The only item on tonight's agenda is who should replace him.
Although it might be gratifying to watch Hahn lose to both Villaraigosa and Hertzberg, it is important to remember that there is little equivalence between the challengers beyond their tenures as assembly speaker. You might be able to argue that Hertzberg had the best commercials of the campaign, but you'd be hard pressed to make a case otherwise for his selection. In the ads, he looked like he was auditioning to succeed Schwartzenegger as an action figure; if what he said during this campaign is to be taken seriously, he would follow up his impersonation of Arnold the actor with a similarly slavish imitation of Arnold the politician.
Nominally a Democrat, Hertzberg sought to distinguish himself from his rivals in this race by running on a Republican platform that included breaking up the Los Angeles Unified School District, a decision over which the mayor has no say, and opposing a tax hike to pay for more police. He is strongly in favor of relieving traffic congestion -- if there is a politician anywhere in the world calling for more traffic congestion I want to meet him -- and he has punctuated his campaign with brave calls for new leadership. Nancy Daly Riordan, wife of former Republican mayor Richard Riordan, is a co-chair of Hertzberg's campaign.
Hertzberg's proposal to break up the school district reveals an unusual capacity for growth. Only four years ago, he opposed a bill that would have established a commission to study the idea. Now, allied with Riordan and the governor, he is its chief proponent.
The ads in which a giant Hertzberg towers over the city and its problems combined with the candidate's natural gregariousness to propel him from nowhere into second place in what is a very tight contest (with nearly a fifth of the electorate undecided, anyone can win). While you can understand why Valley voters might see Hertzberg as their champion, it is a little disheartening that so many westsiders seem to be beguiled by his reputation as a hugger. I have had people tell me they plan to vote for the bearish politician on the preposterous notion that he is the warmest and most "cuddly" candidate in the race.
Watching Hertzberg's commercials, it doesn't take much leap of imagination to see him less as Gulliver and more as Godzilla.
Antonio Villaraigosa was the right choice the last time he and Hahn faced off, and he is the right choice again. This would be true if all we knew of was his commitment to minority rights and his record as a coalition-builder in the assembly. But Villaraigosa is not only one of the few politicians in California who is willing to address issues of class, race and gender, he has also stood by labor, and he is a strong advocate for clean air and clean water, a crucial stand to take at a moment when GOP-controlled state and national governments are undoing environmental laws it took a century to set in place. "A clean environment is the foundation of a livable community," Villaraigosa said during the campaign. "It is not a luxury, it is a necessity. I will dedicate myself to transforming Los Angeles into the cleanest, greenest big city in America....Los Angeles must be a part of the emerging green economy," the councilmember added, showing he understands that the issues can't be isolated. "We can be the leader in clean energy technology and create new jobs by leveraging investments by Department of Water and Power and the Port, but we need the right leadership in the Mayor's office."
The Times, courageously braving ridicule, endorsed both Hertzberg and Villaraigosa: "Either would be a more dynamic leader than incumbent James K. Hahn, whose leadership has been lackluster and whose flawed appointments and lax oversight of City Hall contracts have fueled impressions of favoritism. Hertzberg is the enlightened businessman's candidate, a high-velocity wonk who loves big ideas and is bursting with plans (some of them even doable) for hiring more police, improving public transit and reforming the L.A. Unified School District. Villaraigosa is the intuitive anti-wonk who operates from the gut. A gifted coalition builder, he is skilled at reading situations and people. Best outcome: a Hertzberg-Villaraigosa runoff."
Even though it would be satisfying to see Hahn's cynicism repudiated in this round, progressives will do the city a disservice if they try to engineer his humiliation by voting for Hertzberg. While a run-off between Villaraigosa and Hertzberg would be a better outcome -- mostly because it would mean the stake had already been driven through the heart of the Hahn candidacy, no outcome this time around that doesn't result in the eventual election of Mayor Villaraigosa will be good for Los Angeles. It is vital that he be among the final two. Vote for him Tuesday.
Antonio Villaraigosa for Los Angeles Mayor 2005: <http://www.antonio2005.com/>
Villaraigosa's "Mayor in a Minute" video: <http://www.antonio2005.com/images/ads/mayorinaminute.wmv>
L.A.Weekly endorsement of Villaraigosa: <http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/14/news-endorsements.php>
The California League of Conservation Voters endorsement of Villaraigosa's environmental record: <http://www.ecovote.org/>
African-American leaders endorse Parks and Villaraigosa: <http://www.latimes.com/>
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