It’s probably safe to say that San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener might be the first and only politician to create a social Facebook video where drag queens sing his praises.
"I haven't seen anything like it," Silicon Valley-based political analyst Larry Gerston said Tuesday. "It just goes to show you the uniqueness of the Bay Area and how comfortable a mainstream candidate, in San Francisco terms, is willing to use that. It also suggests the increasing importance of social media in elections."
In a post on Sept. 27, the openly gay and openly progressive Wiener wrote: “We made this fun music video with some drag queen friends to highlight the work I'm doing to create a more affordable and livable community.”
The nearly three-minute clip shows iconic images of San Francisco: the airport, the TransAmerica building, Golden Gate Park and the famous Painted Ladies Victorian homes, while the singers parody Katy Perry’s “Firework.”
“The one who fights… a champion.. Working day and night for what he knows is right. Scott’s the one who will do the work…Our voice in Sacramento-oh-oh.”
In the background, Wiener, dressed professionally in a suit and tie, can be seen meeting with various stakeholders, constituents and others in his office and on city streets. The drag queens — Carnie Asada, Au Jus, and Miz Palou — sing about housing affordability, transit, rent control, better health care and other issues plaguing the city and state.
Wiener is running against fellow Supervisor Jane Kim for a California State Senate seat in District 11. For her part, Kim made a 30-second video ad on her website showing her as a tough black belt, using karate moves to fight evictions. She alleges Wiener is in the pocket of Republicans and doesn't care about renters. Her tag line? "Kicking ass so we don't get kicked out."
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Wiener's video indeed drew its share of critics. "A prostitute in bed with the real estate industry," Leo Volobrynskyy wrote on Wiener's Facebook page under the video. And Malia McKinney said she didn't support his idea to keep strip clubs opn until 4 a.m. in her neighborhood.
But to others, Wiener is a hero. "I love it," Cort Fernald wrote. "Can I vote for Scott a couple hundred times. LOL that was brilliant. Hillary should do one."
