SF Mayor Gavin Newsom: No On 8's Worst Nightmare

According to the SF Chronicle, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has become the greatest liability for the No On 8 campaign.

Gavin Newsom has always played a starring role in the same-sex marriage debate, but in recent weeks that role has turned decidedly unheroic. The mayor has become the reluctant face of the campaign opposing same-sex unions with the help of a prominent Yes-on-Proposition-8 television ad. Conservative blogs have been atwitter about Newsom last week officiating at the wedding of a lesbian teacher whose class of first-graders took a field trip to celebrate with her.

In many ways, Newsom has become the single best campaign tool for proponents of Prop. 8 - and that might have been inevitable, political experts said.

"His pictures have become the rallying cry for Prop. 8. It's unfortunate for him, and it's unfortunate for the anti-Prop. 8 campaign," said Barbara O'Connor, a professor of political communications at California State University Sacramento. "I don't know that I would change his behavior, because he's representing his constituency, and he's been totally consistent in his position. But he's become everyone's worst nightmare."

There's no indication that Newsom was aware that a class of first graders would appear at the gay wedding he officiated last week, but Yes On 8 is reportedly readying a television ad featuring images of the children and Newsom. Political analysts say he should stay far away from any marriage equality messaging, for the good of the campaign.

This commenter on the above-linked story pretty much says it all:

Newsom always makes himself the focus, and his cocky hubris and lack of humility are simply what they are. Unfortunately for same sex marriage supporters, they rode his coattails on this one , and their lives and rights may suffer in his unseemly shadow. It's amazing to me that he has somehow made himself the point man on this issue, and the issue has gotten lost. Newsom's inappropriate demeanor, ineffective leadership, and lapses in judgment and character are becoming legendary, and I would not want to tie my hopes and dreams to his playground bully PR pulpit scene.