California Has Got This, America

Kamala Harris Survived San Francisco and the Golden State. She’s Ready for Three Months Against Trump

Don’t worry, America.

We got this.

By “we,” I mean California.

By “this,” I mean this presidential election.

And by “got,” I mean that we are sending you the best possible candidate to weather whatever the next three-plus months hold.

Now let’s be honest about Kamala Harris. We’re not giving you our most charismatic public speaker. Harris’ sentences are sometimes as awkward as Joe Biden’s. She has a bad habit of fusing her talking points into word salads.

We’re not giving you our most disciplined politician. She’ll crack a joke when she shouldn’t or make a …

by Joe Mathews | July 23, 2024

More In: Connecting California

Dump Biden. Run Snoop

If the American People (and the Supreme Court) Want a Convicted Felon-in-Chief, Let it Be a Multi-Talented Rapper from Long Beach

by Joe Mathews | July 16, 2024

President Biden should drop out of the presidential race, but not because he is too old or too infirm.

He should drop out because he is not criminal enough to win.

The …

California Democrats Need Real Opposition | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Why Is Gavin Newsom Invoking a Failed World War Two-Era Governor?

Culbert Olson Talked A Good Game About Democracy, But He Failed to Protect Californians’ Civil Liberties

by Joe Mathews | July 9, 2024

If you’re ever inside the Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale and hear laughter ringing through the hallways, it’s probably me visiting the tomb of Culbert …

California Democrats Need Real Opposition

A Book By a Leading Republican Demonstrates the State’s Lack of a Counter-Narrative

by Joe Mathews | June 18, 2024

In our era of one-party rule by complacent Democrats, California might benefit from a coherent and compelling political opposition.

Instead, we keep getting John Cox.

You probably don’t recognize Cox’s name. This …

Don’t Draw Conclusions From the Flags Mrs. Alito and I Choose to Fly

This Columnist Believes in the Right to Freely Choose What Flies in Front of One’s Home

by Joe Mathews | June 11, 2024

Early last year my city councilmember, who likes to walk his dog through our neighborhood, stopped me as he strolled by.

“Are you Mexican?” he asked.

“Nope, I’m Scots Irish,” I replied. …

California’s Budget Deficit Is Not the Problem

Don’t Worry About Balancing the Books. It’s Our Kafkaesque State Constitution That Needs Fixing

by Joe Mathews | May 28, 2024

You can tune out Gov. Newsom when he talks about the state’s big budget deficit. Ignore the pleas of Democrats who control the legislature, too. And turn the volume down …

More In: Connecting California

Get More Zócalo