The Ed Lee files

01.12.11 - 9:12 pm | Sarah Phelan |

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Gavin Newsom talked to the media as mayor last week, then returned as Lt. Governor for Lee's swearing in.

Sup. David Campos conferred with Chinatown power broker Rose Pak before the vote to appoint Ed Lee as interim mayor.

Lee's swearing-in was the first time many residents had a chance to lay eyes on the former civil rights attorney,

Board President David Chiu (center) has yet to confirm or deny if he's in the mayor's race.

Sup. Malia Cohen introduced a resolution commemorating the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote in California.

"When we as a government try to govern from one extreme or another, we do a disservice to the city," Sup. Scott Wiener said.

D2 Sup. Mark Farrell called the appointment of the city's first Asian-American mayor "a historic day."

$"The progressive majority on the Board no longer exists," Sup. David Campos said, referring to a fractured nomination process.$

Sup. Sean Elsbernd listened as Sup. Ross Mirkarimi hoped Lee "would inject a level of smart politics."

Public Defender Jeff Adachi praised Lee's record as a civil rights lawyer. "He hasn't forgotten where he's come from."

Oakland mayor Jean Quan dropped by City Hall to witness Lee's swearing-in.

The Board waited patiently as former mayors Newsom and Willie Brown took center stage.

Ed Lee's family got front row seats at his swearing-in.

Sup. Jane Kim said Lee would "advance the cause of all disenfranchised communities."

Ed Lee’s swearing-in as San Francisco’s first Asian American mayor was a historic occasion, especially in light of the city's dark history of supporting the Chinese Exclusion Act. And it led to an impressive hands-across-the-water moment when Oakland Mayor Jean Quan arrived to see the Board vote for Lee.

But after Campos declared the progressive majority dead, folks across the city started debating the meaning of "progressive." And after San Francisco got its first sighting of Mayor Lee's wife and family, everyone was left wondering what his rapid ascension means for the mayor's race in November.

Mayor

Comments

"after San Francisco got its first sighting of Mayor Lee's wife"

And the problem with this is? Was the mayor and his family wearing non-American Apparel clothes that offended you Sarah?

Perhaps they were wearing (gasp) LEATHER SHOES???

Please - tell us why all of "San Francisco" were clutching their pearls when they witnessed what the new mayor and his family were in violation of!?!?

Posted by Lucretia Snapples on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 12:54 am

Lucretia, I think you are a

Lucretia, I think you are a little off-the-mark today. So, just to clarify, my point was that most folks, including myself, were unfamiliar with Ed Lee and his family, until Tuesday's swearing-in. And that's a simple statement of fact.

Posted by sarah on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 10:55 am

Ok and? Did you think you

Ok and? Did you think you knew everyone in this town and their spouse? Whats the point?

Posted by Guest on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 12:59 pm

The point? That the public

The point? That the public weren't even sure what the next mayor looked like!

Posted by sarah on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 1:06 pm

that is still a pretty weird

that is still a pretty weird comment to make. not knowing the mayor is one thing, but honestly, what does his family have to do with anything? did his wife and kids do anything out of the ordinary?

Posted by Guest on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 2:59 pm

I don't have a dog in this

I don't have a dog in this fight but I thought the same thing when I read that line about his family. I was wondering what it was about them that could have sparked speculation.

Posted by Homer on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 2:59 pm

I think you guys are reading

I think you guys are reading way too much into this, but since the point keeps being made, let me explain: I was writing text to go with my photos (see above) and observed that this was the first time that most of us got to see and meet Lee and his family. Unlike our former mayors Brown and Newsom, Lee did not run for office and therefore we have not had the usual opportunities to talk to him and ask him about his background, values and goals. But since you, dear readers, are challenging me on this, since when has it been "weird" to state the obvious?

Posted by sarah on Jan. 13, 2011 @ 3:31 pm

I am still waiting for the

I am still waiting for the article telling us who Ed Lee is (except for being Rose Pak's puppet).

Is everyone too frightened of our corrupt Democratic machine to go on the record?

I am sure he is not the "activist" he is painted at.

And why oh why did Avalos, Campos, Mirkarimi and Kim vote for him?

(Bed enough that the first three voted last week to confirm Newsom brown-noser and corrupt labor leader Vince Courtney.....

Posted by George on Jan. 14, 2011 @ 10:38 am

Our Local Progressive Sect Has Alienated Asian Voters

And the progressives aren't even aware yet of the damage they have done themselves.

While they are in despair, the city's Asian-American communities rejoice. Click here:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/11/BAIH1H7ENG.D...