September 27, 2023 #1 Local News, Forum, Information and Event Source for Venice Beach, California.

Will Coronavirus Affect Trump, Newsom Fortunes?

By Tom Elias, Columnist

Attention spans were already short 42 years ago and they have become far shorter since, especially in this era of lightning-fast news cycles often moved by Twitter and Facebook.

That reality has been a life preserver for many politicians, both in California and nationally, since Quinn first voiced it.

But the truism is due for a big test in this era of the coronavirus crisis. American society, especially life in California, has rarely been disrupted so comprehensively as during the last six months.

Never before – not even when World War II saw fears of potential Japanese bombardments or invasion rise all along the West Coast – have Californians been told to “shelter in place,” starting with a patronizing, strong initial state suggestion that everyone over 65 stay home no matter what, not even emerging for groceries or medicines. These were supposedly to be delivered to them, but when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his initial restrictions on seniors, he did it without arrangements of any kind for those vital deliveries.

Which prompted seniors to do what they needed anyway, some joking about evading the “geriatric gestapo” when they left their homes. The order did not distinguish among seniors by what their health conditions might be, in a moment when the frailest, especially those with lung problems, were plainly in more danger than others from exposure to the virus.

But Newsom is not up for reelection this year. That makes President Trump the biggest test case for how much the voting public might remember of what transpired early this year.

Generally, national emergencies bring national planning and action. Not this time. Trump told state governors it’s up to them to get as many hospital ventilators and create as many new hospital beds as they could find, leaving the national stockpile of medical equipment untouched for weeks. He delayed assigning key tasks to the Army Corps of Engineers, uniquely equipped to help with them. “I am not responsible,” he declared.

Through more than 5.4 million known cases and more than 170,000 deaths, this has remained a national emergency without a national response.

Will any of this dent Trump’s support; do enough of his backers feel threatened by the coronavirus to hurt his reelection chances? Since the emergency declaration, Trump’s approval rating in various polls has ranged from 42 percent to 47 percent, with his disapproval ratings consistently registering higher.

Those numbers are consistent with Trump’s pre-virus ratings, suggesting he has not been hurt by either his steadfast downplaying of coronavirus dangers or his administration’s failure to handle the pandemic. They also suggest his falsehood-tolerant base of support has not been reduced by the virus or any incompetence in fighting it.

Despite noisy protests, meanwhile, poll results suggest Newsom’s almost daily briefings leave him just about as popular as before the virus hit hard. No one knows whether most voters will remember anything he’s done by the time his reelection bid rolls around in 2022. By then, the state will be dealing with a huge budget crunch.

If the voting public’s ever-shortening attention span and its abbreviated memory prove politically life-saving for Trump, Newsom may eventually get similar treatment.

Meanwhile, if Trump should lose this fall, it might just be because his viral missteps came after Jan. 1 of this election year.

Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com. His book, “The Burzynski Breakthrough, The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Government’s Campaign to Squelch It” is now available in a soft cover fourth edition. For more Elias columns, visit www.californiafocus.net

Related Posts

Over Half of Short-Term Rentals Advertised in LA Don’t Comply With City’s Home Sharing Ordinance

April 4, 2023

April 4, 2023

Better Neighbors LA report highlights the inadequacies of enforcement measures for short-term rentals in Los Angeles, calling for increased regulation...

Venice Beach Attempted Murder Suspect Arrested in West Virginia

December 22, 2022

December 22, 2022

Brandon Manyo Dixon arrest in West Virginia By Sam Catanzaro A man has been arrested for the attempted murder of...

The Current Gambling Situation in California

December 1, 2022

December 1, 2022

Here’s what to know about everything from online casinos to betting in the state. In the U.S., gambling is a...

Cancer Cartel Provides Financial Help To Cancer Patients

November 16, 2022

November 16, 2022 1

Cancer Cartel is helping cancer patients focus on their treatment, not the financial stress of living with a diagnosis. Learn...

100 Miles of Bus-Only Lanes Within Five Years on City Council Plans

October 17, 2022

October 17, 2022

L.A’s public transportation network is known for being slow due to traffic congestion. A new motion by L.A. City Council...

What Is the Most Effective Way to Sell a Used Car?

October 6, 2022

October 6, 2022

It’s no secret that selling a used car can be difficult. You have to find the right buyer, negotiate a...

How Do I Know What Types of Commercial Trucking Insurance Coverage I Need?

October 1, 2022

October 1, 2022

Running a small trucking company is expensive. You must comply with many rules set forth by the Federal Motor Carriers...

Best Ways To Show Your LA Baseball Love

August 10, 2022

August 10, 2022

Los Angeles is a sports lover’s paradise. In every sport except for the NHL, locals have two teams to choose...

Inspiring Others Through Body Positivity

May 13, 2022

May 13, 2022

Navy Officer Janae Carey Teams-Up with 2022 Herbalife24 Triathlon Los Angeles . Video brought to you by Pudu Pudu.

Best Gifts for Mother’s Day in 2022

March 31, 2022

March 31, 2022

Mothers are the first teachers children have in their lives. They simply teach us everything we need to know about...

LAPD Operations-West Bureau Commences Community Police Academy

March 2, 2022

March 2, 2022

Pacific Area Community Police Station hosting 11-week program Submitted by the Los Angeles Police Department On March 29, 2022, Operations-West...

LAFD Arson Unit Asks For Help Identifying Suspect In Venice Trash Fires

March 1, 2022

March 1, 2022

By Dolores Quintana After the multiple rubbish fires were set this weekend in Venice near Paloma Court there was a...

Critical Need for Blood Donations on the Westside

February 28, 2022

February 28, 2022

American Red Cross, UCLA Health continue to face a national blood emergency By Dolores Quintana  The American Red Cross continues...

Stunning Music Academy in Brentwood will celebrate its Grand Opening, Sunday, February 20th.

February 18, 2022

February 18, 2022

Introducing the second location of the highly successful Angeles Academy of Music, which has become an icon of Westwood Village.  ...

Cedars-Sinai Urges Blood Donations

January 11, 2022

January 11, 2022

As 2022 begins, Cedars-Sinai is facing a critical blood shortage and is encouraging prospective donors to give blood as soon...