History's greatest leaders have always been unfairly maligned for having low moral character. Genghis Khan, Ivan the Terrible, Henry VIII, Andrew Jackson, Winston Churchill, Augusto Pinochet, John F. Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon, and Donald J. Trump. The list goes on and on.
Now it's Gavin Newsom's turn in the barrel. The California governor and Democratic Party wunderkind is under attack for being a successful, good-looking man who likes to go to parties with his friends, some of whom happen to be health care lobbyists. The guy can't seem to catch a break. During his time as mayor of San Francisco, for example, Newsom was criticized for banging his campaign manager's wife.
In other words, they hate him because he is free.
Newsom's alleged "crime"—because no real criminal activity has been alleged—was attending a 50th birthday party for his longtime lobbyist friend, Jason Kinney, at one of the finest upscale dining establishments in Napa Valley. Reports indicate the party was a loud and lively affair. Newsom's critics are presumably just jealous because their own friends aren't as rich and powerful and charismatic.
Some claim the party "violated" California's pandemic guidelines regarding private gatherings. But Newsom says otherwise. Since when did we stop giving elected officials the benefit of the doubt? Since when do we expect elected officials to abide by the rules they impose on the rest of us? Can you imagine if the world actually worked that way? The result would be chaos.
The party's guest list speaks for itself. Would the CEO and top lobbyist of the California Medical Association attend a party that violated state guidelines in the middle of a pandemic? It's like the media have suddenly decided to forget that Democrats are the ones who believe in science and are refusing to accept that as a perfectly valid excuse.
In any event, wearing protection is overrated. Sure, it might make sense for powerful politicians to mask up at a grocery store that's crawling with commoners. But at a dinner party surrounded by rich lobbyists? If politicians and their lobbyist friends can't be trusted to follow the rules, or at least bend them creatively to avoid being personally inconvenienced, then the battle for America's soul has already been lost.
Seriously, what is the big deal? People who matter don't actually die from COVID, anyway. Nor should they. President Trump, for example, cured himself within a matter of days. Like Newsom, he had more important things to do. Like Newsom, he was unfairly maligned for trying to have fun with his friends during this difficult time.
America needs more Gavin Newsoms, not fewer. Real Men of Freedom are getting harder and harder to come by these days. Regrettably, discussions surrounding the concept of "privilege" rarely take into account whether or not that "privilege" is deserved, whether or not it has been rightfully earned. The Democratic Party would never have let Newsom come this far unless he deserved it. Now it's our turn to shut up and let him enjoy himself.