Villaraigosa Passed Over As DNC Speaker, LA Times Baffled

Seriously, they can't be this stupid. It's one thing to pretend that a daily onslaught of attacks is the reason why Barack Obama is cratering in the polls, but does the author of this have any memory dating back further than last week?

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa won't have a featured role at next week's Democratic National Convention in Denver, the political pep rally that can be a springboard for the party's brightest stars.

Villaraigosa was a national co-chair for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid. When she bowed out, the mayor was quick to toss his support behind presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama -- and was even tapped to introduce the Illinois senator at a convention of Latino leaders in July.

Uh, maybe the reason why is Villairaigosa not too long ago was busy tapping something else? Let's have a stroll down memory lane, shall we?

A Spanish-language newscaster who was suspended for two months after having an affair with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa while reporting on him left her job at the station on Monday.

A KVEA-TV spokesman declined to elaborate why Mirthala Salinas did not show up to start her new assignment following the unpaid suspension.

"Telemundo and Mirtha Salinas have mutually agreed to end our employment relationship effective October 1," station spokesman Victor M. Franco said.

Just in case these verbal clues aren't helping jog any memories, here's a visual aid that might ring some bells.


You see that woman on the left? Yes, her. That's Ms. Salinas. OK, now the Mayor of Los Angeles, the aforementioned Mr. Villaraigosa, he's the guy on the right. He was, how shall we politely put this, banging Ms. Salinas while he was still married. It caused quite the stir. Heck, it even made news in the Los Angeles Times, which noted it wasn't his first affair.

Now I understand extramarital affairs are a given in certain communities (I'm talking about Democrats) and are often resume enhancers. However, in the current climate (see Edwards, John), Barack Obama is desperately trying to portray his party as (snicker) family-oriented.

Why else you think he keeps trotting his kids out for every photo-op (while pretending he wants privacy for them)?

Still, the Times tries to avoid the obvious.

Larry Gerston, a political scientist at San Jose State University, said he thought Villaraigosa was passed by simply because California is expected to be an easy win for Obama.

It makes more sense, he said, to have speakers from states that are up for grabs.

Which of course fails to explain why the Clintons, putatively from New York, will be speaking during 97% of televised proceedings.

GOP pollster and political consultant Arnold Steinberg of Los Angeles thinks the Obama campaign is making a mistake.

"He's the mayor of Los Angeles. I would think they would give him some more attention," Steinberg said.

"Maybe they thought it was easier to pronounce 'Richardson' than 'Villaraigosa.' "

No, maybe it was a lot easier to avoid having the audience sitting at home saying "Oh yeah, that's the mayor of LA, the one who was screwing the hot TV babe" and becoming distracted from the yummy brainmush of hope and change.