Mayor V won’t be speaking at DNC

The Latino, Democratic Mayor of the second largest city in the United States won’t be addressing his fellow party members in any signifigant way at next week’s Democratic Convention.

Here’s some wild theories as to why:

a. California is expected to be an easy win for Obama in November, so better to fill the speaking slate with DNC faves from red and undecided states.

b. Mayor Villaraigosa was a national co-chair for Hilary Clinton’s presidential bid, and who wants to remember that?

c. The Democratic party is trying to keep a lid on the number of philanderers as its spokesmen. John Edwards will reportedly be nowhere near Denver. Bill Clinton will be… um… toplining the roster. Let me amend this to,  the Democratic party is trying to keep a limit on the number of philanderers as its spokesmen.

Obama to Mayor V: Don’t expect Federal help for L.A.

…or other cities, the Presidential nominee told Antonio Villaraigosa and a delegation of mayors from across the US on Saturday. Obama said that “current urban policy was obsolete and needed to be replaced by a model that focused on rational metropolitan growth rather than chiefly on inner-city crime and poverty.” From the New York Times.

Senator Barack Obama told the nation’s mayors on Saturday that current urban policy was obsolete and needed to be replaced by a model that focused on rational metropolitan growth rather than chiefly on inner-city crime and poverty…

“[We] need to stop seeing our cities as the problem and start seeing them as the solution. Because strong cities are the building blocks of strong regions, and strong regions are essential for a strong America.”

The comments came during a speech in Miami at the US Conference of Mayors, where Bill Clinton also spoke, urging mayors to make their city greener. He touted his own Clinton Climate Initiative, “that launched a $5 billion project last year to retrofit buildings in 40 of the world’s largest cities, saving both energy and money.” [Miami Herald]  Los Angeles is the only California city participating in the project.

Clinton said if city leaders take advantage of loan programs to refit their buildings to make them more energy efficient, they could reduce their carbon footprint, create jobs and save money…

”I think if we do it right, it will be the major engine of growth and new jobs in America for at least a decade.”

Bill Clinton withdraws from UCLA commencement speech

Following up on promises to withdraw from speaking at UCLA graduation ceremonies if the UC system didn’t settle a labor dispute, Clinton finally sent word today that he was cancelling plans to attend the event scheduled for this Friday. Yesterday, former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez also cancelled a commencement speech scheduled for today at UC Davis, citing the same reasons. [via SacBee]

While tumultuous contract negotiations have stretched on for months, UC so far has managed to avoid a strike by its 20,000 employeess with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who complain of low wages and poor benefits.

AFSCME-represented workers include radiology, respiratory and operating room technicians; cooks, food servers and caterers; and custodians, groundskeepers and other maintenance workers in the UC health care system, which includes Santa Monica-UCLA and four other hospitals plus student health centers. [MyFoxLA]

In late May, the UC system filed a restraining order to prevent a planned two day strike. Before a judge could decide on the matter, the AFSCME cancelled the strike plans and returned to contract negotiations. However, UCLA, 20 students began a 3 day fast in support of the union workers on the same day the strike would have started.

[additional source: MercuryNews.com]

California’s undeclared Superdelegates

Is the Clinton campaign preparing to concede the nomination to Barack Obama?

Earlier today, Bill Clinton told a crowd in Milbank, SD, “this may be the last day I’m ever involved in a campaign of this kind.” [MSNBC's First Read]

And Hillary Clinton is planning tomorrow’s post-primary speech in New York, a rarity according to the Associated Press. Her staffers have been invited to attend, but if they’re unable to “go home for further instructions.”

With that in mind, I thought it might be time for a quick review of the numbers, and how California plays into the scenario:

Obama is now 46 delegates short of the 2,118 needed to clinch the Democratic nomination, while Clinton needs 202. There are 31 pledged delegates up for grabs in the Tuesday contests, and 202 superdelegates have yet to commit to either candidate. [CNN]

Thirteen of the 202 superdelegates are from California. They are:

Steve Ybarra, Art Torres, Robert Ranking, John Perez, Christine Pelosi, Bob Mulholland, Carole Midgen, Susan Davis, Bob Filner, Sam Farr, Michael Honda, Gerald McNerney, and Nancy Pelosi.

Interview with Janice Hahn, Hillary Clinton’s secret weapon

Last week I spoke with City Councilperson Janice Hahn on her winning one one of the spots as a Hillary Clinton delegate representing the 36th Congressional District. Over 200 people had shown up at the caucus to choose between 25 candidates vying for four spots – two women, one man, and an alternate

At my Obama caucus visit, numerous candidates had insisted that their convention votes wouldn’t be swayed, and seemed disturbed that anyone would try to change it. They definitely have reason for concern: Hahn unabashedly told me she cemented her win by telling caucus voters that she’d be able to persuade Obama delegates to vote for Hillary on the floor of the Democratic Convention.

I also asked Hahn why Clinton would be good for Los Angeles, and her thoughts on running for congress…

Clinton stiffing UC Davis with $6,350 bill

That 3am call Hillary Clinton is prepared to answer may end up being a collection agency.

Bill Clinton’s January visit to UC Davis to drum up support for his wife’s campaign resulted in a since unpaid bill for:

- The UC Davis Marching Band cost $500.
- Cleanup services after the rally cost $250.
- UC Davis Police officers didn’t come as cheap. The security bill is more than $5,600.

The university has threatened to report the bill to a collection agency next month.