By Karen Ocamb

At first it was all exhilaration. The decisive elections of pro-gay Antonio Villaraigosa as mayor of Los Angeles and openly gay Bill Rosendahl as City Councilmember in the wildly diverse 11th District yielded euphoric, public, Fourth-of-July-weekend swearing-in ceremonies where "inclusion" was the standard, not an after-thought. Hope was not only in the air, but in the goose bumps of the perennial outsiders. And, to top off the feeling that the pendulum was swinging towards a progressive future, well over a billion people world wide had their consciousnesses raised by the Live 8 concerts to end poverty and AIDS in Africa.

And then terrorists struck, setting off bombs in three packed subways and a double-decker bus in London. As of July 8, at least 50 people were declared dead, over 700 injured. It was the worst disaster to hit England since World War II. Prime Minister Tony Blair rushed home from the G-8 Summit he was hosting in Scotland to calm nerves and show British resolve before returning to the summit to continue pressing his proposal for debt relief to African nations.

Meanwhile in America, Homeland Security placed law enforcement agencies on high alert. Officially on the job for just three days, Villaraigosa received a 3:30 a.m. call from LAPD Police Chief William Bratton telling him of the bombings. After ordering that the city's emergency operation center be opened, putting the city on modified tactical alert, increasing police presence on the Metropolitan Transit Authority and heightening protection for such targets as LAX, Villaraigosa held a 7 a.m. news conference outside Parker Center to assure the public that everything was being done to assure public safety.

"Today our hearts and prayers are with the people of London. On a day when London should be celebrating their selection as host of the Olympic Games, she instead stands in shock and sorrow. We here in L.A. stand in solidarity with her," Villaraigosa said. He also asked the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to 1-877-ATHREAT.

Two hours later, Villaraigosa was riding the Red Line subway from Union Station to Hollywood. "I am so confident about our security, that I want to convince people and assure that this system is safe and we are doing all we can to insure the public safety," he told reporters and subway riders. About 1.4 million people ride L.A.'s mass transit.

Villaraigosa's day was filled with briefings, meetings, and public appearances, including a visit with City Council President Alex Padilla to the British Consulate to sign their condolence book.

Rosendahl stood right behind Villaraigosa and Bratton for a 5 p.m news briefing. "Los Angeles lies 6,000 miles from London, and we've not received any intelligence to indicate that there are any threats to our region," Villaraigosa said. "We're OK. But we all must remain vigilant and aware because we know all too well that the threat of terrorism remains a reality in our lives."

At 7:15 p.m. Villaraigosa returned to his public schedule, ending the day with a brief visit to an AIDS Project Los Angeles reception for major donors at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and then shooting downtown for an 8 p.m. appearance at the Outfest Film Festival 2005's Opening Night Gala at the Orpheum Theatre.

Villaraigosa told the film festival audience that he is the first L.A. mayor to attend Outfest in its 23-year history.

By the end of the day on July 7, 2005, the whispered speculation about whether Villaraigosa would be an empty Armani suit as mayor were stifled. And on a day when canceling appearances at a reception and film festival might have been completely understandable, gay people were assured that Villaraigosa, often dubbed an "honorary gay" for his past efforts, means what he says about being a mayor for all the people.

It was a central theme of his Inauguration speech six days earlier as the hot morning sun pounded down on a crowd of 3,000 dignitaries and everyday folk, many from Latino working families for whom Villaraigosa is a national inspiration.

"Los Angeles has always led the way. You've always focused on what really matters. You've always disproved the doubters. When others said it couldn't be done, you elected the first African-American mayor of a leading American city," said Villaraigosa, referring to his hero, former "coalition" Mayor Tom Bradley. "And, believe me, early in our campaign, there were those who said it wasn't time for a Latino mayor. The faith you have placed in me makes me so proud to be an Angeleno today. And I promise you, I will be a mayor for all the people."

While Villaraigosa may have echoed the style of Tony Blair on July 7, he stood in stark contrast to the bickering politicos in Washington, D.C., on July 1, the same day Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner announced her resignation from the high court. While such notables as former Vice President Al Gore received a warm round of applause from the crowd and several people screamed out Rosendahl's name, there was sustained booing when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was introduced.

"Angelenos, excuse me," Villaraigosa said sternly. "There will be civility today."

"It was good that Schwarzenegger heard the booing," politico Jeremy Bernard of Access Now for Gay and Lesbian Equality (ANGLE) told IN the next day at Rosendahl's public swearing-in ceremony at Venice Beach. Bernard attended Villaraigosa's ceremony at City Hall.

"Everything Schwarzenegger does is staged. All his events are pre-screened. He doesn't go in public," said Rick Jacobs, the openly gay vice-chair of the state Democratic Party. "This is open."

