Willie Brown's city.

• Author: Plante, Hank
• Position: LETTERS - Letter to the editor

With regards to Elizabeth Lesly Stevens's article on former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown ("The Power Broker," July/August 2012), it appears that yet another East Coast magazine has swooped in to the West Coast to tell us nothing we didn't already know. To capture the essence of Willie Brown you have to understand what those of us who have reported on him for thirty years understand: he is the best daily news story you can find. On a dull day, all we had to do was find Willie, get a sound-bite, and we'd have a story.

He is surprisingly transparent (for someone who sees the whole chessboard), and he likes nothing more than to share his tidbits with reporters who get him--which is why he's good copy. (I won't nitpick, but you should know the reason San Francisco has more employees than San...