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The Monday roundups of political items in both the Daily News and the Times look ahead to the coming race for mayor. Rick Orlov leads with Bob Hertzberg's mission to hug every voter in L.A. before next year's election. On his campaign blog, Hertzberg answers the question of the day: what's with all the physical touching, Bob?
Shaking hands has never cut it for me. You’re standing your ground, I’m standing mine, and all we’re doing by shaking hands is acknowledging each other’s existence. When I interact with somebody else, whether it’s business or politics or anything, I want us to form a partnership. I want to overcome the usual obstacles to trust and communication so that we can get down to the business of solving the problem at hand. No guarded handshakes for me, I want a bear hug. Skip the formalities, let’s get to work.
Blogger BoiFromTroy asks, meanwhile, why it took him so long to get his first Hertzberg hug -- "was it because I am gay? A Republican? A sportsfan?!?" Patrick McGreevy, filling in for the vacationing Patt Morrison in the LAT, goes with the trepidation that some community figures feel about the chances for a repeat of the ethnic politics and hard feelings that accompanied the 1998 Democratic primary campaign between Richard Alaracon and Richard Katz. Alarcon is one of the early challengers to announce against Mayor Jim Hahn.