What California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said about a possible presidential bid
Some have mentioned California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a possible choice for president, though Newsom has said in the past he would not run against Harris.
Updated: 12:13 PM PDT Jul 21, 2024
Thank you director and thanks for the chief and all of you for being here. This is an opportunity to familiarize all of you with something we’re deeply familiar with. And that’s the the equipment we have assembled here today that represents the largest fleet of its type anywhere in the world, the largest fire suppression fleet in the world under the jurisdiction of CAL fire under the jurisdiction of the state of California. It’s an opportunity not only to highlight the investments we’ve made, it’s also an opportunity to highlight the extraordinary people that operate this equipment that every single day are doing the good and hard work that’s necessary to keep people safe and address the challenges of our time. So I want to thank all the men and women of Cal Fire, all the extraordinary work they’re doing every single day to members of the National Guard that are out there preparing and have been preparing for wildfire season. Folks out there in the Conservation Corps and many others that have been out doing the work that needs to be done to prepare for this season. As the chief said, we are already experiencing *** disproportionately high number of acres burned, not fires started. What the chief just said the 3500 or so fire starts so far this year actually is *** little bit below the five year average. What’s significantly higher is the number of acres burn? In fact, you look over the last five years. We’ve averaged about 3800 fires by this time in the fire season, 3500, as he noted, plus or minus this year, the average acres burns have been *** little below 40,000 when you look at that five year average over 200,000 this year. So we’re seeing unsurprisingly predictably because of the rains, those light rains in particular, *** lot of grasses turning into brush fires. So these tend to burn out but move pretty quickly. That said, uh, lightning is not our front. We’re anticipating some lightning strikes this weekend. Up in the Sierras, we saw the abnormality of lightning strikes in the central valley, particularly around Fresno earlier in the season that we’re typically seeing them. There’s nothing again, typical hot. We say it all the time are getting *** lot hotter, experiencing unprecedented record heat. These heat domes over the entire Western United States, over and over and over and over and over again. Record breaking temperatures, record breaking experiences, not just in California across this country and around the rest of the world with respect to the chocolates out there. Climate change is real mother nature. She bats. Last bats 1000. She’s chemistry, biology and physics. Those realities, those extremes are here present every day in the great state of California. If you don’t believe in science, you have to believe your own eyes. The lived experience all of us have out here in the Western United States for that matter, all around the globe, places, lifestyles, traditions, quite literally, communities being wiped off the map in paradise. California, Grizzly Flats in Greenville, California. And this is *** serious sober time to be in positions of influence, positions of public service. And we’re grateful again for everyone that’s doing our best to meet this moment, not only address reaction and react to these challenges, but also to proactively shape an agenda to address the underlying issue in the first place. And that’s the burning of fossil fuels, the burning of oil and gas. It’s not complicated. And so we take this mission very seriously. But the mission again, we wanted to highlight today is the mission that you hear behind me with the helicopters that are moving. And this remarkable investment equipment unprecedented in California’s history that is up to the task $2.6 billion was preserved in the budget as it relates to our commitment to address forest management to address the needs to do more, to actively manage our forests, to address the issues around dispensable spaces. The chief said we’re hitting our targets as it relates to our active visitation management we have *** lot more work to do there. I can’t make up for the last 50 years, but over the last few years, we’ve been doing more than ever in partnership with an administration that’s done more than ever on these issues. And the privilege the day before I was here, I flew out to the White House, as Nancy said, we were able to secure the support from the White House with any politics without any hesitation to support uh our emergency requests in the past. I’ll remind you that was not so easy to make phone calls. We waited days and days. There were threats that we weren’t going to provide support for the people of this great state. That’s not the case today. It was *** state of mind as it relates to the White House and their support to be here for the American people regardless if they’re in California or Oklahoma. And so I want to thank President Biden for his swiftness and support. It was nice to be at the White House to discuss this wildfire season. It was top of mind, not just for me but other governors where I had *** chance to dialogue about their experiences, not just this year, but over the course of the last many years, I will note though the last two years we’ve seen below average number of starts and fires not starts but fire acres burned. But this year, this year portends some more challenges. So I hope people took notes, take seriously the opportunity to prepare themselves the responsibility. I think all of us have to do more to protect our families to be there for each other. And c.org site ready C is *** great site. *** new tool announced this *** few months ago, aggregated tool that highlights new technologies and new opportunities to keep you safe. On the basis of *** lot of the investments we made just briefly on that, the chief mentioned the number of alert fire cameras. These are *** I assisted cameras best in class. Next generation got hundreds and hundreds of these that we’ve procured and we put all over the state of California. We didn’t have this *** few years ago. The real time management, the ability now as it relates to projections, Techna Silver, *** remarkable company that has advanced opportunities to really sort of understand fire behavior in real time. The work we’re doing with the Pentagon, the Department of