Gavin v. Antonio in Denver

Times editorial writer Robert Greene, who authors most of the editorials about City Hall and local politics, was impressed by Gavin Newsom's talk to the California delegates in Denver yesterday morning. Less so with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's appearance. For the most part the two mayors ignored each other, though Newsom did get in a little dig. Greene blogs:

Newsom spoke to California Democrats at the convention in Denver, then walked off the podium and down the hall with a trail of paparazzi, while Villaraigosa marched past. The two did not even look at each other.

Newsom not only delivered the speech of a man running for governor, he killed. He hit his campaign talking points or, at least, those things that ought to be his campaign talking points: San Francisco's universal healthcare program, universal preschool, universal this and universal that. Environment. Living wage. Same-sex marriage -- not by taking credit for launching the movement, but by calling on California Democrats to defeat Proposition 8, the gay-marriage ban.

He repeated these words often, and he sold them: "If we can do it in San Francisco, let me promise you, we can do it in the state of California." Or: "I promise you. We have evidence. This is not an assertion, this is not another political speech. I will show you how it's done. We have done it in San Francisco. It can be done anywhere."

And get a load of this zinger:

"I appreciate some people wanting to take over school districts; I certainly respect the desire for change, but we decided to do it differently. We decided to build a partnership with our public schools." Was he talking about anyone in particular?

Greene posts audio files at Opinion L.A. so you can rate the two mayors' talks yourself.