In San Francisco, the measure to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin, Proposition H, passed. According to the Department of Elections, a little over 25 percent of eligible voters came out to pass the initiative by something like a three-to-two margin.
Around midnight, Boudin gave a remarkably upbeat speech to a crowded room filled with supporters at The Ramp, one of the city’s great funky joints on the southern waterfront, in which he promised to continue his fight for criminal justice reform.
What happens next is somewhat chaotic. San Francisco Mayor London Breed gets to appoint somebody to fill the D.A. position on an interim basis until the next general election in November. The winner of that election gets to hold the office for one year and then needs to stand for re-election in November 2023 when the normal election cycle gets back on schedule.
Boudin can run again this November if he chooses to, or in November 2023 for that matter, but he has not yet announced his intentions.
One thing is clear. As a result of the massive pro-recall funding from conservatives that fueled the campaign against him, the 41-year-old progressive now has a degree of national name recognition most politicians spend decades trying to achieve. Almost all of them fail.
Therefore, regardless of what he decides to do next, Boudin has emerged politically as the winner from the vote on Tuesday night.
***
Whenever I struggle to maintain perspective and a sense of humor on the state of the world around here, I think back on various experiences that occurred in my past.
Many years ago, my oldest son was one of the star players on a remarkable little league team that won 18 straight baseball games, landing them in the state regional playoffs. If they could win one more game, they would advance toward a chance at the state championship and beyond. If they lost, their season would be over.
It was one of those foggy weekdays only those of us in Northern California would recognize as summer when they played another team from a neighboring district for the honor. The two squads were well-matched and played each other to a draw for the entire game until the last inning when our side lost by a lone run.
We all felt crushed, especially, we assumed, the boys. Afterwards, according to custom, the families gathered at a local pizza joint to close out the season — moms, dads, siblings, grandparents, coaches and players. Like many of the other parents, I was playing hooky from my job to be there with my son.
As a group of us sat together around a large table, commiserating, some of us literally crying in our beer, we suddenly realized that our young sons were nowhere to be seen. Where had they gone?
For a moment it was like that tragicomic scene in “School of Rock” when principal Rosalie Mullins says “ I've just been informed that all of your children are missing.”
Well, just like in the movie this one had a happy ending, because it turned out there was an unknown (to us) side room in the restaurant packed with video games, where the boys were clustered, laughing and whooping and having a great old time.
We may have been focused on losing the game but they had already moved on.
TODAY’s LINKS: (6/8/22 — 34 stories from 19 sources)
What's next for Chesa Boudin? Maybe another run for DA — Even though he has been recalled by San Francisco voters, District Attorney Chesa Boudin could be back on the ballot in six months to run for the office he just lost…(I)n 2019 he topped all opponents in all three rounds of the general election and instant runoffs, demonstrating that there was support for his reformer agenda. He also has a campaign organization up and running that could swiftly shift directions from the recall to the Nov. 8 election. (SFC)
What the Boudin recall does—and doesn’t—mean for SF politics
Low turnout, a deeply warped media narrative, and right-wing billionaire money framed a very conservative outcome. That's the real story. (48 Hills)
World Bank warns global economy may suffer 1970s-style stagflation (WP)
Russia claims advances in Ukraine amid barrages, troop boost (AP)
Ukraine’s position has ‘worsened’ in fight for Severodonetsk (WP)
Potent Weapons Reach Ukraine Faster Than the Know-How to Use Them (NYT)
Ukraine conflict settling into 'WW1-style trench warfare' (BBC)
Zelenskiy: 'Every chance' to fight back in Sievierodonetsk (Reuters)
Ukraine retakes parts of Sievierodonetsk amid brutal street fighting (CNBC)
Guerrilla Attacks Signal Rising Resistance to Russian Occupation (NYT)
Russia's defense minister said the Ukrainian ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol, seized by Russian forces, have been de-mined and are ready to resume grain shipments. Agricultural exports from southern Ukraine have been blocked since Russia invaded. (Reuters)
Russian defense minister: Russia controls 97% of Luhansk (NHK)
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says stalemate with Russia ‘not an option’ (Financial Times)
GOP senators surprisingly bullish on prospects for a bipartisan gun deal (Politico)
Big City Mayors, Furious About Mass Shootings, Fear Sweeping Gun Limits Are Out of Reach. (NYT)
Exclusive: Michigan widens probe into voting system breaches by Trump allies (Reuters)
Fake Trump electors in Ga. told to shroud plans in ‘secrecy,’ email shows (WP)
Proud Boys leader and top members charged with seditious conspiracy over January 6 (CNN)
US sees heightened extremist threat heading into midterms (AP)
Beginning in prime time on Thursday, the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol will hold hearings and explore many ribbons of inquiry. But Americans are exhausted over gun violence, racism, gas prices, the COVID-19 pandemic and so much more. It's a huge story, but will Americans muster the strength to tune in? [AP]
Crypto industry scores a big win under long anticipated Senate bill (WP)
A newfound, oddly slow pulsar shouldn’t emit radio waves — yet it does (ScienceNews)
Astrophysicists Create “Time Machine” Simulations To Observe the Lifecycle of Ancestor Galaxy Cities (SciTechDaily)
Watchdog’s report details millions looted from Afghan government during Taliban takeover (WP)
With Cubans leaving en masse, much of Cuba's real estate is up for sale (NPR)
Three Police Officers Placed on Leave After Watching Man Drown in Arizona (WSJ)
During Watergate, John Mitchell left his wife. She called Bob Woodward. (WP)
The Lie That Helped Kill the Labor Movement (Politico)
You’ll soon be able to unsend iPhone messages. — A software update coming this fall will let you edit texts or unsend some entirely, Apple announced yesterday. (WP)
‘Hit an iceberg’: KFC switches to cabbage due to lettuce shortage (Guardian)
6 Hours That Man Will Utterly Squander After Work Fantasized About For Entire Day (The Onion)
TODAY’s LYRICS:
“Helpless”
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
There is a town in North Ontario
With dream, comfort, memory to spare
And in my mind, I still need a place to go
All my changes were there
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us
Helpless, helpless, helpless
(Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless)
Babe, can you hear me now?
(Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless)
The chains are locked and tied across my door
(Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless)
Babe, sing with me somehow
(Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless)
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us
Helpless, helpless, helpless
(Helpless, helpless)
Helpless, helpless, helpless
(Helpless, helpless, helpless)
Helpless, helpless, helpless
(Helpless, helpless, helpless)
Helpless, helpless, helpless
(Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless)
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