October 12, 2007
Match Game PM? Or SF Mayoral Debate?
Before last night's much more important Zombie Attack, there was some sort of mayoral debate at some bookish building. A debate consisting of Mayor Gavin Newsom, possible contender Quintin Mecke, and slew of other candidates who, more or less, sold their remaining integrity and ethics for a shot at "local personality" status. Well, congrats: you're all winners, then.
And seeing how there was a particularly good Inside Edition on last night, and 30 Rock was creeping right around the corner, we couldn't attend the self-consciously screwball, Mean Girls-esque tripe masquerading as civic troubleshooting. But still, a few points of interest:
-- Newsom was 90 five minutes late.
-- Mecke said "dialogue."
-- Halloween in SF was discussed. Sadly, none of it being the what-are-you-going-to-wear variety.
-- Zombies attacked.
-- H. Brown said, "Let's put cameras in the mayor's office."
-- 30 Rock was really good last night.
Image: Steve Rhodes
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First of all, Newsom was not "90 minute late" as Brock claims - even the link he provides to the Chron article only states Newsom was 5 minutes late (the Examiner said 10 minutes late).
Second of all, why have you eliminated Guest comments? And why do you tell guests their comments will be posted, but they never are? If you don't want Guest comments, take away the button instead of wasting people's time... Thanks.
i can't believe i'm about to defend him, but the gav was not 90 minutes late. 9, maybe. seemed like about 5 to me. and he just sauntered down that aisle like he's one of the guys. probably planned it that way.
and although they might be strange (understatement?) and an insult to the position and the serious issues in question, i am proud to live in a city where someone doesn't just have to wonder what they might do "if they could run for mayor" but can actually run for mayor. like mecke, sumchai, holmes and hoogasian who are really just san franciscans who don't just bitch about the changes they want but are actually doing something. i applaud them for their courage in taking on the smooth, slick, rehearsed and sound-bytey newsom.
You're right, it wasn't a whopping 90 minutes. (Which, really, would've been awesome.) Correction made.
You know, not too long ago, SFIST writers actually made an effort to attend events, or at least talk to people who attended events.
But now, it seems, you just read other people's reporting on events and make snarky remarks.
I'm no big fan of Newsom, but that kind of gross error wouldn't have happened if you'd bothered to go to the debate, or at minimum actually read the links you provided, rather than talk about what you watched on TV instead.
Some of us come to SFIST to get a different opinon on events around town that we don't have time/ability to attend... but if I just want links to stories from newspapers, I can go to www.sfusualsuspects.com and get those, without the useless commentary.
Bring back your A game, SFIST... come on.
"gross error" "snarky" "A game"
you're an adorable twit. never change. oh wait, do: stay on topic, please.
While I love the irreverant slant that SFIST takes, I have to 2nd Helenas comments. SFIST is changing,and not for the better. More politics please more outing of the Peter Ragones of the world, and getting Chris Daly to flip out.... Having said that, I still love it, and thanks for keeping me informed, and making me laugh many times each day. Have a great weekend....xxx
I think SFist has plenty of political coverage, what isn't political in this town? Aside from the Ed Jew saga, not a lot of interesting stuff has happened in the political scene, except for the flame war between Randy Shaw (The Tenderloin Poverty Pimp Clinic) and Matt Smith (SF Weekly).
T.E. Lawrence has a point. It's a small city, guys, and we don't have multiple ground-shattering political scandals going on at all times. I understand, and do miss the days of Ragonegate, Brittanie Mountz, and Jennifer Siebel's weekly meltdowns; but it's better SFist stay honest and avoid politics when there's nothing to talk about than to do what most blogs/magazines do and either make stories up or over-exaggerate issues for publicity.
btw, i
chin up, chin up.
oops... my post didn't accept the e-hearts. I meant to say "btw ilu brock".
I think we've been getting comments that say that we're changing for the last 2 or 3 years.
SFist was at the debate, rest assured.
You're supposed to read the what's in the links.
The Chronicle played up the lateness issue, for whatever reason.
Gavin arrived at 6:05:30 PM. No big deal. Quintin Mecke was backstage, for whatever reason. He wasn't late, really.
The whole affair was kind of a nothingburger.
I came to SFist on Friday looking for coverage of the mayoral debate and could find nothing but an article about the zombies. I thought that either I was somehow missing it or that something great was in the works. So now that I see the actual article I want to join those other commenters in expressing my disappointment.
I used to find humorous albeit insightful blow by blow accounts of events like these on SFist. What happened? The Chron's coverage was severely lacking basically painting everyone besides the Gav as a whack job. I was there and while I must admit there was a fair share of circus and crazies there were also some great points raised and with twelve people sitting up there a wide number of views represented. A few of those candidates or at least their points deserved some serious attention and I wish that the SFist could have given it tempered with some of the more humorous moments.
I mean yes, Gavin will win, hands down, but this is the mayoral election. I count that as a serious SF political event that deserves serious coverage. Gavin might get to be mayor again but he shouldn't just get to slide in so easily.
And also I find it highly inappropriate for the SFist writers/editors to post defensive comments in this section in response to criticism. Get over it you wrote a poor article for the only mayoral debate that the actual mayor attended.
Come on, what's so inappropriate about responding to criticism?
Furthermore, if you are so disappointed in the debate coverage, start your own blog. You seem interested enough in local politics that you probably have something interesting to say.
I have to agree with some of the other comments. There has been a lot of quirky SF political news going on the past month or so that you guys have completely not covered, that you definitely would have covered before. I was really expecting to see a lot more on the mass firings and questionable re-appointments in the mayor's office, but there's been pretty much nothing.
Is it a conscious decision to shift away from politics? Why?
Who cares about a debate. Give us a swimsuit contest. Speedos or bikinis only.
Now, now. Don't fret, kids: We'll be covering more madcap, local politic-y stuff when new contributors (mixed with your stellar old favorites, of course) join the SFist crew.
More to come...