Libby Schaaf
Conan O'Brien is leaving NBC. The victim of NBC and Jay Leno's decision to return Leno to his host spot on The Tonight Show, Conan O'Brien said he was just days closer to going on his greatest "drinking binge" ever. Rightly so; Conan was pushed out and there's no guarantee that Jay Leno will fare any better as the (new) The Tonight Show host, as the juggernaut that is The Late Show With David Letterman chugs on.
Meanwhile, Libby Schaaf is a new entry into the public eye, and this blog post is specifically designed to introduce her to a much larger audience than the common, pro-forma, locally centered, boring, self-serving blog post would accomplish. And it's for a very good reason: Libby Schaaf, even if she does not know it, is poised to take over Oakland Politics.
Let's look at Libby Schaaf before we turn our attention back to Conan O'Brien.
First, to clear decks, Libby is a personal friend of this blogger, and has been since 1991. For all of those years Libby has been one thing: passionate about Oakland. Ms. Schaaf worked hard to help Oakland School Board members get elected and in some cases re-elected. She was a fixture as a volunteer at the Oakland Festival at The Lake. And Libby has been involved with many non-profits, like Oakland CARES when it was active, and the Oakland Symphony; in fact, the list is too long to mention even from memory.
Libby has always concerned herself with how to make Oakland better. And she's passionate (that word again) about helping women get connected and employed in business and of helping those less fortunate than she. Libby walks her talk.
Currently, Libby lives in the Montclair District and is planning to run for the City Council seat currently held by Jean Quan, who's running for Mayor of Oakland. To that end, after talking with a number of people, Libby hired locally-known campaign consultant Doug Linney as her campaign manager. She has a "kitchen cabinet" as well. She's ready, although this blogger is concerned she's running an all too conventional campaign, one not appropriate for her aura - for who she is.
Libby's plan has been to run because Jean Quan's not running for her City Council seat. If Jean changes her mind, then Libby would have to decide if she really wants to drop out of the race.
If Jean Quan elects to go back to her current seat (which she should not do as she would be a good candidate for Mayor), Libby should challenge her for the District Four City Council Seat.
Libby would beat her.
Why?
Libby Schaaf has Conan O'Brien's stage presence, good looks, ability to connect with people, and genuine passion for Oakland and for life that just comes through. What can serve her well is to realize that she must run as Libby Schaaf and not as "Libby Schaaf who's held this or that position with the City of Oakland and worked for Oakland City Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente." Nothing against De La Fuente (District 5 - Central East Oakland, Fruitvale) at all, but Libby's much bigger than Ignacio, she just doesn't know it.
Libby has an incredible star power that has been diminished by the lesser ambitions of a number of people she's chosen to surround herself with. (Oakland is full of these types; very intimidated by anyone with high ambition and willing to cut down any person that has it.) Libby belongs on stage...as a guest on Conan O'Brien' show and representing the City of Oakland.
Seriously.
In fact, now that Conan O'Brien will be out at NBC and richer for it,he reportedly has the time and money to come to Northern California and help Libby get her campaign off the ground.
With Conan O'Brien involved, Libby Schaaf would see her possible future, work to achieve it, and do so.
Stay tuned.
Go Libby, go!!! Oakland is (and will continue to become) a much better place because of her bottomless reserve of energy, her intelligence, and her deep knowledge and love of the city. She has my support 1000%!
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