CNN’s John Avlon was sounding the alarm for nervous Democrats, on Tuesday’s New Day, over the possibility of California having a Republican governor soon. Governor Gavin Newsom is in a tight race with frontrunner Larry Elder, so Avlon tried every excuse in the book to explain why this race was unfair to Democrats as he ginned up fear against conservatives.
Co-host John Berman mocked the bipartisan recall effort, to open Avlon’s “Reality Check” segment. “It's a quirky law in process. Quirky is a nice way of putting it, with a huge amount at stake,” he warned.
Avlon picked up the condescending commentary, snarking that this race was a “GOP stunt.” But he revealed just how worried Democrats are at the same time with his hyperbolic commentary:
There's a recall election looming in California, and here's why it matters if you live outside the golden state. First, because it's another Republican end run around majoritarian democracy. Second, because control of the U.S. Senate could hang in the balance. You might have thought this was just some doomed GOP stunt because California is reliably Democrat, right? Well, yes, if you judge by most statewide elections…
Not even hiding his disdain for “ornery” Californians concerned about wildfires, drought, and COVID mandates, Avlon complained that the effort to recall Newsom was “designed to empower extremes,” because it required “just” 1.5 million signatures to start.
Rehearsing CNN talking points, Avlon pivoted to attack Newsom’s closest competitor:
Which means that, after the recall vote on September 14th, residents of America's largest state could wake up with a new governor who only got the votes of a tiny percentage of the electorate. Now, a leading Republican candidate is right wing radio host Larry Elder. He’s a black Trump backer which helps him stand out from the crowd. But with front runner status comes increased scrutiny. From accusations that he waved a gun at an ex-fiancee which he denies. Filed improper campaign disclosures which his campaign calls a simple mistake. Then there are the shock jock lines that have come back to haunt him…
After establishing his baseless argument that this race was “kooky” and unfair, Avlon even tried claiming that this race was unconstitutional:
Now if this all sounds a little kooky screwy, even by California standards, you're not wrong. In fact a few scholars argue this process isn't constitutional at all if it leads to a new Republican governor receiving fewer votes than the Democrat.
The liberal journalist ended his report warning that if a Republican won, they could replace Senator Dianne Feinstein when she leaves office and thus block any liberal replacement for Supreme Court Justice Breyer.
“So, yes, California recall on September 14th matters a lot. Not just in the golden state, but nationwide. And that's your reality check,” he noted. Berman agreed with Avlon’s assessment: “It sure does matter. And uh, I’m with you on the kooky screwy part also.”
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Read the transcript below:
CNN
New Day
8/24/21
JOHN BERMAN: So, two weeks until an election with huge national implications, it's the recall vote in California for governor Gavin Newsom. It's a quirky law in process. Quirky is a nice way of putting it, with a huge amount at stake. John Avalon with a reality check.
JOHN AVLON: There's a recall election looming in California, and here's why it matters if you live outside the golden state. First, because it's another Republican end run around majoritarian democracy. Second, because control of the U.S. Senate could hang in the balance. You might have thought this was just some doomed GOP stunt because California is reliably Democrat, right? Well, yes, if you judge by most statewide elections.
After all, Joe Biden won the state by almost 30 points. Hillary Clinton did even better. California hasn't elected a Republican senator since Pete Wilson in 1988 and no GOP gubernatorial candidate has passed 41% of the vote since the decidedly centrist Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. Incumbent Gavin Newsom won with nearly 62% of the vote nearly 3 years ago. That is in large part because more than 46% of the voters there are registered Democrat compared to 24% Republican and 23% independent, what the state calls no party preference. Look, I'm no fan of one-party states, but recall races like this aren't the right way to correct it. Because the rules are designed to empower extremes. Requiring just 1.5 million signatures, a fraction of the votes cast in the last election, to kick this gear into process. Between covid, wildfires, and rising murders, Californians are feeling ornery. Voter turnout in recalls is typically low. Those motivated to recall are more motivated to participate even in a mail-in election. But here's how it works. The first question is a simple, yes or no, should the governor get recalled. Now if more than 50% of the voters say yes, Gavin Newsom is toast, and with him the Democrats. Then the next question becomes, who should replace him? Now, there are 46 candidates running. This isn't rank choice. It's first pass the post. Which means that, after the recall vote on September 14th, residents of America's largest state could wake up with a new governor who only got the votes of a tiny percentage of the electorate. Now, a leading Republican candidate is right wing radio host Larry Elder. He’s a black Trump backer which helps him stand out from the crowd. But with front runner status comes increased scrutiny. From accusations that he waved a gun at an ex-fiancee which he denies. Filed improper campaign disclosures which his campaign calls a simple mistake. Then there are the shock jock lines that have come back to haunt him like this 1996 ad.
[PLAYS 1996 TV CLIP]
LARRY ELDER: What glass ceiling? Women exaggerate the problem of sexism. [hand slaps his face]
AVLON: Other candidates considered top tier which means polling in the low single digits, include reality star Caitlyn Jenner, former mayor of San Diego Kevin Faulkner, assemblyman Kevin Kiley and businessman John Cox, who got thrashed by Newsom in 2018 by around 3 million votes. Now if this all sounds a little kooky screwy, even by California standards, you're not wrong. In fact a few scholars argue this process isn't constitutional at all if it leads to a new Republican governor receiving fewer votes than the Democrat. With the U.S. Senate divided 50/50, if something should happen to the oldest member of the Senate, 88-year-old Dianne Feinstein, the new governor of California would choose her replacement, flipping control of the Senate. This could also give Republicans power to block the replacement of the oldest Supreme Court Justice Steven Breyer if he chooses to retire. This could give Republicans a 7-2 majority on the Court, despite having won the popular vote in a presidential election only once since 1988. So, yes, California recall on September 14th matters a lot. Not just in the golden state, but nationwide. And that's your reality check.
BERMAN: It sure does matter. And uh, I’m with you on the kooky screwy part also.
