(TNND) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a prospective 2028 presidential contender, is beginning to address one of his clearest national political vulnerabilities: California’s COVID-19 record.
During a fly-fishing interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Newsom called pandemic-era beach closures “insane, in hindsight,” said major school districts waited too long to reopen and again described his 2020 French Laundry dinner as “boneheaded.” The admissions are notable because Newsom led California through one of the country’s earliest and most aggressive pandemic responses, beginning with the nation’s first statewide stay-at-home order on March 19, 2020.
Newsom singled out Los Angeles schools, saying that many districts reopened earlier but “L.A. refused.” That account places much of the responsibility on local officials, though reopening decisions also reflected state health rules, county conditions and negotiations between districts and employee unions. Beach restrictions were similarly divided among state and local authorities: California limited access to state beaches, Los Angeles County imposed its own closure, and Newsom temporarily closed Orange County beaches.
The French Laundry episode remains politically potent because Newsom attended the gathering while his administration was asking Californians to limit social contact. By acknowledging that controversy alongside school and beach restrictions, Newsom addressed several of the pandemic decisions most likely to resurface in a national campaign.
The interview also clarified his 2028 calculations. Newsom did not announce a campaign, but said he is considering whether he has a compelling reason to run and would need his family’s support. He also said he would not enter the Democratic primary if former Vice President Kamala Harris runs, arguing that their overlapping supporters and political networks would make a contest between them destructive.