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LA Times City Hall reporter Kate Linthicum was struck by how many personal bridges that ailing Councilman Bill Rosendahl appeared to burn in a speech today about his decision not to run for reelection. He announced yesterday that he would focus on fighting his cancer and endorsed chief deputy Mike Bonin for his seat from the 11th council district. From the LAT:
In a long speech to his colleagues, he focused less on his health than on enumerating his disappointment with various elected leaders and their policies.He attacked President Obama for continuing to wage a war overseas and had choice words for two California members of Congress -- Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) -- who he complained haven't done enough to provide housing for homeless veterans.
The openly gay councilman faulted President Clinton for instituting the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy that urged service members to not divulge their sexual orientation. "That guy's an idiot," Rosendahl said of Clinton.
Rosendahl reserved his harshest criticism for Philip Anschutz, the Colorado billionaire who recently announced that he was selling Anschutz Entertainment Group, the company seeking to build an NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles.
Rosendahl referred to Anschutz as "that punk in Denver that wouldn’t even come and visit with us." "Who does he think he is?" Rosendahl asked.
When Rosendahl was done, Council President Herb Wesson jokingly asked someone to "please confiscate the microphone from Bill." Other coverage: Alice Walton at KPCC, Rick Orlov at the Daily News.
