Newsom-Kashkari debate would be grand
Water, high-speed rail, social programs: Californians deserve a debate on the issues in this election year, and if Gov. Jerry Brown won’t play ball, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom ought to offer to do it for him.
For months, Republican gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari has been stalking the governor for a debate. Brown is ignoring him.
I can understand the governor’s tactic. No politician wants to give an opponent a free platform, not when the opponent is trailing by 20 points in the polls.
I say, bring in Newsom. He wants to be governor, so he might as well get in a few practice rounds with the opposition. Kashkari wants attention, and going up against Newsom would certainly get him some.
They are both young and in the same intellectual weight class, and have about the same reach when it comes to delivering a punch.
It would be a made-for-TV matchup.
And besides, Gavin needs something to do.
From what I’m hearing behind the scenes, Republicans may wind up having to recycle Mitt Romney as their presidential pick for 2016.
Jeb Bush is not catching fire
and the two Texans, Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Rick Perry, appear to be taking two steps back for every step forward. Rand Paul is a pleasant, entertaining fresh new face, attractive to the younger generation — particularly those who are not Tea Party followers or Romney Republicans. But he hasn’t been around long enough to attract a strong following nationwide.
And there is virtually no one else on the national GOP bench.
It’s not much better for Democrats.
They have a firstround draft pick in Hillary Rodham Clinton, but if for any reason she falters or decides not to run, their situation will be just as bleak as the Republicans’.
Without Clinton, the Democrats would look to Joe Biden or John Kerry, or even our own Gov. Jerry Brown.
All of which means 2016 is still wide open.
It was quite a scene at 5A5 steak house the other night, where Mayor Ed Lee made good on being “auctioned” for dinner to benefit the Chinese Hospital.
Kofi Bonner of megadeveloper Lennar Corp. and 8 Washington developer Simon Snellgrove paid $35,000 to have dinner with the mayor.
Other attendees included Lawrence and Gorretti Lui, P.J. Johnston and his wife, Karin, Marcia Smolens, Richard Rubin and, of course, Rose Pak.
Midway through the meal, Supervisor Jane Kim, who was vacationing in New York, called to check in.
The meal ended with Bonner challenging the mayor to a game of pingpong at Portsmouth Square on Aug. 17. If Lee wins, Bonner will see to it that $25,000 goes to Chinese Hospital.
The mayor is taking him up on it.
They were loud, but the Beyoncé-Jay Z concerts at AT&T Park were absolutely fantastic.
A few observations by yours truly, who was in attendance Tuesday night.
(1) This will probably be the last time San Francisco will get to see the two of them onstage at the same time. Talk about two people who did not want to stand together.
(2) Beyoncé has evolved into a singer and entertainer fully capable of commanding the big stage and delivering the goods. Jay Z is still stuck as a rapper, and rappers will always have a limited audience.
(3) The most dramatic moment came when they doused the ballpark lights and the people in the crowd all held up their cell phones. The sight of tens of thousands of little lights bobbing in the darkness was one of the most spectacular you will ever see.
(4) The average age of the audience was under 35. Supervisor London Breed (over 35, but not by much!) was leading the way, right in front of the stage.
The most fun, however, was walking back to the St. Regis after the show.
The throng flooded out of the stadium, packing Muni and turning the Embarcadero into a parking lot.
But there were no horns blaring, no pushing, no nothing but a perfectly beautiful night.
By the way, Beyoncé was staying at the St. Regis. When I heard she was coming, I actually considered listing my place on Airbnb.
Tony Bennett was in town the other night, celebrating his 88th birthday in his beloved North Beach, which he followed up the next afternoon with a very public lunch at Le Central.
I say very public, because Tony was his usual gracious self to the steady stream of fans who came up to his table for a word and a photo.
No wonder the guy never puts on weight. With all the interruptions, he doesn’t get a chance to eat.
He wrapped up the day with a shopping spree at Wilkes Bashford’s store, where it looked like he dropped the advance on his next album.
Movie time: You absolutely must see “A Most Wanted Man.” Philip Seymour Hoffman gives a tour-de-force performance as a disheveled, cynical spy who’s trying to do the right thing. They say he finished his work on the picture before his death, but when you see the movie’s ending, you have to wonder.
No matter. Worth the price of admission, even on a Saturday night at the priciest multiplex.
“Get On Up.” I’m not on the same page as a lot of critics when it comes to this James Brown biopic. Chadwick Boseman comes up short in his portrayal of the mercurial Godfather of Soul. And to be honest, while brother James was one hell of an entertainer, his life does not make for a great screen story.
You can check it out as a matinee, if only to learn the dance steps.