By Tim Redmond

Already, I'm hearing whistpers from both sides of the Leno-Migden contest, and already, they're getting nasty. Mark Leno told me this week that he will run an upbeat campaign, and that any negative attacks on Midgen "won't come from me." I suspect I will hear the same from Migden. But it's common in campaigns for elected officials to try to take the high road and let others -- their allies and suppoerters -- do the dirty work. Read more »

By Tim Redmond

Good article in the Boston Phoenix on the fallout from the New Times-Village Voice merger. The basic point that writer Adam Reilly makes:

The core of the old New Times chain was Southwestern and Southern. And those regions of the country have a different political culture — more socially conservative, more reflexively anti-government — than coastal markets like Los Angeles and New York, or progressive Midwestern enclaves like the Twin Cities. Read more »

By Tim Redmond

A couple weeks ago, we gave Mark Leno a little slap for showing up to celebrate Pacific Gas and Electric Company's solar project at the LGBT Center. Today, Beyond Chron is whacking Carole Migden for being too frinedly with PG&E.

The nice side of all of this: It clear that both candidates consider PG&E to be politically radioactive, and simply proximity can breed political fallout. It's about time.

By Tim Redmond

That's the question all over San Francisco politics now that Leno has announced he's running against state Sen. Carole Migden. His campaign kickoff is at noon this Friday, at YBC, and it will be the first sign of what sort of support he's been able to line up.

The people who show up will risk infuriating Migden, which is nothing to trifle at (and will make it tougher for city officials, who have to work with her on legislation). Leno is much calmer and milder, but he'll also remember who his friends are (and aren't).

Sup. Read more »

By Tim Redmond

The San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee is going to vote Feb. 28th on a resolution against the war. Read more »

By Tim Redmond

About 20 years ago, a group of crazed anarchists put out a parody of a major national newspaper with a banner headline that read:

EASTER CANCELLED! Read more »

By Tim Redmond

It's official: I just spoke with Assemblymember Mark Leno, and he is, indeed, running for state Senate against incumbent Carole Migden. Leno will formally announce at a March 2 campaign kickoff fundraiser at Yerba Buena Gardens. But he's in the race -- and he told me very clearly that he's in the race for good, even if the the voters overturn term limits for state legislators.

"I want to allow the voters of this senate district to have a choice," Leno said. Read more »

By Tim Redmond

Whoa.
I just read Ron Russell’s big story in the SF Weekly about former Police Chief Earl Sanders, and I’m a bit dumfounded.
The gist of the story is that Sanders – the city’s first black police chief and the author of a a new book on the Zebra killings – trumped up his record as a civil-rights leader in the department and glossed ov Read more »