Antonio Avoids Politicaholism

By Darry Sragow

Attorney and long time Democratic Strategist

Tue, June 23rd, 2009

Kudos to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villagraigosa for having the guts to enter political recovery.

Politicaholism is just another form of addiction. The need to be constantly in motion whether random or directed, the need for that never ending adrenaline rush, distracts politicaholics from fulfilling the commitments they made to the people who elected them to office and even prevents them from acting in their own self interest.

Resisting the siren song of the 2010 governor's race means that Antonio can wake up every day focused on what's best for the City of Los Angeles. He can tackle the genuinely horrific fiscal woes facing the city. He can nail down gains on the public safety front and work to create jobs, improve our schools, reduce traffic and the city's carbon footprint.

In doing so, he will fulfill his promise to make Los Angeles a better city, the promise he made when he asked the voters to put their trust in him. And he will feel better for it.

In the future, a record of political sobriety and success in the Mayor's office may lead to new opportunities: The U.S. Senate, a major appointment in Washington, or important work in the public policy arena outside of government.

In the meantime, even without Antonio, California's Democrats will have an interesting choice for Governor. Jerry Brown can be the candidate promising to govern with a strong even hand, based on unparalleled experience as an elected official. Gavin Newsom can run as the candidate of change who will take the state in a new direction. Dianne Feinstein or someone whose name isn't even being mentioned could decide to give it a shot.

And Antonio Villaraigosa can sleep well at night knowing that he did the right thing for the people who are counting on him and for himself.

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Submitted by Jeff Viar (not verified) on Sat, 06/27/2009 - 23:06.

You've got to be kidding me. The idea that Villar(aigosa) resisted the some draw to place the governor's feather in his cap is downright laughable.

He didn't resist anything other than the opportunity to get his head handed to him in the primaries. Even in Los Angeles, polls had him in a statistical tie with Brown.

The rest of the state should be thankful, since they won't have this failure of a public official ruining California the way he's been ruining Los Angeles. We had quite enough of this guy working, (and I use that term loosely) on the state level when he was in the assembly.

Villaraigosa and the Political Winds of Change

Submitted by Carmen (not verified) on Fri, 06/26/2009 - 08:39.

I think most of the comments to this essay pegged it right: Villaraigosa isn't running out of a sense of duty to L.A. He's chosen to bow out because the poll numbers aren't with him. (Let's get real: where was that devotion during last year's "summer of love" with the news reporter). He hasn't a record to stand on of any import, with one lone exception: the LAPD's performance and our low crime rate. That's it. Not enough to stake a bid for statewide office. One of his goals was to make L.A. the Silicon Valley of the Southern CA. Instead, he's been taxing the heck out of such companies and driving them to outlier communities. If he were to truly make the city a haven for technology businesses, there could be a future for him. But that takes vision and the only thing he's interested in looking at is himself.

Villaraigosa

Submitted by EdSox (not verified) on Wed, 06/24/2009 - 14:30.

Oh, please...Antonio "did the right thing for the people who are counting on him and for himself." He "did the right thing" because he didn't stand a chance in hell of gaining the nomination as a result of his political and personal failures.

More wishful thinking

Submitted by Jim Pell (not verified) on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 21:36.

Mr. Sragow, Thank you for identifying yourself as a Democratic party strategist, as if that weren't obvious, from your utterly slanted and defensive apology for Mr. Villagraigosa. You and he are merely shuffling your message to conceal your party's responsibility for the financial predicament that we find ourselves in today. It is not enough that he, or other Democratic pols, try to isolate and insulate themselves behind their local office. If you are unable or unwilling to oppose the "tax and spend and tax" policies of your party, then nothing you say can exculpate you from what you have wrought upon Californian taxpayers and businesses. Give it up. Change, or step aside for someone more responsible to the will of the people and the needs of our children and grandchildren, Democrat or not. You have taken us to the precipice, and you still don't seem to get it. Your party has won another election, while losing the confidence of the electorate. Pelosi? Reid? Villagraigosa? And you suggest Jerry Brown might provide a "strong even hand"? I guess we're "not in Kansas anymore"!

Wrong

Submitted by Visitor (not verified) on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 10:13.

Sorry. Antonio did not resist "the siren song of the 2010 governor's race." He did not have "the guts to enter political recovery." He is neither noble, nor brave. If he could've won, he would've run. It really is that simple, so stop dreaming.

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