Chris Daly Won't Quit Tom Ammiano

Chris Daly is still hoping to cast a vote for Tom Ammiano -- will Tom let him?

​Earlier today we reported that Supervisor Chris Daly has started an online petition to implore Assemblyman Tom Ammiano to be our next mayor. Ammiano, meanwhile, told SF Weekly in no uncertain terms he doesn't want the job.

Daly, however, is nothing if not tenacious. He tells us that it's not about what Ammiano wants -- but what he's willing to be talked into doing.

"I think it's clear that Tom doesn't *want* to do it," wrote Daly in an e-mail. "I think it's slightly less clear that he can't be convinced to change his mind. And that's what I'm focused on at the moment."

Ammiano earlier told us "there's no way I want the job." When we asked "there's no way no how you'll be mayor?" he replied "yeah, that's right." When we asked a third time for good measure, he again denied having any interest in the job.

We couldn't reach him this afternoon to see if there's any possibility Daly could talk him into taking over City Hall Room 200 despite his clearly stated intentions to avoid doing just that. City Hall sources we spoke with doubted it would happen, though.

"Tom recognizes what an absolutely horrific challenge this year's budget is going to be -- and that if he tried to run for re-election he'd not only have the budget wrapped around his neck, but the left would, more likely than not, stab him in the back again," said one politico. "Why do all that? Yeah, the pension numbers might work out, but he's got it pretty good in Sacramento."

If Ammiano really does stay on the sidelines, would progressive stalwart Sheriff Mike Hennessey serve as an adequate consolation prize for Daly? Perhaps.

"I like Mike a lot," writes Daly. But "He has not approached me about the Mayor post."

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