Simi, Larry: Moscone's legacy

Abstract

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.

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Type

Interview

Date Original

2011-03-29

Relation

The Moscone oral history interviews are part of the George Moscone Collection, MSS 328.

Contributing Institution

Holt-Atherton Special Collections and Archives, University of the Pacific Library

Rights Information

To view additional information on copyright and related rights of this item, such as to purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission to publish them, click here to view the Holt-Atherton Special Collections policies.

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