Gavin Newsom: The Humphrey Bogart of California Politics

Twitter user @SGourley on @GavinNewsom

Twitter user @SGourley raises an interesting point about search engines, public personas, and political aspirations by offering the instructions seen to the right.

Following those instructions (running a google image search on “gavin newsom“), you’re greeted with a number of views of the honorable Mayor of San Francisco: taking the oath of office, eating a reporter’s microphone (where’s the video of that one?), lounging with his former wife, smiling with his wonderful new bride, looking goofy in a T-Shirt, looking strong behind a podium, and – shall we say – looking amused in the “3rd Result” that @SGourley is focusing on.

Making Friends and Influencing People

@SGourley assumes that Newsom would want rid of such a picture.  But with Garry South – Newsom’s campaign guru (and a guru of mine) – talking up every reporter in his speed dial about Jerry Brown’s time in office (code for “the other guy’s old!”), maybe Newsom wants pictures like this out there.

Part of the allure of a candidate like Newsom (and even stick-in-the-mud Barack Obama) is that there’s a certain brash danger that comes with a handsome young leader.  The swagger.  The knowing smirk.  It’s like Humphrey Bogart is running for office; a drink in one hand, a smoke in the other, and a remit envelop in the inside pocket of his suit.

Decades earlier, Bogart likes what he sees.

In fact, the Newsom photo actually reminded me of a famous picture of Bogart.  Out on the town with Lauren Bacall, Bogie found himself face to – ahem – face with Marilyn Monroe.

Bogart’s got a few years on Newsom, and is playing it cooler…

…but there’s that look.

The handrolling of the cigarette is certainly more than any politician could ever muster, because of California’s modern smoking laws and the fact that there will only ever be one Humphrey Bogart.

Same eyeline...totally different meaning!

But, the look is the same.

Which brings me to of another famous photo from that era (and the moral of the story).  Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield.

The eyeline is the same, but the meaning is completely different.  I’m guessing Lauren Bacall laid the same look on Monroe just after this photo was taken.

And while a Google image search of Jennifer Siebel Newsom turned up no similar shot, take this as a word of warning.

Female Newsom supporters: you probably won’t get the Bogie look, but the Loren look is always right there in your face – or wherever.

UPDATED:  I took the time and tracked down a short clip of Newsom eating a reporter’s microphone mentioned above – a still of which appears in the “gavin newsom” image search @SGourley is talking about.  Oh Gavin, you cad!