California Nation

In his second year as California governor, Gavin Newsom finds himself dealing with an unprecedented crisis: the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite early success in bending the curve, coronavirus infections, and COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, are now surging in California.

What happened? What did Newsom get right, what did Newsom get wrong and what should he do moving forward? This week on California Nation I talk to three people who have advised previous governors through crises. My guests are:

▪ Elizabeth Ashford, former advisor to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gov. Jerry Brown

​▪ Steven Maviglio, former press secretary to Gov. Gray Davis

▪ Joe Rodota, former cabinet secretary to Gov. Pete Wilson

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Despite a surge in coronavirus infections, some California schools are still planning to reopen. The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board speaks with Austin Beutner, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), about his decision to keep the state's largest school district closed until it's safe to reopen. The Editorial Board also debates whether Gov. Gavin Newsom needs to show more leadership in helping schools navigate the crisis.

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Sacramento Bee California Opinion Editor Gil Duran and Executive Editor Lauren Gustus examine the case of Darrel Richards, a mentally-impaired 19-year-old Black man killed by Sacramento police in Sept. 2018. One witness, and an attorney for Richards' family, say the situation could have been addressed without deadly violence. They also say police kept changing their story about what the evidence showed. For example, they say an alleged "suicide note" found in Richards' backpack later turned out to be a homework assignment. Gil and Lauren also discuss whether AB 1506, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty's bill to provide independent investigations of ore police shootings, would have helped in this case.

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After a two-month coronavirus lockdown, Gov. Newsom is rushing to reopen the state. One medical expert says California has now decided to "fly blind." In this episode of California Nation, Sacramento Bee Opinion Editor Gil Duran interviews UC Berkeley epidemiologist Dr. Lisa Barcellos, State Sen. Steve Glazer of Orinda and West Sacramento Mayor Chris Cabaldon. All question Newsom's decision and say California must do more to reopen safely.

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This week on the podcast, we're bringing you a conversation with Paul Mitchell, vice president of the bipartisan voter data firm, Political Data, Inc.

Stories featured in today's show include:

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Early voting is underway in California. Michael Bloomberg recently spoke to The Bee about his pathway to the Democratic presidential nomination and ties to the Golden State. For more information on how to vote, how delegates are assigned and how Bloomberg is competing, please check out the following selected readings:

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In his first California interview since declaring his 2020 bid for president, former Vice President Joe Biden sits down for a taping of The Sacramento Bee's "California Nation" podcast.

This week on the show, Biden discusses his approach to winning the Golden State, as well as his plans to address wildfires, health care and rising housing costs.

He also discusses the lack of racial diversity at the next Democratic debate and the possibility of California Sen. Kamala Harris serving under his administration.

Make sure to subscribe to The Bee to help support the show. Key reads from today's episodes:

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This week on California Nation, we sit down with New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker to talk about his pathway to the Democratic nomination, given his recent struggles to get onto the debate stage.

He also discusses his ideas for making housing more affordable, improving the environment and confronting gun violence. Finally, he reflects on his personal ties to California, as well as his friendship with fellow 2020 candidate Andrew Yang.

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In the final episode of 2019, host Bryan Anderson shares the highlights from his trip to the Dec. 19 Democratic debate in Los Angeles.

Top moments include Amy Klobuchar weighing in on California wildfires, Gavin Newsom evaluating the state of the race and Tom Perez discussing whether predominantly white states like Iowa and New Hampshire have an outsized role in the nominating process.

Following the debate, Klobuchar joins Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang in the Spin Room. Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, also weighs in with expert analysis.

This week's Buzz of the Week highlights Joe Biden shrugging off questions about housing, homelessness and how he'd appeal to California's most liberal voters.

To keep this show running, The Sacramento Bee needs your support. Make sure to subscribe here, and get your first month for under $1.

Stories featured in today's show include:

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