All posts by randymi

California, San Francisco

Help Wanted – Suggestions for Reading

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(This thread will cost Caliticians some money, but we’ll be better off in the end. Please participate. – promoted by Bob Brigham)

I have a little bit of time these days, money in my pocket and a Borders coupon waiitng to be used. I am looking for suggestions for reading about California and San Francisco politics. I just picked up the bio on Nancy Pelosi and have the folowing on my To Read List:

Big Daddy: Jesse Unruh and the Art of Power Politics.

The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk

Does anyone else have suggestions?

UPDATE by Brian: If you happen to want to purchase any of these books, I’ve made a page at Powell’s (a union bookstore) & Amazon (sometimes powell’s doesn’t have everything in stock).

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My Evening With Carole Migden

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Last week I learned that Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer was hosting a Thrusday fundraiser for Carole Migden along the Embarcadero. It was a cheap event and, though I am a Leno supporter, decided to drop a little spare change and check it out. It was a small room that was pretty packed. Betty Yee was the most prominent official there. But what struck me was that Migden knows how towork a room when her mood is on an even keel. She was even quite funny and actually had me questionning the rationale for change. Then I read the events at the State Convention and remember why. She really is Jekyle and Hyde.

California

RUMOR: Migden to Drop Out

There is a RUMOR floating around the conservative site called The Wall that Carole Migden is about to drop out of the State Senate race.

Word on the street is that Migden is going to announce her withdrawal from the reelection campaign, citing “health concerns”. Has she finally seen the writing on the wall?

This would be huge if true. What I wonder is who this would help or hurt. Any ideas? Has anyone else heard the rumor?  

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Pelosi Tips Her Hand for Obama

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While she did not outright say whom she supports, Madame Speaker tipped her hand clearly in Barack Obama’s favor during an interview with ABC News.

ABC News’ Teddy Davis Reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Friday that it would be “harmful” to Democrats if superdelegates were to give the party’s presidential nomination to a candidate who is trailing in the delegates awarded in primaries and caucuses.

“If the votes of the superdelegates overturn what’s happened in the elections,” said Pelosi, “it would be harmful to the Democratic Party.”

Although Pelosi offered her assessment without directly referencing Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., her comments lend considerable support to the Illinois Democrat.

Obama leads Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., in pledged delegates: 1,396 to 1,241. Because of the proportional system used by the Democratic Party to allocate delegates, Obama is widely expected to remain in front of Clinton in pledged delegates at the conclusion of the primary season.

It’s been rumored that Pelosi has quietly supported Obama for some time and Congressman George Miller’s endorsement was considered to have been an indicator. Now that she is a little more in the open, it will be interesting to see what the remaining Congressional superdelegates do. Stay tuned.

San Francisco

SF: Election 2008 Board of Supervisors Preview and Forum

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While there is a presidential race going on throughout the country, there will be races for Board of Supervisors seats here in San Francisco and the San Francisco Examiner provides a glimpse of what we can expect throughout the years. Here are some quick points:

Thus far, incumbents Carmen Chu, Ross Mirkarimi and Sean Elsbernd are unopposed.

The biggest non-incumbent fundraiser by far is Claudine Cheng in D3 with $44,145. This is my district and the one I am most interested in. It looks like Cheng could be the frontrunner. David Chiu has the support of the progressives.

Anyone have opninions on the race in D3 or any other district?  

In the meantime, a conservative organization called Plan C is holding a candidate forum this Wednesday evening.

2008 will be a watershed year for San Francisco politics, as seven seats on the Board of Supervisors are up for election. Four “open” races are being watched most of all, as in districts 1, 3, 9, and 11, Jake McGoldrick, Aaron Peskin, Tom Ammiano and Gerardo Sandoval are all being forced out by term limits.

This large turnover means that San Francisco has a tremendous opportunity to make a fresh start this year with new ideas, new visions, and hopefully, a new spirit of cooperation that will improve the quality of life for all San Franciscans. The new Supervisors will take office in January 2009.

Candidates are beginning to emerge for the four “open” districts – and it’s time to get to know them! Plan C is sponsoring a “Meet the Moderates” event – an opportunity to meet and hear from moderate, pro-quality of life candidates who will be running in the open races this year. Virtually all of the high profile candidates who have announced thus far will be there – and this is the first time that most of them will be addressing a citywide gathering. There will be plenty of time to mingle one-on-one with the candidates, so we hope you’ll come.

