Bernie’s Weekly Q&A (10/6)

Gavin Newsom, Kevin McCarthy, Matt Gaetz, and more!

Welcome to this week’s Premium Q&A session for paying subscribers. I appreciate you all signing up and joining me.

Let’s get started:

---

Did you see Gavin Newson after the GOP debate when he went on all the cable news outlets including Fox? When asked about California gas prices being $7 a gallon, the highest in the country, he said oil companies were gouging the state. What? Just his state? He also proclaimed Biden has a wonderful record to run on and has accomplished a great deal. He also called Ron DeSantis a liar. It went on and on with him acting like the smartest guy in the room. Listening to him, he made me think Baghdad Bob sounded more like Eric Sevareid than a nut. I get he's a surrogate for Biden. What do you think is in it for him to go out and and proclaim all is hunky dory with Biden? There has to be something in it for him, right? — Warren M.

First, great Eric Sevareid reference. What’s in it for Newsom is making sure everyone knows he’s a loyal Democrat backing Joe Biden — so that (and here’s the important part) if Biden drops out, Newsom is right there to be the candidate. And if Biden stays in, Newsom is the frontrunner in four years. Of course, there’s the Kamala Harris problem. If Biden drops out, progressives will argue that she’s the logical choice to run … and if they pick Newsom (or anyone else who’s white) … there will be trouble inside the Democratic tent. Stay tuned.

A very interesting read, Bernie, on your latest Q&A. I think you are on the money regarding the last GOP debate. Which got me thinking, how many more are there? Answer: at least 1, in Ron's home turf of Miami on November 8. Which also got me thinking, what's the point? Why go through all the theatrics again?To quote Hillary Clinton "What difference, at this point, does it make?" — FDM

Every candidate still in the race thinks he and she have a shot. They won’t drop out at least until after a few early primaries. So the longer they stay in, the more it will look like 2016 all over again.

Bernie and John: I wanted to get your comments on this recent headline in USA Today: "From Fight To A Miracle: How Congress Averted A Government Shutdown". To me this illustrates two issues with the MSM. For one, other than the Beltway crowd and the NY Times newsroom, I don't know anyone who much cares about or certainly obsesses over government shutdowns or potential shutdowns, which seem to happen every few months. This breathless coverage is just an eye-roll in flyover country. Secondly, we have all noticed how religiously secular most of the media has become. Their religious fealty is to government, climate science, radical gender ideology, and other leftist causes. Thus the reference to religious terminology like "miracle". After reading the headline, I have no trust in any kind of balanced story that follows. Your thoughts? — Steve R.

From John: I didn’t read the piece, Steve, but the headline sounds pretty sensational. You’re of course right that the story meant a lot more to the DC crowd than most regular folks, but that’s not to say that a government shutdown isn’t a big deal. It is. It just doesn’t feel like a big deal to people like you and me, because we’ve heard it all before many times, and we’re desensitized to it.

From Bernie: The “miracle” is that the headline wasn’t: Republicans hate America and thanks to Democrats we still have democracy in America.” Ok, I exaggerate, a little. But you get the point, Steve, right?

Bernie and John, As much as I detest Kevin McCarthy, I find it disturbing that he lost his job.... for DOING his job, i.e. finding a compromise to avoid a government shutdown. I know he created, or certainly helped create, the dynamics in the House that made it possible for a handful of Maga-ites to get him fired. This sort of feels like a Chris Stirewalt moment..... What say you? — John M.