The jackals of the commercial press can smell a wounded politician, and they have been hovering around Gavin Newsom with a ferocity that they have never previously exhibited around the charismatic San Francisco mayor.
Newsom, who is used to a mostly adoring and compliant press, has not taken this reversal well according to accounts from today's latest photo-op, which was held to praise the horrible local energy monopoly, PG&E, for doing some kind of partnership with the real estate scam that is the Academy of Art University.
None of the press were interested in "the issues," however, and just wanted to talk to Newsom about his publicly announced alcoholism, his sorta rehab with an old friend who runs the Delancey Foundation, and his adultery with his campaign manager's wife. For some reason, this made Mayor Newsom feel bitter and unloved.
The best and most sympathetic take on this whole subject that I've read is on my friend Willie's blog (click here for the entire thing) where he writes:
“Gavin Newsom is facing a tough, life-defining decision. He has reached a true fork in the road.
To make things simple the two tines of the fork are marked with signposts. One path is ‘Politics,’ the other path is ‘Alcohol.’ Gavin has to choose one or the other.
And the poor guy is making the wrong choice again—he’s choosing Politics!
...
Alcohol takes years to destroy a person. Politics can eat you up in no time.
The real choice is both or neither. He’s choosing both. He has entered the rehab-relapse ping-pong game, with his soul as the ball.
It’s not good for him. It’s not good for San Francisco. It’s just sad."
The other great chronicler of this disaster is Beth Spotswood who is Standing By Her Man with a Bloody Mary in her hand (click here). As she puts it:
"The blueprint is clear; when in scandal, go to rehab. Everyone does it. Gavin is hardly original. I hope to one day be famous enough to do it myself."
Oh hon, when I read an SF Chron story on line yesterday, written by someone who was part of the jackal pack of reporters and photgraphers, pouncing at the lame PG&E-Academy of Art PR event, I thought we all need to get a life. This is taking on the sicko-paparazzi Princess Di flavor.
ReplyDeleteI don't know the extent of his alcohol problem but I suspect a number of my friends are as much and more in the sway. And if they were golden boys/girls with all the hopes and expectations riding on them, well, alcohol would be consumed.
Which is not meant as an endorsement of drinking as skillful coping devise. Or of lying-cheating-type sex. Funny how so many gifted and refined spiritual teachers, heads of ashrams and such, end up in sex scandals. Power and sex. Lines get blury.
Time will tell, with this dude. Meanwhile, back to work.
love from me,
E
It was all just a little too easy for the guy -- and then it proved empty.
ReplyDeleteNot that sympathy qualifies him to be mayor; but then, who else is there?