Mayor Gavin Newsom
Photo by Luke Thomas

By Luke Thomas

February 19, 2009, 6:10 pm

Just received notice of Mayor Gavin Newsom’s schedule tomorrow – he’s heading to the White House to meet with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.

What’s Newsom going to discuss with Obama?  You guessed it, the Federal Stimulus bill, according to Joe Arellano in the Mayor’s Office of Communications.

This will be an interesting meeting, maybe even awkward in light of Newsom’s fervent backing of Hillary Clinton over Obama for President and Obama’s reported refusal to be photographed with Newsom.

But one thing’s for sure, this meeting has nothing to do with a calculated effort by Newsom’s handlers to have Newsom photographed with the President and Vice President to boost his gubernatorial campaign. That would just be too much of a cynical consideration.

Update, 11:23 pm: Apparently Newsom’s visit to the White House will not be such a big deal after all.  Newsom will be in line with 60 other US mayors who are also scheduled to meet Obama and cabinet members.