A distinguished career of losing campaigns. Will Newsom be another loss to add to his list?

RITA FOR MAYOR!!

Why the vendetta against this guy? Has there ever been a "communications director" (press secretary, spokesman, etc.) in any level of government that wasn't trying to spin things to the benefit of their bosses?

Mr. Ragone may just be more overtly sleazy about it, but is he that much worse than previous mayoral lackeys?

Number of times SFist will toot its own horn by mentioning this Ragone non-story: At least 20 (many more coming)

I wonder if the SF Chronicle is trying to do some advance damage control for Peter Ragone in light of the next embarassing revelation that is about to come out. Many people in the know are whispering about it, does anyone know what's going on?

You have to research Ragone more deeply to understand what he is really up to and why so many people in San Francisco in the know are so concerned about him.

Just spill it, why are people so concerned about Ragone?

Great job, you should change SFIST to DanNoylesFanClub.com. Nothing like one sided journalism, very professional to leave out the other great points about Peter. You and your bloggers have been reduced to political children out for a haters parade. You forgot to add this from the article:

----- Newsom's most influential aide and friend, under a spotlight typically reserved for the candidates and public officials Ragone has worked for -- including former Vice President Al Gore, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo, and former California Gov. Gray Davis. One of the mayor's chief detractors says he doesn't understand how Ragone has kept his job. "It is astounding to me that this mayor would allow this gentleman to continue to serve in the position of press secretary now that Ragone, on the one hand, has said he is a liar and, on the other hand, has admitted the mayor is a liar," said Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin. Whatever people think of him, almost everyone says Ragone has been skilled at advancing Newsom's interests: He is at the center of a core of Newsom advisers who have significant input on how major policy issues, such as same-sex marriage and homelessness, are conveyed to the public. "Up until at least the recent troubles, Ragone has been a smooth operator in terms of guiding the Newsom administration -- positioning the mayor well on national issues," said Supervisor Chris Daly. "Generally, the administration has been strong on style and has engaged on issues with a PR strategy first more than any administration I have ever seen." Many contacted by The Chronicle praised Ragone for his intelligence, energy and keen ability to help frame social issues that reach voters in powerful ways. But some saw him as a heavy-handed gatekeeper who is excessively manipulative of information about the mayor's administration. Peter Ragone has a Strong resume. When Ragone went to work for San Francisco's young mayor in 2004, he had held a number of high-level jobs. He attended the University at Albany, State University of New York, so he could work in state government there, he said. By the late 1990s, he was working as national press director for then-HUD Secretary Cuomo, who describes Ragone as "deeply committed to social justice." Ragone was Gore's New York and California presidential campaign communications director in 2000 and a campaign consultant for Cuomo in his unsuccessful 2002 campaign to become New York governor. In January 2003, he became the communications director for Davis -- who praises Ragone's work -- and worked in the embattled governor's anti-recall campaign, too. Along the way, Ragone married and today lives in the Richmond District with his wife, a recruiter for a financial services firm, and their 2-year-old son. On weekends, he sometimes surfs at Santa Cruz or Pacifica. Bill de Blasio, a New York City councilman who managed Hillary Rodham Clinton's U.S. Senate campaign in New York in 2000, said he first met Ragone when he was a young staffer in the 1996 Bill Clinton-Al Gore re-election campaign. "He was quite the classic -- energetic, idealistic, willing to do anything," de Blasio said. "He was extremely persistent." Ragone considers de Blasio one of his mentors. Another is Chris Lehane, who was an assistant special counsel to President Clinton when he met Ragone, then working at HUD. Lehane, who now represents private-sector clients interested in clambering out of public relations thickets, had a clear message for Ragone and others around him: Play to win. As Lehane puts it: "Always bring a gun to a knife fight." Volunteer for Newsom Late in Newsom's campaign for mayor in 2003, Ragone -- who lived in San Francisco and had met Newsom through mutual political friends -- showed up to volunteer. That led to his job in the new mayor's administration. Since January 2004, Ragone has been Newsom's press secretary. Recently, he was given the title of director of communications and planning -- a title that more accurately encompasses the breadth of his power in the administration. He earns $118,468 a year, and many believe he is the most powerful member of the mayor's staff. As recently as last summer, a reporter noticed that Newsom had Ragone's picture on his cell phone. Ragone said he put it there as a practical joke and it took the mayor a couple of weeks to figure out how to get rid of it. In his role as spokesman and administration gatekeeper, Ragone has irritated some politicians and reporters. His admirers insist that Ragone has his priorities straight -- Newsom, Newsom and Newsom. "Peter Ragone is a Green Beret of political action -- tough and loyal," said Karen Skelton, who worked with Ragone when she was a Clinton-Gore aide, and is now a political consultant in Sacramento. "Peter keeps his eye on the trajectory of this young, promising politician and he is uniquely able to take this broader view of where Newsom fits in national politics." Sam Singer, a veteran public relations consultant, said of Ragone: "He was able to take a newly elected mayor and help position the mayor's administration in a Kennedy-like manner that created an image of a new Camelot. It's very hard to find a communications director of Ragone's ability who can create large-scale imagery" like this. Some describe Ragone as promoting Newsom at all costs. "I find Peter very pleasant, but when I am talking to him I have no doubt he is carefully trying to construct a message in his head of how to best promote Newsom," said KCBS radio reporter Barbara Taylor. "I always feel on some level I am being manipulated and he is trying to spin me." Kevin Keeshan, news director at KGO television whose reporter Noyes has had tense on-camera exchanges with Ragone, said: "In my 27 years in journalism, I have never encountered anyone in government who was more obstructionist than Peter Ragone." Noyes said he is just reporting good stories, but Ragone argues that Noyes has made "attacking Newsom his cause celebre." He added that he maintains a good relationship with many other reporters. "There is no way that I would have been successful in this business if I was not able to cultivate deep relationships with the press," Ragone said, adding that he knows more than 40 reporters from both the local and national press corps with whom he has strong, professional relationships. One of those he named was Robert Salladay, a Los Angeles Times political reporter who formerly worked for The Chronicle. Salladay confirmed he has a good working relationship with Ragone, but added that Ragone's style may not be one "reporters in mellow California are used to. You have to understand where he is coming from -- he is just very intense. He has this East Coast mentality about politics and controlling his surroundings and the media. Often that doesn't play as well in free-and-easy California." He added that Ragone is able to laugh at himself, and once joked about writing a book entitled "Recounts, Rejects and Recalls" about his previous campaigns where his candidates lost. When describing his role in Newsom's administration, Ragone dismisses the notion -- advanced by some -- that he's a shot-caller and emphasizes he is "committed to seeing Gavin Newsom continue to work for things that matter to the people of San Francisco." Citing the mayor's support of same-sex marriage and his appointment of women as police and fire chiefs, Ragone said: "There is this tendency in politics to assign credit to staff for initiatives the mayor has accomplished. Gavin Newsom decided to do same-sex marriage. He is an audacious guy, and his approach predates me and will live on after I am gone."

Oh yeah, this must be the reason for his promotion. OUCH! That must have hurt you and your readers when you received that news. Fact is nobody is perfect, we all make mistakes Peter although culpable for his actions, has admitted to them and apologized. I would love to see what some of you all would do if you were fired for your mistakes and then had to deal with all the misfortunes that come with unemployment. You should never cast stones the way you do here.

You all need to get off the Peter topic, because you are starting to look like Floridians and their way of politics and opinions.

-WWR Guess what the R stand for- lol

Yes, of course you are correct WWR about Peter. His mission in life is only to help others with open an caring arms. He never thinks of himself and is committed to working to better mankind which is why he has chosen a life as Public Servant.

This is very evident from reading and watching interviews with Mr. Ragone both in newspapers, on the internet and from his postings on blog sites.

Mr. Ragone is always happy, friendly, caring and most of all giving. He never makes personal attacks and I for one feel safe and secure knowing that there is someone like Mr. Ragone looking out for my interests as a citizen of San Francisco in City Hall.

In fact, I think Mr. Ragone would be well served to look out for himself once in a while instead of his constant sacrifice toward making the world a better place.

God Bless Peter Ragone.

Add Peter Vallone's run for NY Governor to the list of Peter Ragone's campaign failures. He was the press secretary on this landslide political campaign loss back in 1998.

To the Ragone Clown Posse: Nice to meet you too! If it wasnt for Hollywood & Nutty San Fran, CA would be a red state.

At least Arny's in office thank God. Oops....I mean thank Goodness...I dont want to get beat up by a bunch of San Fransicans for singing the National Anthem.