Californians hit the road for Hillary Clinton

Hoping to replicate her strong showing last month in California with a much-needed win this Tuesday in another big state with somewhat similar demographics -- Texas -- Hillary Clinton is getting some help from some California friends, including Antonio Villaraigosa.

The peripatetic Los Angeles mayor was one of the warmup acts for Clinton at her Friday night rally in San Antonio (where, not too far away, Barack Obama had been campaigning earlier). Also firing up the crowd before Clinton spoke was Rep. Hilda Solis of El Monte.

Clinton is hoping that, just as in the California primary, a wave of Latino support will sweep her to a win in Texas, and Villaraigosa and Solis are doing their part to make that happen. Indeed, The Times Michael Finnegan, traveling with the Clinton team, learned that after accompanying the presidential contender to stops Saturday in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan, Villaraigosa will work the same area by himself on Sunday.

His Honor already has put in a fair number of hours for Clinton. As we noted ...

earlier, he did his part in her losing Iowa effort. And, as we also noted before, he won some high-profile recognition for his hard work on her behalf in the Golden State.

Finnegan reports that Clinton received a rousing reception at her outdoor event in San Antonio -- a crowd of 5,000, perhaps more, came to see her. Obama, typically, outdrew her at the indoor event he held in town, but the Clinton folks were happy with their turnout.

One of Clinton's prime themes in her speech adhered to the much-noticed ad her campaign started running earlier in the day -- she questioned Obama's readiness to grapple with key national security issues.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Kane]

Texas and Ohio for Hillary!

[Maggie]

Hispanic politicians such as Villaraigosa are selling Hispanics false hope and they don't care about the Hispanic community at all. All they care about is their political careers. Remember Rosario Marin, she delivered most of the Hispanic vote in California to George Bush Why? because she wanted a seat in his admisnistration. Hispanics wake up, Villaraigosa and all the other Hispanic politiicians are selling you out. After four years of Bush senior, eight years of Bill Clinton and eight years of George Bush, I think we are ready for change; we are not a monarchy and we are sick of Bushes and Clintons. Obama or Bust. Not another Clinton in the Whitehouse. OBAMA 08.

[suzyku]

I sure hope not! Obama all the way!! Hillary is a real nasty piece of work, the worst politics has to offer, she takes a piece of the "karl rove" book! She's what we don't need for another 4 years.

[David]

Exactly how much time has he spent on the road for Hillary? Who is paying for Villaraigosa's expenses? Who is compensating the city for the loss of his service?

[fedupinla]

The racial divide in this country is now the 800 lb gorilla in the room. Villaraigosa drew the line when he said: We (Mexicans) clean your (Gringos) toilets"!!!

Hillary is relying on Mexico to elevate her to the WH but she made a fatal mistake. This is America...we want an American in the WH...someone who treats everyone equally. Obama has broken through the racial divide and will be a President for America, not Mexico!

And, btw, remember to give Villaraigosa his walking papers next year! We've had enough of Mexico!

[Liah]

The Spanish Community don't have the time to sit and read news or watch TV news. They are overworked and most of the time they make their own mind just by hearing what they heard from their work place or some mislead friend.

I wish they can spend some time researching about each political candidate.

They go for familiarity rather than explore new people or ways. Why I said that? Because I know my own people.

[Mark]

Hillary's a good candidate. Villaraigosa, on the other hand, is nothing more than a slimy, careerist politician. He's shown his true character colors, and hopefully won't hold public office for much longer. He'll end up doing what he really should be: a lobbyist.

[Beverly]

Hillary has the best plan for universal health care, jobs and the economy, education and loan assistance, and will be the best Commander in Chief.

I voted for Hillary.

[robinia]

Anthony Villagairosa campaigning for Hillary? PLEASE! Mayor Villagairosa's presence just adds to an already "tainted" campaign.

Can you see Hillary asking one of her aids "Where's Bill and Anthony?"

Response, "They're out 'campaigning' with Monica Lewinsky and Mirthala Salinas."

