E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
DES MOINES, Iowa – Speaking to Democratic activists at a fundraising dinner here on Saturday, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa lashed out at the Republican Party and said a Mitt Romney presidency would halt progress won under President Barack Obama.
"Today, between the Tea Partiers, the climate change deniers, the birthers and the flat-earthers, I hardly recognize the Republican Party anymore," Villaraigosa said, telling the crowd that as a mayor he has sought to work across party lines.
"Republicans used to stand for something,” he said. “And now they just stand in the way."
Villaraigosa was in Des Moines to headline the Iowa Democrats' Jefferson Jackson dinner, the state party's annual marquee fundraising event.
In an interview, he called the invitation a great honor. Past keynoters have included other Democrats on a national trajectory, including a turn in 2007 by then-candidate Obama.
But if it seems like Villaraigosa is eyeing a White House bid, he wouldn't say.
"My aspiration right now is to get the president elected," he told NBC News.
Villaraigosa will be term-limited next year in Los Angeles and said he wants to "finish strong."
Though he supported Hillary Clinton for president in 2008, he has since emerged as a visible surrogate for President Obama.
In September, he served as chairman of the Democratic National Convention, helping to raise the profile of the Hispanic community at a time when both parties are battling over the country's largest-growing demographic.
Villaraigosa said during the interview that he predicted Obama would win more than 70 percent of the Hispanic vote in August – a time when the president, though still enjoying an advantage, was polling in the low 60s.
"I still maintain that when it's all said and done, Latinos will vote overwhelmingly for President Obama," Villaraigosa said Saturday.
He cited Republican opposition to the DREAM act, which would provide a path to citizenship for children who moved to the United States illegally as children, and which he said Republicans say is a "handout."
Asked about Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the rising Republican star who makes frequent references to faith, family and free market principles – ideas that some conservatives say will lead Hispanics to the Republican Party – Villaraigosa was polite but said the GOP has "gone so far to the right."
"I have a lot of respect for him," Villaraigosa said of Rubio. "But that's not the point of view reflected in the Latino vote."
(Rubio has said the Republican Party needs to soften on immigration, and has proposed alternative legislation which would not include the DREAM Act's pathway to citizenship.)
While Villaraigosa called for moderation from the right, he was outspoken in his defense of the broad reforms enacted by the Obama administration that Republicans have called divisive and have pledged to undo.
During his speech, he called the election a decision on the country's "fundamental direction."
"What people don't realize about those first two years with Nancy Pelosi and Democratic majority in the House and Senate, and President Obama," he said, "it actually was the most productive congress since the Johnson administration."
Leave a Comment:
'Mitt Romney exaggerates when he says President Obama “did nothing on immigration” for three and a half years, even when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress. Obama supported and lobbied for the DREAM Act, which would have created a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. The bill passed the House in December 2010, but failed in the Senate largely because of Republican opposition." FactCheck.Org
Here's a thought, for EVERYONE out there. You're all a bunch of illegal immigrants who are a bunch of lying thieves. You've committed numerous acts of genocide against my ancestors, and continue to marginalize them to "reservations", all the while under the guise of "manifest destiny" (whatever the hell that means...), and "progress". You're idiotic idea of "superabundance" has nearly crippled the North American continent to the point where the natural resources that had lasted 40,000 years+, are dwindling to almost nothing. All of this talk about immigration truly makes me sick. You should return back to your continent/county of origin, post haste. Have a great day!
European immigrants are not the first to deplete local resources to the detriment of natural ecosystems. Archeological research suggests that the great mound building cultures of the American midwest collapsed because of their dependence on a maize monoculture. When the crops failed due to some organic cause, such as an invasive fungus, thousands died and there went the civilization. The motivation to drain local resources to the extent of ecological crisis is a function of anthropo-centrism, which many cultures across the world seem to have. This is not to deny the European genocide of American natives, which was also was supported by dangerous religious beliefs. Any culture can be a victim of its own ignorance and can go to war against man and nature. And yes, it's particularly stupid for the last group of immigrants to claim that the earth belongs to them.
