The Political Battle For The Bros
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What is the focus of 'The Political Battle For The Bros' episode?
This is Fresh Air. I'm Tanya Mosley. California Governor Gavin Newsom recently joined the Manosphere, the world of political podcasts, streams, and YouTube channels where young men have become the new MAGA vanguard.
This is Gavin Newsom. And this is Steve Bannon. And this is Michael Savage. And this is Charlie Kirk.
The Democratic governor says the purpose of his new podcast is to have unfiltered conversations with people he doesn't always agree with. And so far, he's had on far-right media stars, many of whom were instrumental in Donald Trump winning the election. Well, my guest today, The New Yorker staff writer Andrew Morantz, looks at how Democrats are attempting to win back the support of young men in America, those they lost during the 2024 election. And for his piece, Morantz spent time with several high-profile podcasters and streamers, like Hasan Piker, a leftist star on the livestream platform Twitch with more than 3 million followers, who's known for modeling modern masculinity with progressive politics.
Morantz's article, The Battle for the Bros, Young Men Have Gone MAGA, Can the Left Win Them Back?, appears in the current copy of The New Yorker. And Andrew Morantz, welcome back to the show.
Thank you so much, Tanya. So good to be back.
Yeah. So as we just heard so far, California Governor Gavin Newsom has had on a couple of right-wing notables, including activist Charlie Kirk, who is the founder and president of the right-wing student organization Turning Point USA. And I actually want to play a clip from that particular interview. Kirk had just finished an event at the University of Southern California. And for the first few minutes of the podcast, Governor Newsom talks with him about how his niece and son both know Kirk, and how his son was especially excited that Kirk would be on Governor Newsom's show. Let's listen.
I'm honored to be on the show. Thank you. You were just down at USC? I was at USC yesterday, drew a big crowd.
By the way, I knew you were at USC early because my niece, who's graduating... She was the one with the MAGA hat on. She was... By the way, I do have to watch. But she was down there and she was like... You never know.
These kids are going to the right.
I'm aware. She said, this crowd's crazy. And the only reason she said it, she would have said it perhaps otherwise, but she knew you were coming on. The worst part though, Charlie, no BS, true story. Literally last night, trying to put my son to bed. He's like, no, dad. I just, what time? What time's Charlie going to be here? What time? And I'm like, dude, you're in school tomorrow. He's 13. He's like, no, no. This morning, wakes up at six up. Then he's like, I'm coming. I'm like, he literally would not leave the house. Did you let him take off school? No, he didn't. Of course not. He's not here for a good reason. But the point is the point.
Come on, you canceled school for like two years. Once one, it looks like one day.
The point is the point, which is you are making a damn dent.
Thank you. I'm kidding.
No, but I know. And I, but I appreciate that. I mean, it's the reason you're here because I think people need to understand your success, your influence, what you've been up to, and the fact that you're on these college campus doors. And to your point, man, you just open up. I mean, you're like, ask me anything. Anything.
That was a clip from California Governor Gavin Newsom's new podcast with conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Andrew, the big response and some of the criticism, particularly from the left, is that the governor is trying to find common ground versus challenging someone like Kirk, who has said some pretty inflammatory and offensive remarks. It actually appears that the governor is almost deferential. I'm wondering from you, how does this fit into what you've been writing about and researching about the Democrats' battle for the bros?
Yeah, it's interesting. I listened to that episode, and he was being very deferential. I think it's also really funny the way you introduced it as Gavin Newsom joining the Manosphere, because it's not clear what that means exactly, other than people talking in an unscripted way. So I understand the reaction to things like Gavin Newsom deferring to Charlie Kirk too much.
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