Gavin Newsom squirmed under Joe Rogan’s pointed question on a podcast, facing heat for California’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates, as Fox News reports. The California governor, a likely 2028 presidential contender, appeared on Shawn Ryan’s show this week. Rogan’s question, read by Ryan, cut deep, demanding accountability for mandating vaccines for kids.
Newsom tackled issues from his personal life to California’s policies, but Rogan’s query stole the spotlight. It accused Newsom of pushing “unnecessary and ineffective” vaccines on children, linking them to myocarditis and cancer spikes, and hinted at Big Pharma’s influence. The governor’s response? A heated “Motherf-----r” before claiming he’s a Rogan fan.
Newsom denied cozying up to pharmaceutical giants, insisting he’s passed laws to curb their power. He defended his pandemic record, boasting of close ties with the Trump administration. Yet, his aggressive COVID policies, including beach closures, remain a lightning rod for criticism.
Rogan’s question, read by Ryan, pressed Newsom on who would take the fall for child vaccine mandates. It also asked if he felt remorse for decisions allegedly driven by drug company profits. Newsom sidestepped, leaning on his progressive anti-Pharma credentials to deflect.
California’s pandemic playbook was among the nation’s toughest, Newsom admitted. He noted Florida shut bars and restaurants before California, but the Golden State clung to stricter rules longer. Critics argue this heavy-handed approach crushed small businesses and personal freedoms.
Newsom claimed his team is crafting an “objective review” of California’s COVID policies. He promised it will show what went right and wrong, a rare move among states. But will this report be a genuine reckoning or a polished defense?
Newsom leaned hard into vaccine praise, declaring they “save lives.” He said independent advisors guided his decisions, not drug companies. Yet, Rogan’s question about myocarditis and cancer risks lingers, unanswered with hard data.
Admitting mistakes, Newsom conceded closing beaches was a misstep he’d redo. California’s aggressive measures, he argued, were born of necessity, not malice. Still, the “California Derangement Syndrome” he decried feels like a dodge to skeptics.
Newsom’s cozy Trump talk raised eyebrows, claiming he worked closer with the former president than any other Democratic governor. Both faced “unprecedented challenges,” he said, pleading for grace. But grace is scarce when mandates shutter lives and livelihoods.
California wasn’t alone in early lockdowns, Newsom insisted, pointing to Florida’s similar moves. Yet, California’s prolonged restrictions painted it as a poster child for overreach. The governor’s “hindsight is 20/20” quip won’t soothe those still stinging from his policies.
Newsom’s “California Derangement Syndrome” jab mirrors complaints of “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” It’s a clever deflection, but does it hold water when businesses collapsed under his watch? Critics see it as spin, not substance.
The governor’s humility act -- admitting he’s no doctor -- feels rehearsed. He leaned on advisors, sure, but who were they, and why should we trust them? Rogan’s question about accountability still hangs, unanswered.
Rogan’s probe into vaccine mandates for kids hit a nerve, and Newsom’s response didn’t quell doubts. He dodged the myocarditis and cancer claims, offering no data to counter Rogan’s charge. That silence speaks louder than his Pharma-bashing rhetoric.
Newsom’s upcoming policy review might clarify California’s COVID legacy -- or it might whitewash it. With February 2025 looming, conservatives will watch closely for truth, not spin. The governor’s record, like his presidential ambitions, faces a tough road ahead.
Rogan’s question, blunt and unapologetic, exposed the chinks in Newsom’s armor. California’s pandemic saga, marked by overreach and regret, won’t fade quietly. As Newsom eyes 2028, he’ll need better answers than deflections and hindsight humility.
