Starting off on the wrong "froot":

Mayor Villaraigosa's commencement address at USC started out a little flat this morning. Following the eloquent, intelligent, & engaging Kavitha Sivaraman & her Valedictorian address, the Mayor's mispronounced words and references to the Westwood Bruins solicited comments and shaking heads (and even good-natured boos) from the Trojan crowd. But his success was not in his skill to connect with the students on the issues of being USC graduates. Here's what happened...

After receiving an honorary doctorate, the Mayor addressed the graduates. He asked them to "rise to your freet [sic]" and turn around. Then, to the parents, he said to take a good look because this is what 41,000 dollars a year gets you. He then referenced a litany of remarkable graduates of USC: from Neil Armstrong to Warren Christopher - and then, he said that the list now includes "the Mayor of Los Angeles." The crowd rumbled with comments of "modesty" and "ego."

His speech transitioned from the university and the students to the national political arena as he made many comments of the crosstown rivalry between USC & UCLA. The Mayor praised the local rivalry because he claimed it was rooted in a mutual respect. Of national politics, he chastised the partisanship of this country. He implied that their is little respect between Democrats and Republicans. And once he started talking about the truly "big picture" of national and international politics, he became energized and passionate. No longer was he stuttering or stumbling over his words. In fact, he was inspiring when he said with all honesty: "You can oppose the war but still support our troops." Mayor Villaraigosa has the ability & skill to bring divergent people & opinions together; he expressed quite well as he finished his speech his understanding of the responsibility of a federal office-holder. He's got my vote for governor or senator, for sure. But, here, locally in L.A., does he really get what it takes to run a City that needs someone to understand how to prepare a balanced budget? Does he know how to connect intimately to the issues of graduates looking for jobs in an economy can't keep them competitively in this city/state? With an audience estimated at 40K from all over the nation, he has introduced himself well to potential donors for his campaign for a nationwide ticket. And frankly, I think he could do it.

But his message to the students may have fallen short. After the ceremony, graduates could be overheard saying "well, last year Neil Armstrong spoke at graduation, but I guess the Mayor is ok." Out of state parents asked each other: "Did you know that he was a high school drop out from East L.A.?" And still another student said: "I can't believe they had a Bruin speak at my graduation."

He will be remembered by all as delivering a politically charged address - I just wonder how long it will be before these graduates will tell their future spouses or children that, "Oh, yeah, Vice-President Villaraigosa spoke at my graduation from 'SC back in 2006."

(One of the highlights of the speech for a City Nerd like me was when the Mayor explained how USC became known as Trojans. He referenced a 1912 article in the L.A. Times by sportswriter Owen Bird, regarding a track meet where USC were to face Stanford and would "fight like Trojans" in a competition with a forgone conclusion. Nice to know.)