California Governor Gavin Newsom, often described as the Democratic frontrunner for the 2028 presidential election, has long been dogged by accusations of being an out-of-touch elitist. With his movie-star looks, coiffed hair, and photogenic family, Newsom embodies the polished politician—a stark contrast to the populist authenticity prized in today's political climate. Critics have labelled him 'too ambitious, too slickly handsome, and too patrician-seeming,' a perception fuelled by his childhood proximity to the Getty family, synonymous with immense wealth.
In his new memoir, Young Man in a Hurry, Newsom aims to dismantle this image, revealing a far more complex background. He recounts teenage trips on the Gettys' private plane, being tailored for a stay at the king of Spain's residence, and arriving by gondola at a Venetian party where Jack Nicholson greeted him as 'the Getty boys.' Yet Newsom insists, 'To work for them doesn't make you them.' His father, William Newsom, served as consigliere to Gordon Getty but 'never made much money,' earning a modest salary rather than amassing wealth.
During a videocall from his Sacramento office—once occupied by Ronald Reagan before his presidency—Newsom made his presidential ambitions clear, though he stopped short of an outright declaration. He described the memoir as an unintentional political move, born from a publisher's demand for more detail after reading a single chapter on his upbringing. That chapter, he said, ran 'completely counter' to the silver-spoon narrative that has shadowed him for decades.
Newsom's knack for political stunts was evident when he handed out kneepads at Davos to politicians and corporate titans he accused of abasing themselves before Donald Trump. His conversation ranged from a devastating family history to his critique of 'purity tests' in politics, offering clues not only to how he would seek the presidency but why. 'Trump’s not enough. And he knows he’s not enough,' Newsom said of the former president, signalling his belief that a broader appeal is needed to unite the American left and win the White House.
