Recall Gavin

Remember last year, when Newsom said that if he didn't reduce the murder rate this year, we should vote to recall him as mayor? "I might be there as a co-signer myself!" the splendid-haired one said jocularly. Ehhhhhh -- do over! His bad! As the murder rate for 2005 rises to exceed last year's (we're now at 88, tying where we were last year at this time), Gavin's quit it with the glib recall jokes and is all serious-face town-hall meeting about it now, blah blah, "crimes this year don't follow traditional patterns," "I was talking about gangs," please please PLEASE don't recall me, how else will I meet chicks????

Chief of Police Heather Fong, bless her heart, says she's doing the best she can and has authorized more hires for the PD, and her deputies keep emphasizing that there's only so much they can do, if someone, say, decides to throw her three kids in the bay or set a homeless guy on fire. True -- but guys, that's only four. What about the other 84? What about when you said you got that one kingpin gang guy so murders should drop? Or the big local-fed gang task force you bragged so much about? What's going on there? And how's the clearance rate on those murders looking too?

If we don't get answers, well.... Mr. Newsom, please print and sign your name on the following line, and please include your local address too.