Since the pandemic, when California lurched from one personal freedom sucking restriction to another, I have referred to Gavin Newsom as “Emperor, er Governor” reflecting the fact that he showed no fear at exercising imperial levels of power. He struck one as Palpatine-like and with each new edict you could see his power grow as his face turned uglier and uglier. But his presidential aspirations and poll-leading status not withstanding, he has failed to consolidate that power, making me see him in a new light.
He is getting immense pushback in his latest effort to redistrict California, in clear violation of laws just passed by ballot measure not that long ago. This appears to be a step too far, not backed by immense public fear and grossly partisan. Oh, it’ll carry because, well, California, but everyone knows this is not even faintly prudent. This may be iron-fisted, but it has an air of see-thru desperation to it. The iron fist packs no punch.
His sanctuary state actions have turned murderous. And in their wake some are beginning to wonder if he is really the best the Dems have to offer. Not only does the iron fist lack punch, it lacks effectiveness and commonsense.
Joel Kotkin rightly sees him as “a chameleon” – changing positions on a whim. And with that we begin to get some genuine insight. Add to that Josh Holmes observation on the show yesterday that Newsom seems to lack “strategy” (sorry this link is behind the paywall, I could not find this Holmes discussion anywhere else) and the picture really comes into focus. Newsom does not lack strategy, his strategy is simply driven in a reactionary fashion. His strategy is to be “not Trump.” When his post-election right turn blew up in his face, he decided that the best way to win was simply do the opposite of whatever Trump action Californians/Dems/far-left liberals were most opposed to at the moment. Gavin Newsom is the TDS candidate.
Which means, Trump can keep him flying around like a pinball that keeps hitting low scoring bumpers. (Younger people, here’s the reference. I was arcade champ at this particular game.) Newsom has given up control of his own fate to his opponent. It would be funny if it were not so sad.
And yet, he has a shot. Why? Because the TDS running through the Democratic Party may be the actual deadly pandemic of this century.
