Antonio’s Takeover

Mayoral politics suffused the selection. Padilla is a former Hahn supporter who switched to Villaraigosa during the latest campaign. Greuel remained neutral throughout. Garcetti stuck with Hahn. But Padilla is likely to declare his candidacy soon for a state Senate post, leaving the City Council leadership in some turmoil.

It was the first council action for Rosendahl, who was elected in May to succeed the termed-out Cindy Miscikowski. Two council seats are empty. Villaraigosa vacated his seat to become mayor, and Martin Ludlow left his to become leader of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. The final vote for that job takes place later this month. A November election has been set to fill the two council seats. Politics of more statewide and even nationwide dimensions held sway outside, on the ceremonial south steps of City Hall. Re-elected City Controller Laura Chick chose former governor and now Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown to administer her oath. They were followed by former Secretary of State Warren Christopher giving the oath to City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo — who is due to face off against Brown next year for state attorney general. The mayor’s oath was administered by 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt, who remembered mispronouncing “Villaraigosa” when he first gave the oath to then–Assemblyman Villaraigosa more than a decade ago. Today, the judge said, everyone knows how to pronounce the name. The crowd delivered a lusty round of boos when Villaraigosa introduced Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The new mayor responded sternly. “We will have civility today,” he said. For the most part, though, there was far more than civility, with enthusiastic throngs cheering the new mayor and partying hard on closed-off Main Street as the opening salvo to the long Fourth of July weekend. The good feelings spilled over into the new week. The new mayor’s enjoying his political honeymoon, but there was a palpable feeling, for now, that the rest of the city recognizes that it’s their honeymoon too.