Simi, Larry: Moscone\u27s legacy

Larry Simi: There was a personal legacy and a political legacy that he left. His personal legacy to me was one of sweetness and kindness. One of the most decent men I’ve ever known, and a politician totally without ego. Joe Alioto didn’t flaunt his ego, but it was part of him; he was bigger than life. To work for a boss like George Moscone; he was interested in your input, he was kind, he was decent. You’d have an event on a Saturday morning, he’d call you up wanting briefings “Oh I’m sorry to bother ya.” He was just kind and decent. Almost like a big brother to me. We had relationship on a lot of different levels: political level, employer/employee relationship level, athletic level, the Irish Italian Catholic San Francisco native level, and he was just very, very special; very, very warm and decent, and a politician without ego which is rare. George Moscone’s political legacy to San Francisco? Just tremendous. San Francisco for what it is today is a direct outgrowth of George Moscone. It is one of the most diverse cities in the country and somehow we manage to get along. We have our moments. I think there’s a craziness around City Hall that I don’t think has to do with George Moscone, but there is a network of social services, a political culture in this city that relates directly back to him, and to him kinda successfully bringing us through a trying period not only in San Francisco, but also in American history