Mayor shifts to Obama
He was one of Sen, Hillary Clinton's highest profile endorsers, but with Sen. Barack Obana securing the nomination on Tuesday, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is preparing to switch his allegience.
Villaraigosa endorsed Clinton last May and served as one of her national campaign chairs, campaigning for her in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, Texas and throughout California.
"I spoke with Sen. Clinton yesterday and I said to her, `I've never been prouder to support a presidential candidate,'" Villaraigosa said.
But with Obama winning the nomination, he said he is prepared to switch his support. "I also believe that Barack Obama is going to be a great standard-bearer for our party," the mayor said. "Yesterday, we crossed a threshold. Americans said it's time for change. They're looking for a leader who can inspire us, and the message is clear -- we all have a lot of work to do to make sure that that change comes to fruition."
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The Los Angeles Daily News' City Hall reporters Rick Orlov and Kerry Cavanaugh write about politics on the local, state and national stage.
Oh, well, what else is the Mayor going to do. Hillary has to endorse Obama or look like more of a bad sport: she is the better candidate, but the monied elite of the party wanted to show their support for a younger, biracial black man, so it just wasn't her time. Her doing things the traditional way, building up a resume and then launching her campaign, combined with very poor campaign strategists who put all their eggs in a few baskets and didn't build an internet campaign like Obama, and who didn't understand the value of caucusing vs. popular vote the way his team did, did her in.
But with his three years of experience in the Senate and foreign experience limited to living abroad as a child, his and Michelle's poor showing under the limited pressure they've had so far, and his being too far to the left of the average American, this means that McCain will win. Few "support" the war and many moderates realize how culturally and politically ignorant the Bush admn. was for jumping into it expecting rival factions to join hands in democracy -- but pulling out will mean that Iran, who already funds and essentially controls S. Iraq/ Basra, where the oil wealth is, would take over the country. They're biding their time for us to pull out, is why they've quietly cooperated with the occupation forces over those who want Iran out. Once McCain figures this out and convinces the American public of the consequences of naively pulling out suddenly as Obama's followers want, people will turn against Obama. Should Obama win, he'll fall apart in the first big crisis or two, and be a one-term President.
Where will all this leave the Mayor? Not affect him either way, since the big money supporting Hillary now will do the same as him, in the name of "party unity." Where will this leave the Democratic Party? Hopefully having gotten past this "historic moment," they can go back to choosing the person they think can best win and who's most in sync with the Average Joe.
Villaraigosa has as much allegiance to Clinton as he did to his family or his City Council seat: when he sees a better opportunity, do you know what he does?
He takes it.
Villaraigosa is a one-term mayor and is using tax-payer time to find his next gig. His distractions have put the city a half-BILLION dollars in debt.
I hope Obama takes him so we can be rid of him.
Oh please. This man's been en elected official at the Illinois State and U.S Fed level for more than 10 years, longer than Clinton and Edwards, so his resume is far more substantial than you write. Bill Clinton got over the youth and inexperience claims against him -- he was younger than Obama or same age with little experience -- and so will Sen. Obama.
He'll make a fine president, much better than McCain. I don't care what color or race he is, just that he's got great leadership skills, pulled together a great team and campaign that is fiscally-sound and has encouraged many Americans to be active in our communities in a way many of us haven't seen in years, or ever. Good for him. Very glad to cast a vote for Obama.