L.A. mayor endorses Clinton presidential bid

[Ediacara]

Source: Los Angeles Times

By Duke Helfand and Steve Hymon, Times Staff Writers
6:30 PM PDT, May 30, 2007

Saying Hillary Rodham Clinton was a leader who offered a new path, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today formally endorsed the New York senator and former first lady in her race to become president of the United States.

Villaraigosa will also serve as one of the four national chairs of Clinton's campaign for the Democratic nomination for president, it was announced.

At a televised news conference from the UCLA campus in Westwood, Villaraigosa praised Clinton's approach to domestic issues, particularly education, and her pledge to help end the war in Iraq. The pair earlier toured the preschool at UCLA's Krieger Center.

The 2008 election represents an important opportunity for the country to change direction from the years of President Bush, the mayor said.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-ex-endorse30may31,0,4960051.story?coll=la-home-center

[NoodleBoy]

1. villaraigosa has his own political career in mind above all else

he's offered a few tactical endorsements lately of the democratic establishment; I just wonder where he thinks it'll get him.

[mitchum]

3. You are correct. Did you read the New Yorker profile a couple of weeks ago?

After reading the article and taking into account his ambition and seeming risk addiction, I can only conclude he is a catastrophe waiting to happen.

[NoodleBoy]

4. I haven't read it, but he doesn't even seem to have the potential to be governor of california

which is probably one of his goals. as for congress, he'd be a shoe-in for a house seat in a couple years, but with Arnie looking for a senate run (boxer's seat) in 2010, and Feinstein with 6 more years, it's hard to tell.

and I'd only see him succesfully running on a national ticket as the VP for a moderate dem from the deep south-- know any of those that could possibly run for president? yeah.

[BeyondGeography]

5. That was a disturbing article; he came off as a back-stabbing phony

a politician's politician. HRC can have him.

[mitchum]

6. It was indeed disturbing...there's just so many ways he could damage...

the Democratic Party
corporate stooge
scandal
etc...

[mitchum]

2. I'm sure he did

like attracts like

[David__77]

7. I had high hopes for him, but am somewhat disappointed.

I agree with the poster who called this "tactical." That doesn't put it in a better light to me though.

[dsa]

8. Anyone who endorses Hillary

can't be all bad!

[w4rma]

9. Just mostly bad. (nt)

[dsa]

10. That's right--just like anyone who supports Edwards!

:rofl:

[Ken Burch]

11. So what? Villaraigosa wrote a big article in THE NATION early in '04

pretending Kerry was progressive. Nothing new here.

(Not that Kerry isn't a decent moderate establishment lib within limits, but by me "progressive" means convictions and actual courage under political fire.)