If Hemingway’s old adage that “Courage is grace under pressure,” is even remotely accurate, then Villaraigosa laps the field of gutsy politicians. In fact he may be in a one-horse race.
I’ve just finished watching a couple of news reports of him surrounded by media-types shouting questions about the intimate details of his peccadilloes. There were so many “reporters,” they surrounded him and virtually trapped him inside a circle of unyielding bodies.
Mayor Tony masterfully handled the hordes on the two separate occasions I watched. He did not back away from the tough questions. He did not berate reporters. He did not bolt and run. He stood his ground. In my mind, he demonstrated a high-level of grace under pressure.
Contrast Villagairosa’s stand to Newsom’s simple avoidance strategy, his disdainful behavior as he refuses to answer questions from unfriendly reporters. In today’s Bay Area Guardian, Steve Jones presents a newly stated although not unknown description of Newsom: “mean and shallow.”
For the full quote and the essence of the context of the description, check the story here.
Leave a Reply