Two Chicago firefighters died Wednesday as they battled a Warehouse blaze and became trapped. Sad, tragic story, to be sure, and our heart goes out to their families.

But why is L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issuing a press release about the loss?

Here's a wild guess. President Obama calls Chicago his most-recent hometown, and it's his geopolitical base to be sure. It's the home where Obama's heart is. And, as we told you recently …

… Villaraigosa isn't exactly hiding his lobbying effort to get the hell out of L.A., where his political future is dim, and into Obama's White House.

Here's what Villaraigosa had to say late Wednesday:

“Today, the City of Los Angeles mourns the deaths of two Chicago firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty. It's always a tragedy when we lose the first responders who everyday commit acts of great bravery and quiet heroism in order to keep our families and our cities safe.

“Firefighter Corey Ankum and Firefighter Edward Stringer will be remembered as great men of honor who selflessly put their lives at risk to protect the public's safety. My thoughts and prayers are with their families and the family of firefighters at the Chicago Fire Department.”

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