By Harold Brown

June 15, 2009

SF lefties missing opportunity with Adriel Hampton

You know how often a congressional seat is left open? Not very often, cowboys. You know how tough it is to beat a sitting congressperson? Well, cowgirls, they win around 400 times out of 435 in a bad year for them.

That’s why the promotion of Ellen Tauscher from California’s 10th Congressional District to the position of Arms Negotiator for the United States is so important for Bay Area Progressives. It is a rare opportunity for Progressives to send a vibrant young representative to Washington for a long, long time. We should not miss this boat and I know a bit on the subject of which I speak.

In 2004 I campaigned with Matt Gonzalez on election day for playwright Terry Baum who took on Nancy Pelosi as a write-in after the Democratic Machine challenged Baum’s credentials.

In 2006, I worked hard for dance impresario, Krissy Keefer, who took on Pelosi after the Democratic Party machine also tried to invalidate Krissy’s paperwork. They came forward on the last day of filing and said that Keefer was short .75 cents and had a couple of hours to file or she’d have to be a write-in. Keefer got on the ballot but the absence of support from Progressive big boys like Chris Daly and Matt Gonzalez left her and a few women fighting alone against the war profiteering megalith.

I was first on my block in 2008 with a Cindy Sheehan for Congress sign in my window to support another brave female’s valiant struggle against the mega-rich Pelosi juggernaut. I carried placards and wrote columns while many so-called Progressives sat on their hands and whined that Cindy wasn’t a credible candidate.

In 2007, I watched the exact same male Progressive “leadership” grow wide yellow streaks down their backs because they lacked the balls to run against Gavin Newsom’s re-election. I backed Ahimsa Sumchai, yet another female with more chutzpah then the “fellas.”

Well, it’s 2009

And Opportunity is knocking once again on the Bay Area Progressives’ door in the race for Tauscher’s soon-to-be open seat in the U.S. Congress. Again, one candidate has stepped forward without the support of the hidebound, short-sighted and grounded SF Progressive establishment.

That candidate is Adriel Hampton and the race for this congressional seat is winnable. But, calls for help to the SF lefty corps have been answered by exactly three people. It’s a goddamned shame.

Why Hampton can win

There are three front-runners in the race and they are all career politicians who are over 50 years of age. They all already hold state offices (Assembly, State Senate and Lt. Governor). Coldly put, none of them have the youth necessary to live long enough to build up enough seniority to attain the kind of clout that incumbent Tauscher now enjoys after 16 years on the job. Poll leader John Garamendi would be 80 when he celebrates his 16th year in office. The others won’t be much younger. Adriel will be 46 and just reaching his prime at the 16-year mark. Kinda like Barack Obama who is just 46 as we speak.

Adriel Hampton is 30-years-old today. His talent and independence are unquestioned. At 24 years of age he was the City Editor of the Fang family’s SF Examiner where he turned out five stories a day and followed at least 100 major political and business players weekly. And, he did it fairly.

Before that, he was the Examiner political editor. He knows the players. He knows the issues. He marches lock-step with no one. While he is personally deeply religious, he neither judges nor tries to convert anyone.

He has a beautiful young family. His wife, Yuki, is Japanese-American and is now visiting her parents in Japan with their two young sons while two of his younger brothers, Elijah, 28, and Obadiah, 23, and I help run the campaign out of Adriel’s house. What a family!

Politically speaking, they are solid gold. Dad, Jessie, and mom, Terry, are a concert level vocals/guitar team. Brother Jessie is 25. Sister Willow is 20 and Hampton youngest, Sierra is 16 (just finished high school and looks like Marilyn Monroe – seriously). The family is quarter Chickasaw Indian and you’ll especially like the photo of Uncle Eber from Regina, Canada, sitting and talking to the Queen of England about the Indian college, First Nations University of Canada which he helped found.

Adriel and Uncle Eber hold a framed photo of Eber
discussing First Nation issues in Canada with Queen Elizabeth.

Sierra, 16, is a dead ringer for Marilyn Monroe.

Hampton needs you and we need him

Adriel’s campaign kick-off is this Saturday in downtown Walnut Creek across from Civic Park from 4-8pm. The festivities will be at 1632 Live Oak Way and includes a free BBQ. No charge, but the campaign needs every dime you can spare. BART or drive to the East Bay. There will be beer so bring a designated driver unless you’re on rail.

Bring more drinks or food if you want. There will be live acoustic music featuring Adriel’s parents and others and I’m trying to get Kenny the Clown.

We have a chance here boys and girls. Contact the campaign at www.adrielhampton.com. We can win this one and the entire nation will notice.

That is no exaggeration at all. Volunteer for a few hours. Have a house-party and raise some campaign cash. Wear a button. Put a bumper sticker on your bicycle.

Please ignore the usual whiners and complainers around SF’s political campfire. This entire campaign will most likely be decided within the next 9 weeks. We haven’t had a chance like this since Gonzalez ran for Mayor in 2003. Please, dear Lord, reach out and grab it. If only a little bit.

Go Giants!