“I thought it was when Ruth Dewson endorsed Gonzalez. She’s a woman. She’s black and she’s Willie Brown’s hat lady. She’s known as ‘the Mayor of Fillmore’ and is greatly respected in her neighborhood. … What makes it cool is that the day before was when Willie said Gonzalez was a sexist and a racist. Then, the next day, Dewson endorses him.”

Keith Savage (poetic voice of the streets):

“The two turning points were when Alioto endorsed Newsom and when Rush Limbaugh endorsed Gonzalez.”

Mona Nyandoro, my daughter:

“It was during the KPIX debate. I was watching it with my friend, Barbara L.. … There was a stock question about why they were running for mayor. Barbara favored Newsom who gave a stock answer. Matt said that he’d spent 10 years defending people as a public defender and that he thought that he could effect more people as a legislator and maybe help keep them from ever needing a public defender. He said that he wasn’t always right and that he learned from the public because many of the people who came to the events knew more than he did. … Her friend thought Matt was very thoughtful and she was impressed that … now, get this, … she was impressed that Rush Limbaugh had endorsed Matt.”

Seth Walker, youngest two-legged member of the Gonzalez Staff members. Goes by name of: ‘Deputy Dawg’ for campaign. One of the boatload of genius I.T.’s who have transformed the Gonzalez horse & buggy electronic resources into a space vehicle:

(defining moment) “Election night of the general election when I realized Matt would be coming in second … and, I knew I’d be coming in the next day and every day after.” (he has too)

Christy Smith, volunteer liason to Events department:

“When I looked around the Mission Headquarters and realized I was part of an amazing community of diverse individuals all coming together to support an honest politician. A man of integrity, a man who represents our beliefs, hopes and dreams for the future of the City.

For the first time in a long while, I can see the future through optimistic eyes with a big smile on my face – Go Matt!”

George ‘X’, very good friend of campaign:

“Before campaign … 2 years ago. Realizing Matt was ethical. It changed my view of politics. You can’t play that. You can’t pretend to be something you’re not.”

Christine Linnenbach, a very talented and powerful voice from the 7th District:

“When Newsom’s mailers went from being slick puff pieces to being vitriolic, vicious pieces of garbage showing disrespect for the electorate. They knew they had a formidable opponent.”

Jodi Perelman, Matt’s driver before general election (just back from vacation):

“It was November 4th, 2003 at 111 Minna. As the numbers came in and Matt caught up and they crowd started to realize he would be in the runoff … the feeling was transcendental.”

Harry Driggs, one of the founders of the San Francisco Green Party. The lanky Harry moves slowly down the hall, pecking at the floor with his cane. He looks a bit like Wild Bill Hickock, decked in a black cowboy hat with a heavy silver hat band, leather cabretta, big silver belt buckle and cowboy boots:

(defining moment) “It was when the Green party massed in Sacramento and endorsed him. I opened my political soul to him. It was a state plenary.”

Derek Toliver, senior adviser:

“It was in the Bay View. When we opened the office I saw a grassroots response from youth, seniors, democrats who had supported Willie in the past but had become united in the belief that Matt would act upon their behalf in areas such as affordable housing, that he was against gentrification and favored environmental justice. And, he’ll represent small businesses.”

Bobby Kapaona, Undercover agent for the department of propaganda/dishwasher:

“When my mom said about Matt that ‘he is the Democrat that I used to remember.”

Charles Kalish, Senior Adviser/Loose Cannon:

“At your birthday party a year and a half ago, you were ranting about Matt running for mayor. When I responded that you were crazy, you responded: ‘Who can beat him?’ and then, you asked me again: ‘WHO CAN BEAT HIM?’ … At first I was stumped, and then I replied: ‘Nobody.’”

Chance Martin: Street Sheet Editor/Project Coordinator:

“Walking into 111 Minna election night and seeing Joe O’Donoghue, Richard Marquez and Randy Shaw with their heads together in a huddle and thinking: ‘these are the alliances we have to forge to beat Newsom.’”

