Ed Lee Won't Campaign for Mayor "At This Time"

Maybe Ed Lee's mustache doesn't want him to run for mayor

​Yesterday we told you how the Los Angeles Times just figured out that Mayor Ed Lee doesn't want to run for mayor. The newspaper printed the tired quote from his spokeswoman Christine Falvey: "He wants his old job back as city administrator."

He told the LA Times this while Rose Pak and her ilk were opening Run, Ed, Run campaign offices over the weekend. What was Lee doing? He was out and about celebrating Pride and tending to city business -- you know, the things that mayors do.

But he told other reporters a different version of the same story. Or perhaps it was just a Freudian slip when he told the Chron that he has no plans to campaign for mayor "at this time."

"I've said time and time again that I don't want to be distracted with any type of campaign," Lee told the Chronicle. "At this time I have not even thought about that. I'm not focused on campaigning or running for office." It's the first time he has said anything but an outright no when reporters ask him whether he plans to campaign. Is he playing coy about his future intentions, or is he finally starting to cave to Pak's pressure -- again?

SF Weekly contacted Falvey, who has remained unwavering in her response about Mayor Lee's political future. We'll let you know whether she has massaged her answer as well.

Until then, we can tell you that Run, Ed, Run is in full force, having collected more than 12,000 signatures from voters who say they want the "adorable" Lee (and his mustache) to join the 30 other candidates on the November ballot. 

Lee has until Aug. 12 to file papers declaring his intention to run. Or he could just keep the mystery going and jump into the race as a write-in candidate at the last minute in October. That would be easy enough, considering he would already have a strong campaign in place.  

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