Accept when it came to immigration reform. LOL
if you mean productive as in spending like whores(sorry whores, don't mean to offend you) then yes they were productive.
Villaraigosa is an opportunistic sleaze bag who believes he is destined to a higher political office, like Governor of California. He is a joke, no one takes him seriously. Perhaps people should just ask his x-wife if he is a man of honor and integrity.
Why ask his wife? You seem to be the authority here.
Have you ever heard of an organization known as MEChA? Google it. That is where Vallaraigosa cut his political teeth!
Tony Villar also failed the bar exam 4 times. Took the name of his wife so he would sound Latino to gain votes. Fraud, fraud, fraud.
Anyone who would listen to what Villaraigosa has to say, and believe it, is already lost. The citizens of the City of Angels don't even respect this Mexican and his anti-American rhetoric. He spends more time at political events and travelling than he does taking care of the citizens of Los Angeles. His support for Obummer is
certainly expected… once a loser, always a loser.
Comrade ObaMao's regime couldn't have chosen better spokeshole (for the other side, that is) than illegal alien-infested L.A.'s Mayor Un-Uh-Uh Villaraigosa. Good job, dummies! This POS is now givid ID cards to ILLEGAL ALIEN PARASITES in L.A. so they can open bank accounts to deposit cash from jobs they are prohibited from holding or for drug proceeds or other ill-gotten money.
This loathsome traitor's real name is Tony Villar, a despicable dunce who failed the California Bar exam at least 3 times, is a philandering putz who makes a mess of everything he gets involved in. The stuttering stooge worked tirelessly with the corrupt Mexican government to make sure voter-approved California Prop. 187, a bill that would have denied all state services (including public education) to illegal alien parasites, did not make it to the US Supreme Court. It is treasonous vermin the likes of Villar who are responsible for the state of collapse invader-bloated California is in now.
Villar was also a leader in a subversive group galled MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan) at UCLA [ Google "Antonio Villaraigosa Educational Campaign" ], a racist group often referred to as the Mexican Ku Klux Klan...whose motto is (or was) "Por La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada" (Everything for the race. Everything outside the race, nothing). This group openly called for the overthrow of the United States and the return of the southwest to Mexico. This POS isn't fit to be dog catcher in Tijuana..... exactly the type of progressive racist dirtbags the DNC always favor.
When you call people parasites, are you including children? Or people who provide for their children?
villar is an ass....obama is an ass......if you support obama you are a fool.......how's that grab you windy???
Indeed.... if they are illegals. If one has to break into another country and proceed to squat and filch to support their offspring maybe the should consider NOT BOFFING LIKE RABBITS to begin with.
man..if anyone listens to villaraigosa about anything our country is in deeper shiat than i thought.....TONY VILLAR has ruined los angeles and is working on ruining california....
hey TONY VILLAR!........do you miss gangbanging?
this idiot doesnt have the mental acumen to hold a job busing tables at a dennys let alone being mayor of a city. go back to mexico or wherever the f you came from tony.
Mayor Villaraigosa is the last person you'd want to take advice from. He's an ineffective mayor, inarticulate and just loves the "limelight" for the wrong reasons. Whatever he says, DO THE OPPOSITE!
Any intelligent person living in Los Angeles will tell you the same!
DraimanForMayor
The City of Los Angeles is on verge of bankruptcy “The City’s financial crisis is dire … worse than you are being told … and the Mayor and the LA City Council is in denial.”
Is this a way to run a City?
You be the judge! Voice you opinion ...at Election Day March 5, 2013 by voting for a new leadership in Los Angeles City Hall!
Help in saving the City of Los Angeles from Bankruptcy and replace the dysfunctional and corrupt LA City Hall.
Our current Mayor Villaraigosa is a failure, why would anyone listen to him.
YJ Draiman
A question to the people of Los Angeles
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is fantasizing that there has been an improvement, just look at the dysfunctional Los Angeles City Hall under his leadership for 8 years. Things could not be worse
Do you have confidence in your current elected officials in Los Angeles City Hall?
Are they doing a good job?
No, why?
