Gov. Gavin Newsom Addresses Recall Election Win From Sacramento
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Less than an hour after the polls closed Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the media, delivering a speech where he thanked voters and said he wanted to focus on what Californians said "yes" to as a state in the recall election.
"We said yes to science. We said yes to vaccines. We said yes to ending this pandemic. We said yes to people's right to vote without fear of fake fraud or voter suppression. We said yes to women's fundamental Constitutional right to decide for herself what she does with her body and her fat and future. We said yes to diversity. We said yes to inclusion. We said yes to pluralism. We said yes to all those things that we hold dear as Californians and, I would argue, as Americans - economic justice, social justice, racial justice, environmental justice. Our values, where California's made so much progress, all of those things were on the ballot this evening."
The governor, in a particularly emotional moment, said he was humbled and grateful to the millions of Californians that exercised their fundamental right to vote and express themselves so overwhelmingly, rejecting what he termed as division, cynicism and negativity that has invaded politics.
Newsom said he worries about children, his four children included, that are growing up in a world that's so divided, where kids are increasingly fearful and isolated and disconnected.
"I think we owe our kids a deeper sense of respect and, all of us as adults, it's our responsibility to disregard this false separateness. We're so much more in common as a state and a nation than we give ourselves credit for."
During the course of his campaign, while traveling across the state, to both red and blue districts, meeting voters he knew would vote against him and those he knew would support him, he said what was universal is that everyone wants to be respected.
"Everyone wants to feel some connection to one another. We all, certainly in this pandemic, want to feel safe, protected. Those are universal values," Newsom said.
The governor mentioned the former president, referencing former President Donald J. Trump, and how he put out a statement suggesting the California recall election was rigged.
"Democracy is not a football, you don't throw it around," Newsom said. "It's more like a - I don't know - antique vase. You can drop it and smash it in a million different pieces and that's what we're capable of doing if we don't stand up to meet the moment and push back. I said this many, many times on the campaign trail, you know. We may have defeated Trump, but Trumpism is not dead in this country."
Newsom brought up the "big lie," the January 6 insurrection and voter suppression efforts he said are happening across the country, along with an assault on the Constitutional rights of women and girls.
"It's a remarkable moment in our nation's history, but I'm reminded of something - I don't know - a few decades ago someone told me when describing a difficult and challenging moment. They said, 'The world is too small. Our time is too short and our wisdom is too limited to win fleeting victories at other people's expenses' He went on to say, 'We must all triumph together," Newsom said.
He added that in the spirit of reconciling the current moment and working to understand what's going on in California and across the country, his feelings are clear.
"Tonight, I am humbled, grateful, but resolved in the spirit of my political hero, Robert Kennedy, to make more gentle the life of this world. Thank you all very much and thank you to 40 million Americans, 40 million Californians and thank you for rejecting this recall. Goodnight everybody," the governor said.