The secret of Brown's political success in Sacramento was his insulation from the public. The speakership is an elected position determined by the membership of the Assembly. The public at large is unaware of the machinations of a speakership fight or the role of the speaker, and the speaker, a kind of benevolent dictator, is beholden only to the majority of the 80-member house that elected him. In Brown's case, ironically, more Republicans voted for him for speaker than did Democrats -- a circumstance that haunted the GOP for years.

Indeed, there is evidence that the FBI's undercover sting that rocked the Capitol during the late 1980s was prompted by Republican attempts to sink the Democratic speaker. Brown emerged from the corruption scandals unscathed, while his chief GOP accuser, former Republican Leader Pat Nolan, went to his doom.

But Brown's charmed life is over.

Now, as mayor of San Francisco, Brown finds himself embroiled in the kinds of political controversies that have bedeviled many a lesser politician. Whether it's bad-mouthing a San Francisco 49er or coming under fire for failing to rid Golden Gate Park of the homeless or facing criticism for placing a former girlfriend as a key player in the lucrative development of Treasure Island, Brown's woes seem to be compounding. The two local newspapers, the Chronicle and the Examiner, seem to be trying to outdo each other in going after Brown, and both have scored major hits.

The problem is that the kinds of skills that impress other politicians -- and lead to success in parliamentary leadership -- are precisely the kinds of skills that turn off the public. Fellow politicians may be impressed with the fast quip, fast cars, fast women and $1,500 Brioni suits, but most voters seem to want something more substantial. Moreover, Brown operated effectively as speaker by shrewdly spreading around perks to woo lawmakers, such as the plum committee assignments and the top staff. But as mayor, although he rules his staff with an iron hand, Brown has no real leverage over those who count most, the electorate.

Redd Fox once said that "life is hard, and it's harder if you're stupid," and Brown seems to have always taken that wisdom to heart. By far, he was the smartest politician in the state Capitol for a decade and a half, routinely besting governors in tough negotiations and running his own house as if it were a personal fiefdom.

But the San Francisco mayor's job, although it entails miniscule power compared to the speakership, has proven difficult to master. Brown has hinted that he is considering running for re-election in two years, but by that time San Francisco's fickle voters, who delight in throwing out their mayors, may not be much interested.

-James Panella

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