Oakland Focus News | Oakland News Online Blog

I visited Tony West of Obama for America and the law firm Morrison and Forrester on Monday of this week to talk about the campaign and why it worked so well and West's future. West is well known in the San Francisco Bay Area as an excellent plaintiff's lawyer.   But West is also known as a friend of President-Elect Barack Obama. West met Obama in 2004 and offered to help him should he elect to run for President. When Obama did, he called West and thus began West's role as Chair of the fundraising committee for Northern California. It also started a round of basketball between the two that's gone well enough for Obama to give West a pair of his shoes to wear for games.   Since Obama's election win, West's name has been floated for Mayor of Oakland, a position in some capacity for Obama, and Alameda County District Attorney. West himself says his future may include remaining with Morrison and Forrester as a lawyer. West's wife Mia was just recently

Say, remember my post on how I was not supporting the state proposition 1A calling for High Speed Rail because the route did not come through Oakland as I worked to have done when I represented then-Mayor Elihu Harris?   Well, I waa able to partcipate in a debate on the matter at The Commonwealth Club's SF Debate program Tuesday night, and where the prop started out with more yes votes than no votes.  But after my insistance that it was not the right plan and that there were CalTrain plans that were rejected for no good reason , the initiative lost 10 to 7 with a number of undecided observers. The basic problem is that the plan is the plaything of politics -- whoever cries the loudest gets the route and that trumps a system that rightly serves the state in way where poor communities are represented. But what bothered me was the claim by a supporter involved in the project that Oakland's Ron Dellums and staff had done nothing to argue for Oakland. What the hell were

Why does PG&E oppose clean energy and Proposition H in San Francisco?  The SF Clean Energy Gal asks that very question.  See the many guises of Mary, the Clean Energy Gal here and support Clean Energy in San Francisco.

CleanEnergyGal.com

This video takes us into a great "VIP Party" held for the band "Cake" ( http://www.cakemusic.com) and the San Francisco Prop H Campaign for Clean Energy. It features Mary, The Clean Energy Gal.

Does PG&E wanto to screw San Francisco? If you consider that the utility doesn't back using clean energy sources and has not met State of California guidelines for renewable energy, it sure seems so. You can change that with the passage of Proposition H - "Yes on H." It's the first initiative of its kind; tell your friends around America about it and have them call friends in San Francisco and tell them to vote "Yes On H".

Proposition H on the November 4th ballot would put San Francisco on the path to 100% renewable energy. Don't buy PG&E's lies. Learn more about Prop H at http://www.sfcleanenergy.com/ read more | digg story

This is a political "slice of life" video I created during the evening of the March 4th "Super Tuesday" Primary. It starts with my trip to the Oakland "Obama For America" headquarters to do some phone banking work and then to two Obama parties in San Francisco, one at Tosca and the other at an art gallery. Along the way, you will meet Obama volunteers and discover their motivations and passions for being involved in this enormous grass roots movement to get Barack Obama elected President of The United States. 

This is the first video kicking off our coverage of the Democratic National Convention and events leading up to it. This one was a $2,300 a plate fundraiser for Barack Obama at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, CA, Sunday August 17th, 2008. As part of the event, an Obama Rally was held outside of the hotel. Two, perhaps three people with bullhorns were leading the crowd in "Obama" cheers, and one I recognized. Christine Pelosi, daughter of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the author of the well-received book " Campaign Boot Camp " a guide to successful campaigning, as well as a California Superdelegate supporting Senator Barack Obama. I asked Christine about having Hillary's name placed in nomination and she skillfully ducked the question as only she can do. Instead, she said she was looking forward to the voting process, and reminds us that she's been a delegate since 1996. Then Christine informed me that the California Delegation will have its

Harry arrives at the Balboa Cafe From San Francisco Scene / SF Politics If you'd have told me that I'd end my evening into very early morning trying to convince the legendary Harry Denton not to lay down in the middle of the intersection of Filmore and Greenwich after what he admits was a drunken bender, I'd have said you were nuts. Well, you weren't. What I saw was the embodiment of Old San Francisco in action. Harry Denton's a throwback to the days of a bar called "Henry Africa" and Herb Caen and the Three Martini lunch, and Carol Doda. Denton is fun, San Francisco style. But what I now understand that to mean is a kind of ultimate freedom we don't see today. And when we do see it, we just don't know what to do. Ok. This is what happened. I decided to visit the Balboa Cafe in San Francisco, really because I'm used to the place and thought that the Olympics would be on television and I could watch the games with a crowd that may be ye

I attended the TeamPlay Foundation fundraising party held at Harry Denton's Starlight Room last Wednesday July 23, in San Francisco. The organization was founded by Erik Gunnar Counselman and Barron Davis, the latter the now-former star with the Golden State (Oakland) Warriors. The video presents Counselman's interview where he explains how the firm's trying to mate social networks and mentors and kids in need. The target region is East Oakland. Why have the event in San Francisco is a question for another time. But this event was to raise money for TeamPlay and present its new technology to the audience. For his part, Baron Davis, now with the Los Angeles Clippers, said that regardless of where he goes in the NBA, this -- the Bay Area -- will always be his home. He expressed his commitment to making the company work well.

