Governor Gavin Newsom still has several years left as California's leader, but according to his State of the State address on Tuesday, he has already mentally arrived at the White House.

“We face a choice between a society that represents our values ​​and a world darkened by division and discrimination,” Newsom declared at the very beginning of his speech, which he began with a reference to California Governor Culbert Olson, who governed the state in the early years of World War II and warned sternly about the dangers of fascism.

“Once again, our state and this House are called upon to show America that a program that puts freedom over fear is not only achievable, but inevitable,” Newsom said.

What do these flowery, dramatic statements mean to the more than six in 10 Californians who said the state is moving in the wrong direction in a poll released this month by the Public Policy Institute of California?

Not much – because the recorded speech that aired on the governor's social media channels Tuesday morning isn't really intended for them.

Rather, the article is aimed at a national audience – particularly “the California haters,” “Republicans” and “lawmakers in red states,” whom Newsom accused of wanting to “take us down because they know our success will shine a spotlight on their own failures.”

There are obviously serious national problems that need to be addressed. But Newsom is in danger of focusing on those problems at the expense of California's problems.

The governor is thus demonstrating his greatest political mistake: his hubris. Californians did not elect Newsom to solve the country's problems. They elected him to solve California's problems.

And judging by Newsom's lackluster approval rating—only 47% of likely voters were satisfied with his job performance in this month's Public Policy Institute of California poll (up from 57% in March 2023)—his performance leaves much to be desired.

“When we’ve heard more about the state of Louisiana than we have about California in the last few weeks, it just becomes a little obvious that you’re running for president instead of governing,” Rob Stutzman, a veteran Republican political consultant who worked in Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration, told me – referring to Newsom's X-Feedwhich is dominated by posts that sharply criticize the policies of the red states.

In fact, it is becoming increasingly clear that Newsom is literally quitting his job in Sacramento.

The governor's office confirmed this week that Newsom and his first partner, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, are moving their family back to Marin County – the affluent Bay Area where the governor and his wife grew up – to enroll their four children in school there. The move, a spokesman said, will “ensure continuity in their children's education.”

The Newsoms will keep their home in the Sacramento suburbs. But it's hard to imagine that the move doesn't mark a shift in focus — that Newsom, who often refers to himself as “the future ex-governor of California,” is increasingly thinking about what comes after the state Capitol.

The timing of his speech was also questionable.

The governor had originally planned to deliver the State of the State address in March, but his office decided at the last minute to postpone it because of uncertainty about the outcome of Proposition 1, his signature proposal to overhaul California's mental health system and issue $6.4 billion in bonds for treatment facilities and assisted living. Although Newsom supported the initiative with great political force, the vote was so close that it took weeks to confirm it had passed.

Newsom probably could have postponed the speech soon after it was clear that Prop 1 had passed, but instead he chose to wait until the week that President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are scheduled to hold their first debate – essentially preparing the country for a showdown between Democratic-led and Republican-led states.

Newsom's office said releasing pre-recorded virtual addresses allows the governor to “speak directly to the people of California … on their preferred platform and at a time of their choosing.” The office also attributed the timing in part to scheduling issues with the Legislature.

But the idea that scheduling conflicts could hold back a man as determined as Newsom is laughable.

After all, Newsom and his team managed to coordinate the complex logistics of his Fox News debate last November with Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. They also managed to push back the timing of Newsom's budget proposal for May so the governor could travel to the Vatican for a climate summit, meet Pope Francis and take a few days' vacation in Italy. And Newsom managed to round up lawmakers for a private reception this morning.

That Newsom chose an unconventional format for the State of the Union address is no big deal. As Democratic Sen. Steve Glazer of Orinda told me, “The message should fit the moment. The setting is secondary.”

Newsom's message may resonate nationally, but it's a far cry from California's message. Residents here want a governor who's there for them, not DeSantis. They want a governor who'll address their everyday concerns about homelessness and the cost of living, not just troubling Republican state politics. And they would no doubt have appreciated less commentary on the murder rates in Memphis and Jacksonville and more on the crime debate in Sacramento over whether and how to reform Prop 47.

These are not “California haters.” These are just Californians who want their governor to focus on them for a change.

Reach Emily Hoeven: [email protected]; Twitter: @emily_hoeven