Bulldog 2007 Article 143

(9-27-07)

Odds and ends and odd ends

“Are you pretending you don’t see us!?!�

(Later, David Grennel bought a round)

Y’all remember David Grennel? He was Gonzalez’s Chief of Staff for Matt’s last year or so on the Board. Then he worked for Jerry Brown as a top staffer. Now he’s Chief of Staff for Greenie Mayor, Gail McLaughlin over in Richmond. I had a bone to pick with him.

Our little group of 4 musketeers (Krissy Keefer, Elaine Santore, Luke Thomas and myself) were sitting outside Café La Boheme downstairs from Krissy’s Dance Mission drinking wine when David walked by. I just had to ask him about Louise Renne and about the rumor that Gonzalez had vouched for her when she suddenly felt the urge to be the City Attorney in Richmond (?).

My thoughts were that Renne as City Attorney protected PG&E from the law in San Francisco for over a decade and letting her into the files and contracts in Fremont, a City fighting Chevron, was just foolhardy. Kind of like letting the Charlie Sheen janitor service from ‘Wallstreet’ dust your sensitive records.

David disagreed. I never cease to be amazed at the naiveté of many of Matt’s boy scouts. I didn’t press that matter and went on to listen to why it was OK for Matt to play ‘Dead Elvis on the toilet’ in both the mayoral and D.A. races. Matt was innocent of that too, according to Grennel. I ground a few more axes but the boy was like Gomer Pyle on crack and just kept repeating this Manchurian Candidate mantra about Matt being the best, most wonderful, fairest … I swear, that shit gets a bit frightening at times.

After establishing the proper frame of mind, we hugged David and watched him wander into the barrio like Bambi without his mom; then we went upstairs and Luke played the piano while we danced and then put a coat of primer on the Dance Brigade’s newly refurbished bleachers/risers and drank more wine and ate pizza and that was Sunday night and it was Wednesday morning before I put the last paint brush and rollers to soak.

Julian Davis threatens lawsuit

Julian Davis wrote a nice note calling me a liar and a slanderer and threatening me with a lawsuit. It concerned my Bulldog Article 142 (http://www.Sfbulldog.com). I got drunk and stoned with the conga player next door and talked it over and he said that the kid was just looking to kiss-up to Downtown and to not give him any ink and so I won’t.

Peskin as the next Assessor?

I’ve kicked this one around my Salonites the last few days and most disagree. Eileen says that Nate Nayman hates Peskin and that’s enough but I say that Peskin gave millions back to Shorenstein (11 of the 55 companies that sued the City in 2001 were owned by Walter) and had supported every giveaway of City land and franchise to corporate interests or plutocrats.

It makes sense to me. Aaron needs a job for the next 20 years and Assessor would fit him just fine. I think his saving grace in the eyes of Downtown is that he uses tweaks in the law and parliamentary procedure to achieve the same effects (better, really) as a shower of red envelopes. Aaron won’t be indicted in this world but I see him in a chain gang in Hell in between Willie Brown and Larry Badiner.

That makes Dufty the next Board Prez

I’ve been right in predicting the last 3 elections for Board Prez and I’ll be right about this one too. Hopefully, Bevan will only serve in that capacity for a few months but if David Chieu (lost run for DCCC – or, was it Chinatown’s Democratic club? – lost run for that boss spot and represents – he’s lawyer – groups like the Christian Coalition) … if Chieu whom Newsom would appoint to replace Peskin, wins, you could end up with 4 years of Dufty. Don’t make me do the math but 3 is the swing district and giving Chieu a head start as incumbent is well worth moving Phil Teng to D-4 where he will spend 10 or 11 years. See, these guys think long term.

Oh, hell, do the math

Eric Mar will win in D-1 next year. Pier remains in D-2. Some of us want David Ho to move from D-4 to D-3 to run against Chieu after Peskin moves to Assessor. D-4 will be Teng’s well into the next decade. Mirkarimi is the more popular with his constituents than any other supervisor. That makes D-5 a solid Progressive vote for next 5 years. Daly will be successfully recalled next year but his replacement (Debra Walker or Jordanna Thigpen) will lose to Marc Salomon running amidst a slate of gay male brainiacs with Joe Lynn and Jim Meko.

Tony Hall will take back the D-7 seat Newsom tricked him out of and Dufty has 3 years left in D-8 and is a consistent corporate/plutocrat vote. Krissy Keefer will win in 9 to replace Ammiano who has endorsed David Campos. Keefer, Marc Sanchez and Eric Qaesada will form a Progressive slate and Keefer will win because the male candidates will cancel one another out in so many ways. Don’t be surprised if Ammiano quits early to make Campos the incumbent, but it won’t matter.

Maxwell is solid for another 3 years and Daly aide, John Avalos will win in 11 and be Board President for the last 2 years of his 8 years in office.

