Newsom: 'This is Not Easy'

KPIX: CBS 5 San Francisco ^ | 19 February 2004 | Hank Plante

[MegaSilver]

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is clearly the newsmaker of the hour, from Thursday's long profile of him in the New York Times to next week's magazine stories planned for Newsweek and Time.

When he's out in public, like on Thursday's Ronn Owens show, he's blamed for everything from the fall of mankind to the potential reelection of George Bush. And Newsom says the reaction both public and private has been unexpected.

"People have surprised me on both sides of the issue," Newsom said. "Some that I would predict would have been very supportive have not been. Some that I could never imagine being supportive have been."

Newsom says President Bush's opposition to the marriages wasn't surprising.

"We're trying to end discrimination and he's trying to promulgate a separate but unequal status," Newsom said. "It hardly is consistent with his compassionate conservatism."

Even other Democrats are scrambling on the issue. Senator Barbara Boxer, up for reelection, is for the first time pitted against the gay community, saying she endorses current California law, which bans gay marriage. Even gay congressman Barney Frank calls what Newsom did a distraction. But the mayor says it's not his fault that some Democrats are put in a bind.

"The president of the United States for over a year has been talking about a constitutional amendment. The president of the United States takes the time in his State of the Union to talk about the prospects of a constitutional amendment on gay marriage. They were going to have to come to grips with this. Any elected official was going to have to come to grips with this, regardless of actions here."

But it has been the personal backlash, he says, that's surprised him most.

"This is tough in my own family," Newsom said. "I've got people canceling meetings on me. I've got people when I shake their hand they look down. These are friends, these are supporters. I've got a lot of supporters who want nothing to do with me. This is not easy... It weighs heavily on me... But on principle I sleep at night, and at the end of the day there's nothing more significant than that."

[MegaSilver]

"But on principle I sleep at night, and at the end of the day there's nothing more significant than that."

Feel free to sleep on principle... in prison.

[Thud]

This is a can't lose situation for Newsom. He is exploiting it by the book.

[sarasota]

With his lawyer-wife's help, no doubt.

[jscd3]

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is clearly the newsmaker of the hour, from Thursday's long profile of him in the New York Times to next week's magazine stories planned for Newsweek and Time.

No doubt about it, getting lot's of publicity is never easy on a publicity seeker. I'm sure he asks himself all the time whether or not it is worth doing outrageous things in order to get noticed coast to coast. /sarcasm

[Cicero]

Translation: "I'm perfectly wonderful, and anyone who says otherwise is a homophobic bigot."

[chambley1]

Newsom: 'This is Not Easy'

Try KY Jelly.

[John Jorsett]

From the point of view of Democrats, Newsom's real crime is that he decided to pull this stunt in an election year. I think this is going to backfire on the Dems and end up driving voters to the Republicans and tipping some tight races. And now with New Mexico about to issue marriage license to gays, I think the call for a constitutional amendment is going to become quite strong. I don't favor that myself, but I think many people are going to view that as the only solution to what appears to be lawlessness on the part of public officials.

[King Black Robe]

Gay Barney is so steeped in hypocrisy on these issues I am wondering when the press will ask him about it. Only months ago gay Barney was paraded before the cameras assuring everyone that Lawrence was not about queer marriage. Now, gay Barney has moved incrementally to the position of saying it's about marriage, but only in Massachusetts, and it's about states' rights. Give it a few more months -- specifically, when Massachucetts starts handing out queer marriage licenses -- and he will be saying it is all about due process or privacy or whatever it is he thinks will sell the issue to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Anyone who buys his line of advertising is a fool.

[King Black Robe]

Am I remembering correctly: Wasn't gay Barney caught in some sort of sex scandal years back? He is hardly the right spokesperson for marriage.

[hang 'em]

Bonnie Fwank got caught letting his boyfriend use his swank D.C. pad for a gay brothel service, IIRC.

[searchandrecovery]

Homosexuality is deviant behavior. If any fag can break the law and get married, why should I myself obey any law? When a state only enforces certain laws, the whole idea of law and justice weakens. Gonna get me one of those matricular cuntsular cards and get me a drivers license (no insurance needed!). Taxes? TAXES? Ain't gonna pay no stinkin' taxes. Under the table from now on. In fact, I think I'm comin' down with a disease - might just visit me an emergency room tonight to get me some free care. DUDE, it's FREE!

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Thud, this is can't lose for Newsom in the short run only.

In the long run with most people being against gay marriage this is going to SINK the Democrats and Kerry.

And as far as him being groomed for national post (remember he was the great hope of the dems a few weeks ago) it's over.

Popcorn anyone?

[Thud]

I suspect it is Don Solem, who was my father's protege.

[Bluntpoint]

San Francisco is Deviant Central. It is the only city in the world where Bill Clinton could feel at ease stooping his wife and not be shunned for having sex with animals.

[MegaSilver]

In the long run with most people being against gay marriage this is going to SINK the Democrats and Kerry.

I hope so... but today in the Herald (go figure), I saw a letter to the editor from a man who says he used to be against gay marriages, but changed his mind after seeing the happy faces of same-sex couples in SF.

The DP is fighting dirty on this one.

[Thud]

"All politics is local."

California is effectively a one-party state because the GOP here committed suicide. Governor Shwarzenegger could never have won a GOP statewide primary as a non-incumbent - a recall was the only he could be elected the first time. The state GOP is flat out nuts.

Mayor Newsom only has to win the Democratic primary when he runs for statewide office to be certain of election. His actions here are aimed solely at (a) cutting off another lefty challenge in the next mayor's race and (b) future Democratic primaries.

I repeat that this is a freebie for him.

[King Black Robe]

This is a gross but serious question. If a queer guy is attracted to a man's body, is he attracked to himself when he looks in the mirror? Is it like viewing pornography or something? I told you it was gross, but really, it's a genuine question.

Another question: What will all this queering of America do to the concept of male/female bathrooms, locker rooms and dressing rooms? Wasn't the point of separating the sexes about sex? Now that everyone can do it with anyone, what's the point?

[Thud]

See my number 17.

[Bluntpoint]

All I know is if I was a women with a nice rack, I would never leave my house of mirrors.