When Gavin Newsom stepped in front of a camera, he was a California governor addressing his constituents as a crisis of civil disorder gripped pockets of Los Angeles. But by the time Newsom was finished, it was clear the governor was speaking not only to his state but to his country, and his beleaguered party.

To Democrats looking for direction and leadership, Newsom used one of the highest profile moments of his political career to lay out the threat he argued that US President Donald Trump posed to the nation, and how Americans should resist it. And he suggested he was the man to lead that fight.

California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks during an address on Tuesday evening (Wednesday AEST).Credit: AP

“Democracy is under assault right before our eyes,” Newsom said. “The moment we’ve feared has arrived.”

The next presidential election is more than three years away. But it was difficult to watch the speech, delivered as anti-Trump protests spread from Los Angeles to other cities, and not wonder if the 2028 campaign had already begun. This may well be a turning point both for Newsom and for the Democratic Party.

Newsom has made little secret of his interest in running for president, and the speech, posted on his social media channels, was filled with the trappings of a nationally televised address from a White House candidate. He was flanked by an American and a California flag, dressed in a suit and tie, and he read from a prepared speech, which is unusual for the governor, who has dyslexia. A copy of his prepared text was released to the media in advance of........

© Brisbane Times