Yes, why?
Who is qualified to be the mayor of Los Angeles 2013?
Where there is discord, the mayor will bring harmony. Where there is error, the mayor will bring truth. Where there is doubt, the mayor will bring faith. And where there is despair, the mayor will bring hope. The mayor will unite the city and promote economic prosperity successfully. A person who can do these things is the one qualified to be the mayor of Los Angeles in 2013.
YJ Draiman
www.yjdraimanformayor.org
This is a VERy typical response from Liberals, and Democrats. If you don't do what we want, when we want it, we will defame you, and claim that you are in the way of progress. Allowing lawbreakers to stay in our country, simply because they are here is ridiculous. What's next, amnesty for ALL criminals, simply because they haven't done something bad TODAY?
ANY state that is as polarized as California, is going to have nothing but problems. Obama's "my way or the highway" approach doesn't work. America needs to come back together to solve these problems.
The GOP way is to make extreme charges (amnesty for all criminals) because without those extremes, they have no justification for their own extremism.
California isn't polarized. It's a great state, it's just not as conservative as the south.
NOTE: Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean nobody likes it.
"California isn't polarized..."? ! ? ! That statement ranks, on the accuracy chart just below " The Pope isn't a Catholic" !
Is Alabama polarized? Of course not, it's just another state with it's own values. That's how America should be. Conservatives love to spout this as a talking point but when it's time to exercise that belief, we find their true core...they want the entire country to be conservative.
Yeah, how dare those nasty Republicans fail to throw their arms around every illegal that jumps a fence or swims a river. Obviously, every person that thinks illegal immigrants should adhere to the law or be sent home is a xenophobe. Obviously.
If anyone thinks we live in a post-racial society, think again. The face of an illegal immigrant is always latina - never asian, european, indian, arab. There are undocumented immigrants from all those regions in this country but they are never the subject of the debate. People who argue that Obama is a good man, that they are proud we elected our first african-american president, but unfortunately he is just not up to the job are, knowingly or unknowingly, engaged in very old and common racism by stating outright that he is a nice guy but not very bright and after all, what can you expect from someone like him "wink, wink."
I know this will anger a lot of people, but racism, like sexism, is easy to identify when you have experienced it and see it. The fact that the person engaged in such racism doesn't see it makes it all the more difficult to eradicate.
Playing the race card is a red herring that doesn't work anymore. One is either legally present or is not, regardless of race.
The reason so-called "Latinos" are often the subject when this intolerable invasion is discussed is because the US shares a porous border with Mexico. The vast majority of illegals snuck in from Mexico (they seen to be the most obnoxious and demanding as well), and many corrupt 'Latino' politicians in border states like California are on the side of the invaders..... IOW they are craven traitors and cowardly swine like Villar, Cedillo, etc., who ought to be rotting in prison rather than flitting around diddling Spanish language TV bimbos.
bigoted much?
Treasonous much, Obamanoid? What, are Americans supposed to LIKE watching their country being unlawfully overrun by a bunch of third world leeches who are bloating our schools, hospitals, prisons, etc., and many of whom rob, steal, pillage, rape, and murder? Are you nuts? Give me a break! Some things are simply intolerable for obvious reasons.
Do not mention the word 'blast' to a Tea Begger America! They just get very mad and come out shooting. Again! They are free to "Kill At Will!" Yes they like to wear their NRA skirts at their favorite "Gun Nut Conventions." All one needs to get in. Is their Day Pass from the local Mental Hospital that they are currently staying at, and plenty their NRA Membership Card. On this card it stats what mental illness they have, what mental hospital they now live at, and how many threats with guns they have made so far in life. They are not allowed to drink while cleaning their guns. The big event at the "Gun Nut Conventions" is the game of "Russian Roulette." Spin that pistal PAW!
Nice rant, you silly deluded liberal! When is the almighty bho going to demand that the current inhabitants of the m.e. stop "clinging to their religion, and guns?" You are an absolute tool to follow such a disappointment, but from your previous rant, this should be a given...
Tony Villar is a fraud.
