Other than a shred of dignity, you mean?
IMO the point is that Newsome has a preference for how Feinstein finishes out her career. He has next to no ability to influence, much less control, what Feinstein does.
But he certainly has a preference for what Fate & her decision-making power, whatever it may still be, has is store for her and by extension, for him. He’s carefully not even making his preference publicly known. But I think we can all agree he has a preference, even if we can’t all agree on what it (probably) is.
I’m still confused that folks are suggesting Newsome gains something if Feinstein resigns or dies. For him that’s a totally poisoned chalice. The state of California and the US Senate might well gain something by her leaving office in her current condition. I say “might” only because I’m not prepared to defend either side of that argument in this particular post.
But Newsome? There’s zero upside to him if she doesn’t finish her term.
Agreed. In fact, that was the point I was making. Sorry if it wasn’t clear.
(By the way, the Governor does spell his name sans the ‘e’.)
Thanks for the spelling correction. I got it right in my post a couple days ago, then screwed up both of today’s posts. D’oh!
It’s an uncommon spelling to drop the ‘e’. I have to backspace often, too.
That list is from 2021 and mentions a few of the same people I mentioned above. Lateefah Simon is going for the Assembly seat Lee’s vacating to run for Senate, so I’d say she’s not a viable choice - she’s on the climb politically and metaphorically spitting in Lee’s face would be a bad look.
But the politics has shifted since then, because Feinstein hadn’t yet declared she would retire, so no one was campaigning for her seat. Everything is more complicated now.
I think he would have been overjoyed to keep that promise - six months ago. If Feinstein had retired in 2022, it would have given him the opportunity to play kingmaker yet again and reverse the ill will he had gotten for the Padilla pick (that also earned him more political capital then he lost, but still). But the timing didn’t work, so now he’s stuck.
I bet in the end he gives it to Lee if it comes down to it. He’s just likely hoping it doesn’t happen.
Well, no one would be spitting in the 77 year-old’s face if she were - uh - retired instead of looking for a gig to take her to age 83.
I’m not so overwhelmed by the current/past crop of geezers, that I would object to younger people with county or municipal - or business - experience. Hell, i could imagine the correct celebrity doing a fine job.
But I don’t want to make this all about successors to Feinstein. I’m sick of these old farts clinging onto power. I’m disgusted with the idea that next presidential election may be between to octogenarians. In IL, Sen Durbin is someone I GREATLY respect. I cannot recall my ever disagreeing with a position her has taken. But I was not thrilled when he announced he would run again.
We can only speculate but this goes to why Feinstein is hanging in there. Is it ego or is it her handlers (staff) and/or family?
For her part she is 89 years old and has a net worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 million (yeah…she’s loaded).
In her dotage I do not think she has any ability to throw her political weight around.
So, she has zero reason to hang in there. The only reason she is still in there is because the people surrounding her want it to be that way. Soft landing or something else…those are the people who Newsom has to buy off.
She would die within 6 months if she resigned. I’ve seen it in other lines of work. Your life is defined by a certain rhythm. Retirement at an advanced age would upset you physically and mentally. It’s hard even if healthy with a hobby or other pursuit; she has nothing.
She’s reasonably likely to die within 6 months either way. 
She has already stopped the rhythm of her work
She only retains the title
Lots of ugly truth in that “interview”.
I don’t have any particular insight into Feinstein’s decision making, but I think it’s likely that her continued presence in the Senate is less a conspiracy of her “handlers” and more likely a stubborn old person unwilling or unable to admit that she is in cognitive decline. I think her staff probably would try to talk her into stepping down if they could — they need to find new jobs in the next year and a half regardless, and frankly she’s getting to be a bit of an albatross on their careers. But anyone who’s tried to talk grandma into giving up her driver’s license when she’s clearly no longer fit to drive knows how that conversation goes.
She may not remember being absent from the Senate:
Yeah, but responsible people take what steps are necessary. I remember when we remarked to MIL that she could hit and kill someone while driving. She responded, “Well, that is the risk they take.” 
We took her keys.
Someone should be able to sit down with thi old lady and persuade her that - as much good as she has done, and as much as many people love and respect her - that she really HAS to step down. If her staff knows that she is cognitively impaired, they are doing the nation a gross disservice by propping her up and pretending otherwise.
A pretty fair description of a Senate staffer’s chief duty.
I think you’re right.
Gavin: “And now I’m happy to introduce to the citizens of California, straight outta the Tenderloin, your new senator, Trixie DaNasti!”
Barbara Lee serves in the U.S. House of Representatives not the California Assembly.
On a side note: I don’t think either Porter or Schiff could ever have Feinstein’s seat anyway.
They’re both SoCal and Padilla already has that seat. DiFi is NorCal so it makes some sense to pass it from her to Lee.
Yes, sometimes both senators are from the same Sub-State (until 3 years ago it was DiFi and Harris) but I think most folks would rather it shakes out to, “There’s one for you, and one for us.”
Eh, 6 of 1…
Thanks for the correction - slip of the keyboard (aka my aging brain 
).
This has been mentioned but if you want another story on it: