A tip o' the hat to Willie Brown...

[Dookus]

who steps down today after 39 solid years of public service in California.

He started as a shoe-shine boy in East Texas and rose to be California's longest-serving Assembly speaker (even with a Republican assembly!) and then Mayor of San Francisco.

Was he controversial? yup! Was he pure? Nope. Was he corrupt? Hell no!

His enemies tried for decades to bring him down, and never got anything on him. He's clean.

He was the ultimate wheeler-dealer, someone who stood by his friends and stuck it to his enemies.

He had humor, style, and a lifetime love affair with politics.

I met him twice. A more charming man you'd never find.

Good luck Willie, and thanks for 39 years of your work.

[Dookus]

1. wow, that fell fast....

*kick* :)