Politicians rarely admit when they’re wrong. They twist words, blame others, or just change the subject. It’s like watching a magic show where the truth disappears before your eyes.

COVID policies remain a sore spot for many Americans. Lockdowns, masks, and vaccine rules changed our lives for years. Yet few Democrat leaders want to talk about whether their tough choices actually worked.

California Governor Gavin Newsom got more than he bargained for during a recent interview on The Shawn Ryan Show. The potential 2028 presidential hopeful was blindsided when host Ryan revealed he had a special question from podcast king Joe Rogan.

From Fox News:

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom was pressed to defend his COVID-19 record by podcast giant Joe Rogan on Monday.

The Democratic leader, and likely 2028 presidential candidate, appeared on former U.S. Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan’s podcast for a wide-ranging interview about problems facing California as well as Newsom’s personal life and political career.

During the interview, Ryan asked Newsom to respond to a question sent in to him by his friend and fellow podcaster.

“Motherf—–r,” Newsom exclaimed before saying he was a fan of Rogan, who has been critical of the Democrat.

Newsom’s Defense

Rather than dodge the question, Newsom pushed back on claims about pharmaceutical influence, his voice rising with intensity.

“I’ve signed some of the most progressive laws against Big Pharma in the country. I have receipts on that,” Newsom insisted, gesturing forcefully. “So no one should suggest that it was about doing the bidding of Big Pharma. Quite the contrary.”

The governor then made a surprising claim about working with former President Trump during the pandemic.

“There wasn’t a Democratic governor in America that worked closer during the pandemic than I did with Donald Trump,” Newsom said, attempting to spread responsibility for early COVID decisions.

Newsom also defended vaccines while acknowledging the controversy. “Vaccines save lives. Period. Full stop,” he said. “And I’m just not going to engage in the kind of revisionist history that pretends otherwise.”

Admitting Some Mistakes

In a rare moment of political honesty, Newsom did admit some of his COVID policies went too far.

“What the hell were we doing shutting down the beaches and open areas?” he asked, seemingly questioning his own leadership. “We were sitting there wiping down everything in the house with Purell.”

The governor also owned up to his infamous French Laundry restaurant scandal, where he dined maskless with lobbyists while telling Californians to stay home.

“I despise me for the French Laundry. I was wrong,” Newsom admitted, his tone shifting to one of genuine regret. “That’s the rules for thee and not for me. Biggest boneheaded damn decision I made.”

Still, Newsom complained about what he called “California Derangement Syndrome” and defended his state’s pandemic performance against Florida. He claimed California had better educational outcomes, fewer deaths per capita, and less economic damage than the Sunshine State.

Too Little, Too Late?

Newsom says California is now preparing an “objective review” of its pandemic policies, including interviews with people who opposed mask mandates and lockdowns.

“Everyone’s a goddamn genius now in hindsight,” Newsom complained. “But at the time, none of us knew what we were up against – including the president of the United States.”

For many parents who watched their children struggle with remote learning and mandatory vaccines, Newsom’s admissions might be too little, too late. One California mother told Fox News her son fell two grade levels behind in reading during school closures while battling depression from isolation. Stories like these were common across the state Newsom governed.

While the governor showed rare flashes of accountability, his frequent profanity and defensiveness revealed a politician still struggling to come to terms with his pandemic legacy.

As Newsom positions himself for a potential White House run, voters will have to decide if partial admissions of mistakes qualify as true leadership – or just another political performance designed to make the hard questions disappear.

Key Takeaways

• Newsom admitted closing beaches during COVID was a mistake, questioning his own pandemic leadership
• The California governor used profanity when confronted with Joe Rogan’s question about vaccine mandates for children
• Despite admitting some errors, Newsom defended vaccine policies and blamed “California Derangement Syndrome” for criticism
• Newsom claimed he worked more closely with Trump during the pandemic than any other Democratic governor

Sources: Fox News, Mail Online