Carol Wilson, (‘paintergirl) Who has the distinction along with her husband, Randy Knox (Matt’s Campaign treasurer) campaign of being the only people in San Francisco who hung out at my jazz club in St. Louis in the mid-70’s:

“It was the whole Alioto thing. That was when it just kind of flipped into absurdity. Well, what looked like a coup for Newsom, turned around and bit him in the butt.”

Gaela Peters, nanny & volunteer 3 days a week at Matt’s office in City Hall:

“I think on August 9th. I read online from Atlanta that Matt had entered the race and it was something I’d been waiting for a long time. I knew it would change the City, which is my hometown.”

Tom Schultz, abstract artist and one of Matt’s best friends:

(campaign’s defining moment) “For me, it was riding the double-decker bus and eating popcorn and looking at the people responding to us.” (bus is plastered with ‘Gonzalez for Mayor’ signs and is bright red – it teams with a sunburst yellow fire truck to ferry hundreds of Matt supporters on hour and a half or so tours of the City, beginning & ending at Matt Central at 13th & Mission) …”

Michelle Mongan, Campaign Accountant. With the campaign from the beginning. Refuses to leave evenings until the books are finished. This often leaves her in the office til 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning:

“The defining moment of this campaign occurred at 4:50pm on 8/8/03 when Matt Gonzalez – in essence sacrificed his quiet, private existence, acted with selfless courage, and entered the mayoral race. For a purpose & not as a premeditated stepping stone to higher office; or to satisfy an ego –trip – but rather to make this beautiful city a place where everyone can live & prosper. It’s a fabulous dream from which I hope to never awaken.”

Jens Nielsen, my best buddy for 25 years and friend of Matt’s. He works security at a pot club and counts Matt as a big fan of his humor:

“His victory.” (spoken 2 days before the election) “Of course, another one was when Chris Daly came home from Europe. … Finding out at the debate in the church that the Newsom supporters were assholes.” (Willie’s ‘Uncle’ brigade shouted crap from the audience but turned on Jens – who is an old guy on a cane was not happy. They turned on Jens when he spoke up.)

Paul Barwick, CityCenter Building Manager for well over a decade. He has seen the building do campaigns for Willie Brown & others and he made the comparisons:

“Willie’s workers were different. They were 8 to 5 and wear a tie. Work or go home. They’d bring in pizza every now and then, but that was it. Matt’s people are like a family. Willie didn’t have the great lounge with couches and music and Tracy Hughes & Marc Powell & Susan Kalish and their people cooking fresh food all day. But, you know, I think the defining moment came when the last door stopped working. So many people came to work for Matt that they literally wore out 3 push-bar doors. Not sabotage, either. The mechanisms just wore out.”

David Pascal, Campaign Center inter-module Campaign Expediter:

“It would have to be the story I heard where Walter Wong went to China and had the charts of all of the candidates read and found that Matt couldn’t lose. He said it was the best chart he ever saw.”

Christina Olague, Outreach Coordinator & a longtime leader of Mission Anti-Displacement Coalition.

(Campaign defining moment) “When he announced.”

Steven Hill, Author of ‘Fixing Elections’ & leading IRV proponent:

“It was when I saw the full-page ad in the Chronicle welcoming Al Gore on behalf of the Matt Gonzalez campaign. It showed the campaign could fend off a ruse (phony e-mail from Newsom Campaign urging Green protest) and turn it into a positive.”

Judy b., Neighborhood Office Organizer & vocal soloist extraordinaire:

“When Angela declared herself Vice Mayor.”

Dave Snyder, past head of Bicycle Coalition:

“It would be on May 16, 2002. It was Bike to Work Day. I was talking to Willie Brown and he started grading the supervisors. I remember what he said about Matt: ‘Unlike the other light weights, Matt is a man of great intellect and substance. He has a great future in politics.’ His comment on Gavin was: ‘Needs to get more substance.’”

This is turning into a phone book and I need to do some overall views of other areas of the campaign, so I’m gonna go ahead and post this. There should be some pictures of the campaign folks online with it, if they aren’t already up. They’re by Matt Fitt, our volunteer Campaign Photographer.

Vote with a buddy: