San Francisco Mayor May Run For Governor

[Wittlich]

San Francisco Mayor May Run For Governor
KNTV-TV
updated 10:02 a.m. PT, Mon., March. 10, 2008
San Francisco, Calif. - Will he or won't he? All San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will say is it's too premature to talk about possibly throwing his hat in the ring for the race for California governor.

Newsom's political consultant, Eric Jaye, said the mayor has quietly met with Democratic campaign experts to talk about a potential gubernatorial campaign, and now is "certain to at least consider the possibility," the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday.

"A number of people in the last few months have reached out and talked to me about it. It's premature to talk about it in the open. In the next few months we'll see what happens," Newsom said when asked about the possibility of running.

Several people are expected to compete for governor in 2010, including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Attorney General Jerry Brown, who is a former governor, and former state Controller Steve Westly, the Chronicle reported.

[DanS]

It's amazing to me that Jerry Brown's career has resurged. Normally, political careers are one way.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by DanS
It's amazing to me that Jerry Brown's career has resurged. Normally, political careers are one way.

Remember when Brown entered the Presidential race really late, but beat Carter in six straight primaries? He is a very savvy politician.

BTW: The list omitted Garamendi, the wildly popular former Insurance Commissioner. IMHO, Villaraigosa's career candidacy will go nowhere because of a recent sex scandal. The real Democratic race will be between Garimendi and Brown.

[Cyclotron]

Newsom

[DanS]

Didn't Newsom also have a sex scandal? Or am I misremembering?

[Ming]

Originally posted by DanS
Didn't Newsom also have a sex scandal? Or am I misremembering?

Sex scandal a serious obstacle to mayor's hopes for higher office
Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

Friday, February 2, 2007
With the startling admission -- and public apology -- regarding an affair with his campaign manager's wife, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom set off on Thursday what one Democratic strategist described as a mushroom cloud over his promising political career.

Already, politicians and consultants are assessing the fallout: Has the talented Democratic rising star irrevocably damaged his chances for re-election -- and prospects for state or national office? And has he also wounded his party by handing Republicans juicy evidence of "San Francisco values" that are outside the mainstream?

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who has known and supported the mayor for years, said Thursday in Washington that Newsom's behavior "clearly was wrong" but added that the mayor has undergone "awful" pressures in the wake of a tough divorce and insisted she will stand behind him.

"It doesn't excuse it," she said of his public apology regarding an affair with Ruby Rippey-Tourk, his former appointments secretary and the wife of his campaign manager, Alex Tourk.

"But I've always wanted to help this mayor. I think he's got so much potential," Feinstein said in an interview with The Chronicle as she rode on the Capitol subway. "One of my great interests is to help young people as the next generation moves on, and he's certainly at the head of that list."

Asked whether San Francisco voters will be forgiving in an election year, Feinstein, a former mayor of the city, insisted they would, adding, "Look, we all make mistakes.''

But even as Feinstein expressed optimism about the outlook for Newsom, a variety of leading Democratic and Republican political consultants -- including several with connections to San Francisco political and business interests -- were considerably darker in their assessment of the mayor's prospects for political advancement. Some of the strategists agreed to speak only on condition of anonymity, saying they feared repercussions for their business and political relations with the mayor's office if they spoke publicly.

The strategists said that though Newsom has high approval ratings and so far faces no major competition in his re-election campaign, his admission of an affair with the wife of his close aide and good friend is likely to be lethal to his aspirations for higher office -- even in an age when voters are no longer shocked by sexual political scandal.

"This guy is no longer a credible candidate to be governor of California,'' said one of the Republican strategists. "It's an extraordinary good day for (Los Angeles Mayor) Antonio Villaraigosa and (former state Controller) Steve Westly," who are considered potential Democratic candidates for governor.

While voters might be generally unconcerned with the private life of a single man in office, Newsom's affair is likely to be perceived as a betrayal of a friend, which raises crucial questions of maturity, character, judgment and loyalty, the strategists said.

The potential impact could be greatest with men, who tend to forgive such dalliances more easily than women -- but are likely to be harsher in their judgments of Newsom because he double-crossed his best friend, several of the strategists said.

"That's the end; even in California, there are some things you can't get away with," one of the Democratic strategists said. "He might get re-elected as mayor of San Francisco, but any hope of being elected statewide is done."

The Democrat noted that the scandal came on the heels of headlines that have put an unflattering spotlight on Newsom's personal life -- from coverage of a messy divorce to public displays of affection and dalliances with a series of girlfriends, including a 19-year-old restaurant hostess, to sightings of the 39-year-old mayor drinking at bars and bistros across the city.

"He's got great marquee value; he's young enough to be around politics for another 30 years if he wanted," said a party strategist who has watched Newsom's rise. "But what's wrong with the guy?''

If those questions weren't tough enough, some political insiders said Newsom's affair has the potential to have ripple effects far beyond the Democratic bastion of San Francisco.

"The only person who gets hurt more than Gavin Newsom is (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi," says Dan Schnur, a GOP strategist who was the spokesman for former Republican Gov. Pete Wilson.

As Fox News and other national cable outlets seized on the scandal Thursday, Schnur said the story will resonate among conservative talk outlets precisely because Pelosi "spent the last 30 days surrounding herself with every child on the Eastern seaboard to put to rest the discussion of 'San Francisco values.' So this is one more talking point for people who want to criticize her on her home turf."

