Newsom’s spin team should embrace silence more often – Press Enterprise

Sometimes the best spin is to just keep your mouth shut. But not everyone does it.

Californians recently learned that another relatively high-profile potential gubernatorial candidate, LA-based developer Rick Caruso, would not be running for that post or any other.

Caruso’s announcement came after other big name potential candidates, like Sen. Alex Padilla, Attorney General Rob Bonta and former Vice President Kamala Harris, also opted not to run.

We can speculate as to the reasons why they passed on what is considered one of the best political jobs in America. Harris is rumored to be considering another run for president, Bonta appears to be carrying baggage caused by a scandal back in his hometown of Oakland, and, like Padilla, might be hoping for a sweet gig if Gov. Gavin Newsom is elected president. And Caruso likely saw a costly, but extremely narrow, path to victory.

It could be any of those reasons or none of those reasons. All we know for sure is that it has nothing to do with the absurd theory floated by one of Newsom’s spokespeople.

“Hope someone writes the column on why so many heavy hitters (including Harris, Padilla, & Bonta) are sitting this one out,” Izzy Gardon, Newsom’s Communications Director, posted on X. “It’s not just that Newsom leaves giant shoes to fill (he does), but perhaps potential candidates are realizing the job is a 24/7 crisis desk under a local, state, and national microscope — where you often get blamed for everything, including plenty that’s far outside of your control?”

It’s hard to imagine anyone thinking this is good spin, first and foremost because it was unnecessary. Why insert your boss, and his abysmal record as governor, into a discussion he did not need to be in?

The laundry list of failures under Newsom’s watch is lengthy, especially those that are entirely within his control.

Some lowlights: Homelessness reached an all-time high, the state is worst in housing affordability and cost of living, and eight grade reading is below the national average and significantly worse than seven years ago.

Meanwhile, California continued blowing money on a high-speed rail project that is years behind schedule and billions over budget, was bilked for billions in fraud, and funded an anti-homelessness bureaucracy with no accountability, among other things.

In fact, anyone would struggle to find areas where significant progress was made. But it’s the financial responsibility of the Newsom era that might actually deter potential successors.

Under Newsom, the state budget grew more than 60%, with unreliable revenue streams and unsustainable levels of spending. Newsom took several budget surpluses and turned them into structural budget deficits.