It would have been better if the "former" Mrs. Villagairosa endorsed and campaigned for Hillary. I know she would have garnered some votes for Clinton, based on symphathy alone.

[flo]

"How to stay unfaithful to your wife and be successful",

"Infidelity is an option in politics",

"Adulterous affairs don't not hurt your family",

"Your children are not embarassed when the nation knows their father is sleeping with another woman".

These are potential titles for Mayor Villagairosa's new biography based on his experience in politics. With the mayor helping Hillary's campaign, won't his presence remind people more about BILL?

Why don't Monica Lewinsky and Mirthala Salinas assist Chelsea as she helps campaign for her mother cause. It would be just as effective.

[Lori]

Latin Americans and California are more comfortable with female leaders. Chile and Argentina have had female leaders....Nancy Pelosi is from California. See www.guide2womenleaders.com I support Hillary because she the best candidate all around at this time!..the fact that she is a woman is "icing on the cake".

Hillary '08

[eric]

So Clinton has a California contingent expecting to boost her campaign. Anthony Villagairosa is a key figure? This helps her campaign, how? Willl he and Bill Clinton tag-team on the campaign trail? What in tarnations are they going to rally the crowd with..."a message on morality?"

[didi]

California friends? Antonio Villagairosa? Wow, Hillary is scraping from the bottom of the barrel. Is her campaign such in dire straits that she would think Antonio Villagairos would help her image?

[Lala]

Goodness gracious HIllary. You want the Latino vote yet you allow Antonio Villagairosa to help you in your quest for president? He's just a darker-skinned image of your husband! Who idea was it, Bill's?

[zammy]

With Antonio Villagairosa helping out in Hillary's quest for the White House in Texas, who is going to report the developments for the media, Mirthala Salinas? That would definitely get the Latino votes....right?

[L.A.]

My oh my...to the Clinton campaign, please ask the two former Mrs. Villagairosa's about Anthony's integrity and why THEY would find it a wonderful idea to have thier ex-husband endorse Hillary.

[MMiller]

Her campaign is strong and she will win as long as Hispanics remember she has always been ther for them. The bias of the media has helped color the Obama campaign.
Feb 20 Senator Obama admitted his 17 year relationship with Rezko was much more than his previous denial on national television during the debate with Hillary Clinton. He admits now that they did have a friendship. He admits now that he sought real estate advice in his 'soon to be purchased' home. He admits now that Mr Rezko and he made bids on the same day for the house and adjoining property. He admits now that Rezko sold him the 650,000 lot for 100,000. He admits now that some how he was the only successful bidder on the house and was able to buy the house for 300,000. off the asking price. These very revealing admissions, along with Mr Obama chastising himself for 'boneheadedness' with reference to his denials seem to be unnoticed by newspapers and television. These are big issues because Mr Obama's message is one of 'clean, honest, transparent' which he has accused all of his opponents of being the opposite. In fact-Mr Obama has shown here, throughout an intense investigation his unwillingness to be those things he describes as necessary to be the 'change' candidate. I believe as a voter and reporter/writer, we and all newspapers have an ethical responsibility to call his judgement into question on the national level as he fabricated and delivered his denial on the national level. We voters and newspapers have a moral responsibility to regard his remarks with the same standard of scrutiny you afford to John McCain and Hillary Clinton. All that being said-the media writing articles about the 'end' of someones campaign when they have yet to scrutinize all the candidates with the facts showing are based on a very close race, is in my regard very irresponsible.
Hillary Clinton did not award 36 superdelegates with 710,000. Hillary Clinton sponsored her own bills in the Senate and unlike Mr Obama actually has sponsored and successfully put forth many bills that make our children safer-starting with the childrens Health Mandate where we are actually able to sleep better at night knowing that 10 million, otherwise uninsured, children can have health care. This achievement alone is spectacular.
Mr Obama claimed during a televised debate that he sponsored a bill to protect abused children-he did not. Check the Illinois State Legislature. In fact, if you do check with his former collegues in Illinois, they will stand by Todd Spivac, Houston Courier, (Barak & Me) and tell you that Mr Obama didn't write or sponsor the majority of the bills that were recorded with his name on them in a blast of 342 days. They were written and put forth by operatives trying to boost his name recognition to prepare for his election run.
There is a lot of news out there for Mr Obama. Please become informed voters and read what I have mentioned. Ask around. He was known as the 'Lazy Legislator'.
I am not trying to tell you who to vote for-I am asking you to become informed. The Republicans are. You don't think the Republican voters in Texas running to this primary in Texas are really voting for Obama because he is 'uniting' them or 'winning' them? They are trying to knock the vetted candidate out of the box so they can destroy Obama in a national election. They will too because he is not clean and he has no record beyond his speech.
You decide Dems or Repubs?

