In the second episode of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s podcast, released Monday evening, conservative radio host Michael Savage blamed the Democrats’ election loss on transgender acceptance in schools.
Newsom did not push back on Savage’s election analysis or offer a defense of trans rights. Last week, the governor was slammed for agreeing with conservative activist Charlie Kirk on the issue of trans athletes competing in high school sports as part of a conversation on the debut episode of his podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom.”
Savage, known for his “borders, language, culture” mantra, told Newsom that Democratic policies on transgender issues alienated women who might otherwise have voted for liberal candidates.
“The whole trans issue triggered the women who were normally liberal,” Savage said during the wide-ranging conversation that also hit on immigration, homelessness and wildfires. “When you have kids being brainwashed in school to accept that stuff in kindergarten … When you start crossing that line into the schools, you’re going to see what happened.”
Newsom did not disagree.
“Interesting,” Newsom said. “The trans issue, you thought, was outsize. … You felt our party was complicit in terms of creating those conditions. “
The 83-year-old commentator, a Marin County resident who has written 29 books on topics ranging from nutrition to politics, emphasized that he’s not opposed to transgender rights for adults.
“I’m a sexual libertarian,” Savage said. “I really don’t care what people do to make themselves happy … but leave the kids alone.”
At another point in the show, Newsom generally agreed with Savage that immigration policy is not working.
While touting his increases in border security, Newsom insisted immigration is an issue that can be fixed.
“I think there’s a way of doing it and approaching it, and I think we have a broader problem, which is immigration policy and asylum abuse,” he said. “The asylum system is broken in the United States.”
Savage, who said the Trump administration has taken up his views, also decried the Golden State’s cost of living, saying, “I pay 16% in state taxes. … I can go to Florida and pay no state tax.” On the issue of homelessness, he insisted that “there is a solution … you build camps for them in places outside cities, and you give them the care that they need against their will.”
On this front, Newsom challenged Savage. The governor noted that the manner of care for people with mental health needs has changed over several decades: “At peak 1959, California had 37,000 mental health beds. Today, 500.”
He also resisted Savage’s descriptions of California as business-unfriendly.
“I think we have the highest tax rate, but not the highest taxes in America … the vast majority of middle-class taxpayers pay less than they do in California middle class than they do in states like Texas,” said Newsom.
The podcast revealed personal connections between the two California figures spanning decades, with Savage recalling encounters with Newsom during his time as San Francisco’s mayor from 2004 to 2011.
Despite their political differences, both emphasized the importance of civil dialogue. “I don’t have to agree with you, nor you with me, for us to sit and have a civilized conversation,” Savage said. “It’s the only way we’re going to solve the problems of the state and the country.”