Obama talks about the fire with Villaraigosa

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said that he spoke to President-elect Barack Obama about the wildfires Sunday evening and that today he received a follow-up call from Valerie Jarrett, an Obama senior advisor.

Villaraigosa said at a press conference today that Obama is "ready and willing to do anything he can." But the mayor also noted that Obama could not declare a federal disaster area until he took office.

The mayor added that his office would be updating Obama's transition team with fire-related information through the coming weeks.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[LilyC]

Villaraigosa never misses an opportunity to show his face on TV. When does the guy do his job as a mayor?

And why is he talking to Obama about this except that he saw it as an opportunity to press the flesh of the new prez? Let Arnie talk to Bush if he thinks the feds can help. Obama can do nothing but sympathize at this point and that doesn't do anyone any good, so his promises don't mean squat. There will be some new disaster 2 months from now and this will be nothing but a memory for everyone except those who lost their homes for whom the nightmare will be slow to go away.

[Orin Ryssman]

Villaraigosa said at a press conference today that Obama is "ready and willing to do anything he can." But the mayor also noted that Obama could not declare a federal disaster area until he took office.

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Perhaps the Mayor of Los Angeles can call the President of the United States for such a thing. And perhaps the President-ELECT can focus on putting his administration together and assuming he is already in charge. I really do wish the President-elect well, but this country has only ONE President at a time.

[Jack Henry]

Hopefully team Obama smartens up and keeps their distance from the philandering, useless Villaraigosa.

[notsoandso]

The long wait between the election and swearing in of the new President was setup in time when horses and buggies were the main method of travel. Do we really need to wait all the way until January 20th for the inauguration of a new President? Things happen to fast in this day and age.

[Resident Overfiftyyears]

YET ANOTHER BAILOUT TO SAME PEOPLE-BAILOUT x2?

Same damn thing here in California - every year...

Nov. 15th, 2007: fires in same areas
Oct 2007: fires in same areas

Same pleas for pity - every year

Same defiance of recommendations - every year.

Same sucking up of federal $ for this - every year:

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/oct/25/local/me-aid25

WHAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR? This year, we the people are asked now to bail out same people TWICE in same year:

1. Bailout people who had no business buying property in the first place and didn't bother to have a lawyer read the contract they were given to sign because "...we didn't think there would be a problem..." (THINK being the operative word here)

2. Bailout same people once again for building/buying in an area no human being had any business building or living in let alone the excessively and needlessly large estates (Winfrey's 42 acre house for her, her dog, and her boyfriend)

From the NYTimes in 2007:

"...few officials are talking seriously about stopping construction. Officials in San Diego, where growth has been as enshrined into the civic DNA as firmly as anywhere in America, make it clear that they will not restrain new construction in fire zones, even if it were possible to do so..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/us/28threat.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&oref=slogin

Hey fire victims, suck it up. Your problems are of your own making.

[Giulianni]

This so called mayor is a waste of Oxygen. First he spends his time chasing reporter tail, then he spends the other half of his time fighting to be on TV. When is he ever at City Hall?

[Stanley]

Why bash on the mayor? He was merely stating that he spoke with Obama about the fires. Has Bush called??? I'm sure if he had the mayor would've said so. The mayor is a politico and in my eyes he's been a good one so far in L.A. That he cheated on his wife is no reflection on he's handled the city's issues. Chill folks!

[Rene]

It's true that the president elect cannot do anything right now but at least he is aware and does have a close communications with our mayor. Maybe villaraigosa did attempt to speak to president Bush about the issue but it just wasn't mentioned. I know our mayor is doing his job so lay off his back about trying to always be on TV . The people of Los Angeles love to see our mayor on TV anyways, especially when he is addressing real issues. Some of you people need to get a heart because it is hard to lose your home to a fire or even come close to a devistation like that. Remember what our president elect said in his speach: we need to all help each other if we want positive change in our country.