HOOK, LINE AND SINKER: Karen Bass was miscast for the role of a leader in crisis. As fires erupted across Los Angeles, the first-term mayor has been hampered by instincts she honed as a deal-making legislator and coalition-building community activist, as our Melanie Mason reports today. Never someone to actively seek the spotlight, her restrained demeanor now comes off as uninspiring for people seeking an executive projecting command. “Here’s what L.A. actually needs right now: someone to stand up in the middle of the Pacific Palisades or the middle of Sylmar or the middle of Hollywood every day and say, ‘This is our community, and we will rebuild,’” said one Democratic consultant in the city who was granted anonymity to speak about the sensitive political dynamic. They added: “I want her to show some emotion, that she’s tapping into the fear and anxiety that so many people feel, and not reflect this soft brand of optimism that she’s been known for.” Instead, Bass is dealing with a pile-on of national proportions — some of it a bit unfair, but much of it the result of unforced errors caused by a painfully poor messaging strategy. Her woes are amplified by detractors with super-sized megaphones, including the owner of the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Soon-Shiong, who called the paper’s 2022 endorsement of Bass a mistake. Bass has been pummeled on social media, including by X owner Elon Musk, who has blasted out searing — and often half-baked or outright false — assertions about her leadership. The latest example came Tuesday afternoon, when CBS News sent out a misleading tweet suggesting its reporter asked Bass whether she “regrets” taking an overseas trip while the wildfires erupted. The accompanying video clip showed Bass answering “No.” In fact, CBS’ Jonathan Vigliotti asked Bass whether, looking back, she still would’ve taken the diplomatic trip to Ghana. The episode served as a mini illustration of Bass’ problems — specious information, followed by her own unwillingness to provide a fuller explanation, let alone a broader acknowledgement of her mistake. The narrative about her trip might have been put to bed last week, but Bass’ resistance to engage on it has allowed her enemies to continue painting her as an absent and ineffective leader. Although, as Melanie reports, some of the online vitriol is almost unavoidable at this point. “Nationally, there’s just a pile-on,” said Rob Quan, an organizer with Unrig L.A., a City Hall watchdog group. “If you look at her replies [on social media] now, she could be posting a video of her literally running into a burning building and taking a child out of there, and people would still be replying ‘resign!’” Rick Caruso, Bass’ 2022 mayoral opponent, has been among those hammering the mayor, telling Playbook last week that she “abandoned her post.” He’s kept up the pressure, releasing a slickly edited video of his neighborhood’s devastation and launching a donation drive for the fire department seeded with his own $5 million contribution. To Bass’ supporters, the commentary from Caruso and others is not viewed as constructive criticism, but as throwing rocks at someone trying to manage the crisis. As Fabian Núñez, a former Assembly speaker and Bass ally, put it: “Somebody is really trying to trip her up and debilitate her.” IT’S TUESDAY AFTERNOON. This is California Playbook PM, a POLITICO newsletter that serves as an afternoon temperature check on California politics and a look at what our policy reporters are watching. Got tips or suggestions? Shoot an email to lholden@politico.com.
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