THE GOVERNOR, THE PRESIDENT AND THE CALIFORNIA REBOUND
President Joe Biden will be in California on Monday, campaigning to ensure that Gavin Newsom, the state’s governor, will not be ousted from office by the voters in an orgy of political nihilism
Guess what: Newsom is going to win – and Biden will get a jolt to bring his political fights in Washington on his domestic agenda to a successful conclusion.
US President Joe Biden on jobs
A century ago, California’s progressive reformers, seized with the urgency of taking on corporate barons who were exploiting their dominance over commerce and development, enacted a major legislative reform for its frontier democracy
California’s voters could recall their elected officials before an election was due. This would hold them ever-accountable to their responsibilities of office.
However, after a wave of initial progressive power, with several officials ousted, its use lapsed. It took until 2003 for Democratic Gov Gray Davis to be replaced by Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger in a tumultuous recall fight.
Newsom was mayor of San Francisco and lieutenant governor for 15 years. Popular and able, he easily won the governorship in 2018 — a very strong Democratic year, with California, now a majority-minority state in racial composition, one of the bluest states in the union. And one of the most consequential, with the fifth largest economy in the world – much larger than Australia’s.
But Newsom has been tested by Covid, which has ravaged the state, kept schools and offices closed, and driven forces that further separated the wealthiest from the rest
The wildfires are also now relentless and still out of control, driving thousands from their homes and blackening the environment. With poor health and an uneven economy, California has lost population for the first time ever.
In a testy time, with leaders not able to hold a commanding political position, the grassroots can explode like the forests, seeking to punish those in office and find new leaders
Newsom is blessed with a field of over 40 Republicans who are essentially unknown mediocrities (radio host Larry Elder has some prominence) or, in the case of the inevitable celebrity like Caitlin Jenner, not credible.
While it really does take someone to beat someone, Newsom will win because in the face of the Biblical afflictions across California, he has been steady on the science and the public health measures necessary to bring the pandemic under control – vaccine mandates, and sensible rules on masks and commerce – and because he is leading the fight on the fires and tying their prevalence to the climate crisis.
Newsom is capitalizing politically on the climate syllogism we felt here in the bushfire conflagration of 2019
“Climate change equals drought, equals bushfires, equals destruction, equals smoke: Act!” The Republicans are out of step on climate with voters in California no less than conservatives here in Australia.
There is a parallel mood on the pandemic: enough already with the unvaccinated; we want to return to normal life. Or as President Biden put it last week, “We have been patient but our patience is wearing thin and your refusal has cost all of us. The unvaccinated minority can cause a lot of damage and they are.”
Newsome also stands – together with California’s own Kamala Harris, now Vice President, who campaigned with him last week – as a proud Democrat faithful to all the party’s ideals.
Newsom has therefore put together the triple play to win the game: climate, pandemic, and an uprising of the middle to defeat the extremist populism embodied by Trump – a corrosive populism that suppresses voting rights and women’s rights, especially for abortion.
Biden is campaigning in California to capitalise on Newsom’s impending victory.
Everywhere Biden has travelled over the past two weeks, from Louisiana to New Jersey and New York, he has tied the catastrophic floods to climate change. He will do the same with the fires in California. And he ties this new climate reality to the urgent need for his massive infrastructure rebuild for America to pass Congress.
Biden will use Newsom’s leadership on the pandemic to buttress his own aggressive measures last week to get the rest of the country vaccinated and bring the virus under control
Biden will champion women’s rights in California so that the state will never experience what is occurring to women in Texas, which has outlawed abortion after the first 6 weeks of pregnancy.
And Biden will use California to marshal all these forces to keep Democrats united and together on the offensive to pass his legislative program in the coming weeks.
With victory in California, Biden expects two other Democrats to use this same playbook to win their races for governor in Virginia and New Jersey in November.
Biden is hurting after Afghanistan, and with the pandemic not yet under control as he promised – and that is taking the edge off the economic recovery, adding to his loss of some political capital as is evident in the polls.
This is why Biden is in California, because this is where his rebound begins.
Optalert launches free iPhone test for detecting sleep issues, utilising AI to screen for obstructive sleep apnea with high accuracy.