Defense, the work we’re doing with satellite technology and access that we have over the last few years that we’ve never had in the past these Nighthawks. The fact that they’re night hawks, we call them fire hawks allow us night time fire suppression. We’ve never had that in the past. You’ll see the C 130 behind me. Thank you to the President of the United States, Joe Biden for years and years and years, we had to battle with the previous administration to get these C 130 S, we couldn’t get them. We finally had them shipped out here. All seven of them, 1 70% complete. It will be under the Cal Fire brand very shortly. We’ll have five more up next year and all seven will be operationalized proudly under the Cal fire brand. You see behind me early in 2026. Again, I want to thank the administration for their support of these essential assets. In addition, as was noted by the chief, we’ve also procured exclusive use contracts. By the way, with full disclosure, this is *** bit, it’s *** competitive process. Some of the other governors in other states are very mindful of California’s ability to scale those investments to secure some of those resources. But I want everyone to know, we support our neighbors with mutual aid, we support our neighbors. We’ve done that consistently in Texas over the last few months and the mutual aid system, it’s *** way of expressing this. It’s best in class. There is no mutual aid system in the country. I would argue around the world as efficient, effective and co ordinated as the state of California. And you see that in these wildfires, you see folks, men and women down in riverside that make their way up to northern California and the Oregon border helping one another out. You see the Oregon firefighters down in southern California. You see folks from around the globe from Israel to Australia also supporting our mutual aid program. But I want to note we’ve also provided more resources for our local mutual aids by providing more resources, specifically equipment and trucks. Like the one you see behind us, putting the brand of the local municipalities supporting that through the funds coming from the state of California. Forgive me for being so long winded. I can go on for another 20 minutes about virus. I can go on about so many of the other programs that are operationalized. I just want to thank Joe and his team. I want to thank Nancy as I conclude for her work. As you may know, California has been *** leader as it relates to heat illness. We will be the first na first in the nation. I believe stress test that and forgive me. Uh any state that may be ahead. Um But it’s *** point of pride if they are, we have *** heat index that we have been organizing around. It will be in effect in January, not in effect right now. For one reason, we want to get it right. Hh SEPA, not just coe bringing together all these disciplines, all these agencies to create *** heat index that’s easily digestible, easily understood that will aid and abe our efforts to advance some of the work that she’s been doing in our so our State Operations Center and the work we’re doing to operationalize our heat illness plans that went into effect *** few weeks back in anticipation of the heat dome and the extreme heat that we continue to experience. We’re looking forward to some modestly cooler temperatures in the aggregate. None, none of us live in the aggregate. So I’m mindful of that, but in the aggregate Friday, Saturday, um and uh we’re doing our best to keep people safe and you have to do, we have to all do our best to keep hydrated. Stay in the shade, use your common sense over the course of the next few days as we work our way through this. Um One final point of emphasis, um I just want to thank the legislature. We went through *** process this year. We not only balanced this year’s budget, we balance next year’s budget, but we didn’t do it on the back of these investments. And I want to give you *** proof point of that. When I got here was elected in late 2018, was there with the former president in Paradise California talking about the ravages of climate change and the impact that had on the lives that were lost. And the devastation, we had about 6700 cal fire personnel in July of 2018 marked about 6700. Today, we have 9700 cal fire personnel. I want to thank the legislature for their support and we just approved *** plan in our two year budget that over the next five years, we’re committing an additional 2400 personnel to CAL Fire that’s making up for issues around CDCR. It’s allowing us to augment our efforts and it allowed us to do. And this is *** long winded point of gratitude to the legislature to maintain my commitment that I made. But it can’t be mine alone. It had to be our commitment. It had to be ratified and supported by the legislature as it relates to the quality of life, the wellness of members of CAL fire and we were able to reduce the work week and the stresses on not only members of CAL fire but their families as well. And we were able to hold the line in that 66 hours that was not anticipated in this budget process, but they held the line and I just want to congratulate them for that as well. So thank you all for coming out taking this moment seriously. What more evidence do we need in the extreme heat and all of these relatively larger fires that we’ve experienced the last five years with that? We’re all here to answer any questions, Governor Jeanie Nguyen with ABC 10. As you’ve mentioned, we’ve experienced *** record breaking heat especially last week. We even had *** heat related death in Sacramento County. What do you have to say to people who feel like this press conference is coming *** little too late? Given that you left the state last week to be *** part of President Biden’s campaign. Well, we’ve been at this, we’ve moved forward with the State Operations Center. We moved forward with our well established heat illness protection plan. I initiated that governor, we’ve been monitoring every morning monitoring what’s going on here in the State of California. We provided the investments in *** budget deal that I just got done with the legislature just *** few days ago. As I noted, I was just here 56 days ago, right before we went out to the White House to get the emergency declaration signed and to get the kind of support that we anticipate we’ll need moving forward for the rest of the year. So look, this is tough business. There’s *** lot going on in the world we’re living in and I’m proud of the work the state has done. Hi, Governor, *** recent report found that Black Californians, Latinos and native Americans