Gov. Newsom apologizes for attending party

Governor Gavin Newsom apologized for what he called a 'bad mistake' at his Monday COVID-19 news conference.

Gov. Newsom said he attended a birthday party for a close friend and broke the same rules he has been preaching to all Californians to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

News about the party he and his wife attended back on November 6 broke over the weekend and he's received a great deal of backlash since.

The reports were that Newsom was at a party with about a dozen friends at the pricy French Laundry restaurant in the Napa wine country.

Newsom says he recognizes that he must practice what he preaches and set a proper example.

He said there were more guests than he expected celebrating the 50th birthday of a longtime political adviser and that he should have left but didn't.

"I made a bad mistake," said Newsom. "Instead of sitting down I should have stood up and walked back and got in my car and drove to my house."

"We're all human, we all fall short sometimes," he said.

Gov. Newsom says he will not let it happen again.

During the question and answer portion of the call, Gov. Newsom did have to face questions about the part.

One person asked if California residents will see this as "Do as I say, not as I do." Gov. Newsom's answer was to rewind the tape and hear exactly what he said.

Another wondered if people won't take his warnings as seriously and see him less like the moral authority. He agreed and said that's why "You have to own it and be forthright. I'm doing my best every single day," said Newsom.