The stunning (?) prediction there is that Daly will be ousted. I’ll vote against it but I don’t see him dodging this bullet. His smartest move at that time is to enter the race for State Assembly against Ammiano. Now that … that would provide some real fireworks. And you know, despite all of Ammiano’s maneuverings these last few years (Heather Hiles, for God’s sake!) to secure his mortgage payments, I don’t really care if Chris or Tom wins this one. Daly should have run for mayor. I hate to look back and play the old ‘shuddacuddawuddauseta’ game but … Daly should have run for mayor.

Inside this year’s mayor’s race

You’re forgiven for forgetting there was one. We’re past the mid-point in the contest, having logged 6 or our 12 scheduled Friday debates (5-6:30pm) under the Mayor’s balcony (Alioto Plaza, the actual Town Square opposite the Polk Street entry to da Dome). There are 42 days left until the election. The 7th Town Square meeting is tomorrow.

We’ve had 8 debates in all. I attended 7 and was dis-invited to the 8th. That shows the tenuous status of a minority candidate. If Josh hadn’t come up with the idea of meeting in front of cameras under Gavin’s window, I’d have only had one public hearing. It’s the same with most of the candidates.

The saving grace is Tony DeRenzo’s camera. Go to Google and search this years mayoral election and Tony D productions or something and you’ll get videos of every debate and most of the After Parties which are much more revealing (tho opposite - usually you’re very proper in public, then get naked after if you’re lucky - here, it’s reversed). There are 11 DVD’s now and you can be on tomorrow’s. Do bring enough to buy a pitcher of beer at Temple Bar if you can tho.

Major Media coverage

John Rinaldi hasn’t attended a single debate and he’s getting the most media coverage because he has a neat nickname. Grasshopper Kaplan is second in coverage cause he gets arrested every few days and disrupts every Collaborative event. The only people shallower than these assholes are Tim Redmond and Cecilia Vega.

Huey Newton’s candidate, Quintin Mecke has drawn the attention of that sexually repressed madman, Arthur Evans and although he’s tried to disavow the endorsement, it fits.

Mecke’s people are running a machine type operation without the resources. So, they hold him out of debates with the other candidates but they simply have no other events to occupy him. We always call him and he always gives a good solid excuse as to why he can’t come and debate issues under the Mayor’s window. Last week or was it the week before? He said that he couldn’t attend because he had a couple of friends in from out of town and he wanted to go to an early dinner with them and show them the town?

Coming Mayoral debates

As I said, there are 6 remaining Collaborative debates on Fridays under Gavin’s balcony. On October 11th (a Thursday) at 6pm, we’ll get to speak 3 minutes each (under very, very strictly controlled circumstances) in the League of Women Voters forum at the Main Public Library in Koret Auditorium. It will be the one time that Newsom will speak in public on the same stage as what his campaign manager calls: “the barnyard animals�.

On October 10th the Collaborative (plus, John Rivaldi!?) are signed on for a forum with an upper-Haight group called HANC. They handled twice the candidates during the 2004 D-5 supe race and did a hell of a job. I’ll get back to you with the time and place but I think it’s gonna be at the Public Library on Page at 6 or 7pm. This will probably be the best meeting of the entire campaign.

“Want some jelly with that Farrah toast?�

(Eileen Left)

Did you know that Gavin Newsom gave $500 to George Bush when George ran for President in 2000? No shit. Gonzalez used it on the stump against Gavin in the ’03 contest.

So, why is Eric Jaye so pissed that Farrah gave $95 to Chicken John Rinaldi (as a joke – he gave the max $500 to Newsom) this year? I’d say it was a good move. He empowered the one ‘opposition’ candidate who praises Newsom and is openly seeking a job from the Mayor.

I’d say that Jaye wants Farrah’s scalp and that he’s likely to get it. He already gave Farrah’s spacious office adjoining Gavin’s to Stuart Sunshine and relegated Mike to Ruby Tourk’s closet and lump-on-a-log duties sitting as the Mayor’s liaison to the Small Business Commission (he’s outta there now but obviously, still in jeopardy).

Candidate snippets

Lonnie Holmes was endorsed by Tony Hall. Quintin Mecke got the Milk Club endorsement which brought on the resignation of Kim Knox (a double victory for the LGBT community). Grasshopper got arrested and got out of jail and got arrested and got out of jail and got arrested and got out of jail. He and Kenny the Clown keep challenging the Mayor to physical contests. They want to play basketball (‘one-on-one’) or race him or mud wrestle him. It is just all so gay and I wish Gavin would put on some heavy leather Turkish trousers and take these boys on at the Folsom Street Fair. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?

That’s enuff for today.

Check out Bulldog (http://www.Sfbulldog.com) for all election columns.

Salon tomorrow, same time and place.

Mayoral Candidates debate tomorrow 5pm under Gavin’s window.

Headed out for 67th long walk (can I dump this spare tire in 33 days?).

Tourists hold hands.