die at disproportionate rates from extreme heat. So what specific things is your administration doing to protect these vulnerable populations? Well, it’s laid out in detail in the plan. One of the things we’re prideful of in the state of California is *** framework around cultural competency. It’s *** bottom up, not top down plan. It’s based upon *** lot of the lessons we’ve learned through *** series of challenges, not least of which the challenges of the pandemic, we established *** program. You may be very familiar with Leos, which is *** big part of our ongoing investments as it relates to reaching out to vulnerable and diverse communities across the state, knocking on doors, going door to door to provide support to amplify *** volunteer workforce, which is now larger than the Peace Corps, the cooling centers we’ve opened with *** socio economic framework and concern. I’ll have Nancy amplify because you deserve *** more granular response to that question. But I’m very mindful. We are *** majority minority state of the responsibility. We have to do more, particularly in rural parts of the state, parts of the state that are under served up under representative and it’s *** big part of the core values that we try to advance. But again, just as it relates to the previous question, we have, we have *** lot more work to do in dealing with these unprecedented extreme times. But I will say the unprecedented work that has been done is *** point of pride and Nancy deserves so much credit. So I’ll ask her to amplify her response as well. Governor, you did *** great job with the Leos program. But as well as once the state Operations Center is activated, we also activate our priority populations task force which basically works through our operational areas, which are our county emergency management agencies to identify those communities where we need to reach out to their CBOs to all of their recreational areas, making sure that they centers have all the resources that they need across the state. So we are out there in full force making sure that we’re trying to hit every community that has vulnerable populations that may not heed some of the warnings that we blast through the media. And so they are out there in full force with each of the communities, especially targeting those areas right now that have the largest wildfires. Thank you. And then governor just *** non heat related question for you. Where do you currently stand on, on policies that would require the schools, teachers and counselors to notify their parents if their kids are transgender, there’s currently *** bill on your desk that would prohibit teachers from doing. So where do you stand on this? I got 60 bills. That’s one of them. And I’ll let you know very shortly and we’ll be reviewing that with my team and staff. The details that bill I’ve been following that. I’m well aware of the LGBT Q caucus and their advocacy in that space. I haven’t read the details of the bill yet as is the case as you know. Well, all too. Well, I try to familiarize myself with the nuances and details before I apply publicly and I’ll be doing just that this week with the team, but on this issue, it’s been an issue for more than *** year and you’ve thought about it for *** while. So where do you stand on it? I’m going to respectfully defer to the fact that I have *** bill pending in front of me for my signature that could occur as early as today, as late as tomorrow or this week. And I’ll have the opportunity to review the details of the bill. It’s not *** hypothetical any longer. It’s *** specific question you’re asking and it deserves *** specific response on the basis of *** specific understanding of each preposition verb and adjective in the bill. Hi, I’m Ky from Politico. So you have less fire starts this year than last year and more technology and equipment. So why are there more acres being burned? And what if anything can be changed to prevent that? Well, we have to address the underlying cause in the first place. Uh And that’s, that’s the heat, you know, trapping gasses got address the issue of fossil fuels. We got to hold polluters accountable. We got to address the underlying issue. Fundamentally, that’s *** substantive answer, but you asked *** specific about grass fires were implied and brush fires in the late rains and how that’s impacted. And we have an expert in the chief of CAL Fire behind me who is eager to share his input and his experience with these particular conditions. Thank you governor again, Joe Tyler, uh director of CAL Fire. So the uh snow pack, we see our reservoirs full. We see late rains that have grown our herbaceous, fuels our grasses quickly in some areas you can find that they are still 4 to 5 ft tall. We find ourselves here recently that we had the high temperatures associated with the high temperatures we had north and north west and northeast winds that have pushed the fires that have been ignited to where we are today. Now, we should be so grateful that because of these grass fires and because of the technology and the resources that we have that though the acres are big, the fatalities at this point are zero. The structures damaged or destroyed are low. It is largely because of the heat, the drying of the fuels and the winds that have been associated with it that this vegetation has burned so rapidly. I have an additional policy question but it’s still related to fires. So Senator Scott Weiner recently introduced *** bill that he said he’s negotiated with the governor and with CAL Fire to change the system of fire maps and to give the cal fire more or the state fire for more regulatory authority, I wanna know what you’re trying to achieve with this and what you say to people who say that it won’t solve any insurance problems and it will put people, more people in the line of danger because there it could promote more development in fire prone areas. So the proposal first and foremost is to decrease confusion. So here we are in 2007, we found ourselves introducing wildfire hazard severity maps. And we had three zones, very high fire hazard severity, high fire hazard severity and moderate in the high fire hazard severity in the very high fire hazard severity zones. Building. Uh Chapter seven *** building codes required them to build and provide home hardening and defensible space at the same level. It is very confusing when you have fire hazard severity zones that are recognizing the hazards associated and the hazards that we can reduce, to protect your home, protect your property versus the risks associated with that becomes much more confusing. So the goal of