Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome admitted and apologized for having an affair with the wife of one of his staffers, who resigned yesterday when he learned of the affair. Pretty low move.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/16598283.htm" target="_blank">http://www.mercurynews.com/mld /mercurynews/news/politics/16598283.htm</a> San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said this morning that reports of an affair with an assistant in his office 18 months ago are true and apologized for the ``personal lapse of judgment.'' ``I want to make it clear that everything you've heard and read is true, and I am deeply sorry about that,'' Newsom said about the affair with the aide, who is also the wife of his former campaign manager. The usually smiling Newsom appeared grim and would not take any questions from the dozens of reporters who packed his City Hall office. Newsom apologized to Alex Tourk, who resigned Wednesday after reportedly confronting the mayor about the affair, and Ruby Rippey-Tourk. He said ``they are friends of mine.'' Newsom also apologized to his staff and his family. ``I'm also sorry that I let the people of San Francisco down,'' he said. Newsom dismissed reporters questions about calls for him to resign. He said he would work hard to restore trust of San Franciscans and continue his daily work as mayor.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka I don't know how to feel about this until I know if he's a republican or a democrat. (just kidding)
Originally Posted By wahooskipper He said ``they are friends of mine.'' With friends like these...who needs enemies? Hmmm, the San Francisco mayor.......a Democrat or a Republican?
Originally Posted By DAR Pfft our former Mayor here was cheating on his wife about seven or eight years ago, way ahead of San Fran way ahead.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Heck, mayor Rudi in NYC cheated on his wife for years and didn't even TRY to hide it!
Originally Posted By gadzuux For those not familiar with mayor newsom, he's got the looks of a matinee idol, a high wattage toothy smile, and hair like liberace. He was formerly married to a real dish - kimberly guilfoyle newsom - who's now a talking head on cable tv. He's currently single, and the press reports breathlessly on his every date, meal and drink. "Stepping out" with a staffer's wife is a questionable thing to do, but it's not really our business. As with the north dakota senator story, sex scandals are "fun" in a scandalous kind of way, but in the end what two adults do isn't a matter for anybody else to condemn.
Originally Posted By onlyme ^^^what?? I always thought he smoked crack for medical reasons. This is, indeed, LOW. But, hey, it's SF, so, who knows what the fallout will be. I mean to, get it on with a co-worker's spouse...ugh! But, as you know...it takes TWO to tango. What's she got to say, I wonder.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>"Stepping out" with a staffer's wife is a questionable thing to do<< It's not questionable: It's wrong. And it's something the city doesn't need. He's smart enough to know that this would make headlines. I'm very disappointed, because I like a lot of what he's tried to do for the city.
Originally Posted By jonvn I saw the mayor in person once. I swear to god, he looks like a movie star. He's rich rich rich, too. Owns his own winery. I don't think he gives a rat's rear....
Originally Posted By imadisneygal There was a Rabbi who got nailed on the Dateline NBC pedophilia sting operation. Unfortunately sickos exist in every form!
Originally Posted By jonvn Pedophilia is quite a bit different than having an affair with an adult...
Originally Posted By avromark OK what has your mayor done "right" and what has he done "wrong"? I personally don't believe in sex outside of marriage.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy I agree it's wrong, but I also wouldn't pass a lot of judgment without knowing details. I guess this partly comes from a guy I knew at my hometown church who was a really nice guy, had an affair, and when it was discovered, the music minister threw him out of the choir and he was so shunned that he had to find another church. One of my best friend's moms who is a good friend to me is also a very close friend to this guy. She was one of few people there for him and said he felt awful and knew he made a big mistake. Yet his wife remained with him and they worked through things and are still together. Sure, affairs are wrong, but that opened my eyes to the kind of church I had grown up in that visually teaches you to shun people who make mistakes, make yourself holier than thou, and show grudges and unforgiveness. Nice.
Originally Posted By imadisneygal Sorry, Jonvn...I didn't mean to imply that they were similar in any way. I was responding to the comment that they should choose a minister or a rabbi to be mayor. Having an affair with another adult may be sleazy but it's nowhere near on par with pedophilia. I was just responding to the inference that clergy would somehow be more moral. Sometimes they are, and sometimes they're not.
Originally Posted By avromark We could have a tele-evangelist, what has your mayor done that's good for the city? (And how many politicians don't have affairs?)
Originally Posted By gadzuux "Wrong" for who? Certainly for the parties involved, but who else is hurt by this? He's issued a full apology, but as far as I'm concerned he needn't have bothered. It's no skin off my nose - and he's "my" mayor - I live here. When clinton was being raked over the coals about monica, I felt the same way - it's a fun story, but I don't really care. And to follow up on jon's point, when you're rich and famous and powerful and sooo good lookin', you can get used to having anything you want. The rest of us mere mortals may never know the temptations offered to those in the rarified air. Is that an excuse? No - but it's a darn good reason.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy <"Wrong" for who? Certainly for the parties involved, but who else is hurt by this?> For the parties yeah, and any kids that may be involved (in affairs in general, I guess he didn't have any). <when you're rich and famous and powerful and sooo good lookin', you can get used to having anything you want.> Really? Dang, I wish somebody had told me this sooner. Now all I need to is get rich and famous and I'm set. ;-)
