Watching City Hall #280, (5-6-04)“A complete idiot could qualify for public funds!”
(Consultant – and friend – Frank Gallagher, assesses my odds)
First, congrats to Katie Gallagher for having the good sense to get born to two such cool parents as Frank Gallagher & Noel Wilson (last Thursday). … Also, for having two such great dogs as Jake & Harvey. Katie, I want to introduce you to my own 14 mo. Old granddaughter (Tandewe) who just started to walk & to Neska’s grandchild and maybe Angela’s. … There are lots of little bundles arriving all the time and this couple of year period (Melisa Howard & Phil Benzinger are expecting in June or July or something like that.) … It is a fecund period for the very talented. I can see this entire group of kids gathering around my coffin someday and saying things like:
Katie: “Who the hell is he?”
Tandewe: “He was my grandpa. The family disowned him long ago, but he made a bundle in his old age, laundering money for politicians and we had to be here.”
… things like that …
Really, there is a veritable wave of kids out there. Matt Smith’s got one. Ilene Ilchuk (pardon my spelling, kid) has a newbie. Courtney Haslett’s little Ines awakens him to the sound of wailing. As do PJ Johnson & Karen Carlsen’s first. … Adriel Hampton & his lovely wife, Yuki, are expecting in July. It is, indeed, wonderful to see truly powerful, loving and talented people reproduce. … But, don’t let that stop you. … Anyone else on the fence? Stop waiting. If you wait until you can afford a kid, you’ll never have one. … Bring em on, people. We need em.
5th District politics
I hear that Phoenix Streets is into the race here. … How in the hell can anyone possibly compete against someone with a name like that? … Word most recent is that Jim Hammer won’t enter this race and that Ross Mirkarimi’s official entry is imminent. What a talented group. … I floated the idea of having all of the ‘progressives’ rent a store front together somewhere on Haight to provide one-stop shopping for voters to meet candidates and pick up materials. … Zero replies. … Stone silence. I asked Eileen Left what she made of it.
Eileen: “You’re the only one who knows he can’t win at this point. … Really, look at them. Most are in their first serious race and they all, every one, to the last, think that they can win and don’t want to share anything.”
h.: “You mean I can’t win!?”
Before posting, Haaland wrote to mention storefronts on Haight can run 20 grand a month and more. Maybe we can get Park & Rec to waive fees for a few open air debates in the Panhandle. Wouldn’t it be great to come to the new farmers’ market there and see weekly debates while sitting on the grass … smoking grass? We can plan what we’ll need to open the rest room there. Savannah Blacwell drove me home last night and when we passed the john in the Panhandle, there was a light in the women’s room.
I’d run into Savannah at Matt Gonzalez’s monthly art opening in his office. Artist named ‘Enrique’. A good show. Oils, I believe, on rough surfaces. Mostly portraits. One was painted on a treated piece of old barnwood, completely eaten away on each end in a jagged fashion. I’m no critic, but the shit is good. Check it out. … There were some brilliant and beautiful ladies too, as usual.
I grabbed Isabelle Wade and Bonnie Shirk who were coming out of what I’d guess was a Park’s Commission meeting across the hall. Brains and beauty. What a sexy combination. As I grow older and my generation drops dead all around me or moves to Sonoma, I cast an eye upon the small set of survivors. I want a woman who is at least 50 and proud of it … and, is a fanatic upon local politics. That leaves me chasing people like Angela Alioto (quick on her feet), Betsey Culp, and a whole bevy of activists with long gray hair who all share the primary trait of needing me about as much as they need an encyclopedia Brittanica salesman. It’s fun to flirt, anyway.
