THE BUZZ — BEST FRIENDS FOREVER: Hell has frozen over, for real.
We’ll start with President Donald Trump’s mind-blowing tweet over the weekend, lavishing praise on his new BFF: “Governor @GavinNewsom of California has been very nice & highly supportive about the great job we have done, working together, for California. That is the good news, but this is the bad. He is unfairly under attack by the Radical Left Dems, MSDNC etc. He is strong! Will he fold?”
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That‘s Trump tweet on the heels of his generous praise of his longtime friend — who knew? — the CA governor in Friday’s coronavirus task force briefing. Trump acknowledged he’s battled with Newsom in the past on borders, the environment and more, but now says: “Honestly… I’ve gotten very friendly with Gavin Newsom. He’s done a very good job here. … I mean, he’s been, I think, sort of a friend of mine for a long time. Don’t get to see him much.”
AND THEN THERE WAS THIS … The (brace yourselves) Trump reelection ad starring Gavin Newsom, in which the California governor gets a major role saying the president “has sent everything I could have hoped for.”
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A VIRUS MAKES: Just two months ago, Trump repeatedly used Newsom‘s California as bait for his base in political rallies, holding it up as an example of an out-of-control state on a downward trajectory. In his State of the Union address, Trump attacked California for passing “an outrageous law declaring their whole state to be a sanctuary for criminal illegal immigrants — a very terrible sanctuary — with catastrophic results.’’ And he had as his official guest a Californian whose relative was killed by an undocumented immigrant.
And Newsom was bashing POTUS on the climate, immigration, auto emissions and more, and tweeting that California’s success was “driving him mad.” And as late as February, the California governor also got laughs using Trump for a punchline on shows like “Late Night with Seth Myers.” But that was before Covid-19.
NEWSOM PUT HIS STATE’S NEEDS FIRST: GOP strategist Rob Stutzman tells POLITICO that, since the crisis began, Newsom silenced his criticism of Trump and “has been laser-focused and incredibly disciplined,’’ as well as “super smart,” in getting what he needs for his nation-state — materials, masks, money — by putting aside the partisanship and playing up the partnership. Newsom also made his own bold moves like forming a consortium to get more PPE materials, and helped distribute items like ventilators to other states, which won him the eternal gratitude of other desperate governors.
AND TRUMP? HE CLEARLY NEEDS NEWSOM: After Newsom’s early shutdown actions proved prescient, and kept the infection numbers among the lowest in the states, Trump is in desperate straits to point to a star governor’s backing and words of praise. And the friendly sound bites from the Democratic chief executive of the world’s fifth largest economy have become one of POTUS’ bright spots. Especially since recent in-depth coverage, including this deep dive by POLITICO’s Dan Diamond in POLITICO Magazine, and this NYTimes weekend blockbuster, has revealed that Trump failed to recognize — and act — on the crisis months ago.
WHAT’S WITH TRUMP’S TWEET SUGGESTING NEWSOM IS UNDER ATTACK? Little basis in fact. As FiveThirtyEight reported, Newsom’s poll numbers are through the roof — and he ranks at the top of U.S. governors getting high ratings for his job performance in the coronavirus crisis, with a whopping 83 percent approval rating, up 41 percent from pre-coronavirus days. It could be that POTUS hopes to keep criticism under wraps as he considers re-opening the country against the advice of medical experts. And against Newsom’s stay-the-course approach.
THIS —> WAPO PIECE by Paul Waldman — “The newfound popularity of America’s governors shows what Trump doesn’t get”: “As terrible as this economic coma is for so many of us, the public isn’t crying out to hastily resume normal life. … They’re largely complying with social distancing recommendations..And they aren’t looking for leaders who will tell them there’s nothing to worry about.”
BUENOS DIAS, good Monday morning. JOIN US! Carla and Jeremy will brief Playbook readers on Newsom’s progress fighting the coronavirus, the Legislature’s role and all the other pressing California politics news on Wednesday, April 15 at 9 a.m. — sign up for the California Playbook video briefing here.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I wouldn’t trust him to go out to get lunch and come back with everybody’s sandwich and drink order correctly. I don’t know how he could be put in charge of logistics.’’ — Democratic political consultant Larry Remer — who ran two campaigns for Peter Navarro — on the top Trump economic and trade adviser in The Guardian’s weekend takeout, “What Trump’s COVID-19 tsar lacks in expertise, he makes up.”
