Latest news with #GeorgeSkelton
Gulf Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Governor Gavin Newsom is smart to roll the dice
George Skelton, Tribune News Service No outsider politicians venture into sultry South Carolina in July unless they are running for president. Certainly not a West Coast politician. Especially a California governor who lives in delightful Marin County near wonderful cool beaches. A governor who could easily vacation at spectacular Big Sur or hike a wilderness trail into the majestic Sierra. We can assume Gov. Gavin Newsom didn't choose South Carolina for its nightly light show of amazing fireflies or symphony of crickets. He was attracted to something so alluring that he was willing to brave skin-eating chiggers and oppressive humidity. The lure, of course, was that South Carolina will hold one of the earliest — perhaps the first — Democratic presidential primaries in 2028. The precise calendar for contests hasn't been set. But Newsom knows this: South Carolina propelled Joe Biden to the party's nomination in 2020. And it provided a huge boost for Barack Obama in 2008. 'What South Carolinians saw this week as ... Newsom made a two-day swing through the state was more than a highly visible candidate who probably will run for president in 2028,' wrote Andy Brack, editor, publisher and columnist at the Statehouse Report and Charleston City Paper. 'They saw a guy sweating through a white shirt in the South Carolina heat who was having fun. Yep, he seemed to enjoy engaging with voters in rural places too often forgotten by many candidates.' Yes, Newsom, 57, loves campaigning on the stump — a whole lot more than he does toiling in the nitty-gritty of governing. I'd only bicker with Brack's word 'probably' when characterizing Newsom's White House bid. We're talking semantics. California's termed-out governor actually has been running for months. And he'll run as far as he can, slowly for a while and try to pick up speed down the road. That's conventional politics. Most candidates — especially office holders — initially claim that running for president is 'the furthest thing' from their mind, then ultimately declare their candidacy with all the hoopla of a carnival barker. OK, I admit to having been wrong about the governor in the past. I should have known better. I took him at his word. He persistently denied any interest in the presidency. 'Subzero,' he asserted. But to be fair, he and reporters previously were centered on the 2024 race and the distant 2028 contest got short shrift. I figured Newsom mostly was running for a slot on the 'A' list of national political leaders. He wanted to be mentioned among the roster of top-tier potential presidents. He clearly savors the national attention. But I've also always wondered whether Newsom might be leery of running for president because of his lifelong struggle with dyslexia. He could view the task with some trepidation. The governor has acknowledged having difficulty reading, especially speeches off teleprompters. That said, he has adapted and is an articulate, passionate off-the-cuff speaker with a mind full of well-organized data. He excels on the stump — especially when he restrains a tendency to be long-winded and repetitive. Newsom is finally starting to acknowledge the White House glimmer in his eye. 'I'm not thinking about running, but it's a path that I could see unfold,' he told the Wall Street Journal last month. More recently, in a lengthy interview with conservative podcaster Shawn Ryan, Newsom said: 'I'll tell you, the more Trump keeps doing what he does, the more compelled I am to think about it.' Newsom's proclaimed hook for traveling to South Carolina was to 'sound the alarm' about President Donald Trump's brutish policies and to light a fire under Democratic voters to help the party win back the US House next year. He's again trying to establish himself as a leader of the anti-Trump resistance after several months of playing nice to the president in a losing effort to keep federal funds flowing to California. But it's practically inevitable that a California governor will be lured into running for president. Governors have egos and ears. They constantly hear allies and advisors telling them they could become the leader of the free world. And, after all, this is the nation's most populous state, with by far the largest bloc of delegates to the Democratic National Convention — 20% of those needed to win the nomination.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: Newsom's podcast offers insight into what 'voters really want'
To the editor: I couldn't disagree more with George Skelton's column ("Instead of bashing other Democrats, Newsom needs to look inward," April 7). I listened to Newsom's podcast the other day — all 90 minutes of it — and couldn't be more impressed. Newsom is engaging with the other side, which is exactly what needs to be done, especially as the Democrats (of which I am one) become increasingly clueless about what voters really want. I learned a lot about the disillusionment voters are feeling — to the extent they would pick a convicted felon over a candidate from our own party. I encourage everyone to listen and learn. Manuel 'Manny" Padilla Jr., Studio City .. To the editor: I appreciate what Newsom is trying to do with his podcast. My father and grandfather were both attorneys who enjoyed avid debates at the dinner table. I remember how during many of these discussions, one side might start to raise their voices in argument. At that point, my father would press the hold button and mention that argument is to be done logically, not emotionally. The point was, that as impassioned as one might be on a particular subject, it was better to become better informed and later bring up the argument when you had more ammo in your belt. Emotional and loud argumentation was not tolerated. Will Shaw, La Crescenta .. To the editor: I am a left-leaning registered independent — and a huge fan of Newsom's podcast. Following the election in November, I wanted real answers and explanations, not the repetitive, self-serving excuses that filled the liberal media bubble. So I sought out podcasts, books, news sources and interviews that presented balanced reporting and analysis of both the left and right sides of our political divide. It was through this search for alternative, more-balanced information sources that I discovered the "This is Gavin Newsom," podcast, which I find refreshing and informative. I don't care about the governor's political plans but greatly appreciate his willingness to ask open and probing questions, to engage in civil discussion and to discuss topics that are at times unfavorable to him personally and/or to the Democratic Party. There is much for his party to learn from these and other similar bipartisan discussions, if it is to be a viable contender in 2026 and beyond. Kathleen Byrnes, Pasadena This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: Newsom's podcast offers insight into what ‘voters really want'
