LOS ANGELES—Politicians have long sought to project vitality, youth and a common touch by staging photo shoots spotlighting their athletic prowess. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is the latest to find out that plans for a confident jump shot can turn into a torrent of online potshots.
On a trip to China, the two-term Democrat took a detour from his official meetings on climate change to join a group of Beijing schoolchildren for a game of basketball. Before long, he was on his backside after accidentally steamrolling a grade-school defender.