TWEET OF THE DAY: @BarackObama: “Some good news: states that started social distancing early and aggressively, like California, have avoided overwhelmed health care systems. It’s critical that we continue to listen to the evidence and experts and practice social distancing.”
WHERE’S GAVIN? His daily #NewsomAtNoon briefing, to be livestreamed on @CAGovernor Twitter feed, will update Covid-19 news in California.
Sign up for POLITICO Nightly: Coronavirus Special Edition, your daily update on how the illness is affecting politics, markets, public health and more.
DEEP DIVE ON DEVIN NUNES — “The Fundraising Pulpit,’’ via Jake Bernstein in the New York Review of Books: “Nunes has exploited President Trump’s impeachment at every opportunity, often for his personal benefit. In February, shortly after Trump’s acquittal by the US Senate, he sent an e-mail addressed to his ‘top supporters.‘ It read: ‘GET THE EXCLUSIVE IMPEACHMENT SCOREBOARD T-SHIRT!‘”
RAVE REVIEWS FOR LONDON BREED — “Coronavirus in San Francisco: How City Flattened the Curve,” by Russel Berman in The Atlantic: “Mayor London Breed’s early and aggressive moves to contain the outbreak have made San Francisco a national model in fighting the pandemic.”
— “Tweets show SF and NYC mayors’ drastically different approaches to outbreak,” by SFGATE’s Amy Graff.
BAKERSFIELD SCENE — “6 shot at California party,’’ by NY Daily News’ Storm Gifford — “Despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s coronavirus lockdown orders and social-distancing protocols, at least 400 partygoers and as many as 500 were believed to have been in attendance”
LAST MAN STANDING — “For Students at a Lone School in California, Class Is Still On,’’ by Brian Wollitz and Ali DeFazio in the New York Times. FARMERSVILLE — Out of the 10,521 public schools in California, Outside Creek is the only one with its doors open.
BREAKING — “California businesses and consumers to get insurance refund,’’ by POLITICO’s Katy Murphy: “California’s insurance commissioner is ordering insurance companies to give consumers and businesses a break on premiums they paid in March and April — as public life shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus — and to do the same in May if stay-at-home orders continue.
“The directive, which follows similar moves announced recently by Allstate and other auto insurers, extends to an array of policies, including private passenger automobile, commercial automobile, workers’ compensation, commercial multi-peril, commercial liability, medical malpractice, ‘and any other insurance line where the risk of loss has fallen substantially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,‘ according to Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s office.“
APEX AHEAD? — One model projects California coronavirus deaths will peak Wednesday,’’ by SFChronicle’s Erin Allday: “If the country’s most popular coronavirus model proves accurate, California will reach the peak of its outbreak this Wednesday, on what would have been tax day if the pandemic hadn’t uprooted nearly all of the United States’ social and financial structures.
DEEP DIVE — “How a stockpile of 39 million masks was exposed as fake,” by the LA Times’ Melody Gutierrez and Adam Elmahrek: SACRAMENTO — “A powerful California union that claimed to have discovered 39 million masks for healthcare workers fighting the novel coronavirus was duped in an elaborate scam uncovered by FBI investigators, the U.S. attorney’s office said Friday.”
EARLY VISITOR? — “New signs suggest coronavirus was in California far earlier than anyone knew,” by the LA Times’ Paige St. John: “How long? A study out of Stanford suggests a dramatic viral surge in February.”
IS IT SAFE TO COME OUT? — In California’s Santa Clara County, which quickly shut things down as coronavirus descended, the county executive is warning that major sporting events may not resume by Thanksgiving, our Debra Kahn and Victoria Colliver write. The San Francisco Bay Area was the nation’s first metro area to impose shelter-in-place orders 25 days ago, but the bellwether region for the U.S. isn’t emerging from hibernation any time soon despite its relative success.
