Published
4 years agoon
During his first couple weeks of managing California’s COVID-19 crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s words and actions were impressively cool-headed and measured.
Last week, however, he veered off the rails, needlessly causing alarm and confusion as Californians were adjusting to the greatest public health threat in more than a century. He, like President Donald Trump, failed to grasp that the hyperbolic rhetoric of a political campaign is not tolerable in crisis management.
Related Story: Governor Calls on Youth to Take Shelter-In-Place Seriously
“The numbers we put out today assume we’re just along for the ride, we’re not,” he said “We want to manipulate this number down, that’s what this order is all about,” he said.”
However, he simultaneously implied a justification for his letter to Trump. “If we’re to be criticized at this moment, let us be criticized for taking this moment seriously,” he said. “Let us be criticized for going full force and meeting the virus head-on.”
Newsom’s second stumble involved the stay-at-home order itself. It’s a rather technical document, but Newsom’s verbal explanation of its provisions didn’t always comport with what the document said. Moreover, its list of exempted “essential” activities was lifted from a federal document pertaining to war, rather than being tailored to California and this crisis.
It left Californians confused about what they could and could not do, business owners confused about whether they should operate or must shut down and lay off their workers, and local governments uncertain whether their own orders were superseded by Newsom’s declaration.
Finally, there’s the issue of martial law — or not.
Early in the week, while announcing that he might use National Guard soldiers to battle the spread of coronavirus, Newsom was asked about imposing martial law to enforce abatement orders.
Related Story: California Scrambling to Obtain Virus Protection Gear
Newsom replied that martial law could be used “if we feel the necessity,” adding, “I don’t want to get to the point of being alarmist, but we are scaling all of our considerations.”
A few days later, when he did activate the Guard, social media lit up with speculation that the governor was about to declare martial law, compelling administration officials to issue denials.
Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. He has written more than 9,000 columns about the state and its politics and is the founding editor of the “California Political Almanac.” Dan has also been a frequent guest on national television news shows, commenting on California issues and policies.
Fresno Pacific Classes Back Online Because of Omicron Surge
Inside the Weidert Parole Hearing. How a Fresno Murderer Gained His Freedom.
In Dueling Fresno Stops, Newsom Picks Up Litter While Cox Brings Trash Ball
Opinion: Parents Should Be Aware of Newsom’s Universal Pre-K Proposal
Fresno, Kern Residents Win $50K Each in Vaccination Lottery
Largest State Worker Union OKs $1 Million to Fight Newsom Recall