‘Just Like, Wow!’ CNN’s Political Director Cracks Up At Gavin Newsom Calling Himself An ‘Established Insurgent”

CNN Political Director David Chalian cracked up over Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) calling himself an “insurgent”, as political outliers like Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D) make waves across the Democratic party.

Chalian joined anchor Pamela Brown, who began, “All right, let’s talk about California governor Gavin Newsom. He was in Michigan over the weekend, making what looked like a campaign stop, you could say. And he raised some eyebrows with this comment.”

CNN rolled tape on Newsom saying, “People just want fighters. They want people with conviction, strength, clarity, people that get it, want to get things done. And they’re done with the status quo. And I totally respect that. I’ve long felt like I’ve been an established insurgent. I’ve always had that mindset.”

“When I saw that, I was just like, wow!” Chalian laughed. “This guy — Gavin Newsom was a two-term San Francisco mayor, a two-term lieutenant governor, and now a two-term governor of California. Tough to call him an insurgent, right?”

Chalian continued:

And yet, I think it’s so instructive. When I saw it, it was so telling where — Here’s somebody who has said he is, you know, very much publicly considering a run for president in 2028, and where he sees the energy in his party is clear. He sees it in this insurgent, anti-establishment energy in the party.

He wants to use — you know he had that whole fight with Trump last year on redistricting, and he was successful in that and getting that ballot measure passed last year. He wants to use that to translate, “Hey, I’m a fighter, I’m part of that side of the party. I’m not the establishment,” despite his very long resume showing just how establishment he is.

“So, you’re saying basically the idea that he’s an insurgent is a questionable claim?” Brown asked.

“Or as he said, and established insurgent!” Chalian quipped.

Watch the clip above via CNN.

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