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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