Mayor Antonio (Bell: condo, rent , jobs)

[fairweathergolfer]

You're right! That is exactly what it looks like. No mistake, I suppose either. It is probably code for anyway.

Originally Posted by DontH8Me

Wow James, for a second there I saw the word "MEChA" under his gorgeous mug, but it turns out it says "Marcha". Close enough for him, I suppose.

[Sorcerer68]

I care even less about this than when Guliani was messing around. The funny part about that was being on a float with his mistress and the wife on another in the same parade. Would that play in L.A.?

[LALady]

Originally Posted by sgfludd

Oh no - I couldn't agree more - were I the Mrs. V - I would take my sweet time - but I didn't read or see that it was temporary. But still - where does it end? What's next for Tony - a press release on erectile dysfunction? Honestly - I think he overestimates how much Angelenos care about his personal life. And how can he keep asking for his privacy to be respected - when he's the one constantly putting it out there in the street.

The Daily news was about to do an expose on his affair. He was forced to make an announcement.

[LALady]

Originally Posted by DontH8Me

Wow fastfilm, that's the first I have heard that this napoleonic nutjob has aspirations to become President - did you mean of the U.S.? That is laughable at best. Considering the crappy law school he attended (unaccredited "People's College of Law"), and the fact that he tried to pass the bar exam at least four times and as far as I know has yet to pass, he would be reaching waaaay beyond reality. I can't believe he ever got elected considering his prior affiliation with MEChA (as a chairman of a chapter). I just can't believe how scandalous our local politicos have become, and why no one seems to care.

Rocky Degadillo attended Harvard and Columbia and he's no better. Driving about with no car insurance when you are the District Attorney????

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by LALady

Rocky Degadillo attended Harvard and Columbia and he's no better. Driving about with no car insurance when you are the District Attorney????

Absolutely! Reading this thread about Mayor V, my thoughts continually went back to DA Rocky. No shame with these guys?

[marilyn220]

Originally Posted by fastfilm

Normally I shun political personal gossip as long as the legislator is doing good to the public overall, but Mayor Antonio is not doing so. Hence fair game!

Questions for others, please?
-Does he think he belongs to the Kennedy mystique as do many "strongman/virile Democrats," hence that the public playing around is forgiveable? I was told by someone who worked for Gary Hart that this was his personal thinking. Weirdly enough, this someone now works for Mayor Antonio who might adhere to same.
-Is he sufficiently misguided to consider playboy machismo a desireable trait and "ethnically acceptable?" I am hoping our posters of Hispanic ancestry don't agree with this one! (I loved Cuban-American musician/actor Ruben Blades' spoofing of his former countrymen's machismo by groaning an impression: "I have soooo many womens!")
-Why is he so publicly mean to his wife? Character flaw?
-And this guy wants to President? Mr. Do Everything Wrong?
-and, back to L.A.-specific topicality, why is he so partisan to one ethnicity of Los Angeles? Does he think that all of the people of the city don't count?

I, personally don't care that he wants to leave his wife. Some marriages aren't meant to last forever and he has a history of cheating on her (according to the mother-in-law).

I'm more pissed at the fact that in the early nineties he left her for the wife of a CLOSE FAMILY FRIEND! The fact that he cheated was bad enough, but for him to do it with a woman that knew them for YEARS would have sent me over the edge. I'm really starting to wonder if latin women just accept this nonsense, because it's all they know. I wonder if she was a virgin when they got together? It would explain a lot.

Anyway, he's in his fifties now dealing with a woman in her thirties at the HEIGHT OF HER SEXUAL PEAK. Viagara will become (if it's not already) his best friend.

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by marilyn220

Anyway, he's in his fifties now dealing with a woman in her thirties at the HEIGHT OF HER SEXUAL PEAK. Viagara will become (if it's not already) his best friend.

Oh, no, I can hear the jokes already... Mayor Viagrara... I'll stop now.

[marilyn220]

Originally Posted by cre8

Oh, no, I can hear the jokes already... Mayor Viagrara... I'll stop now.

ROTFL!!

That's a good one.

[katenik]

Originally Posted by sgfludd

Is it just me - or are there really people out there that care about
1. The Mayor's divorce
2. The Mayor's mistress

I'm starting to miss the good ol "no comment" days.

TMI People - TMI!!!!

The only bit of interest in the whole thing - is that his ex and kids are staying in the mayoral residence - while he moves to the family house? That I don't get. "Mayoral" residence by definition means the mayor resides there.

oh, i get it: it wouldn't 'look good' for the mistress to shack up with him at the mayoral residence that we pay for, but he can shag whomever he wants in his own house. as long as he's married, his family is entitled to occupy the official residence. i suppose when the divorce becomes final, she'd lose that privilege, but i doubt very much that anyone is going to take to the streets, demanding the eviction of a woman who has already been subjected to such public humiliation. she'll probably be permitted to stay as long as she chooses, or until he leaves office, whichever comes first.

[TheRealAngelion]

Originally Posted by fairweathergolfer

I am horrified too at the acceptance of our local politicos--their scandals, but mainly their policies and also the lack of real investment in creating opportunities to make Los Angeles a thriving world class American community.

I think there are a variety and complexity of reasons for the acceptance or general apathy you see in LA on civic matters:

There is no longer an old guard in LA that runs the city like there was in the past (a combination of major corporate executives and lawyers at top LA firms, politicos, a locally controlled and powerful newspaper, and civic philanthropists) who all shared a common vision about the city's future and direction. Today, few corporations are headquartered in LA so corporate America is not terribly concerned about LA's civic focus, old LA law firms like Gibson Dunn and Latham are now much more national and international in their practices, the LA Times is no longer locally owned or controlled, and the mayor is now subject to terms limits and thus there is no longer a continuity in leadership and governance like the city enjoyed under Tom Bradley. Now we have politicians like Villaraigosa who are consumed with their own image and personal ambitions for higher office.

I also think that LA is far more transient now with many new people from other states and countries moving in who don't know, understand or appreciate the city's history and evolution and therefore, don't share the same level of passion and conviction about protecting its resources, image, and future. This transience and welcoming of newcomers fuels the individuality and creativeness the city is famous for, but the downside is that it does not promote civic harmony and unity.

Finally, the media in LA is pathetic, but that's my overall opinion of the media in general nationally. What's particularly bad for LA in this regard is the loss of our beloved LA Times. That paper now seems like it’s in a secret pact with those who conspire to bring down the city. On the one hand it advocates positions and issues that are not in the city's best interest and on the other hand either ignores or is unbalanced in its presentation of other issues. It also is much more concerned about the bottom line now than it is about being the best newspaper in the country which was formally its goal for many years beginning when Otis Chandler took over as publisher.

Although I believe LA is and will continue to be a great city as a result of its sheer size, economic might, diversity, and worldwide cultural influence, I think that from a civic standpoint it is becoming more of a polyglot city with a very diffuse and decentralized power structure with multiple and competing socio-economic/political agendas as a result. And I think with so many competing interests and agendas, people are becoming more apathetic or disillusioned and are turning inward to focus more on themselves (e.g. money, home, job, family, business, etc.) rather than on larger community-wide issues.