Pelosi, who has known Newsom since he was a child, was in Williamsburg, Va., at a retreat for House Democrats on Thursday and was unavailable for comment. "Speaker Pelosi is saddened by this and is concerned for everyone involved and their families," said a statement from her spokesman Brendan Daly.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, questioned on the affair at a news conference in Washington, D.C., declined comment.

Democratic strategist Don Solem, a longtime city insider, agreed that "there will be attempts by bloggers and others" on the conservative talk circuit to fire up the values issue and use the mayor's affair as a political club. "But I don't think it connects to Pelosi as much as to 'San Francisco, that strange city,' " he said.

Indeed, San Francisco insiders are speculating about whether the mayor's heart is still in politics.

They cite an interview in The Chronicle recently in which Newsom, saying the intense public spotlight has taken a harsh toll, acknowledged thinking about not running for re-election. And in Davos, Switzerland, last week, he appeared to dismiss a future run for statewide office by noting that his position in support of same-sex marriage has made him a pariah to some party moderates.

Outside City Hall, where influential donors and backers can make or break a political future, there have been more signs of trouble. Local business leaders in recent weeks have been buzzing about the mayor's personal distractions; complaints that their calls are not being returned have become increasingly vocal around power lunch tables.

"If the business community is dissatisfied, if there are continuing high-profile problems with sports teams, with Muni,'' voters may conclude he is no longer up for the job, and "that's when he'll be in big trouble," said one of the strategists.

But top crisis-communications expert Chris Lehane -- who was White House spokesman for President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal -- cautioned that it is premature to write political obituaries for Newsom, who has garnered rave notices in his short career.

Clinton, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Sen. Edward Kennedy and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani -- now considered a leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination -- all survived sex scandals in their careers.

"The first 48 hours is critical in terms of containing (the story), and you recover over the long haul," Lehane said. "Assuming you properly apologize and show people you are contrite, the people will judge whether you do a good job day in and day out on decisions that affect the city."

But "it will require extra discipline and applying lessons learned -- and the recognition that you are going to be measuring progress in inches," Lehane said.

Chronicle Washington Bureau Chief Marc Sandalow and Chronicle political writer Zachary Coile contributed to this report from Washington, D.C. E-mail Carla Marinucci at cmarinucci@sfchronicle.com.

[DinoDoc]

Newsom

[Zkribbler]

Meanwhile, in other Rogue Weenie news:

NY governor apologises in scandal

Eliot Spitzer said he had violated his obligations to his family


New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer has apologised amid allegations of involvement in a prostitution ring.
The married father-of-three said he had acted in a way that violated his obligations to his family.

He apologised to his family and the public, whom he said he should have served better.

He made no reference to allegations published by The New York Times, which said he had been involved with a high-priced prostitution service.

"I failed to live up to the standards I set up to myself," the first-term governor told a packed press conference at his Manhattan office.

"Now I stand to regain the trust of my family," he added, as his wife, Silda, stood by his side.

But he refused to answer questions as to whether he would resign.

Sherriff of Wall Street

Last week, four people were arrested in connection with the alleged prostitution ring, The New York Times reported.

Mr Spitzer has built a career based on rooting out corruption

As part of the investigation, a federal wire-tap on a Washington hotel last month had recorded Mr Spitzer allegedly arranging to meet a prostitute, the newspaper added.

Mr Spitzer, 48, had abruptly cancelled Monday afternoon appointments to meet senior advisors about the allegations, the Times reported.

He was elected governor in November 2006 promising ethical reform in New York.

As New York's attorney general, he had become known as the Sherriff of Wall Street for his relentless pursuit of financial wrong-doing.

He had also taken a firm line against prostitution in New York.

I wonder if the pun in the last sentence was intentional.

[Kidlicious]

If you can't beat them, join them.

[Zkribbler]

When it comes to prostitution, he had proven himself to be absolutely tireless.

[Cyclotron]

In what way is Newsom's infidelity anything like Spitzer? It's the difference between what's illegal and what isn't.

Also, DinoDoc

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Cyclotron
In what way is Newsom's infidelity anything like Spitzer? It's the difference between what's illegal and what isn't.

Also, DinoDoc

Really? You think buying whores is worse than sleeping with your campaign manager's wife?

[Ming]

As the story said...

While voters might be generally unconcerned with the private life of a single man in office, Newsom's affair is likely to be perceived as a betrayal of a friend, which raises crucial questions of maturity, character, judgment and loyalty, the strategists said.

The potential impact could be greatest with men, who tend to forgive such dalliances more easily than women -- but are likely to be harsher in their judgments of Newsom because he double-crossed his best friend, several of the strategists said.

That pretty much sums it up.

[Cyclotron]

Originally posted by Kidicious
Really? You think buying whores is worse than sleeping with your campaign manager's wife?

Uh, yes?

Look, they're both reprehensible behaviors on a personal level, but there's a difference between legal hypocrisy - being caught up in a prostitution ring, and after being a famous crusader for cleaning up politics to boot - and mere infidelity. Hell, Spitzer has prosecuted prostitution rings before. It's a whole different level of immorality.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Cyclotron
In what way is Newsom's infidelity anything like Spitzer? It's the difference between what's illegal and what isn't.

Also, DinoDoc

Bros before hos, man.