SAN FRANCISCO — He's considered a darling of Democratic Party politics, a smooth-talking young millionaire with Kennedy good looks who has basked in the media limelight while being courted as a possible national political figure.
But beneath the surface, Mayor Gavin Newsom's Camelot has been crumbling.
After admitting in the last five days to adultery and alcohol abuse, Newsom has suffered a public political meltdown that has rocked City Hall and led one San Francisco supervisor to call for his resignation.
The 39-year-old mayor, who is running for reelection in November, acknowledged last week that he had an affair with the wife of a longtime aide. On Monday, he announced he would seek counseling because he had "come to the conclusion that I will be a better person without alcohol in my life."
But the mayor's problems appear to run deeper than behind-the-scenes indiscretions, raising questions about his ability to lead one of America's largest cities.
Critics and backers alike now acknowledge that Newsom has become disengaged, reluctant to grapple with such critical issues as the city's soaring homicide rate among black residents. In recent months, he has even refused to meet with supervisors -- longtime supporters included.
In this famously forgiving place, some at City Hall say the mayor should be granted the leeway to deal with his problems while in office. Others express pent-up frustration and question whether he should continue to run for a second term.
Supervisor Jake McGoldrick on Tuesday called for Newsom's resignation.
"If he lived by any code of honorable behavior, he would have a personal epiphany and do the right thing," McGoldrick said. "The only epiphany he's had is 'How do we spin this?' "
Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, a longtime Newsom ally, said it was too early to call for any political heads.
"Most people grapple with things in their lives, but most don't have to do it publicly -- and the mayor has taken that courageous step," she said. "If anyone should call for his resignation, it should be city residents, and they haven't done that."
Meanwhile, public reaction to the mayor's admissions appears to be mixed. Local newspaper websites have run the gamut -- with comments supporting Newsom running about equal to those expressing anger and even vitriol.
