Interim Mayor Ed Lee. Photo by Luke Thomas.
FCJ Editorial
July 20, 2011
When Mayor Ed Lee accepted the job as interim mayor in January, it was understood by the Board of Supervisors that he would not run for a full term. In fact, his promise of not running for a full term was the reason why the Board elevated a reluctant Lee to what was understood to be a caretaker position, to complete Gavin Newsom’s term as mayor.
Since his nomination, Lee has been asked on numerous occasions whether he would run and each time he has remained steadfastly unequivocal: he is a man of his word and will not run.
“I have been unequivocal like I am standing in front of you,” Lee said over a month ago when FCJ asked him if he remains unequivocal about not running. “I do feel some pressure these days and it’s like I am constantly getting those questions… there’s just so many people talking to me and I just have to keep warding them off.”
Today, the San Francisco Chronicle reports a shift in Lee’s response to the question of whether he will run:
“There are so many people that want to talk to me about the future of the city,” Lee said, “and I’ve been open to talking about making sure our government is performing at its best.”
When asked if he would categorically rule out running in November, Lee side-stepped the question. He said he was proud of accomplishments he’s achieved so far, including unanimous votes at the Board of Supervisors this week on his budget and pension reform plan, and had more goals to accomplish, like increasing the stock of workforce and affordable housing.
When The Chronicle noted that his answer didn’t rule out running, the mayor smiled broadly and then hopped into his car.
Moreover, just yesterday, Lee was asked the same question during an informal community meeting in the Mission. His response, according to MissionLocal.com:
“I’ve made no decision yet,” he replied. “I’m focused on this job right now.”
If Mr. Lee is now contemplating a run and enters the race, he will be fairly judged to be another typical lying politician whose words cannot be trusted and, therefore, is not fit for public office.
The good will Mr. Lee has engendered thus far would immediately evaporate. The Board would no longer trust him. The electorate would understand him to be a fraud and all the mayoral contenders who entered the mayor’s race on the understanding that Lee would remain true to his word, would be well within their rights to expose him as a continuation of corruption at City Hall.
Don’t do it, Mr. Lee. Stay true to your word. Your stellar reputation for honesty and forthrightness is on the line. Keep to your word and continue to ward off those who want to use you for their ends.
The Hunger Site
July 28, 2011 at 2:15 pm
No one tells it like Hope, she is 100% spot on. They did the same with Obama.
July 28, 2011 at 2:09 pm
Hope,
They’re a long way from ‘knuckleheads’. And, further from being ‘Progressive’. Those of us who voted for Chiu and Kim and even Campos helped elect candidates who claimed to be Progressive but have voted a consistent Downtown line.
You see Chiu today at Audits and Oversight defending his vote to destroy 5,000 units of rent-controlled housing at Parkmerced?
Giants at 4pm … Lincecum back from Montezuma’s revenge.
h.
July 28, 2011 at 10:42 am
Is Ed Lee Beginning to Look Like a Typical Lying Politician?
No – the “progressive” political leaders are looking ever more like the knucklehaeds they are for ever even consdering believing Ed Lee was anything other than the typical lying politician and voting him “interim Mayor” in the first place.
July 28, 2011 at 9:44 am
Yes – but do you think the Asian voting bloc will care?
July 23, 2011 at 9:03 am
It’s only boring because there’s no debate going on. The candidates seem to think they’re running for class president. Ed Lee is the ultimate establishment candidate who supports whatever projects City Hall and city departments support.
July 23, 2011 at 1:17 am
@Ralph see todays C.W. Nevius SFGATE http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/22/BANB1KDSDD.DTL
Let the the games start, the mayors race had become boring.
July 22, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Lee’s smart enough to not debate Adachi on anything, he would destroy him.
July 22, 2011 at 1:31 pm
I should have said, Lee hasn’t squelched Rose Pak’s “Run Ed Run” campaign. But according to a SF Chronicle editorial on Sunday, he is quoted as saying, “I’m not running. I don’t plan to run.” If he did run, I’m not sure his promise not to run made to the previous Board of Supervisors would sway most of the voters. How many politicians keep their promises? The voters would look at how he has performed or perceived to have performed as interim mayor. If he did run and lost, he would probably lose his chance to be reappointed City Adminstatror.
July 22, 2011 at 11:26 am
The real problem is, like the PC stooge hired to lead MTA, that Lee and the other candidates don’t dissent on a single important issue, except Hall on the pension crisis.
Lee supports the awful, wasteful projects that keep Muni in the red: the Central Subway ($100 million) and the terminal boondoggle (another $100 million). And then we have Parkmerced, Treasure Island, the M/O Plan, allowing UC to rip off the old extension property, etc.
Brown mentions Lee debating Adachi and Gonzalez, neither of which are in the race. And, except for the pension issue, it’s not clear that either dissents on any of the dumb transportation and development policies coming out of City Hall. (By the way, the new crop of supervisors may be the dumbest we’ve ever had, going back to citywide elections.)
July 22, 2011 at 9:16 am
Answer to question: YES.
July 22, 2011 at 9:12 am
Howard,
Ed’s in an ‘interesting’ position as he says but he’s not seeing the entire picture. He’ll be in the unique position of losing 10 to 15 points in popularity just for entering the race. Willie’s slime trail leads right to Lee’s front door.
Giants 7pm with Cain on mound against Prince Fielder.
Bulldog Salon at Daly’s bar (now, ‘The Buck’) 1688 Market Street noon til 3pm at least.
h.
July 22, 2011 at 8:18 am
If he runs no-one would ever take him at his word again and he would be ineffective for the remainder of the interim term.
July 21, 2011 at 9:22 pm
@DavidinSF
That’s a lot of work for the word “people” in that sentence.
I’m not sure it’s up to the challenge.
July 21, 2011 at 6:07 pm
@generic unless he is forced to run by the people of San Francisco, then what choice does he have.
July 21, 2011 at 4:48 pm
@ Ralph
No, he’s categorically said he would not run for mayor.
July 21, 2011 at 4:19 pm
He hasn’t said he would run for mayor and he hasn’t said he would not. Its kind of funny in a way. Sure makes the other declared candidates mighty nervous.
July 21, 2011 at 10:23 am
Preach.
http://youtu.be/7oMukpyEPvA
July 21, 2011 at 10:16 am
Up is down,
This morning there was a blurb in the Examiner quoting David Campos as lamenting the fact that he wasn’t able to close the loophole in ‘Healthy SF’ because the new Board is controlled by corporations.
This from a guy who 2 days earlier provided the swing vote in favor of AT&T putting 726 more utility boxes on City sidewalks.
Pot black/pot/black/pot/black
Be happy Ed Lee is gonna run. He’ll have to debate and Adachi or Gonzalez will decimate him mano et mano. Lee’s done absolutely nothing on his own and the things he’s bragging about now were all bad deals for the public.
Giants off today.
h.
July 21, 2011 at 9:01 am
Are we so naive (having or showing a lack of experience, judgment, or information; credulous: She’s so naive she believes everything she reads. has a very naive attitude toward politics) to believe that he wont run. Ed Lee has major name recognition, he is ahead in the polls for mayor and has very powerful backers. Should I say more?
July 21, 2011 at 8:49 am
The obvious answer to the question: Yes
July 21, 2011 at 7:37 am
I still think that if someone took a poll in the Bay Area, asking people who the current mayor of San Francisco is, a majority wouldn’t even know, and a startling number of San Franciscans wouldn’t.