HAHAHA....This coming from the mayor of a city in a state that is near collapse like a few of its cities have already shown. California and its policies are a joke.
Reading Pigotry's comments, she sounds alot like that skank Feisty. Maybe posting under another name.
Obama has the immigration issue in his back pocket. Ancestry.com can trace the first documentated African slave in the America British Colonies to one of Obama's ancesters.
President Obama's presidentency began with two words.
NO MORE
Who is the more qualified president? Who do you trust on Foreign Policies?
Whose resume looks better?
From the list of ten areas that will affect the next president 6 out of 10 or 60% relate to crisis in the Middle East.
60% of the problems President Obama's has experience in dealing with. Those problems are numbers 1-3 and 5-7.
Romney does not have any experience with any of these types of situations. Romney does however, like his father have experience in running away from military conflict which can be proven by merely looking at Romney's actions during the Vietnam War in which he fled to France and hid behind religion in order to not have to fight or serve his country. Whats worse than not serving when called upon to fight for your country is leaving your country to avoid the service altogher. Such an act should be branded treasonous.
Romney has added to the stack of the Romney name being consistent with avoiding a combat situation. Romney's father also made excuses such as being brainwashed by the U.S. government during World War II and avoided serving in any aspect in that war.
President Obama on the other hand has a family tradition of being tough fighters and patriot Americans who serve their country.
John Punch - related to Obama. First documented African slave in the American British Colonies. Informatiom can be backed up by Ancestry.com.
Robert Wolfley Great Grandfather x3 to Obama - served as a private in Company A 145th Ohio Infantry during the Civil War. This makes Obama a Yankee and why he is hated by those of the CSA and like minded Americans.
Ralph Dunham - Great Uncle to Obama, Served during WWII as an assignment and personnel officer. Landed at Normandy on D+4 and later made his way inland through France, Italy and Germany.
Charles Thomas Payne - Great Uncle to Obama, Served during WWII with the 89th Infantry Division. Took part in liberating the Ohrdruf Forced Labor Camps. Major he is Major Payne, maybe he isn't.
Stanley Armour Dunham - Grandfather to Obama, Served in the Army during WWII as a sergeant. Stanley enlisted shortly after the attacks on Pearl Habor.
On a side note Stanley is also related to six American presidents thos being, James Madison, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and the Bush family. Those of the Tea Party wanting a return to an all white America have now been shown that the Founding Fathers were not as white as you want them to be.
The Tea Party and their supporters are not really who they say they are. They are merely actos taking various personalities that they see on t.v. and acting in such a manner to make those around them think that their party has the same tradition of serving when in fact they do not have such traditions.
President Obama is the right man to keep as the President of the United States because his family tradition of strong American values of doing what is right when called upon.
Romney however only has a tradition of running away and avoiding such values when called upon.
With 60% of the problems facing the next president would you rather have a president like Obama who has the nuts to do what he says he will do or someone like Romney who has aa family tradition of running away when a fight occurs?
The only type of people who hate Obama are those who are cowards theirself...have lost against Obama's family line and only make believe that their fallen empires can be reborn.
Once defeated...always defeated and never rising again.
Obama or Romney?
If Romney is elected then any and all attacks on America and the increase of death in the Middle East will be blamed on the Romney.....but more importantly those who support him and vote for him.
Biggest load of crap....ever. Have you, yourself ever served? I highly doubt it, seeing as how you're so much in love with the almighty bho. Oh, and when did Barry serve? Must have been before his trip to Pakistan, or the military wouldn't have taken him. And judging from his tiny little wrists, I highly doubt he could even hold a bayonette, and that's not counting the rifle it's attached to. Obama is first, and foremost, a Chicago politician. You need to do some research on the nature of Chicago politics. It should make your stomach turn, unless you're a deluded liberal. Secondly, Obama abhors the military, and they him. With enough research, I'm pretty sure you can find that just about everyone in America is related to someone who fought for our country. Moot point. I'd much rather have someone who is willing to look Vladimir Putin in his squinty little eyes, and say "NYET!", rather than coddle this madman by promising "flexibility" after the election. "Putin/Obama", that sounds like a very good ticket....for RUSSIA! I cannot stand Obama, and I would be very willing to have you call me a coward to my face. I wasn't awarded two bronze stars for being a coward.
