Oakland's Outgoing Mayor Moves Speech Online

When you turn down a re-election run, when you're a lame duck, when you've governed through some high-profile police scandals and political gaffes, you can do whatever you like as you sunset your public service.

On top of all that, Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums and his wife, Cynthia, have stated he will not leave office early due to some IRS issues, according to SFGate.com. Dellums, 75, is under some pressure to alleviate a $252,000 tax lien.

So he fueled the rumor fire when he decided to put his state-of-the-city address online.

Dellums is eschewing the normal "stand at a podium before a live audience of your peers and give a well-rehearsed speech" and choosing instead to post an online video. (Available at oaklandnet.com later today.)

It's an opportunity to pre-edit history (if they do, indeed, edit the mayor's video). But the entire thing is also available in print, on the ground floor of City Hall. 

Other politicians probably wish they had thought of this. President G.W. Bush pops to mind ("fool me twice ... uh, don't do it again").

Since the Bay Area is known for its savvy, tech-heavy nature, this is a somewhat-covered move -- breaking mainstream methods and pushing online distribution of this sort of content.

Politically, socially, personally ... however it plays out and whatever legacy it leaves, the speech will be posted Wednesday afternoon.

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