L.A.'s salesman in chief

Depicting himself as "salesman in chief" for Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa returned Thursday from his two-week trade mission to Asia and defended the trip as necessary to bring business to the city. Daily News.

"I probably should have gone there more often," Villaraigosa said at a news conference at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. "One-third of the Chinese imports come in to Los Angeles. Our tourism from China is up 151 percent compared with five years ago.

"This is without question where we want to be if we want to get investment, trade and tourism in Los Angeles."