Posted on 04/03/2005 8:59:58 AM PDT by SmithL
Los Angeles -- THE LOS Angeles mayor's race has a haggard, been-there-done-that feel -- as if the City of Angels were approaching the end of politics.
The March 8 primary pitted Mayor Jimmy Hahn against two former Assembly speakers -- Antonio Villaraigosa and Bob Hertzberg -- as well as the police chief Hahn fired, Bernie Parks, a prominent African American who was replaced by the popular Bill Bratton.
The top candidates were all Democrats, with some lesser-known hopefuls added in. All that talent and yet the turnout was a measly 26 percent of registered voters.
The end of politics? It's what you get when only the candidates' entourages show up at rallies, few regular citizens care who wins, and issues don't matter anymore.
Villaraigosa compares the L.A. mayoral election to the election in Iraq, where the turnout was almost 59 percent -- and laments. Hahn told me that the mayoral primary didn't even generate the turnout of the 2001 election when he won the mayor's office.
Then, it was 30 percent -- and 30 percent is, as they say in Hollywood, bad box office. Now, the May 17 runoff election pits not the top candidate of each party but the top two vote-getters.
Hahn squeaked into the runoff with just 24 percent of the vote. The oh-so charming Villaraigosa, however, fared better, capturing 33 percent of the vote. But that lead may prove elusive. Four years ago, Villaraigosa beat Hahn in the primary election only to lose to him in the runoff.
It will be the end of politics when all the interest groups have endorsed every candidate -- at different times. And that just could happen one of these days.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I'm hopin' that she had her tongue firmly planted in her check when she wrote that, 'cause Antonio has all the charm of a snake oil salesman.
Just imagine that creep as governor.
Do you expect him to endorse that CROOK Hahn?
As opposed to that La Raza separatist, Villaraigosa?
No, I expect him to withold any endorsement. Use your head before you post.
The LA mayor is so powerless and ineffectual, regardless which nincompoop democrat wins, that getting Riordan's endorsement is like having someone give you directions to the best cabin on the Titanic.
I certainly hope that you were already out of the running to be her favorite before that conversation.
; )
Riordan endorsed Villarigosa over Hahn in the 2001 runoff, as well.
Why anyone ever believed the (R) stood for anything other than RINO is a mystery.
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