ROOKE: Newsom Plays Democrat Base Like A Fiddle And They’re Clapping Like Seals

Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom is accusing Fox News of defamation in a $787 million lawsuit Friday morning.

Newsom claims in his lawsuit that Fox News host Jesse Watters lied about his phone calls with President Donald Trump and that the program misleadingly edited a video of Trump to support the claim.

“If Fox News wants to lie to the American people on Donald Trump’s behalf, it should face consequences — just like it did in the Dominion case,” Newsom told POLITICO in a statement. “Until Fox is willing to be truthful, I will keep fighting against their propaganda machine.”

“Gov. Newsom’s transparent publicity stunt is frivolous and designed to chill free speech critical of him. We will defend this case vigorously and look forward to it being dismissed,” Fox News said in a statement to the Daily Caller.

Bring it on. pic.twitter.com/X55MzRoMtL

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 27, 2025

Several quote tweets of Newsom’s post on the lawsuit show his supporters cheering him on.

“Make ’em pay Governor Newsom!” @Rockie_Raccoon7 said. This user’s bio says, “Proud Democrat …  Stop Trump’s Project 2025 keep talking about it! Trump will not steal our country!” (Sign up for Mary Rooke’s weekly newsletter here!)

“Truth always wins over propaganda,” commented @decilatruth.

“Everyone should follow suit,” @Richkewchie said.

“This is someone we need as a President!” @DRSTH6 posted.

https://t.co/5gWn8dRN5L pic.twitter.com/gqehUCYIbr

— Eric O’Connor (@EricOConnor_US) June 27, 2025

Newsom will likely lose his lawsuit, but winning isn’t the primary objective here. He wants to be president so badly, and the only way to win what will likely be a very crowded primary race is to get the base on his side. Newsom knows the left-wing activists who have a stranglehold on his party demand that elected Democrats fight against Trump and the right in any way possible.

The only way to get the base on his side is to appear to be fighting the Trump administration, even if that means bringing lawsuits like this against Fox News, which the left believes is a pro-Trump media organization. (RELATED: Gavin Newsom Sues Fox News)

But there is a major flaw in his plan. Having Democrat supporters isn’t enough to win the White House. Newsom has to convince enough voters in every state that he will make a good Executive. That task seems increasingly impossible for Newsom, considering his fight against Trump is essentially a fight against American voters who put Trump in office.

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