Senator John McCain has a big-ticket fundraiser of 100,000 per person and held at the Fairmount Hotel to add to the public money he's already using to run for President. I figured an anti-war protest must have been planned and I was right: there's one according to KTYU.com: SAN FRANCISCO -- Grassroots campaigners are planning to protest the continuation of the Iraq war Monday outside a fundraising event at a San Francisco hotel for Republican presidential nominee Arizona Sen. John McCain. Members of No Soldier Left Behind will rally outside the campaign fundraiser and collect petition signatures calling for a responsible end to the war, according to Peace Action West, an organization that fosters civic activism. Protestors will hold signs advocating the end of the war and well being of Iraqis and Americans in the region. "Sen. McCain is here raising money in support of an Iraq policy that will be a continuation of the president's fail strategy," Peace Action West

Zenophon Abraham Jr. The Partying Playboy According To TangoDiva Wow. Ok, according to TangoDiva I'm now a "Partying Playboy" but I'm not sure if I'm right up there with Hugh Hefner or not! Here's what TangoDiva wrote (oh. Ok. I answered the questions and they put them out there!): The Man Issue 08: Zenophon Abraham By Tango Diva Name: Zenophon Abraham Hometown: San Francisco, California Occupation: CEO of Sports Business Stimulations 1. Where do you like to flirt? Pretty much anywhere. Bar, rapid transit, football stadium, dark part of a dive place. 2. Where's your favorite table for two? - I like the 21 Club in New York, The Alley in Oakland, and The Balboa Cafe in San Francisco -- three different places but all have history and two are darkly romantic (the Balboa's too well-lit). 3. Where should we stay when we visit (besides your place)? Hmm. I like the Claremont Resort in the Oakland Hills. Great views, pool, tennis, and food, too! 4. What qu

CNN's Black in America is a welcome addition to TV, but it has a major problem to me in that it does not represent middle class African Americans. Much of the telecast shows Blacks who are downtrodden, or have had something "done" to them by the "system." It's a one-sided view of Blacks that does not help in really understanding African Americans. Not every aspect of Black culture or the life of those of us who are is negative, and I feel that the general life of middle class Blacks was ignored. (Post also at Zennie's Zeitgeist)

Vanity Fair's Alex Shoumatoff Mug Shot | Arrested at Bohemian Grove Hiding Behind Redwood Tree Exclusive Photo of Vanity Fair Editor Alex Shoumatoff arrest at Bohemian Grove This is a major follow-up to our story on Alex Shoumatoff's arrest at Bohemian Grove yesterday. Wearing what he believed to be appropriate attire to join the rich and famous at the Bohemian Grove, Vanity Fair writer Alex Shoumatoff is seen here in his official Sonoma County Sheriff Department mug shot. He was captured trying to hide behind a redwood tree wearing a Pebble Beach pullover and day-old stubble. This is a sure sign that Graydon Carter, Vanity Fair editor, provided Shoumatoff with what he believes is “west coast attire.” My, how out of touch they both are on the left coast: Everyone out here knows that when you’re powerful and slumming in California you put your wornout Brioni or Loro Piana jacket on and couple it with $400+ jeans or perhaps some Ralph Lauren khakis. Then, should you reall

"Yes We Can" is the new musical and video tribute to Senator Barack Obama for President by Maria Muldaur and Bonnie Raitt. I was asked to co-produce and distribute the video on behalf of Maria Muldaur and Joel Jaffe of Studio D Recording in Sausalito , CA. It's not to be confused with the first great "Yes We Can" video and song by Will-I-Am, which is a terrific and pioneering work of its own. Also see www.yeswecanthevideo.com "Yes We Can" - Tribute to Obama By Maria Muldaur and Bonnie Raitt Press Release: Singing Legends Team Up For Obama Tribute Song and Video Here's the video: > On Metacafe. > On Google > On My Space > On Crackle > On Sclipo > On Viddler > Dailymotion > On AOL "Yes We Can" by Zennie Abraham is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License . Based on a work at www.yeswecanthevideo.com . Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.yeswecanthevi

On Thursday July 3rd, U.S. District Court Judge Louis L. Stanton forced YouTube to give Viacom -- which owns shows like "The Daily Show", and "The Colbert Report" -- records that show what videos you and I have been watching. Here in this video , I explain that the implications are dangerous and could help, for example, the Chinese Government find and kill Tibetan protesters. In this, a private company could purchase the data from Viacom and then resell it to the Chinese Government. The Chinese Government could use the IP address information to find the general location of Tibetan protesters, go to their areas, and kill them. That's a possible scenario. I considered the court's "restriction" on use of the material by Viacom. But that's the problem: the block is on how the data is used -- there's no specific prohibition of the sale of the information. The reason for all of these actions, if you've not followed the story is t

Donna Brazile , originally uploaded by AFSCME.org . CNN's Donna Brazile Comes To SF For Obama Fundraiser July 15th, Palace Hotel CNN's Donna Brazile is coming To San Francisco For a Fundraiser for the "Obama Victory Fund" July 15th from 12 noon to 1:30 PM at The Palace Hotel, (2 New Montgomery, downtown San Francisco and just off Montgomery BART Station), and you can join us with a $150 contribution or a $1,000 contribution for a VIP reception to host Ms. Brazile. To join us, just click on this link: https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/BrazileJuly15 And as you sign up and donate, type in "Zennie Abraham" in the field "PLEASE LET US KNOW WHO ENCOURAGED YOU TO MAKE THIS CONTRIBUTION:" About Donna Brazile Donna Brazile is Founder and Managing Director of Brazile and Associates, LLC and is the first African-American to direct a major presidential campaign, having done so for Gore-Libermann 2000. Brazile is perhaps best known as the weekl