Poder Latino

At the Times' online Inauguration Notebook, Daniel Hernandez looks at how the local Spanish-language media has been getting ready for the Villaraigosa era. Hoy has been running a front-page countdown box ("THREE DAYS LEFT", "TWO DAYS LEFT" etc) and Monday's lead headline was "Poder Latino," which Hernandez calls "reminiscent of the now-famous May 30 Newsweek cover 'Latino Power.'" La Opinión writes today, "The decisive hour is here. ... In less than 24 hours Antonio Villaraigosa officially enters the annals of Los Angeles as the first Latino to sit in the mayor's chair in more than a century." Channel 34's special coverage promos have adopted the slogan Ahorra es Cuando, or "Now is When." Hernandez notes that Hoy's Carlos Rajo scored an interview with Jim Hahn in which the mayor quipped, "It's clear I'd never get my photo on the cover of Newsweek."

Also: OC Weekly's Gustavo Arellano tries to spare reporters the indignity of writing any more "Latinos flex voting power" stories by compiling such headlines from the country's press...The Times observes the foreign media observing Villaraigosa...Patrick McGreevy examines how Villaraigosa's ethics pledge for commissioners may lack teeth...The LA Weekly's Robert Greene has a long reported piece on Villaraigosa that I'm looking forward to sitting down with when I have the time. Also, Harold Meyerson argues that Los Angeles and Villaraigosa came together at the right time. Greene also ponders how neighborhood councils will fare under the new mayor...On tonight's Life and Times at 6:30, Val Zavala chats with Villaraigosa.