Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday

Looks like Mayor Villaraigosa may have dodged a bullet.  Politico reports that local Mayors across the country are feeling the sting of voter rage against incumbents and many of the Hizzoners have been turfed out so far.  Even New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg may very well be in trouble in next week's election in the Big Apple. Stay tuned.

Word from Daily Variety via Franklin Avenue that like the daily fishwraps local TV news is in big trouble.  Legendary LA newsman John Beard is reduced to hosting happy talk in Buffalo, New York.  Boo hoo hoo. Those programs have been awful for decades.

Nanny state yet in full court press again.  The City wants to ban cigarette smoking in outdoor patios at restaurants.  Memo to Sleeping Greig Smith who is behind the measure "Cigarette's and smoking sucks but so does heavy handed totalitarian local government."  How working on a real issue? The Mayor seems to get it.

Thanks to Nuch terms around the name of his hometown, San Pedro have entered the local political lexicon.  Doug McIntyre writing in the Daily News says that the City Attorney is playing by "San Pedro Rules."