Posted on 04/01/2005 5:12:08 PM PST by SmithL
LOS ANGELES - Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa's mayoral campaign was endorsed Friday by former Mayor Richard Riordan, a Republican with close ties to the governor who could help Villaraigosa make inroads with the moderates and conservatives he needs to win.
Riordan endorsed former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg less than two months ago, but Hertzberg was ousted in the primary last month.
Villaraigosa was not his first choice, but Riordan, now the state education secretary, said the councilman was the clear pick over incumbent James Hahn.
"What we need is somebody who is electric, somebody who is a leader, somebody who will bring hope to the people," Riordan said in a slap at Hahn's low-wattage image. "I don't know anybody better than Antonio."
Hahn and Villaraigosa, both Democrats, will face off in a May 17 runoff to lead the nation's second-largest city - a repeat of their race four years ago.
Riordan supported Villaraigosa in the 2001 runoff, but Hahn grabbed the lion's share of votes from moderates, conservatives and Republicans, particularly in the politically pivotal San Fernando Valley.
Villaraigosa, a former labor activist who once headed the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, has been trying to maneuver toward the political middle to attract right-leaning voters who spurned him four years ago.
"One of the images Villaraigosa has to fight is that he's a liberal, if not a radical," said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a political scientist at the University of Southern California. "Riordan's endorsement, to some extent, can help Villaraigosa tamp down that image and make valley types and moderates feel a little less uneasy."
Riordan and Villaraigosa are far from a perfect fit. Hertzberg's signature issue was dismantling the massive Los Angeles Unified School District, a proposal Villaraigosa opposes.
"You have to be a realist," Riordan said when asked about the discrepancy. "As far as breaking up the schools, I don't back off on that, but I think it's something that can't happen in the near future."
Riordan said Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was unlikely to make an endorsement in the mayor's race but made it clear that Schwarzenegger was aware of his plans to endorse Villaraigosa.
"The governor knows that I'm here today," he said, speaking outside a Van Nuys school.
It was expected the former mayor would side with Villaraigosa in the runoff. Riordan and Hahn clashed repeatedly during Hahn's days as city attorney, when Riordan ran City Hall.
Hahn talked with the former mayor after the March 8 primary but didn't ask formally for the endorsement, said Kam Kuwata, a Hahn consultant.
Kuwata dismissed the value of Riordan's involvement, saying Villaraigosa would be stiff-armed again by valley voters.
"Dick Riordan opens the door and the question is, 'Can Villaraigosa close the deal,'" Kuwata said. "He couldn't close the deal in 2001, and he won't close the deal in 2005."
Guiliani endorsed Clinton in 1996.
That was not an April 1st joke.
Did anyone hereabouts ever consider Riordan to be a Republican? Or Bloomfield, for that matter.
To me, both are left wing trolls, and I don't live in LA anyway.
Villagoroisa = Democrat
Riordan = RINO
I was just going to say, didn't he try to run to the left or Schwarzenegger for Governor at one point?
I live in LA and I couldn't care less which left wing Democrat gets elected mayor.
This city is run by the county board of supervisors, the downtown developers and the unions. The mayor is their dashboard bobblehead.
What a choice, huh?
SF's last election was a close one between Green Party, Gonzales and Gavin Newsome. The SF Comicle kept portraying Newsome as a wannabe Republican and Right-Wing reactionary. Of course, that was before "Any-twosome" Newsome left his lingerie-model wife and endorsed gay marriage.
I live in an area of Los Angeles that is infested with gang members and the crime that comes with them. Last year a judge finally slapped an injunction on our two main gangs. Villaraigosa was the first one screaming and yelling about it being racist and that the judge was "profiling hispanics". I won't vote for him because he's a scummy, smarmy individual.
To me, both are left wing trolls,
Yep.
and I don't live in LA anyway.
I do, and it sucks out here.
Basically correct. Another issue with Villagoroisa is that he is a Mexican supremacist who has openly advocated the secession of the Southwest US and the ethnic cleansing of the new nation of "Aztlan." Michelle Malkin's site has all the details.
One of the odd things about political discourse in this country is the fact that those on the left (like Villagoroisa) are allowed to advocate what amounts to genocide and few conservatives (and even fewer Republicans) are willing to call them what they are - racists. This guy is every bit as racist as David Duke, and he's never challenged about his views.
Riordan was a major RINO
when i moved to los angeles in 1985 riordan got my attention because he and some other wealthy guys bought the archbishop mcphony a helicopter for his personal use.
maphony was the only archbishop who flew his own plane and later his own helicopter.
"and he lost it to Bill Jones"
in 2002 the R who won the primary was named Simon who lost to Gray who lost to Arnold
The reason I don't like Villaraigosa is because he is the former Chairman of the UCLA Chapter of MEChA, an anti-American separatist group. To this day, he refuses to repudiate MEChA's organizational beliefs or to distance himself from any dealings with or connection to MEChA. Villaraigosa is also an illegal immigration cheerleader.
"in 2002 the R who won the primary was named Simon"
Thanks for the correction - my fault. I was just glad to see Riordan lose.
"One of the images Villaraigosa has to fight is that he's a liberal, if not a radical," said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a political scientist at the University of Southern California. "Riordan's endorsement, to some extent, can help Villaraigosa tamp down that image and make valley types and moderates feel a little less uneasy."
..and here comes Rairdon, to help La Raza continue its efforts to reclaim Aztlan.
aRnie endorsed Hertzberg in the mayoral primary, btw.
It says a lot about the state of the new CA GOP party... imo.
and I ain't april fooling. ;-)
"The only reason Freepers seem to prefer him over Villaraigosa is that the latter is of Mexican ancestry. "
You are mistaken. Hahn may be corrupt, but Villaraignosa is a socialist.
Please, Hahn DESERVES to lose! He is a crook AND a Socialist! F--k him and the city of Los Angeles.
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