OPINION:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom told CNN’s Jake Tapper during a totally staged fly-fishing interview — just two dudes hashing out the world’s problems while tossing a line in the water, LOL! — that he regretted closing beaches during COVID because it was an “insane” policy.
“Look, everyone’s a genius in hindsight, so you know, coulda, woulda,” said Newsom, a Democrat.
Genius? First off, it didn’t take a genius to recognize in real COVID time that closing beaches based on fears of spreading the virus was absolute idiocy. To suggest that only geniuses called out the beach closures in real COVID time is idiotic in itself.
Second off, for Newsom to toss off so cavalierly his utter tyrannical actions during COVID is insulting, outrageous and arrogant. Remember: He didn’t just shut down beaches. He didn’t just press police to arrest only beach-going paddle boarders.
“Paddle boarder chased by boat, arrested in Malibu after flouting coronavirus closures,” the Los Angeles Times wrote in April 2020.
Newsom also shut down schools — for much longer than other states. He also shut down churches — and told singers in church to, well, stop singing. He also shut down businesses — even outdoor restaurants, where owners said they’d abide the randomly selected 6-foot buffer standard if only they could remain open; if only they could continue to serve even a small percentage of the public.
All that, even as he was caught in photos yukking it up completely facemark-free at a birthday party at a high-priced dinner event in November of 2020 — in the midst of the coronavirus clampdowns when he had told everyone else in the state to stay home, and stay away from groups, and stay away from others, and especially stay away from those not wearing face masks. Newsom was the epitome of a hypocrite. He was the embodiment of elitism. He was the quintessential leftist bureaucrat — and now the whispers are he wants the White House in 2028.
So off to fly-fishing he goes with a favorite fawning member of the media who he knew would not challenge his ah-ha COVID remarks.
“The idea that we closed beaches was insane in hindsight,” Newsom said.
From Fox17: “Newsom [also] said major school districts waited too long to reopen and again described his 2020 French Laundry dinner as ‘boneheaded.’”
Thanks, Captain Obvious.
But it’s too little, too late. Tyranny, once inflicted, cannot be undone. And tyrants should never be forgotten — particularly when they’re coincidentally acknowledging their clamp on liberties at a time of political expediency.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.
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