My understanding is that among the confirmed candidates are:

D1: Alicia Wang

D3: Joe Alioto, Claudine Cheng, Lynn Jefferson

D9: Eric Storey

D11: Ahsha Safai

This is not my ideal organization to spend an evening with, but they did manage to get a number of candidates together and, since my Supervisor, Aaron Peskin, will be termed out, I appreciate the chance to size up the candidates early. Should be interesting.  

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Newsom Endorses Leno for Senate

In the excitement of the presidential race, I overlooked some big news here in The City. San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom has endorsed Mark Leno for the State Senate over incumbent Carole Migden.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom today endorsed Mark Leno for State Senate, citing his impressive legislative career and advocacy for San Francisco in the State Assembly.

“Here in San Francisco we have benefitted tremendously from Mark’s public service – first as a Supervisor and now as an Assemblyman. I have known Mark for more than 15 years and there is no question Mark Leno is the best choice for change, which is why I am most pleased to endorse Mark Leno for State Senate,” Mayor Newsom said.

“Since Mark became a San Francisco Supervisor in 1998, he has long been a champion for good public policy. Whether it was starting San Francisco’s first city car-share program, enabling City buildings to have solar panels installed on their rooftops, protecting tenants from eviction, or fighting for civil rights in Sacramento with his Marriage Equality Bill, Mark Leno has been our most effective advocate,” Newsom continued.

It’s big news for Leno because it now takes the race out of the “progressive” realm and lends Leno moderate credentials, organizational support and access to Newsom’s donors. Personally, I thought Newsom would remain nuetral but apparently the mayor sees a winner in Leno. This race could well be over now.

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Polls: Obama Leading in the Bay Area

A pair of polls released tonight find that Barack Obama is running ahead of Hillary Clinton in the San Francisco Bay Area. First up is the subscriber only section of the Zogby Poll which puts Obama in the overall lead in the state.

On the Democratic side, California, Missouri  and New Jersey are so close. Obamas lead in California is by virtue of solid support in the Bay Area and among Independents (by 20 points), men (20 points), 18-29 year olds (31 points), very liberal voters (22 points), and African Americans (75%-14%). Clinton does well among women (11 points) and among Hispanics (64%-29%).

Up next is the Field Poll which has Hillary up by 2 points overall.

Obama attracts voters who call themselves liberal, who have gone to graduate school and who are from the Bay Area, which backs him 41 to 31 percent. Clinton’s strength is among conservatives and moderates, those with a high school education and residents of sprawling Los Angeles County, where she holds a 42 to 34 percent lead.

Could Obama carry California on the stregnth of the Bay Area? We’ll know soon.

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SF: Carmen Chu To Run for D4 Supervisor

It looks like Carmen Chu has decided to take on the punishment that involves running for Supervisor in the 4th District, often called the “Sunset seat”.

San Francisco Supervisor Carmen Chu completed on Tuesday her transformation from a behind-the-scenes city employee to out-front politician, announcing that she would run for election in November.

Chu, who at 29 is the youngest member of the Board of Supervisors, was appointed to the board’s District Four seat on a temporary basis by Mayor Gavin Newsom in September and reappointed late Friday afternoon. She is filling the seat held by former Supervisor Ed Jew, whom Newsom suspended for alleged official misconduct and who last week resigned.

But during several hours Friday – after the point when Jew’s resignation took effect and Chu’s temporary appointment expired at noon and five hours and 38 minutes later when she was finally sworn back into office – it appeared the newest supervisor wasn’t ready to become the mayor’s standard-bearer in District Four.

I will admit that I gave her a hard time when she was first appointed. She had just moved to the district and I felt that she was just another Newsom hack who would warm the seat and follow his directions. However, she has proven to be honest, competent and by all accounts a genuinely down-to-earth person. Now, what remains to be seen, is whether she can navigate the shark tank that is the Fourth District, which is full of shadowy, ambitious characters. She has never before run for office and I don’t think she has much campaign experience. However, she is well liked and, after going through the Ed Jew experience, she may be a fresh face that everyone is looking for.  

California

CA-12: Jackie Speier To Announce Sunday

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It’s offical, Jackie Speier is in according to the San Francisco Examiner. Following the announced retirement of Tom Lantos, she will make her announcement Sunday to represent the solid blue CA-12.

Former state Sen. Jackie Speier, who survived a hail of bullets in Jonestown and made her political career on the Peninsula for nearly three decades, will announce her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives on Sunday.

Speier’s announcement will come 11 days after longtime Democratic Congress member Tom Lantos revealed that he has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and will not seek a 15th term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Speier’s former campaign finance manager Christine Krolik confirmed that Speier would announce her intentions to represent California’s 12th Congressional District, which includes southwestern San Francisco and northern San Mateo County.

