Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom really ought to learn not to engage someone who's clearly out of his league. Granted, the lists of people in public and private life who are out of Newsom's league would make "War and Peace" look like a comic book, but even so. The impeccably coiffed California governor has one thing in common with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau - both men have great hair without much of anything underneath it.

But on Thursday, when Gov. Newsom turned his attention away from his burning state to take a cheap shot in a video message aimed at Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, he got a great lesson on what it's like to be buried in opprobrium.

First, the Speaker himself replied.

Instead of making highly produced clap back videos with social media influencers, you should get to work helping Californians.

You’re the leader of a state in crisis, and you should finally start acting like it. https://t.co/ipKHFse0kU

— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 16, 2025

It went downhill - for Newsom - from there. Granted, the vacuous governor does have the capability of smiling through his troubles:

Gavin Newsom is concerned more about his image then the people of California. pic.twitter.com/nsMNwYeGue

— The Last Carnivore (@Da_Carnivore) January 16, 2025

Now, to be fair, Gavin Newsom isn't the only California politician whose acumen - not to mention his intelligence - is questionable, which led one other X wag to draw a comparison to three famous, California historical figures of note.

All 3 are incompetent! pic.twitter.com/x0BYLGp7T7

— TTL America (@TTLAmerica) January 16, 2025

Then, there were some more serious criticisms leveled; to be fair, there are volumes of serious criticisms one could lay out when discussing this fundamentally unserious governor.

@GavinNewsom - No. YOU put Californians at risk by prioritizing ILLEGALS and your Boondoggle projects over Citizens.

- You continued a long line of failed governors who couldn't be bothered to deal with proper Fire Prevention.

- You continued to not put money into…

— NH/Wynter/FTW (@WynterythTX) January 16, 2025

The post continued:

Warning: coarse language

- You continued to not put money into Infrastructure, such as fixing Dams and Reservoirs. 

- You've help delayed the Prop 1 Bond Projects 

SO, sit down and shut your greaseball trap, Gavin. You're a f'in disgrace.

This catastrophe lies solely on the governor of California. His complete and total ineptness and arrogance in land and water management is a farce and he should be held accountable and the people of California should demand his removal from office.

— Landen (@Huckfinn_11) January 16, 2025

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Then there's the "It ain't just a river in Egypt" approach:

Nothing is burning here. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/vYBpIXtaub

— Damn Yankee 💯 🇺🇲 🦅 (@damnnyankee1776) January 16, 2025

It's a gross understatement to say that, concerning the wildfires that are consuming California homes and businesses at a horrendous rate, there is plenty of failure to go around. Among Governor Newsom, Mayor Bass, and the clown-car inhabitants that make up the state's leadership (and I use the term "leadership" in the broadest possible sense) they all share responsibility for this act of unlawful carnal knowledge of a member of the genus Capra. But honestly, after the multiple beatings Newsom is receiving now, and given that he (sadly) harbors obvious presidential ambitions for 2028, one would think that now, of all times, he would be maintaining a discreetly lower profile.

But then, as my grandfather was fond of saying, "You can teach 'em, but you can't learn 'em."