San Francisco’s politics have always been a colorful soap opera, but never more so than now with the city’s 39-year-old mayor, Gavin Newsom, having admitted that he conducted an affair with the wife of his own campaign manager — who has since resigned in disgust.
Many people are distressed by the mayor’s behavior, although there is no indication he will resign from office or not seek a second term this November. But hard-bitten Democratic operatives say the scandal has probably ended Mr. Newsom’s hopes of higher office. "What happens in San Francisco tends to mean politicians there stay in San Francisco," is how one of them puts it.
Indeed, Democratic leaders aren’t nearly as upset by Mayor Newsom’s affair as they were last September when the new divorcee was seen squiring about a fashion model named Brittanie Mountz, who was only 19 at the time. Democratic leaders could barely deal with the age difference but were truly horrified to learn that the young lady was — gasp! — a registered Republican. The relationship quickly cooled after eagle-eyed politicos spotted Ms. Mountz holding a wine glass at an event where the two appeared. When reporters asked if Ms. Mountz was imbibing alcohol even though she was not of legal drinking age, Mayor Newsom lashed out: "I’ve got to deal with all kinds of terrible calls from reporters doing horrible things that are mean-spirited."
It looks as if Mayor Newsom, who once made international headlines by authorizing gay couples to marry in defiance of California law, is going to have to put up with a lot more of those phone calls now. But this time, he has only himself to blame.