Facing
a recall effort that has threatened his political future, California Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged Tuesday night the fatigue and frustration that many Californians are feeling after a year of sacrifices. But the Democratic governor insisted in his State of the State address that California is on a path to recovery as Covid-19 cases decline, more teachers are getting vaccinated and more direct aid begins flowing to small businesses "hit hardest" by the pandemic.
Newsom delivered his speech from Dodger Stadium, a hallowed Los Angeles landmark that the city has turned into one of the largest vaccination sites in the country. Standing on the field, under the bright lights in an empty stadium, he said the number of vacant seats behind him was roughly equivalent to the more than 54,000 lives lost in California -- "a silent tribute to loved ones who live forever in our memories."
He defended his own controversial leadership during the pandemic, from his decision to enact the first statewide stay-at-home order in the country about a year ago to the later restrictive orders that he put in place during the winter holiday months as a deadly spike in cases pushed California's hospital and ICU capacities to their limits.
"We agonized about the sacrifices it would require," Newsom said of the stay-at-home order. "We made sure that science -- not politics -- drove our decisions."
Though his orders throughout the last year sparked anger and helped fuel the energy among Republicans to remove him from office, he said that "it was the right thing to do."
"People are alive today because of the public health decisions we made -- lives saved because of your sacrifice," he said. "Even so, I acknowledge it's made life hard and unpredictable, and you're exhausted by all of it."
