During his Senate
run for Illinois, Democratic presidential candidate
Barack Obama is said to have declined to have his picture
taken with San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, who at
the time was in the center of a national turmoil over
his decision to allow same-sex marriage in the city.
The San
Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday that the
snub took place at a fund-raiser in 2004 hosted by former
San Francisco mayor Willie Brown.
"I gave a
fund-raiser, at his [Obama's] request at the Waterfront
restaurant," Brown told the Chronicle. "And he said
to me, he would really appreciate it if he didn't get
his photo taken with my mayor. He said he would really
not like to have his picture taken with Gavin."
While the Obama
campaign has denied the rumors, Newsom's staff has
corroborated the event. In a Reuters interview in January
2007, Newsom alluded to the event when asked about his
thoughts on potential Democratic candidates Obama,
Hillary Clinton, and Al Gore. He was also asked about
his peers' reaction to his allowing same-sex marriages,
which some allege helped Republicans by introducing a
wedge issue in an election year.
Newsom said he
received harsh reactions from other politicians, Democrats
and Republicans alike.
"One of the three
Democrats you mentioned as presidential candidates, as
God is my witness, will not be photographed with me, will
not be in the same room with me," Newsom told Reuters,
"even though I've done fund-raisers for that
particular person -- not once, but twice -- because of
this issue."
San Francisco
supervisor Bevan Duffy told the Chronicle that the
mayor's endorsement of Hillary Clinton over Obama, which was
announced six months ago, was due to repaying
political favors. Newsom says that the snub did not
influence his decision, though Brown thinks otherwise.
"I think he has
harbored this resentment for years," Brown said about
Newsom in the Chronicle story. "I would guess that is
part of the rejection of the Obama campaign."
During the same
campaign season, then-Democratic presidential candidate
John Kerry also worked to avoid San Francisco, following the
controversy. Brown said that he doesn't blame Obama
for his caution because of the heavy conservative vote
in southern Illinois.
Newsom, who
attended a Town Hall meeting with the Clinton campaign on
Monday, said he still looked forward to voting for Obama --
in eight years. (The Advocate)