[SimpleRep]

So, Mr. Villagairosa is trying to rally the Latino voters in Texas for Hillary is what I'm comprehending. It is very difficult to focus on Hillary's campaign platform regarding political issues when Bill Clinton and Antonio Villagairosa is in her camp. They should form a singing group and call themselves- Gladys White and her Pimps- and hit the campaign circuit. Sometimes, your character is defined by the people one associates closely with.

[Robinia]

To the blogger named Maggie!

I agree with you one hundred percent. If he could care less about his wife and kids, why would Antonio Villagairosa give a damn about the Hispanic community? Honey, I see why he would emphathize with the "Billary" campaign. He fits like a glove. Both Bill and Antonio know how to balance infidelity and appeal to women at the same time. Good job Hillary, you truly are an example. Is Hugh Hefner endorsing Hillary also? Why not, he'd fit right in.

[bernj]

I just don't understand why folks who support Sen. Clinton or Sen. McCain find it necessary to lie or misrepresent or misinterpret or don't understand or whatever it is they do with the truth.

The fact is McCain is pro-war and must appease the neocons eventually if he is to stand a chance. Bottom line.....more money for bombs and less for bridges. More lives lost and fewer lives seeing positive change. Plus, and with all due respect, we simply need someone younger.

Sen. Clinton has too much baggage and, while certainly better than McCain, is in fact not electable. She has no greater substantive experience by any objective measure than Sen. Obama. Kind of a been there done that thing. Plus, I am not sure which Hillary we will get on any given day. And about that 3am call thing…well….again which Hillary will answer?

Sen. Obama offers a new approach. Yes it is outside the box. Yes "it ain't the way we always do it". Yes he is inspirational. Yes he is a dreamer. Yes he is young. Yes he is brilliant. Yes he brings us together. Yes he shows the world what America should be. Yes he is the future. And yes, we can for the first time in a long time elect a president who is more concerns about people than he is about corporations. Yes we can.

[lina]

In Hillary's quest for universal health care, would she herself take advantage of the doctors that treat low income patients. It is likely she herself would opt for a renowned specialist. It's like Barbara Streisand lobbying for housing for the homeless, yet she has a 40 room mansion in Bel-Air with heat. Please...the Latino community don't need to be patronized thank you.

[MLE]

Everyone observe:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/104428/Obama-Gaining-Among-MiddleAged-Women-Hispanics.aspx

Go to the bottom of the page and look at the poll results by region. For the West, Clinton was up 52% to 42% over Obama around Super Tuesday. Two weeks later, Obama led 54% to Clinton's 39%. If the California primary was held again today, Obama would likely win handily.

[david]

Obama is OVER! HILARY IS IN!!! obama only offers great
speeches and that is not going to make you a great president. WAKE UP AMERICA!, We need a Clinton to clean up the mess that George W.Bush has left us.
Are you going to be a FOLLOWER and support Obama or
be a LEADER and support Clinton? Obama is so young,cocky, and naive. GO CLINTON!

[zammy]

To the blogger named David,

How old are you? Instead of blogging, you should study for your 6th grade geography test tomorrow.