Newsom Hires Edelman for $19M PR Push

0:00It's April 4th. Welcome in. This is U.S. News Today, where national headlines meet AI. California Governor Gavin Newsom's administration just tapped New York P.R. Powerhouse, Edelman for a taxpayer-funded push to polish the state's national. Rep. The deal's worth up to $19 million, handled through the governor's office of business and economic development, and runs from April. Straight through December, Edelman's the world's largest comms firm, working with big brands everywhere. They linked up with smaller California outfits in their bid, which helped seal the win. Officials say it's all about hyping the economy and tourism while shutting down those viral negative stories from online echo chambers and partisan outlets. Republicans are blasting it as a straight up political flex to boost Newsom ahead of a possible presidential bid and Democratic budget overseers. Art touching whether it's smart spending. Critics point out it smells like image rehab for the gov himself. Meanwhile, California is wrestling with projected budget gaps, bashed wildfire responses,

1:04high earners bailing, sky high living costs, crime spikes in, cities, and a brutal housing crunch, all fueling, the out migration, and backlash. This move spotlights Newsom Squad, doubling down to rewrite the Golden State story, even as the real talk on economic kits and life quality drags.