-Caveat Lector- Mayor Popular Outside San Francisco By DAVID KLIGMAN .c The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - To outsiders, the charismatic and impeccably dressed Mayor Willie Brown exudes as much panache as San Francisco itself. ``As the mayor, I can proclaim anything I want,'' he announced in a recent appearance with a flip of a flowing red robe, a gleaming crown on his head. The performance, in a skit to celebrate the city's longest-running musical, worked as real-life political theater: There's little doubt who rules San Francisco. But locals may have had enough of the polished politician whose re-election campaign slogan touts, ``He's One of a Kind.'' With less than five months before the election, there's lots of talk of ousting one of California's most powerful Democrats from City Hall. Twenty challengers have filed declarations of intent with the Department of Elections, which allows them to campaign and raise money for the race. The deadline to get on the ballot is Aug. 6. So far, the only serious contenders who have announced their candidacy are millionaire political consultant Clint Reilly and former Republican Mayor Frank Jordan, whom Brown unseated in 1995. Other possible candidates include Board of Supervisors President Tom Ammiano; Adam Werbach, the 26-year-old former president of the Sierra Club; and activist Jim Reid, who spent nine days living on the streets and in shelters to highlight the plight of the homeless. Brown's struggle to hold on to his job was graphically shown in a mid-May San Francisco Examiner-KTVU poll. It found that 71 percent of respondents were unhappy with his job performance, compared with 59 percent in September. The poll, which had a margin of error of 4 percentage points, found that if the mayoral election were held immediately, 34 percent would vote for Brown, 19 percent for Ammiano, 18 percent for Jordan and 9 percent for Reilly. Twenty percent were undecided. Brown has never lost a campaign since he first sought elected office in 1964. Since his inauguration as mayor, the former California Assembly speaker has gotten high marks for helping create jobs and improve the economy. But voters are highly critical of the local transportation system, Municipal Railway, which Brown vowed to fix within 100 days of taking office. He admits he hasn't. He has also been criticized for crackdowns on the homeless and the perennial parking crunch in the city. Still, campaigns don't usually gain momentum until Labor Day, and an unexpected event could have a telling effect. In the last mayoral race, Brown got a boost when Jordan jumped in a shower with two male disc jockeys in a campaign stunt that backfired. Brown kicked off his re-election campaign last weekend with support from Gov. Gray Davis and President Clinton. His lively speech touted lower crime rates, and he promised again to improve the railway and make housing more affordable. ``This is a delicate city - it's actually a museum,'' Brown said. ``And those of us who are elected officials are curators of that museum. And each of you are one of the choice art pieces in that museum. I want to continue to be your curator.'' Some feel they've heard it before. ``I think the city has pretty much stagnated,'' Anne Rosinski said. ``My impression of Mayor Brown is sort of like Eva Peron. He's very good about announcing his programs, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of follow through.'' Backers say Brown has more than earned the right to a second term. ``There is no matching Willie Brown and his ability to take care of San Francisco,'' said Betty Brooks, who works for the city's housing authority. ``If there's anybody with a magic wand who can step forward, I challenge them.'' DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
