Oh, folks, this one’s a doozy. California Governor Gavin Newsom found himself in an incredibly uncomfortable spot during an exchange with a distraught woman who had just suffered personal loss amid the wildfires devastating Los Angeles.
The fires have already destroyed thousands of structures and displaced over 170,000 people, and tensions are understandably running high. Newsom’s response? Well, let’s just say it didn’t help.
The encounter went south fast. The woman, visibly upset, confronted the governor, pointing out that her daughter’s school had been destroyed. Her question? Simple and direct: “Please tell me what you’re going to do.” Instead of offering a heartfelt response or a concrete plan, Newsom pointed to his phone and claimed he was “literally talking to the president” to address the crisis. Cue the awkwardness.
Gavin Newsom is not presidential material.
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) January 9, 2025
“Can I hear it?” she shot back, skeptical of his claim. And who could blame her? Newsom’s fumbling response—about bad cell service and trying to get through to President Biden—didn’t exactly scream “command and control.”
The woman pressed further, asking why there was no water in the hydrants, a glaring issue during the firefighting efforts. Her frustration boiled over when she asked, “I would fill up the hydrants myself, would you do that?”
Newsom, clearly flustered, tried to dodge the escalating confrontation. A staffer conveniently stepped in, allowing the governor to slip away into an SUV and drive off, leaving the woman—and probably many onlookers—feeling abandoned.
This interaction didn’t just highlight Newsom’s apparent lack of preparedness; it amplified the growing frustration with his leadership during this disaster.
The fires, which began Tuesday, are being fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, and the numbers are staggering: over 1,300 structures destroyed, billions in damage, and multiple fires raging across the county. The Palisades Fire alone has consumed more than 17,000 acres, with crews struggling to gain control.