DCCC Chair and former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin. File photo by Luke Thomas.
By Luke Thomas
Update, 11:09 pm. In a close 14-16 vote, the DCCC failed tonight to muster the required votes to vote for a third-place candidate endorsement. Peskin voted in support of a third-place candidate endorsement vote.
September 21, 2011
The San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee (DCCC) will tonight vote on a possible third-place endorsement in the ranked-choice race for mayor, Fog City Journal can confirm.
“The reason for this item is that we have ranked-choice voting,” said DCCC Chair and former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin. “Ranked-choice voting works best when there are multiple choices.”
At its August 17 endorsements meeting, the DCCC voted to endorse Supervisor John Avalos (first) and City Attorney Dennis Herrera (second). The influential 32-member body could not muster enough votes for a third-place endorsement.
Following that vote, Peskin and the DCCC came under fire from interim Mayor Ed Lee and other individuals in the Asian-American community for not endorsing an Asian-American candidate.
Chinatown powerbroker Rose Pak, who played a pivotal role with former Mayor Willie Brown in persuading Lee to break his promise to the Board of Supervisors and run for a full-term, went a step further calling Peskin a racist.
“You are speaking with me, Aaron Peskin, who is used to spurious attacks that are baseless and they roll off of my back like water off a duck,” Peskin said of those who played the race card.
There are five leading Asian-American candidates in the mayor’s race including Public Defender Jeff Adachi, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu, Lee, Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting and State Senator Leland Yee.
In the August 17 vote for a third-place endorsement, Yee received 8 votes, Chiu received 3 votes and Lee received one vote. No other candidates were considered for a third-place endorsement.
Peskin, who placed the item on tonight’s agenda, rebuffed a suggestion the item was placed on the agenda to assuage those who played the race card.
“It’s the will of the 32 elected members,” he said. “If the majority of them want to do it, God bless them. If they don’t, we’ve endorsed John Avalos first and Dennis Herrera second, and so be it.”
Tonight’s meeting will be held at the State Building on Golden Gate Ave and begins at 7 pm.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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The Hunger Site
September 22, 2011 at 9:18 am
I meant reminded of what Hope Johnson said. Still distracted by last night’s state execution.
September 22, 2011 at 7:03 am
I don’t get this big beef re Peskin and sideways, whoever he is, and don’t much care who if anyone is playing the race card. Instead I’m reminded of Hope Johnson’s said in response to the first round:
“Anyone surprised by the so-called progressive support for Herrera is not paying attention. These are Democratic Party hacks who do not care that the two parties are destroying the middle class as long as they are part of the Democratic Party “family” and get a piece of whatever its leaders will throw them. None of them ever take too big a risk without also bending over to kiss the party leaders on the ass to make sure those monied leaders know everyone is still aware who is the “boss.” (Note that Leno was too scared to even move – voting no endorsement at all.) That’s what the votes for Herrea are – assurances no one will stray too far from what the current Democratic Party status quo wants. And if that’s not enough to get you thinking, stroll over to Jane Morrison’s this weekend to watch everyone bow down before Nancy Pelosi before she goes back to Congress to stand there shrugging her shoulders playing helpless at negotiating with the hard right Republicans.”
September 22, 2011 at 7:01 am
Patrick,
Looked like one person filmed it but I didn’t get their name. As you mentioned on the Guardian site Lee didn’t show. Neither did my buddy Tony Hall and I hope he’s OK. He seldom misses an event unless it’s cause some bigot shut him out.
Drinks at Daly’s ‘Buck Tavern’ saw a good crowd. Peskin and Alix Rosenthal were there from the DCCC meeting (they voted not to reconsider and do a third endorsement for mayor). Steven T. Jones talked about Gonzalez showing up with Gascon yesterday for the Guardian interview with Gascon. Jones seemed surprised but he shouldn’t be. Their offices work better and better together all the time.
10am meeting of Audit and Oversight will talk about Grand Jury report on Ethics Commission (‘Asleep at the Wheel’). Don’t you love the catchy titles they give these reports?
Go Giants!
h.
September 21, 2011 at 6:06 pm
I doubt if you would recognise ‘truth’ if she was kneeling before you pleading for understanding and mercy. All kinda shit has been or still is ‘legal’ or tolerated; slavery; racial discrimination; gender discrimination; dunking of witches; faggot burning and bashing; profiling; ad nauseam. Hopefully, one day before it is to late, people, like you, will become aware enough to make a distinction between ‘legality’ (a State imposed and enforced restriction of individual rights and freedoms), and morality, humanity, decency, compassion etc, blah. blah, blah; and all those other antiquated values that many of us grew up with and tried our best to incorporate into our lives.
@h. Infirmity prevents me from being present. Do you know if it’s being ‘streamed’, if not I’ll just kick back and watch the Giants .
BAUM
AVALOS
ADACHI
HALL
September 21, 2011 at 4:15 pm
‘sideways’,
You have no right to post anonymously on Luke’s site unless he allows you. People like you degrade the level of discourse.
You catching tonite’s debate Patrick?
h.
September 21, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Hey h, Patrick. I’ll check again but last time I looked it was still legal to post items anonymously on the internet . It is in fact common among people who have day jobs. But if you two don’t like it I’m sure that everyone else will stop and obey you.
But the truth really hits a nerve with you guys, doesn’t it? Wow.
September 21, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Couldn’t agree more h, but what can be done? SFBG is virtually unreadable as it is infested with nameless, gutless maggots who hide in the dark under masks of anonymity. Oh well, guess free speech means that even leaches get to dribble their drool.
As for the Giants.
Wait until next year.
BAUM
AVALOS
ADACHI
HALL
September 21, 2011 at 1:24 pm
‘Sideways’ is a troll coward,
Really. I’ve had many differences with Luke about posting anonymous venom like yours that contains not an iota of information that adds to the debate.
You’re a coward.
What’s your name?
Ashamed of your family name?
And, as always … Go Giants!
h.
September 21, 2011 at 11:56 am
>“You are speaking with me, Aaron Peskin, who is used to spurious attacks that are baseless and they roll off of my back like water off a duck,” Peskin said of those who played the race card.
This ‘arrogance’ seems to be a plea for help. He must be totally consumed by the sense of becoming completely trivialized so he makes these grandiose statements about being ‘Aaron Peskin’. Seriously, is there no therapist who can come forward and try to help this poor man???
September 21, 2011 at 11:47 am
Link does not seem to work here. If you want more info
http://www.sfbayview.com
September 21, 2011 at 11:37 am
URBAN RENEWAL.
More news the Kronikle saw as ‘not fit to print’. A small victory in the struggle against rapacious speculators and developers.
Maybe not totally on point but it is an ongoing issue that ALL candidates should address. Hopefully folks will read this posting and the word will spread.
http://sfbayview.com/2011/court-blocks-hunters-point-redevelopment-until-navy-completes-toxic-cleanup/