No Relation to the Crazy "Spears"- Updated

Constant Readers,

Katy has been my best friend for about twelve years. She is so smart and wonderful that I often wonder why she condescends to hang out with me. (She's Catholic, so I suspect it is some sort of self-inflicted hardship.) One of the many things Katy and I have in common is a love of politics. And brunch. And talking about the former while doing the latter is how we kill several hours every Sunday.

So, when I saw that my friend Alex Tourk is running a congressional campaign in Katy's 'hood (Burlingame), I asked Katy over mimosas and pancakes if she had ever heard of this woman named Jackie Speier.

My nice, normal Katy came unglued: "OH MY GOD! I love her so much!! No, Melissa, I don't mean I love her. I mean, I LOOOOOVE her!" (Yes, people were staring at this point.) "I was in intern in her office when she was on the San Mateo Board of Supervisors and she is just the most amazing woman...etc. etc. etc...Oh please tell me she's running! She will so totally win. EVERYbody in this town loves her."

At that point, Jackie had not announced her candidacy though everyone could see that by hiring Tourk, she undoubtedly meant bidness. A few weeks later, incumbent Tom Lantos announced his decision to not seek another term due to recently-discovered esophageal cancer. And finally, last week, we learned that Jackie would announce.

"We have to go," is all Katy blurted out when I answered the phone. Go where? To see Jackie Speier announce her candidacy. But Katy! Its on Sunday at noon, right when we should be having brunch! Oh, what the hell. I haven't been to a rally since they stopped giving out unlimited packets of ketchup at McDonald's. (Now there was a cause worth fighting for!) Besides, it is in Foster City. It'll be local and small and cute.

When we arrived at noon on Sunday, the place was packed. We had to do at least three illegal things just to get a parking spot. The number of people there was reported by the erstwhile Bob Brigham at about 800. And they were excited! Not Obama let's-start-a-revolution excited. More like cousin-Jackie-is-going-to-D.C. excited. The sense that Jackie is "our girl" whose time has come was really palpable.

And there may be something to that: thirty years ago, a 29-year old Jackie ran for the same seat (12th Congressional District) which was empty because her boss, Congressman Leo Ryan was shot and killed by apeshit Kool-Aid drinkers at Jonestown in Guyana. (Jackie was also in Guyana and was shot five times but was saved after receiving medical attention twenty-two hours later.) Jackie lost that election, but went on to serve on the San Mateo City Council and then in the State Assembly and State Senate.  She lost a tight race for Lieutenant Governor in 2006, and now has her sights set on the Congressional seat that somehow now seems rightfully hers.

So, yes, the event on Sunday: Holy shit, there were a lot of people there for a dang "announcement." Jackie looked amazing. There was free cotton candy. A band made up of some adorable teenagers from a local high school was playing. Red, white and blue everywhere. There were nuns from Mercy High School. All that was missing was Frank Chu.

(I totally stole...er, borrowed this pic from the Calitics site.)

Jackie and some other well-dressed muckety-mucks (Anna Eshoo, Mike Thompson, John Burton) talked about some standard political stuff: let's get out of Iraq, provide health care, and protect the environment.  But that is all to be expected from a Democratic candidate.  What impressed me about Jackie is her larger-than-life personality and the sense one gets that she is a true fighter. I guess after being shot five times, you can pretty much cross "fear" off the list of emotions you grapple with. She is Chucktastic.

I was one of several bloggers were invited to join a call this morning where we could ask Jackie questions. I, for one, was grateful that she wanted to take the time to introduce herself to us.  I refrained from asking any real questions I was thinking about, like: "Will you please be my friend?" and "Who does your hair?" Of course, several of us had campaign-related questions, but without an opponent, there isn't a whole lot to substantively interrogate her about right now. Speaking of opponents: there's a lot of speculation about who will run against her. Leland Yee, Fiona Ma, and any other number of people might be eying this seat. To be honest though, I get the sense that endeavoring to run against "our" Jackie would be seen by many people in D12 as downright rude.

I don't live in Jackie's district, so I can't vote for her, but I will be supporting her. Why? So far:

Because Katy loves her.

Because she's a badass.

And did I mention the free cotton candy?

--Melissa

[UPDATE 1/15: Leland Yee, generally considered the most likely candidate to oppose Speier, has announced that he will not run against her. Reportedly, he wants to focus on his present position in the State Senate and on ratting out other politicians.]

[UPDATE 1/16: Some dude named Yul Kwon is considering running against Speier. The Examiner writes that he is a Demoncrat and a "San Mateo management consultant better known for outsmarting and outplaying his competitors to win the $1 million prize on 'Survivor: Cook Islands' in 2006."  Mr. Kwon better remember that Speier won the real "Survivor: Guyana" in 1978, when Kwon was still in diapers. Prediction: Kwon will be voted off the Isle of D12. Perhaps he should just ask if Speier is hiring.]

Comments

[R.S]

Beautiful report. You've got to get your app in for blogger's credentials in Denver this Aug. r.s.

[el Greco]

No story on Jackie Speier would be complete without the thoughts of a token creepy old guy.

Jackie is still a hottie in my book.

[Greg]

Not to get all authenticating on anyone, but I can literally say that Jackie Speier has been a political hero of mine since I can remember....I have buttons from when she ran for Supervisor and I produced the mail pieces at my old job when she last ran for State Senate (ironically against a guy I knew in preschool, who , sad to say, sucks and loves GW Bush)

But more to the point, this is someone who really deserved to win the Democratic primary for (and the job of ) Lieutenant Governor, and I'm embarassed and ashamed that turnout was so freakin' low and that most Democrats didn't bother to vote, that we ended up with the retread we have in office today. (he's still better than the retread that ran for Insurance Commissioner literally on a platform of "lose with Cruz", regarding his weight).

Oh anyway.

Glad to have another intelligent, thoughtful woman on board the campaign of an awesome, intelligent thoughtful woman politician! lighter lit because you and Jackie ROCK!