California Governor Gavin Newsom is facing mounting backlash after remarks he made at a political event in Atlanta — comments critics say crossed the line from awkward to outright offensive.
Speaking alongside Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Newsom attempted what appeared to be a moment of personal relatability. Instead, it detonated into controversy.
“I’m like you,” Newsom told Dickens, referencing his own academic struggles and a reported 960 SAT score. “I’m not better than you. I’m a 960 SAT guy.”
The California governor went further, attributing his academic performance to dyslexia and saying, “You’ve never seen me read a speech because I cannot read a speech.” While he insisted he wasn’t trying to offend anyone, critics across the political spectrum questioned why Newsom would equate low test scores with shared identity — particularly in comments directed at a Black mayor.
For many, the subtext was hard to ignore.
California GOP Chair Corrin Rankin blasted the remarks, arguing they revealed what she described as a patronizing and outdated mindset. She likened the implication behind Newsom’s words to the kind of thinking that underpinned Jim Crow-era stereotypes about Black intellectual inferiority.
“Trying to blame this on dyslexia is something completely separate from what he intended to say,” Rankin argued. “It’s beyond insulting. He should be embarrassed.”
The controversy deepened when journalist **Susan Crabtree** sought clarification regarding Newsom’s long-claimed dyslexia diagnosis. In a series of straightforward questions, Crabtree asked whether the governor could provide documentation of a childhood diagnosis from 1972 — when he would have been five or six years old — or any more recent medical confirmation.
Newsom has previously stated that he rediscovered paperwork about his dyslexia after his father’s death in 2018. Crabtree’s inquiry simply asked whether such documentation could be produced to substantiate claims that have increasingly been used to deflect criticism.
The response from Newsom’s communications office stunned observers.
According to Crabtree, Izzy Gardon, Director of Communications for the governor’s office, replied: “Respectfully, f**k off.”
No clarification. No documentation. No attempt at professionalism.
For a governor widely viewed as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, the episode raises serious questions about temperament and accountability. If the dyslexia narrative is central to Newsom’s personal story — and now part of his political messaging — critics argue it is fair to ask for transparency.
Instead, the governor’s team chose profanity.
Meanwhile, conservatives note the irony. The same political class that frequently lectures Americans about “sensitivity” and “respectful dialogue” responded to a legitimate press inquiry with open hostility.
At its core, the controversy isn’t about SAT scores. It’s about a pattern: awkward racial messaging followed by defensive outrage when questioned. For a governor positioning himself as a national leader, the Atlanta comments — and the reaction that followed — may prove harder to spin than anticipated.
Whether Newsom can contain the fallout remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: what was likely intended as a relatable moment has instead become a political liability.
