Ruthless Podcast Hosts Rip Newsom’s Pivot as Calculated and Hollow

California Governor Gavin Newsom is trying to pull off the political reinvention of the decade but the hosts of the “Ruthless” podcast aren’t buying a word of it.

Appearing on Jesse Watters Primetime Tuesday night, Josh Holmes, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook, and Comfortably Smug took turns dismantling Newsom’s sudden “moderate” makeover, calling it a transparent ploy to position himself for a 2028 presidential run.

“Everybody sees through his BS,” Ashbrook said bluntly, questioning Newsom’s half-hearted attempt to walk back far-left positions on immigration and transgender treatments for minors. “He hasn’t stuck the landing,” he added, pointing to the governor’s awkward appearances on right-leaning podcasts as little more than theater.

Duncan cut right to the chase:

“He’s making a decision to go on the Republican track in the Democratic Party… It’s a bold choice.”

But while they acknowledged it might be Newsom’s smartest route politically, the "Ruthless" crew made one thing clear this is not genuine. It’s a desperate maneuver to distance himself from the radical mess he and his party have championed in recent years especially as socialist and communist-leaning candidates surge in places like New York City and Minneapolis.

Smug likened the Left’s unhinged trajectory to “Thelma & Louise let's go over the cliff,” mocking the fact that socialist Zohran Mamdani is leading both Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams in the NYC mayoral race. “Is there any rational group of Democrats left?” he asked. “I don’t know if there are any left.”

Holmes weighed in on his hometown of Minneapolis, where progressive politics and unchecked immigration policies have reshaped entire communities. He highlighted the rise of candidates like Omar Fateh, who reflect a completely disconnected, hyper-left ideology at odds with the rest of the state. “It’s sad,” Holmes said. “They have absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the state, completely on their own, on an island in the middle of Minneapolis.”

As Democrats descend further into radicalism, Newsom’s pivot may look like a return to sanity but the “Ruthless” hosts say don’t be fooled. It’s the same failed ideology, just rebranded with slicker PR.

In a nod to the podcast’s growing influence, FOX News Media announced this week a licensing deal with Ruthless, a strategic move to expand its footprint in the new media space. “There is a growing appetite for authentic political and cultural conversations,” the hosts said. “Our podcast delivers with no-holds-barred, irreverent takes that deeply resonate.”

And this episode proved it.

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