Fox News host Jesse Watters sparked controversy on Monday with crude remarks opposing California Governor Gavin Newsom's potential presidential run, sharing a critique that spectacularly backfired and left social media critics questioning whether it was a deliberate comedy routine.
Watters Questions Newsom's Qualifications
During a segment on "The Five," Watters and his co-hosts discussed Newsom's Sunday tour stop in Atlanta to promote his new memoir, "Young Man in a Hurry." At the event, Newsom told the crowd he is "no better" than them, admitted to scoring poorly on his SATs, and stated he "cannot read a speech."
"I don't want a president who scores poorly," Watters declared. "I don't want a president who struggles to read. I want a really smart president. Now, Gavin says he had dyslexia and he's overcome his dyslexia, and he's become governor and he should be proud of that."
Watters continued, "That's great, a great accomplishment, but he was a terrible governor."
Understanding Dyslexia
Newsom clarified on Sunday that he hasn't "overcome" his dyslexia but is simply "living with it." According to The Cleveland Clinic, dyslexia is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition affecting reading, writing, and spelling abilities, though it can be managed through various exercises and strategies.
Social Media Backlash Intensifies
Critics quickly slammed Watters for what they perceived as patronizing comments about Newsom's "great accomplishment." Many pointed out the apparent hypocrisy, noting that the MAGA-aligned pundit regularly defends former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly demonstrated difficulties with reading and pronunciation in public appearances.
One X user wrote simply: "Who's gonna tell him?" while another commented, "Well, you currently have one who struggles to think and never reads anything, so I'm not sure what your issue is." A third user joked, "This is the first time I've heard Watters say anything negative about Trump..."
Others shared video clips highlighting Trump's verbal struggles, including instances where he seemed to wrestle with the word "undisputed," mispronounced "coronavirus," and shared questionable medical advice while stumbling over "acetaminophen."
Newsom Fires Back
The controversy escalated when MAGA voices labeled Newsom a "racist" over his self-deprecating remarks from Sunday. Newsom responded forcefully on social media, calling out the "fake fucking outrage" before directly addressing Watters' concerns about having a president who "struggles to read."
"Jesse, you already have one," Newsom wrote Monday on X, delivering a pointed retort that highlighted the perceived double standard in Watters' criticism.
The exchange underscores ongoing tensions in political discourse surrounding disability, qualifications for office, and partisan media criticism, with Newsom's dyslexia becoming a flashpoint in debates about presidential fitness and media hypocrisy.
