Opponents of the Recall are not trying to defend Gavin Newsom. That, after all, is an impossible task. Instead, they’re engaging in what a corrupt political class always resorts to when its power is threatened: character assassination.
Remember the talk of Newsom’s Recall “war council”? It’s been operationalized. The Democrats’ political director just accused me of somehow fueling domestic terrorists by opposing the Governor’s policies. This vile smear follows the infamous “California Coup” event, where Newsom’s cronies likened a citizens’ movement 1.3 million strong to a violent overthrow of the government.
Another broadside came yesterday from one of Newsom’s closest allies, a Senator from San Francisco, who tweeted: “Anyone who enables the recall is participating in a MAGA revenge fantasy.”
That would certainly come as a surprise to Chamath Palihapitiya. He’s a tech billionaire who supported Michael Bloomberg for President and just came out in favor of the Recall. It would also come as a surprise to David and Jacqueline Sacks, a couple that gave the maximum $58,400 to Newsom in 2018 and is now financially supporting the Recall.
But most telling, dozens of the Senator’s own liberal supporters immediately corrected him:
- “Excuse me? Your most ridiculous tweet ever,” wrote one. “I take offense with being lumped as a Trump supporter because our Governor is failing to do his job. Life long Democrat here who happily signed his recall. Newsom is destroying this state.”
- “I actually like you and vote for you. You’re off point here,” wrote another. “I’m telling you, the dissatisfaction with Newsom goes beyond party lines. You’d do yourself good and your constituents good, by recognizing that.”
- “As a constituent, I would love to see you bring the same energy to legislative oversight of the vaccine rollout, EDD, and Gavin’s many other failures,” wrote a Bernie Sanders fan, saying in another tweet: “I’m voting yes on the recall.”
- “That is insane,” read another reply. “I’ve signed the petition and I voted him (and you) in. Newsom has given us the most restrictions with the worst outcomes. Period.”
- “Californians have been defrauded of over $30+ billion dollars…holding those responsible accountable is our duty,” wrote a follower who said he’d supported the Senator for years, adding: “should I simply prioritize being on the right team? This is a lame and disappointing take.”
- “Are you honestly giving him a passing grade re: handling of PG&E, EDD, vaccine rollout, schools?” wrote a follower who recently called for Republican Members of Congress to be arrested for treason. “Stressing party over performance seems so dishonest.”
- “I have been a big supporter of yours since you were my SF Supervisor,” another replied. “But if schools are not opening in the Fall I will certainly support recalling Gov. Newsom.”
- “With all due respect, the recall effort is democratic and constitutional,” said one outspoken critic of Republicans in Congress. “@GavinNewsom let us down with EDD, arbitrary decisions on lockdowns, schools, and vaccines. Voters decide what happens next as it should be.”
- “The EDD mess is going to have millions of people siding with the recall people,” said a user who retweets the likes of AOC.
- “Senator, gov has violated many rules himself, failed everyone, including those who cannot help themselves,” wrote a follower who has tweeted comments like, “Vote Biden not murderers and psychopaths.”
- “I voted for him. He needs to go.”
These are not isolated examples. I speak every day with Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike who’ve simply had enough. They may not agree on much politically, but they agree we deserve so much better. They agree our lives should not be turned upside by a corrupt Governor. They agree there’s no reason California should ever rank 50th out of 50 in anything – let alone just about everything.
Meanwhile, Newsom is calling California’s “progressivism” the “roadmap to success” for the Biden Administration. That is the absolute height of delusion. But it does show that the Recall is a movement with national significance: an urgent warning to the nation not to copy California’s failures.
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