With good humor, SF supervisors recommend impeachment

You know, when I saw the headline, "S.F. supervisors ask lawmakers to impeach Bush," I was expecting an entirely parochial and self-righteous article from the Chronicle. I was pleasantly surprised and amused at the — really — balanced tone of the article. Clearly the authors understand that this is not a serious subject.

Of course, the supes themselves are deserving of mockery, to the extent that they are worthy of attention at all.

Supervisor Chris Daly, one of the most progressive members of the board, sponsored the resolution [...]

"I think the case is clear, and I think it's appropriate for us to weigh in," Daly said.

You know what? All good. Not useful to his constituents, but entirely within the typical strident politics of the City. But here's where the article, and the mayor, impressed me:

Mayor Gavin Newsom didn't want to pick up the impeachment drumbeat, but he offered a sarcastic response when asked his position on the nonbinding resolution.

"It's probably going to shatter the status quo in this country when it passes,'' he said with a smile. "I imagine, immediately, Congress will probably convene into session and begin impeachment proceedings.''

"On the list of 1 to 3,000, it's not even on that list of priorities for me to sign a resolution -- that will have no force and effect -- talking about impeachment,'' said Newsom, a partisan Democrat and frequent critic of the president's policies.

There's something to be said about having a Gen X mayor: impolitic sarcasm. Some of us appreciate it, Gavin. The authors' choice of the word "partisan" is a savvy one too, instead of trying to characterize his politics. He's a rising Democratic star, a pragmatic politician, a party man. Keep in mind, though, that the picket-line-walking, universal-health-care mayor was the most "conservative" choice in the last election.

Even Nancy Pelosi is talking sense, and I'll give her the last word:

Pelosi, poised to become the first female House speaker if the Democrats win control in November's election, repeated Tuesday what she told her constituents: "Win the election. Then you can change the policy of our country.''

Comments

[Ali Massoud]

"Good humor"? I saw supe Daly on the news the other night and he was soooo irate and agitated that I thought his head might explode!
I guess politics is more personal in SF, eh?

[Matt S]

Maybe I should have said unintended humor. :)

I guess I was referring to the fact that nobody outside of the supes took it seriously. I wish I could have seen the video you saw...

Yeah, people get worked up over such abstractions around here. Why it's so personal, I don't know.