THE SPEAKER AND THE MAYOR:
Pelosi gives an assist to Newsom
at a "Global Warming" discussion
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mayor Gavin Newsom
Photo(s) by
Luke Thomas
By Daniela
Kirshenbaum
February 21, 2007
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi breezed into town Wednesday, and her
most public foray was to stand with Mayor Gavin Newsom at a podium
at a Moscone Center ballroom. Banners, adorned with stars and
stripes, read "A New Direction for America."
A new direction for America
What new direction? The Democratic congressional majority we've
had since early January? The first lady speaker thing? Gavin's
rehab, maybe? No, it was time to champion progress being made
to combat Global Warming. That was the New American Direction.
Public Utilities Commissioner Susan Leal
Even the gentlest cynic might wonder why Madam Speaker would
fly across the country (don't ask what kind of plane unless you
have a lot of time) to talk about a topic we've all been aware
of for quite some time. It couldn't be jealousy that our Republican
governor is actually starting to look gutsy on such a liberalish
issue.
Governor Schwarzenegger at the AB32
signing briefing.
Consider that for the first five or ten minutes of a relatively
light press conference, Speaker Pelosi held forth on the mayor's
leadership. Consider also that there was no sign of closeness
or embrace between the two politicians. There is a family
connection between the two, after all. They stood fairly well
apart, so the Karl Rove types couldn't get a close-up of the Speaker
with the Philanderer.
Given the concern expressed in Joe
Lynn's series here on the mayor's tougher road to reelection,
Ms. Pelosi's comments and presence were as welcome to the Newsom
campaign as warm asphalt on a pothole.
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