Is it Friday yet?

You can’t beat the people who get it straight from the donkey’s mouth. As late as 8:30 p.m. Wed., Richard Blum, the Mayor’s husband, was ready to make a small wager that Mondale’s choice for veep would be Henry Cisneros, Mayor of San Anton’! Two hours later, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown was whispering an even hotter tip: “It’s Dukakis.” Dukwhoozis? That would be Michael Dukakis, Gov. of Mass. (Earlier in the day, Marty Nolan of the Boston Globe had predicted that “if there’s a dark horse it’ll be a white man”.) The hot CisnerosDukakis tips came during Tycoon Adolph Schuman’s festive party at the F’mont honoring Doug (Son of Wallah) Shorenstein and his bride, Lydia. It was there that a rather wistful Dianne Feinstein let drop the word that she was not The Chosen. “Well, I didn’t make it” were her first brave words for posterity … I sneer at columnists who claim skewps — “As reported here April 29, 1973” — but there is no doubt that these prescient words appeared in my Unforgettable of July 6: “If Hart refuses, the Mondalian choice might well be Geraldine Ferraro.” Not the most fearless forecast ever printed but these are desperate times.

Well, two cheers for Mr. Mondull, who has boldly gone where no man has gone before — a reminder that the ladies’ room in the White House may have to be greatly expanded. In retrospect, Ms. Ferraro is the ideal choice: short (Dianne looked too tall for Mondale), perky, sharp, liberal and an ethnic Catholic from a major state. She appeals to all segments of the populations, which Dianne doesn’t; the gays have to like a lady who knows her Queens, not my first or last cheap shot of the day … U.S. Atty. Joe Russoniello told Bill Cooney he was delighted that Mondale had picked — an Italian. “Yeah, but what about the Italian being a woman?” asked Bill. Joe: “Oh, that too.” Chimed in Guenther Labann: “I’m no chauvinist but I think she’ll make a great little veep.” All the other one-liners so far have been unprintable.

Nothing like a dame, cont’d: Ms. Ferraro and her husband, whoever he is, and their kids have a reservation at the Wash. Sq. Barngrill tonight (Sen. Daniel Moynihan will hold court there tomorrow eve) … If you’d care to see and hear Geraldine, she’ll be on the Opera House stage at 11 a.m. Mon. — this is open to that part of the public willing to pay $50 — along with Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda, Sherry Lansing, Margot Kidder and every Congresswoman you never heard of. Admit it, you never heard of Ferraro until a few days ago, did you? … Added seducement: Walter Who will probably show up to join hands with his running mate. And if you don’t think they have a prayer, think again: Mission Dolores is staging a special Mass for the Demos at 5 p.m. tomorrow. Please, no press passes in the collection plate.

Lurching on: If arrested demonstrators at the convention overflow the regular facilities, Potrero Hill Middle School will be used as a holding cell; the nabes aren’t ecstatic about this … Yesss, conventions are good for biz, especially Maxwell’s Plum at Ghirardelli Sq.: Jimmy Carter, Lloyd Bentsen and Fritz Hollings are all having parties there Monday — and Mondale will be feted there Wed. night from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Some corporation is picking up the tab (special interests!) … Father Floyd Lotito, the saintly priest who runs St. Anthony Dining Room, was scheduled to deliver the invocation on the last day of the convention but was just bumped by Roz Wyman in favor of the archbishop of Minnesota. Those Mondalians are getting in everywhere.

Local angles: Turns out that the mystery man who parachuted off the Gate Bridge July 4 was and is Ron Broyles, the L.A. stuntman who once scaled the Transamerica pyramid all the way to its pinhead; how he got up the bridge’s North tower without being spotted remains a secret that irritates the Bridgelings … With all the political “news” around, it seems to have escaped attention that admission prices to the zoo, Japanese Tea Garden, swimming pools and Coit Tower have been reduced 25 cents, that’s to our celebrated budget surplus. This applies only to residents. Visiting Delocrates pay more, as is fitting for the privilege of being here … That’s incredible! Marina K. Burt, Pres. of Burt & Dulay Inc. in Maiden Lane, lost her watch on BART to Walnut Creek and called Lost & Found without much hope. A wk. later, BART’s Nancy Mitrick phoned to say “Pick it up,” which is so-wot except that the watch, which passed through at least six sets of hands before being returned, is an 18K Rolex from Tiffany.

Ok, an “awww” story: Stephen Michael Bennett of S. Mateo, born 7-7-77 at 11:11 a.m., celebrated his seventh birthday on July 7, besides which you will kindly observe that each of his names has seven letters. Isn’t that more fun than politricks? … Another good one: Gov. Rudy Perpich of Minn. is taking 17 Governors on a tour of the Bay Mon. and that’s really stacking the deck. Phil Schaefer’s line … What’s new with the Caen for Prez campaign: Sister Boom Boom, who has agreed to be my Veep, says Reagan is so nervous over this development that he has renamed HIS Vice President “Boy George Bush.”

A longer version of this column appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle on July 13, 1984.