Commentary: Iran, Israel, pet otters and hair gel. Gavin Newsom's book tour stops in L.A.

"I was thinking I was Pierce Brosnan in 'Remington Steele.' I just discovered hair gel. He said in those early years he was often overcompensating for his own feelings of inadequacy as the son of a single mom who struggled to pay the rent. As a kid with learning differences, whose undiagnosed dyslexia put him behind in school."

"The engaging discussion was clearly geared toward dispelling the image of Newsom as 'that slick guy' (his own words), by covering his journey from an insecure, cocky young man trying to impress those around him to an adult who, through his successes and follies, has become comfortable in his own skin."

"He said that Democrats need to 'fight fire with fire' and be more 'ruthless' in their fight to win back the country."

Governor Gavin Newsom held a sold-out book tour event at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles to promote his memoir "Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery." The hourlong Q&A session, moderated by "Pod Save America" hosts John Favreau and Tommy Vietor, covered diverse topics including Israel, Iran, immigration enforcement, dyslexia, single parenthood, and his pet otter. Newsom discussed his transformation from an insecure, overcompensating young man to a confident adult, attributing early struggles to his mother's financial hardship, undiagnosed dyslexia, and his father's neglect. He emphasized that Democrats must adopt more aggressive tactics to win back the country, employing political rhetoric throughout the discussion.

Read at Los Angeles Times