wildfire mitigation areas is really to reduce from three zones to two and to limit the ability for people to use their discretion based on which of the three zones you’re in as to what levels of housing you may or may not allow. Thanks. Thanks Dr Hi, Governor. Uh Tr went with the *** P last week. You decided to abandon *** plan that would have put *** prime focus initiative on the ballot to compete with. What’s now prop 36. Are you planning to actively campaign against prop 36 or how are you planning to fight this ballot? Well, I think it’s *** bad initiative. I think it’s misleading. They do it under the auspices of *** retail framework. It’s interesting, they didn’t even include any changes to the retail threshold which has gotten so much attention. And why didn’t they? Because it’s the 10th toughest in America. I know that’s widely reported. Um It’s really *** drug policy reform that brings us back decades, very concerned about that. I hope people take *** close look at what they’re proposing. Um So I won’t be supporting it. Um I don’t think that’s the best way to address this issue on the ballot locking things in, but I hope all of us are held to some accountability. Those that support it. Good people that support it to this question, they need to answer it. How are you going to pay for it? Where are the billions of dollars going to come from? What programs programs like this supporting our wildfire suppression strategies work we’re going to do to address the issues of extreme heat. The challenges we have across the spectrum of issues. Where is the money going to come from? That’s not my word. Um Take, don’t take my word for it. It’s not *** rhetorical question. The LAO put out the costs were extraordinary over the course of the next decade or so. I don’t think it’s the right approach to lock in uh these things as they have. So, uh yes to your question specifically, uh I’ll be campaigning against it, but I’m also not naive. There’s *** lot to do. Uh It’s, you know, *** lot of issues and on the ballot, *** lot of challenges we face. But I hope the people of the State of California, I have the opportunity to consider this consider the alternative pathway that the legislature has taken the work that we’ve done with *** package of actual retail theft bills that will be landing on my desk very shortly. The work that we’ve done since 2019 $1.1 billion to invest in vertical prosecution and new technology and to provide more staffing to r to investigations and most every county, they’ve taken advantage of those grants of the task forces that we put together years and years ago to address legitimate issues of retail theft and the legitimate issues that are way outside the purview of proposition 47 which is organized retail theft and the legislature to their credit has an organized retail theft package that I look forward to signing. We’ve been working actively with them as many as 1213 bills that are active as we speak. And I think that’s *** much better approach and we will continue our effort to march to address these issues which again are legitimate in this state. Uh But uh that initiative prop 36 is more of *** drug policy reform that takes us back on drug policy as it relates to possession and will cost the taxpayers billions and billions of dollars over the next decade. That will have *** profound impact on programs across the state. I reject the premise that it’s foundation, *** retail bill. It’s not, it’s *** lot more and I will not be supporting it. Hi Governor Cynthia Bole with the San Francisco Chronicle. Um just to follow up on that *** little bit. Um in terms of the measures that have made it on the ballot, what are gonna be your priorities in terms of what you campaign for and how focused are you gonna be on ballot measures in California races? Given your involvement with the Biden campaign and the presidential race? Well, I’m deeply involved in California races. Actively involved. I hate the phrase, there’s *** lot of receipts to prove that I’ve been involved in *** lot of local races, *** lot of congressional races for months and months and months. We’ve been out there fighting the good fight. So it’s not just top down White House, it’s bottom up. So we’ll be active. We’ll continue to be active in that space. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done so far and the work that our candidates are doing at local races as it relates to these initiatives. We’re taking *** good look. We got *** lot of them off the bat. My number one priority, full disclosure transparency was to get that, that big oil initiative off the ballot that would have set us back as relates to health and safety for vulnerable communities in the state. That was *** big deal. We were able to get *** number of other issues off the ballot as relates to children’s hospitals, financial literacy compromises were made. So I’m very pleased with that, but there are *** number of issues as you know, that are remaining not as many as prior and we’ll be taking *** good look at all of them over the course of the next weeks and months. This is our annual, we do this every year as we sort of dance for clarity right after the dust settles and uh and uh we’ll figure out where we land. I tend to be pretty vocal about my opinions as you know, and anticipate being so as it relates to those remaining ballot initiatives. And in terms of your decision last week to pull your alternative crime measure, we saw your statement, you said there wasn’t enough time for amendments. Can you be more specific? What were the specific policy problems with that proposal or was it more of *** political decision in the end? I’ll tell you, I I support I was, I think I was lieutenant governor. I was not popular with my democratic colleagues supporting the 72 hour rule until last week. And I thought my gosh, I wish we had *** little extra time because we were running down in terms of getting that bill to print and there were *** few amendments we wanted to make. Uh we just didn’t have *** willing partner on the other side with respect, they may reject that. But uh I, I know that and uh and so there were, there were some things that we thought we can do. I think the fentaNYL issue is very real as you know, I’ve been very vocal on that. We’ve more than doubled the National Guard. We have close to 400 National Guardsmen and women. Um working on our counter drug efforts all across the State of California. I have significantly increased the number of National Guard at the, at the border since I’ve become governor as it relates to fentaNYL interdiction. Met with President Xi specifically on