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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."
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So, how many illegal aliens can we deport in a month, and when can we get started??
The only thing I want to see is the mass deportation of illegal aliens - they need to be off my land, off my road, out of my schools, and out of my pockets. Villagrossa has attempted to make Los Angeles a sanctuary city - a place where illegals can feel safe from the law, where the unwanted can take root in America. This must stop. If Villagrossa wants to have a chance of at higher political office, I suggest he move his rear end to Mexico, but the illegals will not ever be welcome here. The United States is where Americans live. Immigration is over - the American Citizen has demanded it.
Has anyone/organization done a credible investigation on which party was most involved with allowing/not catching the millions of illegal immigrants entering the country over last 40 years (I lived in S. Cal up to then and it sure was not an issue / concern then during the Nixon terms). The millions of illegal immigrants did not stay here because they were starving to death not finding enough work and/or handouts to live off of, so what party was most involved with that? Whoever that party is should be blamed for a few million unemployed Americans right now that could and should be doing most if not all of that work done by illegal immigrants (most if you want the children that came with parents or were born here to stay per the Dream Act). Unemployment would be down a percent or two if those jobs were done by Americans, although low paying they can work overtime and make ends meet like Americans did in the 1930's Great Depression recovery.
The issue of Illegal Immigration can be handed to BOTH parties, they share equal blame on this issue! the Demo's want to pander to the growing Hispanic Vote especially here in California where you have nitwit Mayors and Governors that keep giving these people and their illegal drop babies entitlements. It just made the news last week that the #1 drug lord in Mexico's daughter was caught trying to cross the border ILLEGALLY using someone Else's paperwork to come here and have her baby. What a crock of crap! why doesn't that piece of worthless junk Mayor of LA get in front of the cameras he so loves and try to explain his frig gin way out of that one? The LEGAL immigrants are totally welcome here it is just the Illegal ones we have a big huge problem with. The State of California has something like a 16 or 18 BILLION deficit right now and if you look at the subsidies we pay to the Illegals for Food, Clothing, Homes, Hospital, Dental, Schooling and other items too numerous to name and took all that away then it has been prov-en in many reports that would put the state squarely back in the black within 1 year. No Governor either Republican or Democrat wants to touch that hot potato due to their being afraid of the Latino Voting block or big business wanting labor for cheap.
Viaraigosa is the biggest turd of the California Democratic party. This weasel has single handedly turned Los Angeles from a once beautiful city in to a slum run by criminals where the schools have a over 60 percent drop out rate, the prisons are packed while his puppet police chief is a brainless spineless idiot who wants illegals to drive without drivers licenses. Over 80 percent of Los Angeles hispanics collect public assistance and he wonders why the city is bankrupt. He has destroyed this city while he sleeps around with as many whores as he can.
Cannot wait to hear KFI's John and Ken respond to this from Mayor Villa Bologna
The city is financially screwed. There are more pot holes in LA than craters on the moon. and this guy says the Republicans stand in the way! LOL Remember the vote he monitored at the Dem Convention " ok let's try this again because we want everyone to vote our way" ok the Ayes have it. What a chumb and embarrasment. We sure are lucky out here in CA to have Gov. Moonbeam Jerry Brown + Mayor Villa Bull S h t ya no wonder CA is broke!
Sad this mayor thinks Immigration needs reform, but California needs to deport illegals who are draining taxpayers money to fund welfare, food stamps, education, and housing that should be reserved to those who are legally here.