Who's Got Questions?
As you know, this correspondent is unabashedly in favor of this election season's Proposition I Question Time -- because we're in favor of anything that makes local politics entertaining! (We can discuss offline whether or not we thought it was a good idea when it was originally proposed, but given that it's out there now -- we're solidly pro!) We gotta have something to write about -- it's like how political cartoonists all voted for Clinton because he was "fun to draw." Plus -- it'll be a good way to force Gavin to give us some information about what he's been doing.
Well, Gavin's announced (.pdf) that, despite the fact that 56% of the voters said they thought it'd be a good idea for him to suck it up and show up for a Question Time session or two, he's not going to do it.
He and mayoral minder Peter Ragone are taking the position that it's all orchestrated "political theater," and says they're just trying to avoid "partisan politics." Oh, like nothing Newsom does is political theater. And Gavin never engages in partisan politics.
So here's our first question for Gavin Newsom for Question Time -- Why not?
Picture of Gavin Newsom in front of an origami Christmas tree for the Rainbow Wish Fund, by rock star SFist Jim. More of our question time musings after the jump!
Newsom suggests instead that he'll do "neighborhood meetings" where supervisors are invited to attend. But he already does neighborhood meetings (though we've noticed District 6 does not seem to have made it onto his schedule yet), and those aren't really forums appropriate for the whole city to attend, as opposed to meetings before the Board of Supes. Board meetings are also broadcast on TV for people who can't make it but want to attend (and have cable).
Well, Peskin called Newsom "immature" for refusing to show up. But really, it seems to us more like Newsom's being short-sighted. Because -- really, showing up for Question Time seems to be a win-win for him. Either Gavin shows up, does well, and everyone loves him -- or Gavin shows up, Chris Daly asks a bunch of mean questions, and everyone loves Gavin even more ("he was picked on by that thug!").
So the only bad scenarios are either that Gavin doesn't know enough about city policy to respond in any kind of meaningful way, or that he melts down like Jessica Simpson. "Oh, Aaron, you just make me so nervous!"
C'mon, Gavin! And here's our second question for Question Time -- What do you have to lose?