WASHINGTON — Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a vocal politician imprinted on the fabric of San Francisco history and known for her attempt to find bipartisan common ground during her three decades in the Senate, has died, her office confirmed on Friday.
She was 90.
“Senator Feinstein never backed away from a fight for what was just and right. At the same time, she was always willing to work with anyone, even those she disagreed with, if it meant bettering the lives of Californians or the betterment of our nation,” her chief of staff, James Sauls, said in a statement.
Feinstein was the longest-serving female senator and the longest-serving senator from California. She announced in February that she planned to retire at the end of 2024, when her term expired. She had faced calls for her resignation and questions about her age and health.
“In San Francisco, she showed enormous poise and courage in the wake of tragedy, and became a powerful voice for American values. Serving in the Senate together for more than 15 years, I had a front row seat to what Dianne was able to accomplish,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “Dianne made her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties. She’s made history in so many ways, and our country will benefit from her legacy for generations.”
Biden ordered flags to be lowered at the White House in her honor.
RIP Dianne Feinstein…I think she was a wonderful person and someone who devoted her entire life to public service. Yes, she probably should have retired years ago, but that doesn’t take away from everything she achieved.
Nice, John. Yes. Knew her and the members of her family as a much younger reporter in The City (requisite Examiner capitalization) and she was always very kind.
Our condolences to her family.
NEWS24-680 – I’m glad you were able to know her and her family. As you said, she always came across to me as a very kind and classy person. Like many people who grew up or lived in the Bay Area in the 60s/70s, my strongest memory of her was when George Moscone and Harvey Milk were assassinated.
I think people forget how effective she was as a U.S. Senator, going back many years obviously.
May Senator Feinstein rest in peace. Grace and solace extended to her family. A trailblazer on multiple levels. I can only hope that people take a close look at her track record over the years to appreciate the depth and breadth of her accomplishments versus looking at the last year of her physical infirmities.
The next order of business is to see how Governor Newsom fills a Senate seat for the remainder of the term (a second time). I expect it to be contentious. Just what we needed, more political folderol.
Thanks for another thoughtful post, Jeff – and for using folderol.
101 California Street. The Moscone and Milk murders. Personal tragedies. She shouldered a lot for women, for girls. She blazed new trails.
RIP
She also vetoed domestic partnership legislation.
Well, she was born in 1933… Maybe she was juuuust a bit old-fashioned.
Oh, wait! Remind me when she was President and vetoed that. I can’t recall.
You don’t remember her doing that when she was mayor, or you just choose not to remember, or you don’t care about the discrimination perpetuated against the gay community? Whatever your answer, you can’t change facts.She vetoed it.
Well, the google machine tells me the mayor of SF vetoed “domestic partnership” legislation 41 years ago, and while I lived in SF at the time and had an interest in civil rights generally, I have no recollection in 2023 of her 1982 veto, let alone the specific nature of the legislation.
Progress toward equality is slow. It is not guaranteed. It is not always forward, as we observe right now, and I don’t mind being reminded about any celebrated leader’s mixed record.
Some of us don’t have the luxury of being interested in civil rights “generally.” We are forced to confront the situation every day and had to deal with the ramifications of her veto.