Gavin Newsom Is No Jack Kennedy

He’s handsome, has great hair, and many say he has charisma. But when the world is burning and allies are under attack, style isn’t enough. Gavin Newsom has made clear that political ambition outweighs any obligation to moral responsibility.

Some have drawn comparisons between Newsom and a young John F. Kennedy. Charisma, charm, and style may invite such parallels—but true leadership is measured in moments of crisis, not in media appearances or applause lines.

The late Senator Lloyd Bentsen nailed it when he famously told Dan Quayle during the 1988 vice-presidential debate: “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.”

The same must now be said of Governor Gavin Newsom. He is no Jack Kennedy.

Kennedy understood something fundamental about leadership in a dangerous world: when democracies confront hostile regimes, moral clarity matters. When the former Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962, Kennedy did not hedge. He didn’t adjust his message to match polling, or pander to critics. He confronted the threat directly and protected America and its allies.

Newsom’s recent comments about Israel reveal the opposite.

During a public discussion this week, he suggested the United States may need to reconsider military support for Israel. He even entertained the claim that Israel could “appropriately” be described as an “apartheid” state — language long used by those who seek to delegitimize the Jewish state altogether.

This is a remarkable turn for a politician who flew to Israel shortly after the October 7 Hamas massacre and expressed solidarity with a nation reeling from the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Apparently, that solidarity had a short shelf life.

The timing of Newsom’s shift is impossible to ignore. Israel is currently fighting a widening war against the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies. Tehran has spent decades arming Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis — building missile arsenals aimed at Israeli cities and openly calling for Israel’s destruction.

“Death to Israel” is not a slogan shouted by fringe radicals. It has been Iran’s policy for 47 years. The United States is now directly involved alongside Israel confronting that threat. At a moment like this, American leaders should be sending a clear message: the United States stands firmly with its democratic ally. Instead, Newsom chose to question America’s support.

The political logic is clear. Polling increasingly shows large segments of Democratic primary voters holding sharply negative views of Israel. As a likely 2028 presidential contender, Newsom has chosen political expediency over integrity.

Leadership is more than following poll numbers; it requires conviction. Newsom’s comments come at a dangerous moment, as antisemitism rises across the United States. Jewish students face harassment, synagogues are threatened, and fringe rhetoric has gone mainstream. Calling Israel an “apartheid” state is not neutral commentary — it’s a weapon that isolates Israel and encourages attacks on Jews.

Leadership demands courage. Charisma is not leadership, hair is not leadership, and applause lines at book events are not leadership. Leadership means standing with democratic allies when they face existential threats — not abandoning them when it is politically convenient.

As Israel fights for its survival against Iran and its proxies, the United States should be unwavering. Instead, Gavin Newsom uses the moment to score political points.

Ambition over principle. Political gain over integrity. That is his legacy — a legacy stained in shame.

Reuven Taff is rabbi emeritus of Mosaic Law Congregation in Sacramento, CA.  His commentaries have been published in the Jewish Journal, The Sacramento Bee, The San Francisco Chronicle, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and other publications.  Contact him at rabbitaff@mosaiclaw.org.