Producer and Director in Political Drama

Rep. Maxine Waters played a dirty trick on the mayoral candidates by inviting them to appear at her forum Saturday--and then sharing the stage with them.

It was as if Katharine Hepburn in her prime had appeared with a bunch of featured players from the soaps. The candidates didn’t have a chance.

Waters, who represents some of South-Central Los Angeles’ poorest black and Latino neighborhoods, held the forum at Exposition Park near USC so residents of that beleaguered part of town could hear what the mayoral hopefuls could offer.

Waters, one of California’s most influential black politicians, presided at a speaker’s stand to the right of the candidates, who were seated at a long table.

Love her or hate her, Waters is a powerful presence. Her voice belongs in a theater. It’s rich and deep, rolling up from somewhere in her chest out to the farthest reaches of the hall. Her eyes flash. She doesn’t smile, except on those rare occasions when she’s genuinely pleased or amused.

On Saturday, Waters was neither pleased nor amused. She had invited the 11 candidates she felt were legitimate contenders. Family obligations kept Richard Riordan and Tom Houston away, leaving two empty chairs. Two lesser-known candidates, John Borunda and Melrose Larry Green, stepped up and sat in them, defying Waters.

“I will not allow you to disrupt this forum,” Waters said. Borunda, a retired Los Angeles police detective, sat stone-faced. Melrose Larry, the most hyperactive candidate, bounced around in his chair, a Jerry Lewis in a cream-colored checked suit, communicating through shouts and screams.

Waters said Green and one of Borunda’s aides had been rude. “For those who called my office and cursed at my staff and threatened me, get off the stage or I will have you put off,” she said. Four State Police officers moved onto the stage. Green left, but Borunda remained, his face showing no emotion. Finally, he too walked away.

One of the Borunda people in the audience demanded to know the rules. “The rules are you may not disrespect me in this forum,” Waters replied.

With the party crashers out of the way, the forum proceeded.

Although the exchanges failed to shed any special light on the contenders’ stands on issues, the audience got an idea of some of the candidates as people and personalities.

The most interesting was the leader in the public opinion polls, Councilman Mike Woo.

Amid the pandemonium, Woo, seated at the end of the table, looked detached and slightly grumpy, as if he resented being part of such a raucous scene. His opponents attacked him, trying to knock him off his front-runner’s perch, but Woo icily declined to mix it up with them.

Former school board member Julian Nava was full of anger and hostility, even toward the audience. When a man asked, “What are you going to do to help the young brothers and sisters in Watts and the housing projects?” Nava replied that black millionaires in the athletic and entertainment world, like Bill Cosby, should contribute 10% of their income.

The largely African-American crowd, sensing an insult, loudly booed Nava. “Mr. Cosby is one of those who have given a tremendous amount to the community, “ Waters told him.

There were two black candidates, Councilman Nate Holden and Stanley Sanders, an attorney. Holden was the veteran of many years of government service who knows how to fix potholes. Sanders, born and raised in Watts, was the hometown boy who made good, a Rhodes scholar, a Yale Law School graduate and now a successful lawyer.

But there was no magic between them and the audience, not the old feeling stirred when a younger Tom Bradley swept through this neighborhood as a black hero on his way to the mayor’s office 20 years ago.

When the forum was over, Waters talked to the reporters. We all wanted to know whom she was going to support for mayor.

Her support is important. She runs the biggest and best grass-roots political operation in South-Central L.A. Last year, Waters put her machine behind Yvonne Brathwaite Burke for county supervisor. It provided enough votes for Burke to win a narrow victory.

Waters either bullies and lectures reporters or engages them in long fencing matches. On Saturday, she fenced.

“I have not made that decision,” she said. “There is still a lot to learn.”

The star had watched the newcomers audition. But none of them convinced her they were ready to share her spot on L.A.’s political billboard.