Public Eye

When Gavin Newsom snuck into Pasadena a couple of Friday nights ago for a big party at Nancy and Jim Goodel's Arroyo-side home, it was before his announcement today -- on his Facebook page, no less, or on Twitter, depending on which report you believe -- that he's officially running for governor.

But he was in the race nonetheless, and was all he's been billed as he worked the room -- a tall, smart, charming scion of a deeply political family, a successful businessman with a restaurant and winemaking empire, a brilliant, equally successful and gorgeous bride at his side.

And then I'm thinking, a mayor of San Francisco -- any mayor of San Francisco -- getting elected governor of California?

Oh, it's happened before. In the 1880s and in 1930. Both Montgomery Bartlett and "Sunny Jim" Rolph died in office in their first terms. Mmm.

And they didn't have the iffy electoral karma of being best know outside The City for saying fully five years ago he's willing to sacrifice his political career over his belief that denying gays the right to marry "is wrong and inconsistent with the values this country holds dear."

I agree with him, 100 percent. The Pasadenans at the party agree with him. Where he's got the problem is with Lupe and Joe California from Turlock, and I can't help him there.

In S.F., he's by no means best known for nuptials. There, he's considered deeply moderate and commerce-oriented, getting his political start bemoaning the absurd code requirements -- a $27,000 sink mandated for his first wine shop because the beverage is, after all, a food. With his famous "Care Not Cash" approach to the homeless, Newsom is seen in the Dianne Feinstein wing of mayors, rather than the ... wait a minute. There's a former San Francisco mayor who could get elected guv in a heartbeat. And yet the senator just toys with her potential rivals by refusing to even comment on a run, though theoretical polls have her outpacing Newsom or 71-year-old Jerry Brown or any billionaire Silicon Valleyite Whitmans or Poizners the GOP could throw at her.

Not to mention wild cards like independent Georges Marciano, the former Guess jeans maker who'd fit right in with a certain celebrity breed of California politician.

But remember what job we're talking about here -- the one that whipped the Terminator -- why take it when you could be a powerful senator in D.C., or boss of Herb Caen's Baghdad by the Bay, instead?

My favorite Newsom accomplishment, after universal healthcare, in his city: The fire engines, ambulances and buses there run on used cooking oil -- from Michelin-starred boites, no doubt.