Nothing on Gavin Newsom's big scandal?

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Rickypt

I will weigh in!

I am no big Gavin Newsom fan. I didn't like him when he was on the Board of Supervisors, as I felt he scapegoated homeless people to further his political career. I campaigned hard against him.

Then he did the gay marriage thing and I chilled out. Even further, he walked the picket line for striking hotel workers and I REALLY chilled out. The gay marriage thing was big for people outside SF. Inside SF, we knew it was a political stunt to consolidate power (many gay people opposed Gavin for Mayor). It was safe. San Franciscans would love him. And eventually the courts struck the whole thing down, which we all knew would happen. However, I admired that for once a straight politician would go out on a limb nationally and support full equality.

After all of that, he has been a crappy Mayor. Crime is way up, he accused all cable operators of being crooks, and he has really done very little except run around and try to be on TV.

Enter latest scandal. I don't care who he sleeps with. None of any of our business. So it's actually not a scandal. The man deserves to have a personal life, and I won't judge his job as Mayor based on that.

However, I think it is totally scummy to sleep with your friend's wife. And not just a friend, but someone who gave up a professional career to serve as your aide and campaign manager. I actually know Alex Tourk. He is a hell of a guy and not deserving of this backstabbing.

So, bottom line. None of this factors into my feeling about Gavin as Mayor. But Gavin as a human being---he is a tacky, tacky man. And all the gay guys running around saying "he's hot, who cares"....well, last time I checked, decency and honor were still values that mean something.

Wow. Thanks for the insight. It's hard to know what a politician is like from the national press.

[Für Elise]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Can you prove that it doesn't?

no, and I can't prove that pluto isn't home to flying unicorns either but I don't believe it is. I was due to be born in january but because of complex reasons was born in december. Do you really think you could know me and my personality better by knowing that I was born in december?

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Für Elise

no, and I can't prove that pluto isn't home to flying unicorns either but I don't believe it is. I was due to be born in january but because of complex reasons was born in december. Do you really think you could know me and my personality better by knowing that I was born in december?

What a coincidence. I was due in January but my mother was 45 when she had me and went into early labor in December.
I can't glean anything knowing your were born in December but I might be able to glean certain things from you natal chart.
Did you know that in the middle ages most practicing physicians were also astrologers?

[Für Elise]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

What a coincidence. I was due in January but my mother was 45 when she had me and went into early labor in December.
I can't glean anything knowing your were born in December but I might be able to glean certain things from you natal chart.
Did you know that in the middle ages most practicing physicians were also astrologers?

I didn't know that but I can believe it.

That is a coincidence. I was due on the 8th of january but was born exactly a month earlier. I just don't believe in that kind of stuff though.

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by amber

I wonder about on a state level? And I suspect that any other things that "come to light" will just be more of a similar nature. Did you see the articles when he was dating that almost 21 year old? He could date so many people, hopefully he'll keep it in his pants with the marrieds.

I think Gavin is done. He will probably be reelected as Mayor, although I hear a few big name challengers will be taking him on now that he is seen as vulnerable.

His goal was to become Governor or Senator and he will not be elected statewide. People overlook affairs these days, but they don't overlook things like stabbing your good friend and loyal campaign manager in the back. I read that this is a "guy" thing. Women don't seem to think the Newsom "scandal" is a big deal because they don't expect better from men, but guys have this thing about how you don't stab a friend.

Newsom has only himself and his hubris to blame. He was rockstar and a shining light in the Democratic Party, even though I never totally liked him.

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Wow. Thanks for the insight. It's hard to know what a politician is like from the national press.

Newsom did a spectacular thing with the gay marriages and if I lived outside SF, I'd be a huge fan. And many people in SF love him as well. I have to evaluate him as Mayor, though, not social change architect. And I find him to be all talk and very little action.

He's a hypocrite: when the courts and Board of Supervisors tried to stop his "Care Not Cash" initiative that was approved by the voters, he squawked about the need implement the will of the people. Last year, the voters approved an initiative calling on him to attend Board meetings on a monthly basis to face questions from Supervisors. He has refused, and instead holding his own scripted "town hall" meetings in different neighborhoods. You can't have it both ways; the will of the voters is the will of the voters.

And a couple of weeks ago, he skipped the very important Conference of Mayors meeting in DC (where they work to get a national agenda for cities and lobby for more money) in order to go to an economic meeting in Switzerland. He shows very little interest in being Mayor and it is clear he is all about himself, his political career, and I guess his penis.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Für Elise

I didn't know that but I can believe it.

That is a coincidence. I was due on the 8th of january but was born exactly a month earlier. I just don't believe in that kind of stuff though.

That's okay. You're entitled to your beliefs or whatever gets you through the night and day, IMO.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Rickypt

Newsom did a spectacular thing with the gay marriages and if I lived outside SF, I'd be a huge fan.

That took some balls but I suppose he knew or at least suspected it would be struck down in court. Is he a lawyer by trade?

Originally Posted by Rickypt

And a couple of weeks ago, he skipped the very important Conference of Mayors meeting in DC (where they work to get a national agenda for cities and lobby for more money) in order to go to an economic meeting in Switzerland. :

That would certainly raise my eyebrows. Swiss banks are the most discreet. What the hell was he doing there?

Originally Posted by Rickypt

He shows very little interest in being Mayor and it is clear he is all about himself, his political career, and I guess his penis.

There are many of you wonderful men out there but let's face it. Those characteristics are not uncommon to politicians or men. Still it's disappointing.

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

That took some balls but I suppose he knew or at least suspected it would be struck down in court. Is he a lawyer by trade?