— “California cities – and some stores – now requiring face masks during the coronavirus crisis,” by the Sac Bee’s Tony Bizjak
NEWS YOU CAN USE — “Lose your job due to the coronavirus? Here are your health care options in California,” by the Sac Bee’s David Lightman.
— “Coronavirus infection may cause lasting damage throughout the body, doctors fear,” by the LA Times’ Melissa Healy: “For the sickest patients, infection with the new coronavirus is proving to be a full-body assault, causing damage well beyond the lungs.”
A FIRST: THE FIRES ARE OUT — “Burning Man 2020 Canceled By Pandemic, But Virtual Version Is Planned,” by Deadline’s Bruce Haring: “It was the right thing to do, but it’s still sad,” says Los Angeles-based journalist Susan Karlin, a 10-year burner. “For many attendees, especially veteran burners, Burning Man has become a communion, an annual reunion with friends who have become second families.”
With the help of The COVID Tracking Project — a volunteer-run accounting of every coronavirus test conducted in America — POLITICO is monitoring how many Americans have been tested in all 50 states. Our live tracker will continue to update with the latest numbers across the country as they come in.
BIG NEWS BURIED ON GOOD FRIDAY: In the middle of the unprecedented unemployment and business crisis brought on by Covid-19, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s team dropped news late on Good Friday that his business guru, Lenny Mendonca, would be departing the post.
Mendoca, an experienced business leader with a stunning resume, was arguably among the most seasoned and respected insiders in the administration where he’d worked since 2019. He had multiple titles and a huge portfolio as chief economic and business adviser, director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development — GO-Biz — and chair of the California High Speed Rail Authority. The official announcement said Mendonca would be devoting time to family and personal issues, but made no further comment.
Rob Lapsley, who heads the California Business Roundtable, said Mendonca’s tenure sent “a clear signal to the business community that [Newsom] wanted a steady hand who combined outstanding executive business experience with fair and balanced perspectives on major issues.’’ Taking over for Mendonca: Chris Dombrowski, currently chief deputy director at GO-Biz will fill in as acting director, while High Speed Rail Authority Vice Chair Tom Richards will lead on that front.
— “Small-Business Loans Face Delays Even as Coronavirus Program Expands,” by WSJ’s Yuka Hayashi.
ON ‘60 MINUTES‘ SUNDAY — Trade Rep. PETER NAVARRO defends Administration’s COVID-19 response — Watch the segment here: “You say, ‘This is the best you can?‘ It’s, like, oh, somebody coulda done better. Really? Who coulda done better on this? I mean, really, think about this.”
KAMALA TALK — “The odds on who Joe Biden will pick as his female vice president candidate,” by the New York Post’s Jon Levine: “Some have speculated Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren would be Biden’s best hope to prevent a much-feared Bernie Broxit. Others say a candidate from the Rust Belt or industrial Midwest like Sen. Amy Klobuchar is what’s needed to shore up the swing states lost to Trump in 2016.’’ Also mentioned: Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama.
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: New ad debuts today from the campaign of Democrat Phil Arballo, who is challenging GOP Rep. Devin Nunes in the Central Valley’s CA-22 district. It features some of the Republican incumbent’s most eyebrow-raising quotes regarding the Covid-19 crisis, including his views that “what the media and the left is doing here is putting the country into a panic … for no reason” and calling school closures “way overkill.” The spot will air on digital media with a five-figure buy, the Arballo campaign says.
WASTELAND — “California dairies dump milk, crops may be left to wither as coronavirus pandemic disrupts food system,” by the SF Chronicle’s Kurtis Alexander.
AND THIS… “Food bank demand soars, while many San Joaquin Valley farmers forced to let crops rot,” by the Fresno Bee’s Manuela Tobias and Robert Rodriguez:
BILL RACKS UP — “California’s early coronavirus efforts will cost $7 billion, Gov. Gavin Newsom says,” by the LA Times’ John Myers: “Few, if any, crises in modern times have hit the state’s finances faster and more deeply.”
