California’s Governor Gavin Newsom found himself defending his handling of Covid-19 after being questioned by podcast host Joe Rogan on Monday.
Newsom, who is also considered a potential presidential candidate for 2028, appeared on the Shawn Ryan podcast, where the host posed questions from his friends and fellow podcasters about various topics, including Newsom’s political career and personal life.
At one point, Newsom expressed surprise at a challenging question, saying, “Motherf—-r,” before admitting he was a fan of Logan, a critic of the Democratic Party.
Ryan cautioned Newsom that the next question would be quite tough. He read aloud, “Do you regret that tough decision influenced by the pharmaceutical industry’s desire for profit?”
Newsom quickly dismissed the idea that he had capitulated to Big Pharma and instead highlighted his advocacy for progressive laws aimed at regulating the industry. He insisted that California worked alongside the Trump administration during the pandemic to minimize harm, noting that some other states, including Florida, had similar approaches.
“Florida shut down bars and restaurants before we did. But it’s worth asking when they began easing those restrictions,” Newsom argued. He asserted that his team conducted an impartial evaluation of their pandemic policies compared to other states.
On the topic of vaccines, Newsom stated he believed they “would save lives,” but acknowledged the validity of Logan’s question. He mentioned having received considerable feedback from independent experts regarding their safety, clarifying, “I followed their advice as governor, not as a doctor.” He expressed humility in seeking an independent report on these matters, expected to be released next month.
Newsom reflected on past decisions and acknowledged a mistake in closing outdoor spaces like beaches, indicating that he would handle that differently now. He seemed to suggest that everyone, including President Trump, bore their share of humility regarding the uncharted territory they were navigating during the crisis.
Throughout the discussion, he emphasized that while California faced criticism for being a large focus of discontent, other states encountered similar situations. “We weren’t alone in our actions, yet California often gets labeled as uniquely ‘crazy’ for our measures,” he noted.
