Gavin Newsom invoked Nietzsche. I thought of ‘Blazing Saddles.’

Until recently, everything I knew about Friedrich Nietzsche came from two movies.

“The Abyss” opens with his warning that when you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss gazes back. My other exposure came from “Blazing Saddles.” During a chaotic town meeting, Howard Johnson tries to elevate the proceedings.

A compelling why does not make the why righteous. Conviction supplies endurance. It does not supply morality.

“You know, Nietzsche says, ‘Out of chaos comes order.’”

Olson Johnson replies, “Oh, blow it out your ass, Howard.”

Mel Brooks provided the more memorable lesson.

So when California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) quoted Nietzsche while discussing a possible presidential run, I thought of Olson Johnson immediately.

In a PBS “NewsHour” interview, Newsom was asked what might keep him from running in 2028. He answered that