the issue of precursor chemicals related to fentaNYL. It is *** top priority for me. I felt it *** huge mistake that *** member of the legislature killed the tr bill. The Xylazine Bill, forgive that street name is Frank. It was *** big mistake. So I’m very active in that respect and that was *** component part of what we were trying to achieve specific to your question. But there was some language on that where there was some modest adjustments that we couldn’t make at the final analysis. So we’re working with the legislature independently on *** parallel track, doesn’t require going on the ballot to support an effort there that’s targeted and specific, not the scattered shots that the folks on the prop. Now 36 are trying to advance, which will bring us back to the 19 eighties as it relates to drug policy in this state. And I think it runs completely contrary to the where the vast majority of Californians are. That’s why I plead with them. Take *** look at the details of prop 36 and ask yourself, where is the money going to come from? How are we gonna pay for this and how, what’s the price of modest possession, possession of someone now that will be incarcerated in the state penitentiary at *** huge cost with the kind of outcomes that we know all too well, are not commensurate with that kind of investment to clarify the willing partner. Is that in the legislature that you didn’t, the legislature was next level cooper, they were extraordinary. And up until the last minute legislative leaders, I’ve got nothing but praise privately. I’ve been singing their praises all up and down the state and it’s good to be able to say that publicly and clarify that. Thank you for that question, Governor, you disagreed with some of your allies about the use of MC funding and that measure is going to the ballot to create *** more permanent stream of funding, which is more than what you would want to do. Are you prepared to oppose that ballot measure? I mean, that’s one of the many things that we’re considering. Look, I think it reduces our ability to have the kind of flexibility that’s required. And I don’t say this lightly and, you know, I don’t say it like that and I don’t say it to brag, but it’s *** deep point of pride. It’s one of those rocking tear tests. You’ll look back in your life. And uh I’m really proud of the work we’ve done on health care investments and expansion. I don’t know that many states have ever invested across the spectrum as we’ve invested. I mean, the cal proposal over the next five years, the investments as relates to brain health and physical health, the integration, the 1115, 1332 waivers, the work we’re doing to incorporate rent in that respect, the work we did to become the first state in the country to get Medicaid waiver to allow people exiting CDC R. To get on to me the work we’ve done to expand medical regardless of your pre existing condition of to pay regardless of your immigration status. The work we’re doing on mental health next level, not just mental health as it relates to the forms under proposition one, the work we’ve done 0 to 26 to focus on prevention and screening and identify early needs workforce investments. The work I’ve done to establish *** framework of support under proposition 56 to provide backfill. I can go on. I mean I can go on. My point is it’s *** point of pride. So this is *** coalition I respect I admire, I’ve long supported, they’ve supported these efforts. But this initiative hamstrings our ability to have the kind of flexibility that’s required at the moment we’re living in. And God forbid we wake up after November 5th in *** different moment with less less, less flexibility and we will be locked in on the basis of facts that are not in evidence flexibility is important. So that’s my position on it. I haven’t come out publicly against it, but I’m implying *** point of view, perhaps you can read between those many, many lines. I heard it. My next question is in September, you said in an interview with Chuck Todd that you would not oppose or run against Kamala Harris in *** presidential campaign. And I’m curious if you still feel that way. Of course. Yes. Hi, Governor Nicole Nixon Sacramento. You have obviously been very vocal of your support of President Biden. Staying in the race. Democrats in swing districts are some Democrats in swing districts calling for him to drop out Nancy Pelosi this morning raising questions. You know, her, would she have said that if she didn’t have legitimate concerns legitimately didn’t hear the contact. I, but I did hear of it when I walked in and my staff said, did you hear what Nancy Pelosi said? Uh and uh they provided me *** little out of context. So I, I don’t honestly have much to say about that. And even what I understood her to say is unsurprising in that respect. I mean, it is obviously *** decision of the President of the United States, but look more, moreover, I had the privilege of being, you know, miss my kids this weekend. *** lot of folks are having barbecues and I was spending time folks having barbecues over the weekend and *** lot of parts of our country. And there were record crowds, unprecedented crowds of support for the President, United States. I think I’ve had 100 media outlets asking the same question and I think I’ve amply answered my support for the president and the support I saw on the ground was demonstrable. And that’s where I am and that’s where I stand and the president stood firm supporting NATO last night. In contrast to President Trump, who said he didn’t even know what NATO was. That’s how unserious Donald Trump is. So I don’t even know what it was when I first ran for president. Contrast that with the steadfast support of President Biden in his remarks last night on the 75 th anniversary in the master class of managing our alliances. NATO has never been stronger and nato’s has never been bigger. The contrast is profound and so that’s what I’m focused on, focused on supporting this campaign. This candidate is *** man of character, decency and honor and contrast that to the darkness that is Donald Trump governor. Thank you for your time, Steve Large CBS 13. As you’ve noted *** lot going on in the last couple of weeks, we had the end of the legislative session. We had the alternative prop 47 reform bill that was being discussed. We have the wildfires. We have the Emergency Operations Center here opening up. We also have the debates between Biden and Trump that you went to. We have the campaigning on the East Coast for five days. So if you could just help us understand what is the balance that you are trying to strike here between, have you got for the president and 10 state business? I think I need some, I need *** day off. It’s been, it’s been *** grind and it’s been *** point of deep pride. I care about this country. Our democracy, I celebrate it like you hope we all did. I raised my flag right size up, not upside down. On Fourth of July 248 years, the best of Greek democracy in the Roman Republic, popular sovereignty checks and balances. And I can assure you founding fathers didn’t live and die to see us on the sidelines at this critical time in our country. So the balance is, I’m all in for the American people are all in for the largest state in our union. 