In Short
Australian company Optalert has launched a free iPhone app, Owl Eye, that detects sleep issues by analysing users’ blink patterns and screening for obstructive sleep apnea with 96.6% accuracy. The app is currently available in Australia and New Zealand, with plans for wider release.
Australian company Optalert has introduced a free iPhone test for detecting sleep issues.
The app differs from traditional sleep trackers by assessing users while awake, requiring only ten minutes to complete.
It focuses primarily on screening for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and is backed by data from leading Australian sleep laboratories.
An AI-based algorithm, developed from this data, classifies individuals with a remarkable 96.6% accuracy regarding OSA.
Optalert is currently pursuing regulatory certification to operate as a medical device across various regions, including the US, Europe, and China.
The app functions by analysing users’ blink patterns during a concentration task facilitated by the iPhone’s camera, disregarding video content to ensure privacy.
This technology helps identify impairment due to insufficient oxygen during sleep.
Those receiving a positive result can seek further diagnosis and treatment for their sleep issues.
The app, named Owl Eye, is currently available on the Apple App Store in Australia and New Zealand, with plans to expand its reach shortly.
Paul Zubrinich, Chief Marketing Officer of Optalert provides his involvement with the app and shares insights on the technology behind Owl Eye.
In the broader context of sleep technology, the trend indicates increasing accessibility to personal health data previously confined to clinical settings, promising advancements in sleep health.
Elon Musk defends DOGE cuts with Trump, claims Americans will receive what they voted for in Oval Office appearance.
In Short
Elon Musk supported the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during a meeting with President Trump, who signed an order to cut the federal workforce. Musk addressed concerns about DOGE’s transparency and potential conflicts of interest, asserting the agency acts transparently, despite calls for more information.
Elon Musk appeared with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on February 11, 2025, to support the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk defended DOGE’s proposed cuts, claiming they were reasonable and aimed at improving government efficiency.
Trump signed an executive order to enforce significant reductions in the federal workforce, allowing DOGE to oversee the hiring processes for agencies.
The order mandates a hiring ratio of one new employee for every four who depart, with exemptions for positions related to public safety and law enforcement.
Musk emphasized that Americans would receive what they voted for regarding DOGE’s changes, questioning the implications of bureaucratic control over democracy.
Trump expressed frustration with federal judges attempting to block DOGE’s initiatives.
Musk had previously suggested that a judge should be impeached after a ruling limited DOGE’s access to Treasury files.
Musk faced inquiries about DOGE’s transparency and potential conflicts of interest with his companies receiving federal contracts.
He asserted that DOGE operates transparently and shares updates on its official X account and government site.
However, as of the latest check, DOGE.gov had not provided new information.
A DOGE spokesperson stated that the agency is under the Presidential Records Act, potentially keeping their activities confidential for years.
Trump and Putin agree to talks aimed at ending Ukraine war, signalling potential improvement in US-Russia relations.
In Short
Trump and Putin agreed to start talks to end the Ukraine war, following a phone call that raised hopes for improved relations. Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Hegseth indicated a shift in U.S. policy on Ukraine’s territorial claims and its NATO membership.
The two leaders communicated by phone on Wednesday. Trump expressed optimism about the potential results of this engagement, describing it as a necessary step towards peace.
This phone call followed a recent prisoner exchange, which Trump suggested might signal improving U.S.-Russia relations.
In his remarks on Truth Social, Trump highlighted the urgent need to address the ongoing deaths resulting from the conflict. He noted Putin’s reference to his campaign motto, “COMMON SENSE.”
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s statements indicated a shift in U.S. policy, dismissing Ukraine’s restoration to pre-2014 borders as unrealistic and stating that Ukraine’s NATO membership is not a viable goal.
Hegseth, during his first European visit as Pentagon chief, emphasised that security guarantees for Ukraine would require contributions from both European and non-European troops, requiring a collaborative international effort.
While Ukraine expresses a desire to reclaim its territory, Hegseth acknowledged the difficulty it might face in obtaining areas currently occupied by Russia.
He did not clarify the level of military support the U.S. would provide moving forward, nor did he suggest an imminent increase in arms supplies.
Trump’s envoy, Keith Kellogg, stated that they have a significant chance to end the war, with strong support from allies anticipated at the upcoming Munich Security Conference.