Feinstein calling on Newsom to resign!

[thatsrightimirish]

Unbelievable
http://www.fogcityjournal.com/
(Sorry they won't let me cut and paste)

Feinstein is pretty un-loyal. I would love to hear her reasoning behind this if it turns out to be true. We don't know for sure yet. But she is huge in San Francisco as a former mayor and as the most popular politician in California.

[Justitia]

1. God, I hope that's not true! -eom

[jobycom]

2. I haven't been following this, and I'm not sure I understand the problem.

Newsom's going into rehab (non-residential) after admitting he's got a problem with alcohol, and has made some mistakes I'm not aware of, he says. I don't know the specifics, but I'd have trouble supporting a mayor who made such an announcement in my city, even if he is in my party. So I don't understand why Feinstein's rumored call for his resignation seems "un-loyal." Was Newsom set up or something? Why would a drinking problem requiring rehab not be a good reason for him to step down? I know I've been in quite liberal clubs where we've asked a president to step down because of alcoholism.

Normally I'd just ignore the story as a local issue half a nation away, but since it involves Feinstein, I'm kind of curious about it.

[thatsrightimirish]

5. actually looking back

Feinstein has never really been loyal to Newsom to begin with. She did blame him for Kerry's defeat in 04. But the board of supervisors here is completely insane and I don't want the top spot to go to the president of that body. And Feinstein being more conservative (San Francisco standards) I just don't understand why she would either.

[DURHAM D]

3. Why would she wade in on this?

She is an elected federal official. It would be stupid for her to get involved in a local matter.

If she does it would make me wonder "What is the rest of the story? What don't we know?"

[Divernan]

4. Lots of people are calling for him to resign & its not just because he's a drunk.

How can you be commenting on Feinstein being "pretty un-loyal", when this mayor has been bonking his good friend/campaign manager's wife? The mayor is the one with a loyalty problem. Here's some snips from the fogcityjournal site:

"For months, nobody in the San Francisco media reported on the steady stream of rumors coming from the mayor's office. Until tonight, nobody would print anything on Newsom's affair with his aide, Ruby Tourk -- not until her husband, Alex, who also worked for the mayor, resigned today in an extraordinarily abrupt fashion.

"So what do we do with the other rumors? About a pregnancy that went away? About a sexual harassment lawsuit that is supposed to be filed? About the attorney who is supposed to be talking Ms. Tourk out of filing it? What is "responsible" journalism, in this case? To whom should it be responsible? The mayor? His lawyers, maybe? To Mr. Tourk, one of the mayor's best friends, now a public cuckold?

"Our responsibility, of course, is to the reader. This many rumors, this consistently, were distracting enough for us - how about for the mayor and his officials? Sure, we believe everybody has the right to engage in the sexual behavior of their desire. But that desire has to be mutual. And it better not interfere with the job we elected you to carry out.

**********************************

"We've tried to be respectful of the lofty office of Mayor. We have been tactful about the youthful cleaving towards the myth of Kennedy's Camelot, and about the remarkable sensitivity of the mayor to any criticism whatsoever. But we aren't alone in resenting the deep freeze treatment one gets from Room 200 if there is any hint of disloyalty. We don't like blind loyalty; we prefer healthy argument. It's good for a city. The biggest irony of all may be the giant betrayal of Alex Tourk by the loyalty-happy Newsom.

[SaveElmer]

6. If this were a Republican...what would we be saying?

Just askin...

[pampango]

14. I think we would be talking about the "hypocrisy" of a "family

values" politician. Probably be saying that we wouldn't care about this if he was a Democratic politician, because we do not have the narrow mindset that a Republican has.

That does remind me that before the last election there was a lot of discussion here about the strategy of "outing" gay Republican politicians, and even staffers, in the interest of exposing hypocrisy. There was denial from some here who supported the strategy that it was not a short term electoral strategy, but I have not heard much about continuing efforts in this area.

[Bitwit1234]

7. Isn't there still a war in Iraq

Isn't bush sending more troops, isn't the new budget a campaign against the poor and middle class.

What in the devil is so important about a man having an affair with another man's wife. I mean is the democratic party now going to start wanting amendments against sex.......Get back to the job at hand Feinstein.

[Maat]

8. I'm with you, Bitwit1234 ! Why don't you get us out of Iraq, Feinie, and address ...

that family war profiteering!

[RufusTFirefly]

9. The most popular politician in California??

Says who?

In 2004, the third largest voter getter after Kerry and Bush (oh, sorry, Bush and Kerry) was Barbara Boxer.

Dianne Feinstein behaves like an actual Democrat on alternate Tuesdays.

(Do you live in SF, thatsrightimirish? I don't, but I do live less than 30 miles away, and I don't think that Dianne is as popular in the City as you suggest.)

[caligirl]

10. I live 50 miles away and I have to agree with you. She has been

more conservative in her thinking than we like around here.

[IntravenousDemilo]

11. And all this is the Senator's business exactly... ... ... why...? n/m

[JeffR]

12. I usually don't resort to this sort of language on DU

at least I try not to, but:

Feinstein can go bite a fart.

[zulchzulu]

13. She's just jealous Mayor McDreamy didn't ask her out on a date

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...
-William Congreve

Give it a rest, Diane. Ferchrissakes...