40 million strong Democrats, republicans, independents, but that have enjoyed democracy, that have enjoyed freedom, that have enjoyed liberties. And I have *** responsibility to meet this moment. And I felt responsibility to miss my family on Fourth of July and to be there for this country for our promise and what we’re promoting. So there’s no balance. I’m all in, all in working, day in day, out, night and day, Saturday, Sunday. There’s no days off all in, committed to the state, our nation and the world we’re trying to build. And the critics that say that perhaps you’re distracted by the presidential campaign when it comes to tending to the state business. It’s just, I mean, *** could not be more untrue. Everything about this campaign will impact this state disproportionately. We were involved in 100 and 22 lawsuits with the Trump administration. Don’t you guys remember that? The chaos, the fear, the anxiety, how he played politics, politics, and what he referred to at the time as pleasure, California. He was serious. He said we need to rake the forest, daylight and darkness. This is *** profound and consequential moment. This is all in moment for all of us. This is serious for this state. No state has more to lose in this context than the greatest state in our nation. The tent pole of the American economy where 16% of the American jobs came from just last month. The fifth largest economy in the world. No state has more to lose in this context. Women, millions and millions of women, they’ll denied basic freedoms access. You saw, you saw an OBGYN in Louisiana said, I’ll never unsee what I saw. She said, I saw *** young girl, 13 years old who was raped, that was forced to bring to term her baby clutching *** teddy bear. That’s the world we’re living in under Donald Trump. That’s the world he’s promoting. This is *** consequential moment for all Californians and all Americans, forgive me. But this is *** very intense thing for me. And so when I say I’m all in, I’m all in. Thank you, Governor. Thank you hearing you say that you’re all in. But the New York Times this morning had an op ed written by George Clooney, one of the president’s biggest fundraisers and allies calling you out by name among other democratic leaders to settle on *** new candidate to figure out what it will take to go into the convention. United. Can you please respond? I have not read this op ed this morning. I was frankly focused on the nuances and details of the procurement for our, our, what is it, the wildfire suppression underbelly on the C 130. So I haven’t had *** chance to read it. Look, *** lot of people expressing their opinion and I respect people actively participating in our democracy by expressing themselves, but I don’t have any comment as it relates to George who I’ve known for years and years and mere and respect. Um And uh he’s been an incredible supporter of democratic causes. Democratic candidates for years and years and years. I’ll take *** look and uh and uh perhaps I’ll have more to say after I read the Op Ed. Thank you, Governor in California. Voters will decide whether to reform prop 47. How will you use your powerful voice to encourage them. Well, I don’t think they’re reforming prop 47. They’re bringing us back to the darker drug policy age on possession. They’re asking the taxpayers to invest billions and billions of dollars we don’t have without identifying any funding source. It’s under the guise of 47 but it doesn’t even include the felony threshold. Wasn’t that the principal mantra of most of your reporting for the last two years go back to your own reports. The issue was, wasn’t the issue, the threshold. California voters in 2014 rolled back the thresholds to $950. They don’t even include it in their reform. What more evidence do you need that? This is not what they pretended to be or at least suggest it to be. So I just hope people take *** good look, read it. Uh I’ve read it. Uh I will not be supporting it. I don’t think it’s good public policy. I’ll be supporting the bills that we’re working with the legislature to actually address the issue and continue the work we’ve been doing to invest in vertical prosecutions and investigations and investing in technology in counties and communities sheriff’s offices. Da’s offices all throughout the State of California. I was down in Orange County *** few weeks ago. I think we provided over $2 million for the Orange County das office on retail theft. They’ve never had resources from the state ever in their history to invest in addressing the real issues of retail theft. Proposition 36 is not about those issues. It’s about another agenda altogether. Hi, Governor Andrew Oxford from Bloomberg. Uh You’ve talked to me about the big picture here of climate change. Your administration is proposing *** delay in implementing SB 253. Can you talk about why the reason for the delay or, or what or what you’re hoping to do? I’ll offline. Let’s talk *** little bit more about the work that we’re doing with California Resources Board as it relates to the details of that bill, as you know, from my signing statement last year, this nation leading effort to advance more transparency in this space, we indicated the need to work on language and that’s exactly the process that is unfolding in real time and it’s *** process that continues and I’d encourage you going back specifically to my signing message and we’re in that process of implementing what I stated in that signing message. Hi, Governor Alexei Casa from CAL matters. Um earlier this year at your administration’s urging, uh prisons were removed from *** proposal to create new indoor heat rules for workers in California. Um This past weekend, we saw an inmate die from heat issues at *** prison in Chowchilla. Do you stand by the belief that it’s too expensive for California to implement new heat safety rules for prisons? And what is your administration doing to deal with the clear d to prisons and work. I’m going to