Lt. Gov. Newsom campaigns in Fresno, takes on Trump in Twitterverse

In a cramped building in downtown Fresno that had many sweating and squirming uncomfortably in their chairs from the hot and stuffy conditions inside, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom remained cool and calm Tuesday.

The fourth-generation San Francisco native spoke at times with a slight Southern drawl, and with his hair somewhat slicked back, sounded and even looked somewhat like actor Matthew McConaughey.

It also helped that Newsom – a front-runner to become California’s next governor in 2018 – showed up to his Fresno meet and greet without a tie. He did, however, keep his light gray suit jacket on while speaking and walking around Tuolumne Hall before the crowded room that held roughly 150 people.

Plus, Newsom was speaking before “his people,” as the hall seemed to be filled with Democrats and enthusiastic supporters.

“I had someone tell me that the other day, ‘I’m only here just in case you win; I can’t stand you,’ ” Newsom told his audience, drawing a chorus of laughs.

He was clear on his stances on varying topics, notably touching on:

▪ High-speed rail: “I’ve long supported high-speed rail. I’ve also been very critical of the business plan.”

▪ Water storage methods: “I’m on record on supporting (above-ground) storage. … I want the best use of the dollar.”

▪ And economic and wage growth: “We could cut the unemployment rate in half tomorrow by addressing … the issue of work force development and skills.

“You can’t be high growth and high wage without high skills.”

But Newsom’s most powerful message of the day was saved for Twitter when he called out President Donald Trump about three hours before speaking in Fresno.

“The President of the United States is defending Nazis and white supremacists. On national television. We cannot forget this moment,” Newsom wrote in a re-tweet of a CBS News video tweet of Trump’s reaction to Saturday’s melee in Charlottesville.

The president – in a news conference that discussed white nationalists, racial slurs and the violence in Charlottesville – said: “I think there’s blame on both sides, and I have no doubt about it, and you don’t have any doubt about it either.”

Newsom, who’s viewed as a far-left politician, called his Tweets about Trump “therapy for me.”

“For people, they want to see forceful leadership,” Newsom said when asked by reporters how his criticism of Trump plays a role in his campaign. “We’re not a small, isolated state. We can punch above our weight. The president’s vision on economic growth cannot be realized without a successful California. He needs to understand that, realize that.

“His pathway to success for re-election will also come through California. So I think anyone running for governor in California needs to not just be ahead of the resistance, but also head of a movement that provides a positive alternative to his agenda, so that we can show the nation that there is a more enlightened path.”

Minutes earlier as he was talking to the crowd of supporters, Newsom also stated that “this anti-political correctness is not helpful, and it’s not helping.”

Newsom’s day trip to Fresno, which he said included visiting the Temperance Flat Dam and Reservoir, and his scheduled stop Wednesday in Bakersfield are part of his efforts to address the needs in the central San Joaquin Valley.

“I think there’s grounds to believe that in terms of performance as a state – we’re not doing enough to support the Central Valley,” Newsom said. “That’s why we’re here early. That’s why I’ve been doing town hall (meet and greets) up and down the Valley for months.

“We’re not just here for today. We’re not just leaving tomorrow and not returning.

“I want to make the point that the community out here matters,” Newsom added. “We care. And Democrats have a unique responsibility since we dominate every position in state government to step up our game and do more to support the community.”

This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 11:22 PM with the headline "Lt. Gov. Newsom campaigns in Fresno, takes on Trump in Twitterverse."