Excuse me Mr. Villaraigosa, but what has the democratic party done for the Hispanics? Nothing.
Obama had two years to have done something, but did nothing. Both parties have no real reason to resolve the (illegal) immigration issue, and so it will remain.
Quit fooling yourselves, if they wanted to do something, they would have already.
YEAH! Why didn't Obama fix all the world's problems in 2 years???? He should've known that Republicans would do everything possible to destroy the country after he got done.
BearDown: had the president done a better job, he wouldn'th have lost the House and kept a stonger hold on the Senate. He didn't need to fix all the world's problems, all he needed to do was a decent job of running the country.
Most likely he spent his entire political spend on Obamacare - which more than 60% of the people didn't agree with - my guess that's why he lost the House.
I think the Republicans running for congress disagree with you. They started planning how to block him from succeeding the day after the election.
Facts disagree with you. Obama stopped the 800,000 jobs loss per month before the 2010 election. Remember when all Republicans could talk about was debt and deficits (not jobs). Then he continued improving the jobs outlook after the 2010 election while the Republicans were talking about funding for NPR and Planned Parenthood (not jobs). The stagnation didn't kick in until Republicans decided to "help" the economy by trying to get the country to default on it's financial obligations.
GOP mindset disagrees with you. So far as immigration reform, it wouldn't matter when he did it, conservatives wanted to overturn ANYTHING Obama did (remember them disagreeing with the payroll tax cut because Obama supported it). In addition, anything he didn't do would fall under the same scrutiny of "why didn't he do THAT in his first 2 years".
So on all fronts, you're wrong.
I could have voted for Obama were it not for the anti business position of his administration. Oh yah, there is that energy thing too. And the carbon exchange, isn't that a doozie. I don't like paying 20% more for my groceries either. And that is because we have a shortage of cereal grains. And, that is because Obama is requiring E15 gasoline blend. That will take 60% of our corn crop! If that isn't bad enough, its going to drop the mileage we get in our cars by another 10%.
Maybe those things are not important. He is a good entertainer.
I love a good conspiracy theory. Tell me more.
Groceries are high because of a shortage of cereal grain, not drought or fuel prices. Tell me more.
E15 do what to your gas mileage? And they're affecting crops now how? And the EPA "allows" E15 production not "mandates" it so what has Obama done so bad?
I wanna hear it.....oh wait, let me get some popcorn and a blanket first......I'm back -- GO!
Republicans don't believe in energy independence unless it means DRILL BABY DRILL!
Your lobbyists run your party. What a sham the party is.
"I still maintain that when it's all said and done, Latinos will vote overwhelmingly for President Obama," Villaraigosa said Saturday.
good enough for me....secure the border and VOTE ROMNEY! not that he's the right answer to the "who should be president" question either, but just like abortion is a bogus topic in election conversation, "whoever is going to make it easier for me to get something for free on someone elses dollar in exchange for my vote is who i'm voting for" is even worse....
In regard to the men running for president, they both have things in their backgrounds that could disqualify both of them, but only one is a American by birth! The other candidate is a "poser" and everybody that has supported him is a fool. I don't know how thinking people can get behind a man who has No history. Which I recently read holds a disturbing idea about a trait that isn't widely accepted in many parts of our Great country. For 4 years all we have heard is "It isn't my fault the republicans did it". Well no matter who caused what, where, or when is of no consequence. The president is to take on it the chin and go forward. No such luck with our present day fellow. If you want to continue with a FREE AMERICA then I would encourage you to look very hard at who you are supporting. The men and women that are is advisers don't always want America to continue as the land of the free and home of the brave, they would rather everyone was more subservient to a certain leader making the Senate and the House of Representative useless. Presidential or executive orders have (over 900 this presidency alone) bypassed congress and this will only continue if things don't change.
Polls do not vote! People do. The best way to 'blast' the GOP/RNC is to get out and vote.