For those not familiar with her life history, she is very lucky to be with us today, much less running for Congress.

Though she built a long political career on the Peninsula, Speier is also known for the harrowing fact-finding trip to Jonestown to investigate allegations of human-rights abuses with congressman Leo Ryan, for whom Speier began her career as a congressional staffer.

Ryan was killed on Nov. 18, 1978, and Speier was injured when followers of the Rev. Jim Jones opened fire on them near the group’s compound in Guyana.

Speier will make her announcement Sunday at noon at Leo Ryan Park in Foster City. If her congressional bid is successful, she will be elected 30 years to the month after the Jonestown massacre.

“She says that event made her fearless,” Krolik said. “And that fearlessness makes her an effective fighter for the people she represents.

She has represented San Mateo County in the State Senate and on the Board of Supervisors (at the time, the youngest ever elected to the Board). Her potential opponent is senate successor Leland Yee. However, she starts with a strong advantage in the race. She is talented, hard working and will be a great addition to the California delegation, though it likely takes her out of the running for statewide office in 2010. Whoever wins, there is no doubt the Bay Area will be the center of attention in June.

Former state Sen. Jackie Speier, who survived a hail of bullets in Jonestown and made her political career on the Peninsula for nearly three decades, will announce her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives on Sunday.

Speier’s announcement will come 11 days after longtime Democratic Congress member Tom Lantos revealed that he has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and will not seek a 15th term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Speier’s former campaign finance manager Christine Krolik confirmed that Speier would announce her intentions to represent California’s 12th Congressional District, which includes southwestern San Francisco and northern San Mateo County.

For those not familiar with her life history, she is very lucky to be with us today, much less running for Congress.

Though she built a long political career on the Peninsula, Speier is also known for the harrowing fact-finding trip to Jonestown to investigate allegations of human-rights abuses with congressman Leo Ryan, for whom Speier began her career as a congressional staffer.

Ryan was killed on Nov. 18, 1978, and Speier was injured when followers of the Rev. Jim Jones opened fire on them near the group’s compound in Guyana.

Speier will make her announcement Sunday at noon at Leo Ryan Park in Foster City. If her congressional bid is successful, she will be elected 30 years to the month after the Jonestown massacre.

“She says that event made her fearless,” Krolik said. “And that fearlessness makes her an effective fighter for the people she represents.

She has represented San Mateo County in the State Senate and on the Board of Supervisors (at the time, the youngest ever elected to the Board). Her potential opponent is senate successor Leland Yee. However, she starts with a strong advantage in the race. She is talented, hard working and will be a great addition to the California delegation, though it likely takes her out of the running for statewide office in 2010. Whoever wins, there is no doubt the Bay Area will be the center of attention in June.

And this just into my email box.

Greetings!

Please come join me, Sunday, January 13th, at Leo J. Ryan Park, in Foster City, as I announce my intention to run for the 12th Congressional District seat.

Earlier this month, Congressman Tom Lantos, who currently represents the 12th District, announced that he will not be seeking re-election at the end of his term this year. Congressman Lantos has served the district for more than 25 years, and I wish him, his wife, Annette, and their family the best. I know we will all be praying for them through this difficult time.

Now, while most of the country’s attention is focused on the Presidential primary races, it is also important that we start gearing up for this important race in the 12th District. I hope you’ll come hear the plans for my upcoming campaign and to meet friends, neighbors, and other supporters like you.

I will strive to make you proud and work hard to earn your support.

Event Details

Campaign Launch Announcement

Sunday, January 13th

12:00 PM

Leo Ryan Park, 650 Shell Blvd., Foster City

If you’re planning on attending, please let us know by sending an email to [email protected] — then invite your friends and family to join us, too, by forwarding around this email message!

Thank you so much for your help and support.  I look forward to seeing you in Foster City this Sunday!

San Francisco

SF: Gavin Newsom Is Engaged

I guess Gavin Newsom is running for governor after all. Hizzoner is tying the knot

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and his girlfriend, actress Jennifer Siebel, became engaged in Hawaii over the weekend, knowledgeable sources said Monday.

One of Newsom’s closest friends, high society party planner Stanlee Gatti, confirmed the engagement. The mayor’s spokesman, Nathan Ballard, said the mayor popped the question on Saturday.

“Jennifer told me (about it). She was on the phone first, and then he got on the phone,” said Gatti, reached in Raton, N.M., where he was on vacation.

Gatti had no details about the proposal, other than that Newsom spoke with his girlfriend’s father first and then proposed marriage. No wedding date has been set, Gatti said.

All kidding aside, my best wishes to the mayor and the bride-to-be.