The Democrat Who Sweet-Talks Republicans

Like Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” Willie Brown has always depended on the kindness of strangers.

In Brown’s case, he has depended on the kindness of Republicans--political strangers.

Amazing. Stunning. Jaw-dropping. These were some of the media’s reactions last week to the reelection endorsement of Mayor Brown by the San Francisco Republican Central Committee. Brown--the liberal Democrat, flamboyant tormentor of the GOP--endorsed by the archenemy.

In Sacramento, veteran politicos just chuckled. For them, the only surprise was that anybody was surprised. Willie Brown, 65, has advanced and survived for 20 years because of the timely benevolence of Republicans.

He grew up learning how to survive and prosper. A poor black kid from rural Texas, Brown graduated from a segregated high school and caught the next bus for San Francisco. There, he worked in his uncle’s illegal gambling house, went to law school, defended pimps and prostitutes and was elected to the state Assembly. Ultimately, he served--and survived--as speaker for nearly 15 years.

As Brown biographer James Richardson recently wrote for the California Journal: “He was born into a family of bootleggers and gamblers, and they outsmarted and out-hustled everyone. . . . He learned the skills of politics at the feet of masters: a pair of uncles who knew how to work the system before it worked them.”

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The first time Brown turned the system on its head was in 1980, when he coaxed Republicans into electing him speaker.

Democrats were fractured by a bitter speakership fight. While Speaker Leo McCarthy (D-San Francisco) and Assemblyman Howard Berman (D-Panorama City) battled, Brown privately worked a deal with Republicans. McCarthy was a goner, Republicans surmised, and Berman scared them; he was too partisan and too skillful.

“The reason we talked to Willie was not unlike the situation now in San Francisco,” recalls Robert Naylor, a lobbyist who then was the No. 2 GOP leader. “We believed he would deal with us fairly. We liked Willie personally and he never seemed to be all that partisan and liberal.”

The GOP also felt--incorrectly--that Brown eventually would self-destruct. Although usually a charmer, he sometimes was smitten with arrogance.

Republicans gave Brown more votes (28) than Democrats did (23). In exchange, Brown allowed Republicans to name the committee vice-chairs and add staff.

Years later, Republicans protected Brown when he was challenged by a Democratic “gang of five.” With GOP help, the dissidents could have dumped the speaker--even replaced him with a Republican. Finally, the GOP agreed to turn against Brown. But just before the vote, a needed Republican suddenly died. Brown survived.

Brown always had some Republicans in his pocket. The classic example was after the GOP won a one-vote majority in 1994 and was about to install Jim Brulte of Rancho Cucamonga as speaker. But a Republican--Paul Horcher of Diamond Bar--defected after being sweet-talked by Brown.

“We didn’t want to turn over the speakership to the most talented Republican in the Legislature--Jim Brulte,” concedes former Democratic Assemblyman Phil Isenberg of Sacramento.

When Brown finally did surrender the job, he managed to hand it to a Republican puppet, the late Doris Allen of Cypress. After she and Horcher were recalled by voters, another Brown lackey--Republican Brian Setencich of Fresno--briefly became speaker. Voters dumped him in the next GOP primary.

Three Republican renegades committed political suicide for the charismatic Brown.

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San Francisco GOP Chairman Don Casper says he knew immediately that the party should endorse Brown in the Dec. 14 runoff when it became clear his opponent would be an ultra-liberal gay activist--Tom Ammiano, president of the Board of Supervisors.

“There were no deals,” Casper says. “I told Willie we want a place at the table, some voice. And we’d like to see Republicans appointed to boards. He seemed receptive. . . .

“I also asked for air cover.” He needed respected Republicans to endorse the committee endorsement.

Brown called in air cover from Sacramento. Sen. Brulte, Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush and Bob White and Steve Merksamer--chiefs of staffs for two GOP governors--phoned Casper.

“They all said the same thing,” Casper relates. “While they by no means saw eye-to-eye with Willie on most things, his word was good. If you worked with him, things got done.”

Willie Brown and Republicans always have had an uneasy relationship that works--especially for Brown.