Reply #48: He used to walk to work in Oakland.

[LooseWilly]

I'd see him around town here and there. Chatted with him once or twice too (as one of several cab drivers at a downtown cab stand, at an independent art gallery where he tentatively leaned in the door to glance at the work on the walls).

He's a strange guy. Ironically a better mayor than Dellums, but less willing/able to express himself in a conversation (Dellums was still getting haircuts in West Oakland back in '99, while working with some sort of international organization looking out for child rights... before he was drafted to be Oakland's mayor).

For all that I like Jerry though, I think I'll be throwing my vote to Gavin Newsom. That decision in '04 to unilaterally declare that civil unions are discriminatory and that San Francisco was suddenly going to recognize the right to same sex marriage... doing right and let the chips fall where they will... I think this country needs more of that, and it'd be nice for California to be in the lead, rather than lagging... (though I do have to give Jerry credit for, as Attorney General, refusing to defend prop 8, and instead joining the coalition attacking it in the courts...)

A tough call. Two good candidates.
Now I just hope to see a good candidate challenging Feinstein in the primary... lest I should have to vote for a Green or Libertarian or something. After Mukasey and the telecom immunity, the last doubt that Feinstein was benefiting from has faded...