No, he's a businessman. But I'm sure it was all sketched out in advance and he knew it would go nowhere. It was really a quite easy thing for him to do, in my opinion, but it was notable for having a straight politician of his stature making such a bold statement. I'm so used to politicians throwing us in a river for their own advantage that it was refreshing and very moving.

That would certainly raise my eyebrows. Swiss banks are the most discreet. What the hell was he doing there?

Skiing and hanging out with one of his gazillion blond girlfriends. And, he is a total policy wonk and I believe it is a meeting that addresses cutting-edge policy issues. Which is fine, but I expect our Mayor to go to the national Mayor's conference before that.

[amber]

Originally Posted by Rickypt

I think Gavin is done. He will probably be reelected as Mayor, although I hear a few big name challengers will be taking him on now that he is seen as vulnerable.

His goal was to become Governor or Senator and he will not be elected statewide. People overlook affairs these days, but they don't overlook things like stabbing your good friend and loyal campaign manager in the back. I read that this is a "guy" thing. Women don't seem to think the Newsom "scandal" is a big deal because they don't expect better from men, but guys have this thing about how you don't stab a friend.

Newsom has only himself and his hubris to blame. He was rockstar and a shining light in the Democratic Party, even though I never totally liked him.

I hope that isn't true. And I disagree with your assessments of him. I mean, not with the facts parts, but the interpretations. For instance, the fact that crime is up in the city? Not his fault. That's like saying Clinton is responsible for the economic boom during his presidency.
As of now, I think he is better than your assessment.

[irishgrl]

That's like saying Clinton is responsible for the economic boom during his presidency.

to a large extent he IS. if it werent that he understood economics so well and interacted very closely (and very successfully I might add) with Greenspan, I think we could have very easily seen a different economy. Look at how Bushmonkey has mismanaged the SURPLUS he was given? I mean come ON!
even if you swallow Jason's codswallop whole and you subscribe to the whole "it was bound to happen it was all based on smoke and mirrors", that still doesnt excuse the fact that Bush wasted BILLIONS of dollars on a sham war, continued to pander to the rich while punishing the poor and creating in general a recipe for economic disaster. A PRUDENT financial steward would have done things differently--as in MORE LIKE CLINTON.

[Rickypt]

Originally Posted by amber

For instance, the fact that crime is up in the city? Not his fault.

Not entirely his fault, but if can't be held responsible, who can? He continues to support our really bad police chief and many communities suffering sharp increase in murders (lower Haight, for example) are screaming that there isn't enough attention to their neighborhoods (i.e., police foot patrols, etc.).

I guess I'll ask you (in a very friendly way of course, I don't feel that strongly about him either way):

What do you feel he has done well? Are there specific things or just more of a feeling like the city is improving/doing well?

[irishgrl]

Originally Posted by Rickypt

Not entirely his fault, but if can't be held responsible, who can? He continues to support our really bad police chief and many communities suffering sharp increase in murders (lower Haight, for example) are screaming that there isn't enough attention to their neighborhoods (i.e., police foot patrols, etc.).

I guess I'll ask you (in a very friendly way of course, I don't feel that strongly about him either way):

What do you feel he has done well? Are there specific things or just more of a feeling like the city is improving/doing well?

maybe she's just enchanted by his pretty face
right now, I see him as a big fish in a little pond. I dont forsee him ever breaking into the big time. I could be wrong, but I just dont think so. Of course, time will tell...

[Rickypt]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...G4ENV8B514.DTL

02-05) 16:37 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom told department heads this afternoon he is seeking counseling for alcohol abuse, sources familiar with the meeting told The Chronicle.

Newsom told members of his administration that the help he is seeking would not require him to step aside even temporarily as it might if he entered a residential rehabilitation program, according to the sources.

The move follows the revelation last week that Newsom had a sexual affair with an employee of his office, Ruby Rippey-Tourk, who also is the wife of one of his former top political aides, Alex Tourk. Tourk, the mayor's former deputy chief of staff, resigned as Newsom's re-election campaign manager last week after confronting Newsom about the affair.

The mayor admitted the affair Thursday and apologized to Tourk, his friends and family and the residents of San Francisco. He has since declined to say anything about the scandal and has stated repeatedly that he wants to get back to work.

Newsom's alcohol use became an embarrassment for the mayor after witnesses reported he appeared to have been drinking prior to arriving at San Francisco General Hospital in December after learning a police officer had been shot.

He also faced scrutiny late last year for bringing a then 20-year-old woman out on dates, where she was reportedly seen drinking what appeared to be alcohol.

Newsom made the decision after meeting with friends and family over the weekend. He delivered the news this afternoon to department heads.

"He told us that he was going to stop drinking and would seek treatment -- that's about all he said,'' said one person who was at today's meeting.

"It was very heartfelt," said the attendee, who asked not to be named because he was not cleared to discuss the matter publicly. "It was also clear that he wasn't taking a leave from the office."

Newsom's chief political adviser, Eric Jaye, said, "Let's make it clear (the mayor) is not blaming alcohol for his bad behavior.

"This is not some kind of public mea culpa,'' Jaye said. "He understands that he has a problem."

Jaye said the counseling would be done by Mimi Silbert, head of San Francisco's famous Delancey Street Foundation.

"It's true,'' Silbert said. "I don't know if I would use the word 'counseling,' but I will be helping the mayor."

Silbert said Newsom had contacted her Saturday about getting help.

"No one comes to me or Delancey Street for any kind of help unless they are deadly serious," Silbert said. "We are no lightweight or B.S. program."

Silbert said she didn't expect the mayor to move into the group's Embarcadero building.

[strandinthewind]

What a fukcing heel - I HATE when they play the "I AM NOT GUILTY BECAUSE I AM A DRUNK" card - it gives alcohol a bad name