Willie Brown
SF Chronicle
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Past articles by Willie:
Willie Brown: Kamala Harris should say no to vice presidency
Being put on the Democratic ticket would be an honor for Sen. Kamala Harris, but the glory would be short-lived. For too many politicians, the vice presidency has been a dead end. But there’s another job in a Biden administration that would be perfect for her. → Read More
Kamala Harris' campaign is hit and miss. And her staff is way too touchy
California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris is showing little ability to adjust her message to her surroundings as she runs for president. And her staff’s reaction to speculation about being Joe Biden’s No. 2 on the 2020 ticket was absurd. → Read More
Downtown SF traffic is insane. Maybe it's time to make drivers pay
Charging drivers in downtown San Francisco may be an idea whose time has come. We need more space on city roadways, and the only way you get that is to cut down on car traffic. But proposals for traffic management fees inevitably run into one big problem: Drivers hate the idea. → Read More
Sure, I dated Kamala Harris. So what?
I’ve been peppered with calls from the national media about my “relationship” with Kamala Harris, particularly since it became obvious that she was going to run for president. Most of them, I have not returned. Yes, we dated. It was more than 20 years ago. Yes, I may have influenced her career by appointing her to two state commissions when I was Assembly speaker. And I certainly helped with her… → Read More
Nancy Pelosi brings class back to Washington
Leave it to returning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring some class and brass back to the Capitol. The San Francisco Democrat took up the gavel for the second time in her lengthy career and promptly declared “great hope and confidence for the future.” Words of wisdom and optimism that ring truer than anything President Trump has said since taking office. Pelosi was escorted down the aisle by… → Read More
Everything Kamala Harris is doing says she's running for president
Sen. Kamala Harris is making all the early moves for a 2020 presidential run. The California Democrat is booking speeches in early primary states while stepping back from the Sunday morning talks shows, which provide forums for verbal missteps. Just as telling was her recent fact-finding trip to Afghanistan, with two Republicans no less, to burnish her military and foreign relations credentials.… → Read More
Trashing Trump: Pelosi takes ownership of the president
Nancy Pelosi did the impossible — she out-Trumped Trump on live TV. When it comes to media ambushes, our reality TV star president is the master. Just ask “Little Marco,” “Lying Ted,” “Low Energy Jeb” and the other Republicans he dispatched in 2016. So when President Trump decided to take on Pelosi and her fellow Democratic congressional leader Sen. Chuck Schumer during a simple photo op in the… → Read More
What Robert Mueller must be thinking: I signed up for this?
Special Counsel Robert Mueller has to be asking himself, “Why did I ever take this job?” He had a stellar career as a federal attorney and FBI director and a promising future in the private sector, only to be dragged into the biggest mess of an investigation we have seen in years. His job was to determine whether Donald Trump or people in his campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016… → Read More
Migrants on the march are a huge gift for Trump, GOP
If I didn’t know better, I’d swear President Trump and his brain trust conceived of, recruited and delivered marching orders for the latest caravan of thousands of refugees headed up from Honduras for the U.S. border. And told them to arrive at the crossing on midterms election day. Trump has threatened to close the border if Mexican authorities don’t keep the refugees from getting there. He has… → Read More
When it comes to Californians, Trump is never at a loss for insults
President Trump is totally and completely devoted to campaigning every hour of every day and in every location where there is a political contest. And he’s just as committed to insulting any of his opponents, which he seems to find in California with startling regularity. First it was House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. Then it was Rep. Maxine Waters. At some point he fixated on Gavin Newsom,… → Read More
Trump is right: Men are scared. He knows how to exploit their fear.
There is a silent force emerging in American politics, and thanks to the contentious debate over Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump is tapping right into it. I’m talking about men. Your husband, perhaps, or your brother or son. It’s a “very scary time for young men” in America, Trump said at a rally last week. “My whole life I’ve heard you’re innocent until proven guilty, but now you’re… → Read More
Trump fallout could complete Pence's unlikely rise from obscurity
It was a bad week for President Trump, but a good one for Vice President Mike Pence. The conviction of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, on eight financial crimes, coupled with the guilty plea deal by Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, on campaign finance law violations, all speak volumes about Trump’s character and his presidency. Will these two events in and of… → Read More
Donald Trump meets his match, and she’s 9 years old
We’ve finally found the person who can make President Trump back down — a crying child. Trump has insulted a former prisoner of war for being captured, gotten into a public feud with the parents of a fallen American soldier, and said a U.S.-born jurist couldn’t be impartial in a lawsuit against him because he was a “Mexican” judge. He hasn’t apologized for any of it — heck, he revels in it. It… → Read More
It’s the 21st century — time for SF to learn how to do a speedy vote count
I never thought I would grow tired of the daily 4 o’clock vote updates after a city election. But it’s 2018, and we really shouldn’t have to go through what we went through in San Francisco after the voting ended June 5. I understand that because mail ballots can be postmarked through election day and still be counted, it’s going to be a couple of days before we know the outcome of a close… → Read More
Gavin Newsom strolling into California governor’s job? John Cox may surprise
Gavin Newsom got the Republican opponent he wanted for November's general election, but it may turn into a much bumpier ride to the finish line than he imagined. Businessman John Cox is not to be underestimated. Coming out of the gate in the general election campaign, Cox is looking more in tune with many California voters, both in substance and style, than Newsom. Newsom is clearly a celebrity,… → Read More
Scooters on SF’s streets: What’s not to like?
Love 'em or hate 'em, those electric scooters zipping around downtown are the future. Pedestrians and motorists may scream. City officials may confiscate them by the dozens. But the fact is that young people, especially younger women, are more comfortable on the scoots than on a bike. You don't break a sweat, your clothes don't get ruffled, and you can ride in heels. There are, of course, valid… → Read More
Trump is more popular than Dems want to admit
It's time for the Democrats to stop bashing President Trump. It's not going to be easy, given his policies and personality. It might even mean checking into a 12-step program. But setting a winning agenda is like maneuvering an aircraft carrier. It takes time to change course. And if they want to be on target for the November midterm elections, the Democrats need to start changing course now.… → Read More
Trump’s only hope is to keep quiet and dodge Mueller
My advice to President Trump is shut up and take the Fifth. The questions that Special Counsel Robert Mueller intends to ask - about collusion, about obstruction, about so many things - show that Trump has no choice but to button up. → Read More
Trump wants you to take your eyes off his porn star paramour
President Trump was never serious about vetoing the federal spending package. That threat was just another one of his grabs for attention - which, of course, worked. He usually pulls this sort of thing when he's trying to redirect the focus from his problems, if only for a day. And boy, is he in need of some redirected focus. Former Playboy model Karen McDougal had just spilled the beans about a… → Read More
North Korea is suddenly Donald Trump’s best friend
Say what you will about Donald Trump, but the man is lucky. His top economic adviser just walked out on him for slapping tariffs on imported aluminum and steel. Porn star Stormy Daniels is on a fast track to "60 Minutes" to talk about her one-night stand with Trump and the payoff to keep her quiet. And independent counsel Robert Mueller is circling ever closer to Trump in the Russia probe. Then,… → Read More