A Los Angeles radio talk show host slammed DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz in an interview Monday for her selection of L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as chair of the Democratic National Convention.
"We got a big chuckle out of that," said 790 KABC Los Angeles host Doug McIntyre of the Villaraigosa pick. "We understand it as casting, because of the outreach for the Hispanic vote, but I mean really, Antonio Villagarosa?"
McIntyre pointed out that Los Angeles Magazine dubbed Villagroisa a "failure," that he was hit with a major ethics fine, that three of his bundlers are in prison, and that he makes backroom deals with millionaires and billionaires, among other unflattering details. The Free Beacon reported on Villaraigosa's record at the time of his selection.
"I really find your comments disappointing and borderline offensive," Wasserman-Schultz told McIntyre.
Transcript:
DOUG MCINTYRE: We’re talking with Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. She is the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. The Democratic National Convention is going to be held in Charlotte, N.C.—I will be there. You selected Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to be the chairman, and I gotta be honest with you, Congresswoman, we got a big chuckle out of that. We have had many, many experiences with Antonio Villaraigosa over the last couple of years, and we understand it as casting because of the outreach for the Hispanic vote. But I mean, really, Antonio Villaraigosa?
DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: What are you talking about? The mayor is a fantastic choice. I mean, he’s a national leader, he’s about to assume the highest leadership position for the National Association of Mayors, he’s a visionary—someone who’s focused on making sure we have a strong education system, making sure the economy continues to come back here in California, and he’s a national Hispanic leader as well.
MCINTYRE: Congresswoman, here’s the problem. We live here. We’ve lived with this for years and years and years. We’ve talked to him a thousand times. We’ve lived with the experience. We’re running a sidewalk contest—Los Angeles can’t even pave its sidewalks. There might be a vision. The vision that Antonio Villaraigosa has is desperate vision of getting out of office before the bankruptcy of Los Angeles kicks in 2013. He’s hoping like hell that Obama wins, so he can be appointed Asst. Sec. of anything, so he doesn’t have to sit here and deal with the damage that he did to the city. I mean, come on. You can sell that in North Carolina; you can’t sell that in Los Angeles.
DWS: With all due respect, I find your comments disappointing and borderline offensive.
MCINTYRE: What’s borderline offensive? Los Angeles Magazine dubbed him a failure. On the cover of Los Angeles Magazine. Los Angeles Weekly, the progressive newspaper in this city, dubbed him the 11 percent mayor. He’s never here! City Hall should be at Los Angeles International Airport.
DWS: I beg to differ. You’re entitled to your own opinion. I believe that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, as do the rest of the mayors of the rest of the cities in the National Association of Mayors, is a strong leader and will be a strong voice for, when it comes to drawing the contrast between the Republicans who want to make sure that we continue to return to the failed policies of the past, stand up for tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, and embrace extremism in cultural issues, Mayor Villaraigosa who will be the permanent general chairman of the convention will help make sure that we can the president’s message and his record of accomplishments to spread across the country.
MCINTYRE: The mayor of Los Angeles was hit with the largest ethics violations in the 200 year history of the city, three of his campaign bundlers are doing the perp walk, and if it wasn’t for millionaires and billionaires, there wouldn’t have been a shovel stuck in the ground in Los Angeles in the last five years. He makes backroom deals with big billionaire developers, while pretending to care about the 99 percent—please, we know the man’s record, we’ve lived with it.
DWS: Well, okay, Doug, is there something else you’d like to talk about? Because I think we’ve probably exhausted this part of the conversation.