L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti Praises Hillary Clinton at DNC in Philadelphia

LOS ANGELES, CA — Mayor Eric Garcetti took the Democratic National Convention stage in Philadelphia on Thursday to voice his support for Hillary Clinton, saying she will improve life in American cities.

Garcetti said local leaders like himself are supporting the Democratic presidential nominee because she will get down to brass tacks, instead of merely putting on a show.

"America's cities don't have time for theatrics," he said. "America's cities have urgent problems to solve."

Garcetti pointed to efforts by municipalities to repair "crumbling infrastructure," and said Los Angeles has led the country in increasing the minimum wage to $15 and banning high-capacity gun magazines.

"We didn't do any of this by finding a common enemy. We found a common purpose," he said.

"America doesn't need a political pyromaniac for president," Garcetti said, referring to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Whereas Clinton has brought ideas to raise the minimum wage, curb gun violence and take on other issues important to cities, Trump "has no vision for our country," he said.

Garcetti also devoted part of his speech to connecting his own background to Clinton's "vision" of a diverse America.

"I'm just your average Mexican-American, Jewish-Italian," he said, noting that his "ancestors, my forbears, faced with war and persecution, crossed oceans and rivers to come to this improbable, miraculous democracy."

Garcetti was among several speakers to make remarks leading up to Clinton's nomination acceptance speech.

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who chaired the previous DNC, returned to speak in support of Clinton, who he said has a plan to help an estimated 11 million immigrants who do not have the proper documentation to remain in America.

"We have always been stronger when we integrate, not segregate, when we join hands and work together to solve our challenges," he said.

The country will be "stronger when we elect a woman who has fought for the forgotten children, given voice to the unrepresented ... a woman who fought for health care for all, and who will fix a broken immigration system," Villaraigosa said. "A woman who will tear down a wall and build a bridge to a great, generous America that we all know and love."

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, and labor leader Dolores Huerta were also part of the speaking lineup, along with former Laker superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Reps. Ted Lieu and Xavier Becerra, both of Los Angeles.

Huerta took aim at Trump, and rallied Democrats to organize voters, particularly Latinos, to elect Clinton. Latinos have long lived here and contributed to the country's success, she said.

"We helped build this country and we're still continuing to build this country," including through paying into "social security and Medicare," Huerta said. "So we're not a footnote in American history."

The co-founder of the United Farm Workers union urged the DNC audience to put their organizing clout behind Clinton, who she said "will drive us on that journey for justice and equality."

"But you know, she can't do it alone," Huerta said. "We have got to be the energy, we have got to be the wheels, and she can't go forward without us. And Donald Trump? You need to get out of the way!"

Garcetti said earlier this week he wanted to use his speech to help steer conversations from just responding to Trump to addressing what the candidates will actually do if elected.

He also said it was important to address the feeling of alienation that many Americans feel toward their government.

"My message is that I think Americans right now feel shut out by government," Garcetti said. "They feel like Washington won't vote on immigration reform, won't take up infrastructure to rebuild our crumbling streets, won't do the things that the majority of Americans would want."

Garcetti said he traveled to Philadelphia to represent mayors and other city officials who do not have the luxury "to play politics."

"We actually have to do things here, so that's why we have tens of thousands of people who we are making citizens," he said. "That's why we're rebuilding our port, our airport, paving our streets and our sidewalks. And for me, you know, that's what we need in our next leader, not somebody who is going to find a common enemy, but find a common purpose."

Garcetti, who has been at the convention since Monday, was one of several major-city mayors invited to address DNC attendees, along with the mayors of Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit and Tallahassee.

Garcetti said during a Tuesday panel discussion on Latino political participation that recognizing the power of the Latino vote is not enough. Latinos need to be appointed to top-level positions in the next presidential administration, and not just to positions focusing on immigration and labor, he said.

With appointments made under the recent two Democratic presidential administrations, "there's like this ceiling," he said. "We have to figure out a way to make that very clear ... when President Clinton, the next President Clinton is in place, that you know, a cabinet position or two isn't enough."

Garcetti added that those who have the power to make the appointments often complain there are not enough qualified Latinos for the positions, but he feels they are not searching hard enough.

"I think they're looking for Latinos with big names," said Garcetti, whose paternal grandfather was born in Mexico. "Latinos don't have big names, and so it becomes a vicious cycle."

Garcetti on Monday took part in a news conference with labor groups to promote raising the minimum wage and attended a luncheon of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

He was also scheduled to attend a breakfast hosted by the California delegation and take part in a panel on the use of guns in hate crimes.

— City New Service, photo courtesy of Garcetti for Mayor