ACLU President Ramona Ripston was also elated by Villaraigosa's and Rosendahl's elections and public swearing-in ceremonies, saying they offer "hope that, maybe in the long run, we will all prevail" against the conservative state and national governments. During his campaign, Villaraigosa was often upbraided for being a former president of the ACLU's Southern California chapter. That he chose a liberal judge to administer the oath of office, Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt, Ripston's husband, "is very important," Ripston told IN.

Also important was Villaraigosa's promise to "never forget where I came from. It may be a short way from City Terrace to City Hall, but fellow Angelenos, we all know what a vast distance it truly is. It's a distance that can't be measured in miles or calculated in terms of the achievements of one person."

Unabashedly, Villaraigosa offered himself as an example of someone who survived the traumas of a troubled youth, thanks to the "indomitable spirit and the boundless faith of my mother, Natalia Delgado. A woman who struggled as a single mom, who sometimes worked two jobs to put her kids through college. A woman who went through unspeakable circumstances as a victim of domestic violence and a foster child in a home plagued by alcoholism. A woman who suffered more than her shares of life's indignities, but who never, never, surrendered her dignity."

Villaraigosa issued a call for unity and hope. "Let's make Los Angeles a city of purpose. And, to do that, I'm asking you to dream with me," he said. "Dream with me of a Los Angeles where kids can walk to school in safety and where they receive an education that gives them a genuine opportunity to pursue their own dreams."

Among the most thrilled in the crowd were Latinos celebrating Villaraigosa's position as the city's first Mexican-American mayor since 1872. After his election, the new mayor made the cover of Newsweek magazine, with the headline "Latino Power."

As a former labor union organizer with United Teachers Los Angeles, Villaraigosa also spoke of the high dropout rate and said he would create a Council of Education Advisors to address school performance issues.

But, startling some and pleasing others, such as his friend and supporter, former Mayor Richard Riordan, Villaraigosa made it clear he would not settle for the way things have always been done.

"I'm a proud progressive," Villaraigosa said. "But it's time for those of us who call ourselves Ôprogressive' to do more than just defend existing government programs. We need to be passionate advocates for change."

Finally, Villaraigosa's vision is all-inclusive. "Let's do something big for Los Angeles," he said. "Let's raise our eyes skyward. Let's imagine the pinnacles that we can reach together. Together, all of us, without regard to race or geography or language, without regard to age or religion or gender or sexual orientation."

On his second official day as mayor, Villaraigosa attended Rosendahl's enthusiastic, diverse inauguration ceremony, which opened with patriotic songs from the gay Great American Yankee Freedom Band. Among the dignitaries were most of Rosendahl's new City Council colleagues, artists, including sculptor Robert Graham, Democratic, Republican, Green and Independent politicos, and scores of activists who said they felt shut out of the government process in the ongoing debates over new development at Playa Vista and plans for the expansion of the LAX airport. They were thrilled by Rosendahl's pledge to adhere to a "Constituent Bill of Rights."

Nancy Daly, Riordan's wife and Rosendahl's former schoolmate, drew a loud round of applause when she announced that Rosendahl had reached out to his opponent, Brentwood activist Flora Gil Krisiloff. In an acrimonious battle that included a gay-baiting whispering campaign, Rosendahl nonetheless emerged victorious by a 13-point margin.

Villaraigosa praised Rosendhal for the "courage of his convictions" and said he is "unabashedly a progressive -- that's a good thing -- but a problem solver and a consensus builder, and that's a good thing as well."

After his comments, Villaraigosa told IN, "Yesterday I said we should dream big about L.A. -- no matter where we come from or who we are -- African American, Latino, Caucasian, Asian or what our sexual orientation is. What matters is the content of our character." Rosendahl, he said, "will make a great councilmember."

Villaraigosa also told IN that he intends to release all the names of his staff and commission appointees "soon." That was later underscored by his press secretary, Janelle Erickson. "The mayor's working to quickly fill all commissions and appointees, including someone on the mayor's staff who will work with the GLBT community," she told IN.

Rosendahl spent much of the ceremony in the crowd of 500 well-wishers, parading to the stage with local activists on each arm. He took the oath with the Bible being held by two nephews and surrounded by family members, including a dog.

"Great, great, great -- everything is great -- especially today," Rosendahl told the crowd, using a phrase that became his mantra while hosting public affairs shows for years. "It's all about people and partnerships. Everything needs to be open for where the truth may be."

"There is something palpable in the air," Councilmember Eric Garcetti told IN, commenting on all the "average Angelenos" who attended the public ceremonies for Villaraigosa and Rosendahl. "This is the city of dreams and desires. We've done half the dreaming. Now it's time to take action to make those dreams real."