Why Does Chron Ignore What Willie Brown Writes -- In the Chron?

By Joe Eskenazi Fri., Mar. 12 2010 at 11:11 AM

Categories: Media, Politics

What'll it take to get Willie Brown quoted in the Chronicle?

If you were penning an article for the Chronicle about whether Willie Brown was a viable candidate to serve as San Francisco's interim mayor, you'd think the following quote from Hizzoner himself would be somewhat relevant: "I have no intention of ever going back into government. In fact, these days, I get nervous just visiting government."

So, it was a bit odd when the Chron, touching on just that subject this morning, still portrayed Brown as the potentially most viable candidate to be interim mayor; his disinterest was mouthed not by the man himself but by his former flack. This is odd. But making it odder is that the Brown quote at the top of this story was actually written by Hizzoner himself for his column -- in the Chron. Unless he's suddenly developed schizophrenia, he wasn't misquoted.

So what gives? Do Chron writers not quote their own columnists, even when said columnists are in the news and pontificating on just the subject the Chron writers are covering? How does this make sense? And how does this lead to readers having a better understanding of what's going on?

Our calls and e-mails to Chron writers and editors have not yet been returned, nor have our messages for Brown. But this isn't the first time the Chronicle has jarringly not contacted its own illustrious columnist for a relevant story.

First off, if potential conflicts of interest could be measured via a Geiger counter, Brown's column would set off rounds of ear-bleeding staccato bursts. Simply put, the only way Brown could drop more names would be to hold an impromptu filibuster and start reading from the phone book.

That being said, Brown's column has evolved into something you really can't ignore if you want to exhaustively seek out what's going on in this city. It makes sense: If you want to know where the bodies are buried, best to ask the gravedigger.

And still, awkward situations in which the paper is forced to report upon its own employee -- or not -- do come up. Last summer, Brown sponsored an Assembly bill that would have undone a San Francisco City Attorney's decision and re-routed a $26 million Hetch Hetchy contract into the hands of engineering giant Parsons Corp. The Chron eventually reported on the matter -- and lambasted Brown's bill in an editorial -- but was never able to contact Brown himself. You'd think they'd know how to get a hold of him.

Perhaps they could have sent him a note along with his paycheck.