Newsom pulls out of governor's race

[jefferson_dem]

Source: SFC

Newsom pulls out of governor's race
Phil Matier, Andrew Ross,Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Staff Writers

Friday, October 30, 2009

(10-30) 15:14 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Hamstrung by both a lack of money and political momentum, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom withdrew from the California governor's race today.

"With a young family and responsibilities at City Hall, I have found it impossible to commit the time required to complete this effort the way it needs to - and should be - done," Newsom said in a statement.

"This is not an easy decision," he said. "But it is one made with the best intentions for my wife, my daughter, the residents of the city and county of San Francisco, and California Democrats."

Newsom's withdrawal leaves state Attorney General Jerry Brown, who has yet to declare his candidacy, as the lone major Democrat in the 2010 race.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/1...

[WriteDown]

1. Scandal to break at 11? nt

[jefferson_dem]

2. Something's up. Very sad.

I dig Brown and all but was really rooting for Gavin.

[CreekDog]

14. He could have blamed the Bay Bridge mess on Jerry Brown

it was an opening.

[grantcart]

5. I suspect he wasn't getting the money committments that he thought he would.

[katkat]

15. on top of the already scandal?

Maybe his regular backers got tired of no character. I take that as a positive sign for politics.

Much better to have Jerry Brown.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I am surprised.

Well, well...

I wonder if the Big Dog will now endorse Jerry Brown?

And JB will be our next Governor!

[mopinko]

21. Jerry reminds me of our gov- pat quinn

cut from the same cloth. hoping pat will win a term in his own right.
doing a good job of mopping up after blaggo

[Starry Messenger]

4. Whoa.

That's weird. Too bad, I was looking forward to an interesting primary. I hope he's ok.

[Alexander]

6. 2012? The race is in 2010.

[jefferson_dem]

7. Thanks for pointing that out. I've edited the OP with a legit (accurate) source.

n/t

[Book Lover]

8. I'm not that happy with Brown, but Gav would have been such a disaster

BTW, he's also hamstrung with being an empty suit. He never had an idea in his head that wasn't put there by the Gettys. Now if only he's wander off and leave SF to the grownups.

[Auggie]

10. +1000 on Newsome (except I think Brown is okay)

Brown has a much better chance of winning against any puke, IMO.

[musette_sf]

22. + 1

huge relief to see him out of the race.

I have heard gossip that he might run with Brown as his Lt Gov candidate?

[Ignis]

23. Really? That's not bad gossip.

I didn't hink Newsome was ready for the governorship, but he might do a good job as Lt.

[alp227]

27. Yes, a disaster

Because a lot of Californians don't look at San Francisco liberals that positively. And guess what? If Gav were to run, chances are his Republican opponent would win because of a powerfully funded smear campaign. Also, consider how much crime has been going on in SF and the controversy over the sanctuary city policy. Perhaps Edwin Ramos would've been California's "Willie Horton" next year to paint Newsom as "soft on crime" (even though Newsom really amended the sanctuary policy to get tougher on juvenile illegals convicted of felonies)

[sethgrogen]

34. Amen!

[musiclawyer]

9. Translation: another scandal gonna break

This is s good thing. These days politicians can't be compromised in any way to be effective--whether it's self dealing, or sex, or what have you. He would have lost to a Republican--which California can no longer afford.

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. I think it was his past scandals that broke him politically.

You may have noticed his repeated references to "family" in his withdrawal speech.
Somebody hit him over the head with reality, me thinks.
He surely had to know that in any race, his drinking and infidelity would be brought up.

[Blasphemer]

41. I didn't know about those things.... interesting... nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

42. Yeah...before 05, I read it in the SF paper.

Worse yet, he was sleeping with wife of his chief of staff, had to apologize to the guy, then there was this big
public announcement that he was going into some rehab for drinking, but he was in and out in suspiciously short time.
I am sure a google or 2 will bring up the old stories.
The shiny wore off his crown in very short order.

[Arkana]

11. It's all Jerry Brown now.

[Pirate Smile]

12. Good - since Jerry Brown was going to win the primary. Next Paterson, please.

[Cha]

25. That's not going to happen.

If I'm wrong..well, good.

[Myrina]

16. Damn.

Smart, handsome, literate, liberal, eloquent ....

[FrenchieCat]

18. And couldn't keep his hands off his best friends' wife......

Damn.

[David Zephyr]

20. Exactly.

Foolish campaign. Jerry would have wiped the floor with him in every single voting precinct...including San Francisco.

[Myrina]

35. ... is that really what's up?

... Repubs do crap like that all the time and it doesn't slow them down a tic, why do Dems self-destruct over it?

(more important - and rhetorical - question: why does anyone with political aspirations even DO shit like that, and then why do they think it won't be found out?)

[still_one]

17. Brown was so far ahead in the polls, Newsom didn't stand a chance, and didn't through

more money in a campaign he most likely wouldn't win

Right now it looks like Jerry Brown in all the polls against all the candidates running

[David Zephyr]

19. So much for Bill Clinton's idiotic "endorsement" which was only in grudge to Brown.

Wow. Bill Clinton needs to stay out of state politics.

[karynnj]

31. All three primary endorsements I can think of lost

Lieberman in CT primary, where Clinton gave the best endorsement speech I've ever heard him give - actually about Lieberman! (Better than what he gave for Gore or Kerry). He also recorded a message used for the robocalls.

McAuliffe in VA

and this one

[David Zephyr]

38. Yep.

I'm glad someone was counting besides me. Thanks.

Clinton coming here and endorsing Newsom was a shitty thing to do. There's that side of Bill again.

[msongs]

24. "...with a young family..." - which one, with his wife or his mistress? nt

[alp227]

26. Newsom pulls out of governor's race

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

(10-30) 15:49 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Lacking both money and political momentum, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom withdrew from the California governor's race today.

"With a young family and responsibilities at City Hall, I have found it impossible to commit the time required to complete this effort the way it needs to - and should be - done," Newsom said in a statement.

"This is not an easy decision," he said. "But it is one made with the best intentions for my wife, my daughter, the residents of the city and county of San Francisco, and California Democrats."

Newsom's withdrawal leaves state Attorney General Jerry Brown, who has yet to declare his candidacy, as the lone major Democrat in the 2010 race.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/1...

(I originally posted this in Latest Breaking News, this is why its here)

[Raine]

39. Self-delete

responded in wrong place.

[alp227]

43. it was merged

nt

[Psephos]

28. Character and its lack result in predictable, repeated behaviors over time. n/t

[Overseas]

29. So glad to hear it. We really need Gerry Brown right now. //nt

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Alexander]

32. What a ridiculous thing for you to say.

There were many valid reasons to not support Gavin Newsom, even if one approves of his actions concerning gay marriage in San Francisco.

[Dramarama]

33. Guess I won't be voting

[AlphaCentauri]

36. Time to select someone far more progressive than Newsom

what about endorsing a green party candidate?

[thepeopleunited]

37. Talk about poetic justice.

Now that Reagan and the rest of the GOP predator drones have totally and thoroughly f-cked up everything Pat and Jerry Brown did for California, it falls to Jerry to clean up their toxic waste. It's beyond irony.

Anyhow, good luck Jerry!

[Raine]

40. This is GOOD

now Jerry Brown won't have to waste dollars during a primary battle, save the money to defeat the repig candidate instead.