So, Isabelle (whom I personally think should be Director of Parks) she got away as I chanted something about “Don’t give away the Randall Museum!” I turned & looked at Bonnie whom I’d never seen and accused her of giving away the Randall Museum. She kind of laughed & I looked her up and down. … Now, though I personally, have always dressed out of dumpsters, I do appreciate what Santana called: “the fulfillment of the expectation of pattern”. The woman was the walking definition of the phrase. Her clothing fit. … I mean, it matched. … What do I mean? (Hey, today is a gossip colum) … She’s, maybe 5’3” tall if she’s lucky. She was wearing a black leather cap like the kind Samuel Jackson wears & it scrunched down a luxurious head of thick black hair braided into a kind of girl-in-the-vineyards-outside-Naples-poneytail look. She had a navy or black blazer over a deep blue shallow-collared wool turtleneck, a wide black leather belt, dark slacks and square toed, black, short-heeled boots. And, she came with a cause. … “Read this.” she commented. “Then, tell me if you think I’d close a museum.” It was a flyer that read, in part:
- A Living Library
A Celebration of Diversity
A community Dialogue Celebrating
Multicultural Environmental Arts
Sat., May 22, 2004 1:00pm to 5:00pm
San Miguel Child Development Center
And Living Library Gardens
Between 241-233 Oneida Ave. (near Ocean)
Off San Jose (Balboa Bart Station)
Free admission & refreshments
I’m taking my 14 month old granddaughter. The flyer has a guy on stilts next to a cowboy or something. It will be a blast & I can pick up some Sandoval and Silverberg literature. … You meet lots of people like Bonnie at City Hall. It’s one of the greatest pleasures of hanging out there. Sometimes it’s even better than getting drunk for free. Or, hassling or joking with the politicians and bureaucrats and artists and ex-cons (remember, Matt was a Public Defender for 10 years & some of his friends are ex-clients) … We were all talking about how we were going to miss the monthly gatherings when Matt leaves. I think all candidates for 5th District Supe should promise to keep the monthly art shows going … but, it won’t be the same. Ole Matt, he’s got, what do they say: ‘Je ne sais quois’? … Which brings me to the previous evening when me and just about the whole underground press showed up for a truly classic forum.
- The Commonwealth Club Presents:
A Public Forum
Adriel Hampton, Political Editor of the San Francisco Examiner
Interviews:
Matt Gonzalez, President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
The audience was packed. Two of my best friends were onstage at the height of their power and abilities. … Spread amongst the audience of 200 or so was the brains of the Gonzalez posse. You can’t call them a ‘machine’ because they cross those lines. Every political party is represented in 20 or 30 from the Gonzalez inner circle. Marc Solomon & Boris Delaplane & Kim Knox & Richard Marquez & Seth Walker & Liz Ross & Bob Coleman & Amy Laitenan & Randy Knox & Greg Dalton & Chuck Gonzalez & Michelle Mongan & Tracy Hughes & on & on … the Club broadcasts events later on the radio and I don’t have that info. … Club members join in for 30 or 40 minutes of questions after Hampton & Gonzalez talk. It was a dignified foremat. Just two guys on a stage. And, a very appreciative audience.
Everyone was wondering if Gonzalez would use the opportunity to announce that he was becoming a priest … or perhaps an Indonesian backwoods bandit.
The best of the underground press was represented by Patrick Murphy of the Sentinel (sanfranciscosentiel.com) & Eric Allen of ‘Joefire’ (joefire.com). The Examiner was represented by Hampton, the 25 year-old wunderkid who was born in New Guinea & is generally acclaimed to be the City’s best political reporter. Savannah Blackwell was there for the San Francisco Progressive (sf.progressive.com). Steven Jones was there for the Bay Guardian (sfbg.com) (he’s their political editor) … I like the Commonwealth Club. Their members are political afficianados and lots are my age or older. It’s a small and comfortable venue. And, extremely prestigious. Inviting the 38 year-old Gonzalez to be interviewed by the 25 year-old Hampton, was a brainy choice giving their members a chance to rub elbows with the core of the San Francisco Left’s political intelligentsia. It was one of those things where, once they opened a generous free wine bar with a fine chardonnay in the anteroom … once the crowd was given an excuse to hang around and talk to each other … had much of the crowd there an hour after the event ended. The club was very gracious. And, everyone actually got to meet Gonzalez and Hampton. … I immediately dug their horoscopes out of the paper to seek a clue as to what I could expect during the conversation:
(Source: Joyce Jillson, in the Examiner)
Gonzalez is a Gemini – horoscope:
“Partnership is highlighted, and you’re the most cooperative partner anyone could hope for, which is why you’ll be chosen for a difficult assignment. Avoid high-risk situations. If you must, use your charm to back out.”
