Touchy, touchy

In Gregory Rodriguez's op-ed piece in today's Times, we get some fascinating personal insights about the men who are running for mayor. I learned that Jim Hahn does not like to be touched:

That's what City Hall staffers soon learn when they are assigned to accompany the mayor to events around town. They are instructed not to prod or nudge him — no matter how gently — when escorting him through crowds. Instead, they are told to hold their arms down at a 45-degree angle and motion him forward with their hand, like guides leading a one-man tour group.

Those who do touch the mayor — either inadvertently or out of frustration — are likely to be admonished by senior staff. Hahn himself has been known to flinch on such occasions.

But the piece focuses more on Antonio Villaraigosa and his anger. Rodriguez, a Times contributing editor and senior fellow at the New America Foundation, says that Villaraigosa's removal of a teenage tattoo reading "Born to Raise Hell" is a metaphor for his struggle to hide a volatile temper.

His volcanic reactions to Hahn's attacks are beginning to reveal what political insiders have known for years: The former Assembly speaker can be thin-skinned, easily angered and even vindictive. Although great politicians learn to distinguish between what is political and what is personal, Villaraigosa has not. He can try to hide this side of his personality, as he has erased his tattoo, but, so far, he can't make it go away.

Despite a double-digit lead in the polls, a slew of prominent endorsements and a formidable fundraising advantage, the councilman repeatedly lost his cool during four debates.

He visibly seethes, furrowing his brows and clenching his jaw. When he reminds voters that Hahn's administration is the most investigated in L.A. history, Villaraigosa comes across as the nastier of the two.

Ultimately, says Rodriguez, "the winning candidate may very well be the man who is best able to transcend his nature."