Gavin Newsom takes on Bill O’Reilly

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No longer encumbered by being a candidate for governor, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom made his first appearance on Bill O’Reilly’s Fox News talk show this week.

O’Reilly began with the obvious question: “Mr. Mayor, why the heck are you doing it?”

Newsom began the schmoozing immediately. “Actually, I watch you every night. I hate to admit this,” he said, before adding, “This is going to hurt my progressive base.”

O’Reilly took some whacks at liberal San Francisco -- “you got panhandlers everywhere” -- while Newsom defended the city’s progressive politics.

Watch the full encounter here.

-- Shane Goldmacher in Sacramento