Hampton is a Cancer – horoscope:
You’re feeling rebellious, but that can be healthy! You’re craving your freedom – in fact, you are less trapped in your current position than you feel. Test the boundaries, just like a teenager would.”
So, one guy is being advised by the stars to “use your charm to back out” … and to “avoid high risk situations”, the other guy is being advised to be “rebellious” and to “test the boundaries”. … Sounds like God is trying to pick a fight. … I wonder just what “difficult assignment” Gonzo will soon be handed? Could it have anything to do with the war effort? Will Matt be the one who parachutes in and captures Osama bin Laden? … Naw, nothing so dramatic.
“I look forward to suing the City.”
(Matt, delivered with a grin)
It’s good to see young people using their education in a productive fashion. The above was one of many gems Hampton was able to coax out of Gonzalez, who was in his best Dobie Gillis/beat poet mode. Thing is, I know this guy enough not to look for some secret plan formed in a mansion in Sea Cliff or in a basement in the Mission. When he shrugs and speaks in vague generalities, that’s because he actually only has a vaguely general idea of what he’s going to do. He’s like Jefferson, he just knows he’ll be doing something productive. … Did you know that Jefferson quit politics for a couple of years because a member of congress insulted him and he refused to be a part of the government until he got an apology? He did. He also put founding (he designed it all) the University of Virginia at the top of his tombstone. … Being President of the United States (to him) only ranked second in his life’s accomplishments.
I think Gonzalez is that way. I can easily see Gonzalez having a successful literary career or doing an interview show that could easily be the best in the country. … Those people transcend voter districts and have as much, or more power. … Other things Matt said:
On electoral politics:
“In a large field, extreme candidates have the advantage.”
He was speaking of core constituencies that seldom wavered because they are based upon core beliefs that would not be compromised. Hampton drew Gonzalez out on the subject of ‘Instant Runoff’ (or, ‘ranked choice) voting and the importance of minority representation. He noted how such a system in other countries awarded up to 42% female representation in parliamentary bodies, whereas we’ve never exceeded 17% in the U.S..
On Gavin Newsom & Willie Brown:
“Willie was socially progressive … one of the great civil rights leaders.”
“But, he was on the wrong side of righting the disparity between rich & poor.”
“Socially, Gavin is progressive also … but he vetoed legislation protecting renters. The only reason he didn’t veto our anti-big box legislation was because he knew he’s lose and be embarrassed.”
On the Board:
“The Board is at a disadvantage to all of the spin the Mayor’s Press office can put on issues. The Board should have their own Press Office and supervisors should have more staff. … When we can afford it.”
On the School District (a special passion of his):
“Non-citizen parents who have children in the schools should be able to vote in School Board races. It’s done successfully in other countries and it increases parental participation in the system.”
Immediate plans:
“I’m going to put together a private law firm.”
His successor in District 5?:
“It’s a great field of candidates. I’d have trouble beating them.”
I believed everything he said up til the last sentence. This is the guy that gave us reform in the Elections Department. And, the Planning Commission. And, the Board of Appeals. He convinced the people to pay the Supes a wage that would allow members to live comfortably without selling their votes. He exhibited dozens of local artists before thousands of people. He stood alone with Tony Hall in challenging the horrid Housing Authority. … He’ll be the father of Tidal Power in the United States once the demo model drops anchor in the Fall.
Gonzalez already has more of a legacy than people who have spent decades more in public life. He reflected a bit philosophically in his closing comments, noting that the strangely contoured borders of District 5 once included the Castro. “This was Milk & Britt’s district. It contains Japantown and the Western Addition.” He came up to me after the show for a moment.
Matt: “Give me some notice when you invite me some place so I can make it.”
h.: “Go to your office tomorrow and look up from your desk at 5pm and I’ll be standing there with a glass of wine in my hand just like I am now. … It’s your monthly art party.” (but, you knew that)
Pray for the Giants:
