Interview with SF Mayor Gavin Newsom in Davos
By Adam Reuters
SECOND LIFE, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Bureau chief Adam Reuters interviewed San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom on Friday as part of a series of interviews from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
He talked about the 2008 U.S. Presidential election and the political repercussions of his decision to issue same-sex marriage licenses, and vowed to campaign in Second Life.
Mayor Newsom on:
The 2008 Democratic candidates
Adam Reuters: So, Hillary, Obama, Gore, or none of the above — who’s it going to be?
Gavin Newsom: One thing they have in common: remarkable name ID, remarkable ability to raise money. The challenge for Gore: been there, done that. The challenge for Hillary: Do we want another Clinton? The opportunity for Obama is to maintain this ascendancy. The challenge for Obama: are we ready for prime time? We love to build someone up and tear them down, and that’s my fear about Obama. That’s not my fear with Hillary. She’s been there, done that in terms of being able to deal with the scrutiny. I think people that count her out are making a huge mistake.
Same-sex marriage
AR: I’m looking over a few more questions (from the Second Life audience): “A few days ago Wolf Blitzer had his head chewed off by Dick Cheney for asking about his daughter’s pregnancy. Cheney responded by saying the question was inappropriate and out of bounds. Do you agree?”
GN: It’s totally wrong. This is the same administration that tried to write discrimination into the Constitution, tried to divide America by saying gays can’t marry, and here’s a fundamental question. The Vice President of the United States has a daughter who happens to be in love with another woman, and happens to want to raise a family. Those are fundamental questions that are being debated across this country.
For Dick Cheney of all people, who has used this issue to divide the country so he can gain political edge, for him to have the audacity to say that’s off bounds is, frankly, with all due respect, comedic and totally absurd. So Wolf Blitzer was right to ask and Dick Cheney was wrong not to have the dignity to respond in a human way, and the dignity to respond in kind why he continues to advance discriminatory policies that are hurting, not uniting this country.
AR: It was your directive to issue same-sex marriage certificates that really brought you on the national stage…
GN: Yeah, for better or for worse!
AR: That was my next question: Was it for better, or for worse?
GN: For a lot of people it was for worse. I’ve basically written myself off of any prospects of running for any different office, and I certainly won’t be appointed by any administration or special councils because I’m a time bomb and too controversial. And I’m not just saying for Republicans.
One of the three Democrats you mentioned as presidential candidates, God as my witness, will not be photographed with me, will not be in the same room as me, even though I’ve done fundraisers for that particular person not once but twice, because of this issue.
AR: Why don’t we make it an even 50-50 and you can knock one more of them off?
GN: I don’t wanna do that, I like the chance that it’s one-third, one-third, one-third.
San Francisco-based Linden Lab
They’re home grown and we’re going to make sure they stay there. In fact at the rate they’re growing I’m not sure we’ll have enough office space to keep them.
AR: Is that the promise of a tax break I hear?
GN: It’s not about money! It’s about creative industry and about people — and there is no better place to find creative people than San Francisco, in fact the entire Bay area.
Attending the WEF in the face of criticism
This is an opportunity to gain real global perspective. It’s important to recognize the interdependence, not just your own shores and focusing on your own continent, but recognizing that web of mutuality with have, particularly as it relates to the water we drink and the air we breathe. It rejuvenates me and gives me perspective.
Campaigning in Second Life
GN: It’s a natural narrative from the Howard Dean ascendancy and the Internet in terms of fund raising, that was a bit one-dimensional, now to have more interactivity and a narrative that’s much more organic like Second Life. It’s pretty exciting. It’s a natural extension, it’s inevitable, and it should be the mayor of a city that’s home to the birthplace of this technology that should jump right in. It’s an obligation.
