of Democrat front runners are all trying their best to make an ass of themselves in order to make a name for themselves in the space.
A huge congrats to Alex Padilla for nabbing this summer’s best breakout performance.
As for Gavin — don’t give up. Your time will come.
In the meantime, make like an influencer and drop your skincare routine.