HERE COMES THE TAX MAN — “Property Taxes Are Probably Still Due Despite Coronavirus,” by NYT’s Ann Carrns: “The average property tax bill on a single-family home in 2019 was about $3,600, but average bills are three to five times higher in some areas of the country, including parts of New York, New Jersey and California, according to Attom Data Solutions, which tracks property trends.”
— “Unemployment benefits in California to jump $600 a week Sunday,” by the SF Chronicle’s Kathleen Pender: “The money is coming from the federal government under the Cares Act. It will be added automatically to weekly benefits and will last through the week ending July 31.”
— “Lost wages and jobs haven’t dented support for coronavirus stay-at-home orders, poll finds,” by the LA Times’ Doug Smith.
— “One by one, nurses got coronavirus at a Silicon Valley hospital while management kept quiet,” by the LA Times’ Harriet Ryan and Rong-Gong Lin: “At the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, the nurses on a second-floor medical-surgical unit kept the grim tally in furtive texts and emails: Six women who had worked on their ward or visited it in the course of their duties had developed symptoms of the coronavirus.”
— “Bankruptcy judge OKs sale of St. Vincent hospital to Patrick Soon-Shiong,” by the LA Times’ Dakota Smith.
— “Canceled conventions due to coronavirus costing San Diego $203M — so far,’’ via San Diego Union Tribune.
OAKLAND’S CONTROVERSIAL NEW IDEA — “See the map of Oakland’s 74 miles of closed streets,” by SFGATE’s Amy Graff.
— “Santa Rosa police detective who died of coronavirus complications twice denied test for virus,” by the Press-Democrat’s Chantelle Lee.
ANNOUNCED LAST NIGHT VIA TWITTER — @Googleorg: “We’re working with @GiveDirectly to raise $5M to help support 5,000 families with direct cash transfers in the San Francisco Bay Area. We’re kicking it off with a $1M donation, plus a $1M contribution from @SundarPichai – join us if you’re able: https://www.givedirectly.org/covid-19/bay-area.”
— “Apple, Google to Turn Smartphones Into Coronavirus Tracking Devices,” by WSJ’s Tripp Mickle, Rob Copeland and Sam Schechner: “The project, which is certain to raise privacy concerns, offers the most concrete technological solution to date for governmental authorities searching for ways to at least partially lift the lockdown orders that have swept the nation.”
— “Disney World furloughing 43,000 more workers due to virus,” by The AP’s Mike Schneider.
— “Harvey Weinstein faces additional sexual battery charge in California case,” by NBC’s Minyvonne Burke.
— “Virus Crisis Closes Off Typical Pipeline Into Hollywood: Temping,” by The Hollywood Reporter’s Katie Kilkenny
— “Staying Safe While Delivering Weed in the Pandemic,’’ by NYT’s Sandra E. Garcia: “Bud.com, a delivery service that operates in Northern California — where selling marijuana is legal in some cities and towns — experienced a 500 percent increase in sales after lockdown orders in mid-March, according to Dean Arbit, the chief executive of the company.”
— ‘’Bay Area funeral homes offering virtual services and memorials,’’ via SJMercNews
— “That’s an expensive round of ‘essential drinks.’ Seven people fined $1,000 each for violating stay-at-home order,” by CNN’s Artemis Moshtaghian and Jay Croft.
— “Halt of greyhound racing rallies San Diego-area animal rescue groups,’’ via San Diego Union Tribune.
— “San Diego landlord to tenants: ‘Nobody really has a legitimate reason not to pay rent,’” by the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Phillip Molnar
WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Brooke Armour Spiegel, VP of the California Business Roundtable, and Robert Spiegel, government affairs advocate for the California Farm Bureau Federation, welcomed Amelia James Spiegel — all 6 lbs. 6 oz and 19 inches of her — into the the world on April 5, 2020. Big congrats from CA Playbook!
MONDAY: Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) is 68 … Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.) is 76 …Former State Senate Pro Tem Jim Brulte…
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BFFs? TRUMP pours on the praise for NEWSOM — LENNY MENDONCA resigns — SF Mayor LONDON BREED getting raves — KAMALA high on BIDEN’s VP list
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