To the editor: I couldn't disagree more with George Skelton's column ('Instead of bashing other Democrats, Newsom needs to look inward,' April 7). I listened to Newsom's podcast the other day — all 90 minutes of it — and couldn't be more impressed. Newsom is engaging with the other side, which is exactly what needs to be done, especially as the Democrats (of which I am one) become increasingly clueless about what voters really want. I learned a lot about the disillusionment voters are feeling — to the extent they would pick a convicted felon over a candidate from our own party. I encourage everyone to listen and learn. Manuel 'Manny' Padilla Jr., Studio City .. To the editor: I appreciate what Newsom is trying to do with his podcast. My father and grandfather were both attorneys who enjoyed avid debates at the dinner table. I remember how during many of these discussions, one side might start to raise their voices in argument. At that point, my father would press the hold button and mention that argument is to be done logically, not emotionally. The point was, that as impassioned as one might be on a particular subject, it was better to become better informed and later bring up the argument when you had more ammo in your belt. Emotional and loud argumentation was not tolerated. Will Shaw, La Crescenta .. To the editor: I am a left-leaning registered independent — and a huge fan of Newsom's podcast. Following the election in November, I wanted real answers and explanations, not the repetitive, self-serving excuses that filled the liberal media bubble. So I sought out podcasts, books, news sources and interviews that presented balanced reporting and analysis of both the left and right sides of our political divide. It was through this search for alternative, more-balanced information sources that I discovered the 'This is Gavin Newsom,' podcast, which I find refreshing and informative. I don't care about the governor's political plans but greatly appreciate his willingness to ask open and probing questions, to engage in civil discussion and to discuss topics that are at times unfavorable to him personally and/or to the Democratic Party. There is much for his party to learn from these and other similar bipartisan discussions, if it is to be a viable contender in 2026 and beyond. Kathleen Byrnes, Pasadena
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: Medi-Cal is the most cost-effective option for covering undocumented Californians
To the editor: George Skelton, in his March 24 column ('Newsom's dilemma after providing Medi-Cal to undocumented immigrants'), misses the key point. Cutting Medi-Cal funding for our state's undocumented immigrants will not decrease the costs of medical care. On the contrary, it will increase costs — unless we want to deport them all, which would be inhumane and a severe blow to our state's economy. People get sick and eventually require medical care, and someone will always have to pay the bill. Without a universal system of financing care, it will always be those of us with private insurance as we watch our premiums rise to pay for the care given to the uninsured. That care is far more expensive because these uncovered individuals wait until their conditions are severe and end up in our emergency rooms and hospital beds instead of getting access to regular, lower-cost preventive primary care through public insurance. Covering historically underserved and uninsured people will always be more expensive initially since the chronic conditions many of them have will need time to be brought under control through access to regular, affordable care. Over time the costs will come down, as there will be savings from avoided emergency visits and hospitalizations. Cutting off care for the undocumented is penny-wise and pound-foolish policy. Dr. Steve Tarzynski, Santa Monica .. To the editor: Skelton proves one doesn't have to be full MAGA to perpetuate one of their biggest lies. He writes: ' ... Democrats whiffed on last year were inflation — caused partly by federal government overspending ... ' If that were true, how did President Biden reduce the annual inflation rate between 2021 and 2024, given the massive federal stimulus and infrastructure packages he championed? Reading your articles to see how the other side thinks is a waste of time. You're all alike. Thomas Gillman, Los Angeles This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
30-03-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: Medi-Cal is the most cost-effective option for covering undocumented Californians
To the editor: George Skelton, in his March 24 column ('Newsom's dilemma after providing Medi-Cal to undocumented immigrants'), misses the key point. Cutting Medi-Cal funding for our state's undocumented immigrants will not decrease the costs of medical care. On the contrary, it will increase costs — unless we want to deport them all, which would be inhumane and a severe blow to our state's economy. People get sick and eventually require medical care, and someone will always have to pay the bill. Without a universal system of financing care, it will always be those of us with private insurance as we watch our premiums rise to pay for the care given to the uninsured. That care is far more expensive because these uncovered individuals wait until their conditions are severe and end up in our emergency rooms and hospital beds instead of getting access to regular, lower-cost preventive primary care through public insurance. Covering historically underserved and uninsured people will always be more expensive initially since the chronic conditions many of them have will need time to be brought under control through access to regular, affordable care. Over time the costs will come down, as there will be savings from avoided emergency visits and hospitalizations. Cutting off care for the undocumented is penny-wise and pound-foolish policy. Dr. Steve Tarzynski, Santa Monica .. To the editor: Skelton proves one doesn't have to be full MAGA to perpetuate one of their biggest lies. He writes: ' ... Democrats whiffed on last year were inflation — caused partly by federal government overspending ... ' If that were true, how did President Biden reduce the annual inflation rate between 2021 and 2024, given the massive federal stimulus and infrastructure packages he championed? Reading your articles to see how the other side thinks is a waste of time. You're all alike. Thomas Gillman, Los Angeles
