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Darvish recounted how Newsom struggled to justify his management of the crisis. According to Darvish, the governor claimed he couldn’t reach President Joe Biden by phone due to poor cell reception, which she saw as a glaring example of broader issues. “There was no cellphone reception in certain areas, but that’s a big problem in and of itself,” she told Watters. “Why doesn’t he have a satellite truck? The fact that he couldn’t get cell reception was really frustrating.”
Her remarks echo those of countless Californians outraged by the inadequate emergency response. The wildfires have claimed at least ten lives, destroyed over 10,000 homes and buildings, and leveled affluent neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades.
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Governor Newsom’s Policies Under Fire
Critics have pointed to Newsom’s decision to slash funding for wildfire and forest resilience by $101 million less than a year before the fires broke out. The move has been labeled shortsighted and indicative of misplaced priorities.
President-elect Donald Trump has called for Newsom’s resignation, citing the governor’s emphasis on conservation policies, such as protecting the delta smelt, a small fish species in Northern California, over the needs of farmers and residents. Trump took to his platform, Truth Social, to slam Newsom, arguing that the state’s water system, already strained, failed under the pressure of the crisis.
Darvish joined the chorus of critics, ridiculing the governor’s priorities with a biting remark: “Actually, I love sushi, but I have no regard for smelt,” she told Watters. “But apparently, the governor does.”
A Cry for Competence in Leadership
Darvish didn’t mince words when addressing the governor’s leadership. “It’s time for something new. It doesn’t have to be an R, it doesn’t have to be a D. Why can’t it be someone who knows what they’re doing?” she asked. She also expressed concern over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in emergency services, which she argued may hinder performance. “Why do you care who it is? Let’s pick the good people,” she implored.
Watters backed her sentiment, saying, “If you take a mom and put them in the governor’s mansion, they’d probably do a better job than Gavin Newsom.”
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Calls for Change Amid Tragedy
Darvish described the chaos of her evacuation, lamenting the lack of visible support from first responders. “On my way down (while evacuating), I didn’t see a single fire truck coming to help me,” she said. “It’s not their fault, Jesse. It comes from the top… the buck stops with these guys.”
With the fires exposing glaring inefficiencies in California’s emergency preparedness, calls for a change in leadership are growing louder. As families like Darvish’s continue to grapple with the aftermath, the question remains: How much longer can Californians endure leadership that fails to meet the moment?