specifically on that incident, which I am aware of. I’m getting *** full briefing tomorrow from my team in CDC R. There’s *** number of other issues we’ll be addressing but substantively to understand the details of this and I’ll, and we’ll be able to brief that out after I get that briefing you and your administration, believe it’s too. And that’s why we’ve organized the meeting, meeting with my team. We’re going to have more to say on that specific topic. I’d rather get the briefing fully. So you’ll have *** deeper understanding of the administration’s approach where the director of CDC R is on this, the nuances, the specificity I want to understand this more fully as well and what the alternatives are and the work that they’re doing and what they were promoting and what they were pledging to do. And I’m going to stress test all of that. We’re going to have more information to provide to you with that. We thank you all for staying fully on topic today. Grateful though. Moreover, that we are here and at this remarkable site and I just want to again, thank all of you. But moreover, all of the men and women in uniform you see behind us for their extraordinary work. This is *** tall task. Summers are tough, July, August September. You didn’t ask me about energy reliability, we can do that another time. All of these things are front and center time and topical and all of them are feeling stress under this extraordinary moment we’re living in as it relates to these extreme heat events. Stay safe, stay hydrated. Thank you all you on.
What California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said about a possible presidential bid
Some have mentioned California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a possible choice for president, though Newsom has said in the past he would not run against Harris.
Updated: 12:13 PM PDT Jul 21, 2024
President Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he will no longer continue his 2024 reelection bid thanked Vice President Kamala Harris for being “an exceptional partner.”He then endorsed her as his successor. “My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made,” Biden said. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”Biden said he would speak to the nation in detail next week. Democrats are set to gather in Chicago to pick who will run against Republican former President Donald Trump starting on Aug. 19. (Previous political coverage in video above: California Gov. Newsom speaks about wildfire season, answers question about Biden campaign.)Some have mentioned California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a possible choice for president, though Newsom has said in the past he would not run against Harris. Newsom on Sunday called Biden an “extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans. He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”Before Biden’s announcement, a spokesperson for Newsom’s campaign had told KCRA 3 on Friday he was expected to continue his work as a top surrogate for the Biden-Harris campaign.Newsom confirmed earlier this month he would not run against Harris in any presidential campaign. “Of course,” he said when asked if that was still his plan after first making the statement on “Meet the Press” last fall.On Sunday, Newsom canceled an appearance at a Ninth Judicial Conference where he had planned to make remarks on Monday. Newsom for years has repeatedly said he is not interested in running for president, while also making several efforts to raise his national profile. The governor has been in and out of California over the last several months, straddling state business while stumping for Biden. He most recently visited Michigan and Pennsylvania to campaign for the president during the Fourth of July weekend. Newsom also traveled to support him in Washington, D.C. in a meeting with Democratic governors following the president’s poor debate performance. Days before that, he made his rounds with the media in the spin room of the very first presidential debate between Biden and Trump.Aside from his work as a surrogate, Newsom has positioned himself at the forefront of national political debates, especially on issues related to guns and abortion. Newsom launched his federal Campaign for Democracy to promote Democratic causes across the country. As of June 30, the campaign had raised $10.3 million. That campaign has funded a series of abortion-related ads in Republican-led states with restrictive policies. Through his Campaign for Democracy, he has also called for a Constitutional Convention on gun control, which hasn’t gained any ground since he launched the effort last summer.Newsom last winter also participated in a “Red State versus Blue State” showdown in a televised debate with Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis. Prior to that, he promoted Democrats in the spin room of one of the Republican presidential debates. No prominent Democrats have publicly stated Newsom should be considered for the nomination should Biden drop out.Meanwhile, Harris as of Friday had been at the center of a plan being crafted by some Democrats to elevate her to the top of the ticket, according to NBC News. Harris had not approved the plan and was publicly and privately supporting Biden remaining in the race as of Friday.Prominent California leaders have been promoting her. Rep. Adam Schiff told “Meet the Press” earlier this month that she would be a “phenomenal president” and could win “overwhelmingly.” Schiff this week called on Biden to drop out of the race. California Planned Parenthood CEO and DNC Delegate Jodi Hicks also has reportedly been pushing for her to be the Democratic presidential nominee. Harris has served as a trailblazer for women in California and national politics.Prior to becoming the first woman to ever serve as vice president in 2021, Harris was California’s U.S. senator from 2017 to 2021. She was the first South Asian American and second African-American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. (Video below: Supporters greet Vice President Kamala Harris in Sacramento.)Prior to her time in the Senate, Harris was California’s first- and so far only -woman, African-American and South Asian American to serve as attorney general. Harris, who is originally from Oakland, also served as San Francisco’s district attorney. (Previous coverage: Kamala Harris meets with state lawmakers, fundraises for reelection in Sacramento)Harris tried to run for president in 2020, but dropped out of the race before the Democratic primary elections began. –KCRA 3’s Daniel Macht contributed to this story.
President Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he will no longer continue his 2024 reelection bid thanked Vice President Kamala Harris for being “an exceptional partner.”
He then endorsed her as his successor.
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made,” Biden said. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Biden said he would speak to the nation in detail next week. Democrats are set to gather in Chicago to pick who will run against Republican former President Donald Trump starting on Aug. 19.
(Previous political coverage in video above: California Gov. Newsom speaks about wildfire season, answers question about Biden campaign.)
Some have mentioned California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a possible choice for president, though Newsom has said in the past he would not run against Harris.
Justin Sullivan
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (L) and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (R) greet supporters during a No on the Recall campaign event at IBEW-NECA Joint Apprenticeship Training Center on Sept. 8, 2021 in San Leandro, California. Newsom on Sunday called Biden an “extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans. He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Before Biden’s announcement, a spokesperson for Newsom’s campaign had told KCRA 3 on Friday he was expected to continue his work as a top surrogate for the Biden-Harris campaign.
Newsom confirmed earlier this month he would not run against Harris in any presidential campaign.
“Of course,” he said when asked if that was still his plan after first making the statement on “Meet the Press” last fall.
On Sunday, Newsom canceled an appearance at a Ninth Judicial Conference where he had planned to make remarks on Monday.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Newsom for years has repeatedly said he is not interested in running for president, while also making several efforts to raise his national profile. The governor has been in and out of California over the last several months, straddling state business while stumping for Biden. He most recently visited Michigan and Pennsylvania to campaign for the president during the Fourth of July weekend. Newsom also traveled to support him in Washington, D.C. in a meeting with Democratic governors following the president’s poor debate performance. Days before that, he made his rounds with the media in the spin room of the very first presidential debate between Biden and Trump.
Aside from his work as a surrogate, Newsom has positioned himself at the forefront of national political debates, especially on issues related to guns and abortion. Newsom launched his federal Campaign for Democracy to promote Democratic causes across the country. As of June 30, the campaign had raised $10.3 million. That campaign has funded a series of abortion-related ads in Republican-led states with restrictive policies. Through his Campaign for Democracy, he has also called for a Constitutional Convention on gun control, which hasn’t gained any ground since he launched the effort last summer.
Newsom last winter also participated in a “Red State versus Blue State” showdown in a televised debate with Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis. Prior to that, he promoted Democrats in the spin room of one of the Republican presidential debates.
No prominent Democrats have publicly stated Newsom should be considered for the nomination should Biden drop out.
Meanwhile, Harris as of Friday had been at the center of a plan being crafted by some Democrats to elevate her to the top of the ticket, according to NBC News. Harris had not approved the plan and was publicly and privately supporting Biden remaining in the race as of Friday.
Prominent California leaders have been promoting her. Rep. Adam Schiff told “Meet the Press” earlier this month that she would be a “phenomenal president” and could win “overwhelmingly.”
Schiff this week called on Biden to drop out of the race. California Planned Parenthood CEO and DNC Delegate Jodi Hicks also has reportedly been pushing for her to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
Harris has served as a trailblazer for women in California and national politics.
Prior to becoming the first woman to ever serve as vice president in 2021, Harris was California’s U.S. senator from 2017 to 2021. She was the first South Asian American and second African-American woman to serve in the U.S. Senate.
(Video below: Supporters greet Vice President Kamala Harris in Sacramento.)
Prior to her time in the Senate, Harris was California’s first- and so far only -woman, African-American and South Asian American to serve as attorney general.
Harris, who is originally from Oakland, also served as San Francisco’s district attorney.
(Previous coverage: Kamala Harris meets with state lawmakers, fundraises for reelection in Sacramento)
Harris tried to run for president in 2020, but dropped out of the race before the Democratic primary elections began.
–KCRA 3’s Daniel Macht contributed to this story.