Michael Kosta

After going to college on a baseball scholarship, Gavin followed in the footsteps of so many young graduates by opening a winery with nothing but his grit, his refined palate, and the financial backing of an oil tycoon.

Yes, things were finally starting to work out for this tall, handsome, athletic, well-connected young man.

Owning this small business gave Newsom his first taste of the issues affecting real Americans.

Enough's enough.

Move over, Bernie.

There's a new man of the people in town.

Newsome's Wine Company was a hit.

He had the smell of success with some oaky notes and I want to say cherry.

But soon a health code clash with City Hall led to sour grapes.

So Newsom took his complaint straight to the mayor, who had a strange counteroffer.

Willie Brown, the mayor, said, I'm going to appoint you to the parking traffic commission because I was bitching about doing business in San Francisco.

Getting appointed to a position he knew nothing about soon gave Gavin the confidence to aim even higher.

Willie Brown was turned out as mayor, and there was an open seat.

And I think at 33, I announced, why the hell not?

And with that stirring message as his clarion call, Newsom landed his biggest role to date.

Mayor.

He quickly made his mark, taking the lead on gay marriage.

Separate is not equal.

Because he wanted everyone to experience the joy that he felt with his wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle, a California district attorney who definitely has a type.

Gavin and Kimberly would practically San Francisco royalty, even if they didn't quite know how to use chairs.