State Senate Candidate Joe Alioto-Veronese wants to paint himself
as the sane candidate in the district 3 race. His fellow candidates,
incumbent Carole Migden and Assemblymember Mark Leno, continue
to duke it out in the press and at debates.
Meanwhile, Veronese remains content playing the straight man
(no pun intended, really) in the race, literally stepping
back to let Migden and Leno play out their public feud. He hopes
doing so will not only set him apart in the eyes of the electorate,
but also allow Leno and Migden to cancel each other out.
State Senate candidate Joe Alioto-Veronese
Mark Leno, Carole Migden, and Joe Alioto-Veronese.
Last Tuesday, Luke Thomas and I attended a Veronese "house
party" at Enrico's in North Beach. I was curious about how
far Veronese had come since we first got wind of his candidacy
back in April.
Since Veronese formally announced
his candidacy in September, he's hosted several fundraising events
in San Francisco, Sonoma, and Marin County. He told us early on
that he'd be running a grassroots campaign. (Or as grassroots
as you can get in Marin.)
I couldn't help but notice the San Francisco socials crossing
over to the local political scene. The very glamorous Claudia
Ross of Cross
Marketing organized the event. Tuesday also happened to be
Claudia's birthday, and we made sure to toast the birthday girl.
Beth Townsend
co-hosted the event, and the gift bags included protein bars from
Dr. Melina Jampolis.
Cross Marketing founder Claudia Ross, Account Executive Elizabeth
Thompson,
Account Executive/NYC Representative Alexander Bie, and Elaine
Santore.
Claudia Ross gives Luke Thomas a tutorial in red carpet posing.
Do you love it? Photo by Alexander
Bie
Veronese worked the crowd, and addressed them all with a rousing
speech to rally their support. He stressed California's need for
renewable energy, which starts with breaking away from PG&E.
He's well aware of the issues facing the citizens of Marin, as
well as those faced by the people of San Francisco.
Joe Alioto-Veronese, Julie Veronese, Beth Townsend, and Dr. Melina
Jampolis.
Fariba Rezvani and Jorge Maumer, owner of Grumpy's Restaurant
& Pub.
Joe Veronese introduces his "secret weapon," his wife
Julie.
Erin Meyers, Claudia Ross, and Sabrina Buell.
Atmosphere
McKinney on a mission in the Mission
I skipped Friday's weekly Candidates' Collaborative debate
because of the frigid autumnal wind, but I caught up with the
rest of the gang at the Temple Bar. After the after-party, Luke,
Mike Powers, Paul Hogarth, Bob Brigham, Karen Babbitt and I headed
to El Rio for a Code Pink party and fundraiser.
Mike bought everybody a round of PBR, but left early to open
the Power Exchange. I gossiped with Susan Vaughan of the San Francisco
Green Party. Word on the street was former Georgia Congresswoman
and rumored
Green Party presidential candidate, Cynthia McKinney, would be
making an appearance at the event.
McKinney arrived at El Rio in a flurry, and Susan made sure to
hand her a copy of the SF Green Party's newspaper.
Cynthia McKinney, Elaine Santore, and Susan Vaughan
Luke was determined to hunt McKinney down and ask her if she
was planning to run for president as a Green. McKinney was unsurprisingly
demure on the subject, but all indicators point to McKinney painting
the White House green.
McKinney arrives to El Rio with David de la Gueronniere Josue.
McKinney and Code Pink's Vicki Leidner.
McKinney took to the stage between sets, and said,
"I don't know how many Green Party events that I have been
to over the last few months and I have yet to get music, dance
or song."
To be fair, I've seen many instances of Greens engaging
in song and dance. I once witnessed Medea Benjamin dancing in
the streets in Milwaukee during the 2004 Green Party Convention.
McKinney addresses the crowd at El Rio.
Green Party members Susan King, Jim Barrett, Susan Vaughan,
and Elaine Santore (the pink headband wasn't planned).
On Saturday, Luke and I attended a fundraiser for McKinney in
the Mission. It was an opportunity for McKinney to meet with local
Green Party members to discuss her future and a her candidacy
for president.
College Board Trustee John Rizzo (left)
Cynthia made sure we understood that anything said during the
meeting was off the record. Check. After about 40-minutes into
the fireside chat, we were politely requested to step outside.
We naturally obliged our gracious host's request.
As we stood outside, we pondered the reasons why we were asked
to leave the meeting. A few minutes later, we heard clapping and
the sound of checkbooks slapping the coffee table.
Gavin turns 40 - OMG!
As many of you are aware, Mayor Gavin Newsom turns
the big
four-zero on Wednesday. At the time of publishing, FCJ has
not received a coveted invitation to Gavin's sober-fun bash, but
rest assured our progressive dysfunctional family will be tying
one on in his honor.
On the subject of getting older, Gavin can always take solace
in the wise words of Brad Pitt: "One thing sucks, your face
kind of goes. Your body's not quite working the same. But you
earned it. You earned that, things falling apart."
While FCJ and the Gavster don't always see eye-to-eye, Luke uses
his keen eye to capture Gavin looking his best. Here are a few
of my all-time favorite Gavin photos.
Mayor Gavin Newsom sipping his own Koolaid at the Excelsior fake
question time meeting.
Getting his GQ look on while on tour
of a proposed Community Justice Court location.
Being Irish when it counts most: Strutting down Market Street
during the Saint Patrick's Day Parade.
Receiving a portrait of himself not looking a day over 25
at the Virgin SFO "Jefferson Airplane" debut.
The Obvious Child
CrackBerry Blind Item
Which giant-in-his-own-mind politico was overheard bitching about
the Blue Angels, just days after voting against a resolution to
ban the window chattering daredevils? Homeboy needs to do that
shiz somewhere private (aka NOT in the hallways of City Hall),
unless he wants to be a Blind Item.
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