Obama hires veteran strategist

Longtime Los Angeles Democratic operative Mitchell Schwartz has jumped on the Obama train.

The founder of the Bombay Company public relations firm, which coordinated the online media campaign for former Vice President Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, Schwartz will serve as California State Director for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

In a statement Thursday, Schwartz praised the Illinois senator for opposing the Iraq war ``from the start,’’ adding, ``it’s not enough to change parties, we’ve got to transform politics.’’

Schwartz has worked on nearly every presidential campaign since 1984, and served in 1992 as Bill Clinton’s New Hampshire state director. He also served on campaigns for Sen. Barbara Boxer, former Gov. Gray Davis and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villraigosa.