Gavin Newsom's new memoir Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery dropped February 24, 2026, and he's hitting the road for the classic pre-2028 prez tour—talking himself up while pretending it's humble.
In Atlanta, chatting with Mayor Andre Dickens at a book event, Newsom tried bonding with the crowd (largely diverse, but the clip went viral framed as Black audience). He said: "I'm not trying to impress you. I'm just trying to impress upon you: I'm like you. I'm no better than you. You know, I'm a 960 SAT guy... And I'm not trying to offend anyone—trying to act all there if you got 940... Literally a 960 SAT guy. You've never seen me read a speech because I cannot read a speech. Maybe the wrong business to be in."
He blamed lifelong dyslexia, but conservatives blasted it as condescending pandering—equating low scores/reading struggles to "relate" while dodging DEI/affirmative action optics.
Memes exploded:
"I have a 400 credit score like you" as fake campaign merch.
"I can't read" riffing on "I can't breathe" with George Floyd imagery.
"Uncle Newsom" pancake mix parody (RIP Uncle Ben's wokeness edition).
Pending Netflix biopic: My Struggle (Mein Kampf swap).
One viral edit: Newsom saying he skips Red Lobster bills, talks loud in theaters, loves fried chicken, has baby mamas, fights at Waffle House—"I keeps it real, no cap."
Liberal media calls the memes racist; right-wing side shrugs and keeps posting.
Meanwhile, Newsom admits the Dem Party needs to get "more culturally normal" (slipped "less prone to pronouns/identity politics," focus on bills, childcare, healthcare). He insists no one in his office ever said "Latinx"—even though old clips show him using it for the "Latinx community."
Keep the memes coming.
