CHANGE MY LOCATION
Local
California News
Multimedia News
Mayor defends trip taken after oil spill
SEE HOW THIS STORY DEVELOPED
Related Topics: SAN FRANCISCO
 (4th^^L), U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Craig Bone (4th^^L), U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D^^CA) (3rd^^R), U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen (R) and federal officials on November 12.','pp'))
Mayor Gavin Newsom publicly defended his decision to go to Hawaii last weekend upon learning last Thursday night that the Cosco Busan cargo ship had spilled 58,000 gallons of oil into the Bay after its crash into the Bay Bridge. Newsom is shown at Crissy Field with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (4th-L), U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Craig Bone (4th-L), U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) (3rd-R), U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen (R) and federal officials on November 12.
SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - Mayor Gavin Newsom publicly defended his decision to go to Hawaii last weekend upon learning last Thursday night that the Cosco Busan cargo ship had spilled 58,000 gallons of oil into the Bay after its crash into the Bay Bridge.
Early this week, Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin told a reporter that he was “shocked” that Newsom had decided to keep his vacation plans, leaving Supervisor Bevan Dufty as acting mayor.
“I was gone Friday and Saturday,” Newsom said, “and one of the most remarkable things that’s happened in the last century is the ability to communicate with people in real time and engage in a dialogue and discussion and coordination and collaboration, without necessarily being physically in the same room.”
On Friday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in the San Francisco Bay Area; Newsom proclaimed the existence of a local emergency on Tuesday.
“I felt very comfortable with where The City was,” Newsom said, adding that he delayed his flight to make sure the situation was stabilized. “I felt very comfortable in my absence that The City was responding appropriately.”
Comments from Examiner Readers
2:11 PM MST on Fri., Nov. 16, 2007 re: "Mayor defends trip taken after oil spill"
Report as inappropriate
12:05 PM MST on Fri., Nov. 16, 2007
re: "Mayor defends trip taken after oil spill"
Report as inappropriate
11:15 AM MST on Fri., Nov. 16, 2007
re: "Mayor defends trip taken after oil spill"
Report as inappropriate
10:26 AM MST on Fri., Nov. 16, 2007
re: "Mayor defends trip taken after oil spill"
Report as inappropriate
examiner critic said:
Since the mayor won't answer questions, the examiner should consider not printing his remarks. Seems only fair to me.
146 agree | 136 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
How can he cast stones at others while he was in relaxing in Hawaii?
145 agree | 151 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
As far as I'm concerned, our Mayor can be so clueless at times. I don't understand the so often seemingly unqualified support for this man. The spill situation was stabalized? How so? It still seems to be unfurling in some sense. Streaming video/phone could let us get married with spouses in different locations, we could watch our children be born from a remote location and otherwise. However, sometimes its about the leadership/support born of physical presence by actually showing up for the event. Hello?
145 agree | 149 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Of course someone who can do the things he does (chronic habit of sleeping with friends girlfriends/wives, drinking with underage girls)can say he feels good about being out of town. It was only for 2 days Gavin including the flying time you weren't in Hawaii for more than 36 hrs. You could have done without. Considering you are going to China in a few days with the significant other me thinks you could have cancelled your trip. Actions speak louder than words.
153 agree | 158 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree