Friday, April 29, 2005

HQ Countdown: Tittering and Cheesiness

As the decision approaches for the location of the stem cell agency's headquarters, San Francisco is smirking a little this morning about San Diego's mayoral follies.

Ken Garcia wrote a “personal perspective” in the San Francisco Chronicle on the behind-the-scenes tittering in San Francisco.

“No one I spoke with would comment on the record, but it's fair to say that San Francisco officials are not exactly saddened by San Diego's woes. It certainly can't help if the future capital of the world's biggest private stem- cell program is mired in scandal. With San Diego reeling from another mayor-go- round -- (Mayor) Murphy was re-elected in November after a judge threw out thousands of write-in ballots that would have elevated surfer/councilwoman Donna Frye to the post -- it's hard to see how the selection committee wouldn't at least consider it a factor.

"'It does raise some interesting questions,' one City Hall official said. 'But it's not our place to raise them.'''

Garcia skated over San Francisco's own rather checkered political history. Another minor note: Frye is not a surfer; she ran a surf shop.

Reporter Terri Hardy of The Sacramento Bee wrote that local officials there staged a “cheesy” news conference Thursday to support the Sacramento bid but were quite unified when they did it. She quoted Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo as saying, "Sacramento is in fact the best location, and location should be critical. The Capitol is where stem cell decisions are made."

Reporter Rachael Gordon of the Chronicle covered the perspective from all four cities. The San Diego Union Tribune did not appear to carry a story on the matter this morning.

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