Gavin Goes on the Offensive
After being blamed for the re-election of W., made a virtual pariah in the Democratic Party, and befriended by Angelina Jolie all for letting a few gay people marry, you would think that the Gavster would go quietly into that good night on the issue. After all, there’s nothing the Democratic Party hates more than some Democrat standing on principles and scaring off all those Red State types. Turns out he’s not going quietly. In fact, he has been pumping up both the jams and the volume on the issue. In the past week, he gave a speech at Harvard where he called out his fellow Democrats and yesterday, totally dissed New York Mayor Bloomberg over Hizzoner’s little problem with the issue.
First, we go to Hah-vahd where in a speech last Tuesday, Gavin called the issue the pre-eminent civil rights issue of the time. "It's bigger than just gay marriage: It's about human dignity, it's about freedom” he told the crowd during the speech, a speech he in which he opened up with the line: "My name is Gavin Newsom and I reelected George Bush." As for members of his party, the Democrats, Newsom said "I can't stand my party right now. They offend me.” Hey, who can stand the Democratic Party? Newsom then went onto say the he is on the right side and history is on his side.
Image from Time Magazine
Yesterday, Gavin threw himself further into the issue when he laid into Mayor Bloomberg at a speech that was supposed to be on his new anti-litter campaign. But first, a little back story- see, a federal judge has recently issued that gay people can get married in New York. This has put the Mayor in a tight spot. New York is about as Blue-ish as they come and he has personally said that he has no problems with gay marriage but he is also up for re-election this year. Not to mention that he’s a Republican and we all know what the Republican party thinks of gay marriage (just wondering, but what does a Republican have to run on if they don’t have gay marriage to run against?). So trying to figure a way out of the dilemma, he’s doing what every politician does- he’s going to try and have it both ways. He’s been going around telling everyone he’s okay with the gays getting married, but is also having his people contest the courts’ ruling. The reason? He doesn’t want all of that chaos and anarchy that marred what happened in San Francisco. You remember all that chaos and anarchy don’t you? This approach, naturally, is liked by just about no one.
Which brings us to Gavin. Pressed upon the issue by reporters, Gavin laid into Mayor Mike: “I think if you believe something, you've got to act on it. If you don't believe in it, don't act on it. But don't say you believe something and then do everything to stifle that belief.'' He then went on to add "people don't like politicians, and now I know why.” It goes without saying, but oh, snap. Mayor Bloomberg, you have been served!
Saturday marks the one year Anniversary of the San Francisco’s “Winter of Love.” To mark the occasion, Gavin will host a celebration at the rotunda in City Hall.