Riordan Finds a Running Mate in Clinton

Los Angeles Mayor-elect Richard Riordan was treated Wednesday to one of the most sought-after perks in the nation’s capital: an early morning jog with President Clinton.

Well, make that a partial run. Admittedly out of shape from lack of exercise during his rigorous campaign, the 63-year-old Riordan twice jumped into a Secret Service van to ride a portion of Clinton’s three-plus-mile jaunt from the White House to the steps of the Capitol and back.

“It was a great honor,” Riordan said. “It made my visit.”

Although Riordan may be a novice politician, he appears to understand the importance of good timing and publicity. The mayor-elect rejoined Clinton just in time to have a pool of White House newspaper and television photographers snap his picture with the Capitol in the background, observers said.

The episode was the hot topic of conversation wherever Riordan went the rest of the day. He said he only wished that his mother, who died last month, were alive to hear about it.

The run, after an impromptu Oval Office meeting with Clinton on Tuesday, demonstrates the extraordinary effort the White House is making in reaching out to the Republican mayor-elect since his victory over Democrat Michael Woo. Although Clinton endorsed Woo, the President has gone out of his way to praise Riordan and pledge to work with him in rebuilding Los Angeles.

“I think I have a strong ally in the President,” Riordan said. “He is very happy that since I’ve been elected I’ve acted as a nonpartisan. I haven’t tried to make it into a Republican victory. I think that pleases him.”

Riordan wrapped up his two-day trip to Washington on a strong bipartisan note, meeting privately with Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown and California House members from both parties.

Wednesday afternoon, Riordan flew to Philadelphia to meet with Democratic Mayor Edward G. Rendell, a former prosecutor whose bold actions since taking office in 1992 have balanced the city’s budget for the first time in seven years, drawing high praise from business leaders and others. Riordan is scheduled to return to Los Angeles today.

In Washington, Riordan was told by Brown that the Commerce Department soon will name a high-level administrator to work full time in Los Angeles to coordinate the federal government’s response to the region’s needs. Brown’s duties include serving as the Administration’s point man on California concerns.

Riordan also asked Deputy Atty. Gen. Webster L. Hubbell to provide 3,000 new police officers for Los Angeles. Hubbell made no commitments.

Nevertheless, Riordan said he is optimistic that Congress will approve several measures this year to help major cities, including a crime bill that would provide $1 billion a year nationwide for more police officers, “empowerment zone” legislation to revive poor inner-city areas and more special education funds.

“I think I’ve gotten a lot of hope,” Riordan said. “I think we all have the same goals. We need more money in the cities, and particularly to make the cities safe so people will want to stay living in the cities (and) business will want to come back to the cities.”

But the mayor-elect received further discouraging news on his plan to privatize Los Angeles International Airport. Boxer told him she opposes the effort.

“I don’t think it has very bright prospects,” Boxer said of Riordan’s plan to generate more city revenue by leasing the airport. “I just never have believed in privatizing things like airports and weather satellites. I think it is better in the hands of the people.”

Riordan’s privatization plan was dealt a setback Tuesday when the House Appropriations Committee approved a measure that would deny federal transportation funds to any city that used airport revenues for anything other than airport-related costs.

Overall, however, Riordan’s trip was considered a success. A House Democratic aide noted that Riordan already has spent more time reaching out to legislators from both parties than most big city mayors. And the access he gained at the White House for a Republican mayor-elect seemed to impress many members of Congress who have yet to jog with Clinton.

When he arrived in Washington on Monday evening, Riordan had no intention of even speaking to the President. He told reporters he was not at all disappointed that the highest White House official he was scheduled to meet was Chief of Staff Thomas (Mack) McLarty.

A senior White House aide described the meeting with McLarty, a former businessman, as “sort of like one CEO talking to another. The tone was like a corporate summit, how they might act after an attempted hostile takeover that was settled amicably.”

Much to Riordan’s surprise, he was ushered into the Oval Office after meeting with McLarty. During the 20-minute meeting with Clinton on Tuesday afternoon, the President invited Riordan and his entourage to join him for his morning run.

Riordan said he was “extremely complimented” by the gesture and agreed to accompany Clinton, even though he was out of shape and did not have running gear. He wore a pair of sneakers, shorts and a T-shirt he had packed with the hope of getting in some mild exercise during his trip.

At about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, Riordan and his girlfriend, Nancy Daly, along with aides Kim Wardlaw and Staci Walters, arrived at the White House Diplomatic Reception Room ready to run. They were joined shortly after 7 a.m. by the President, Clinton aide John Emerson, who is a former Los Angeles deputy city attorney, Emerson’s wife, Kimberly Martau, and countless Secret Service agents.

On their way out, Riordan said, Clinton pointed to marks on the building remaining from the British attempt to burn down the White House in 1814. Shortly after the group went out through the southeast gates of the White House, the pace proved to be too much for the mayor-elect.

As the joggers headed for the Capitol along Pennsylvania Avenue, Riordan could not keep up. Clinton’s usual jogging pace is eight minutes per mile--though he occasionally claims to have run seven-minute miles.

A little less than a mile into the run, Riordan jumped into a Secret Service van.

“The only thing that kept me going was the hope that I might die any second,” Riordan said with a laugh. “I went into the van the first time because I was tired. . . . I’m out of shape.”

Riordan hitched a ride up to Capitol Hill and, after Clinton scaled the steps of the Capitol Building, rejoined him just in time to have waiting photographers take his picture running alongside the President.

As they ran, Clinton and Riordan engaged in small talk. The President spoke in a “very relaxed way the whole time” as he pointed out landmarks and noted an “African-American guy he always passes in the park (who) always comes to attention when (Clinton) passes by,” Riordan said.

Shortly after rejoining the President, Riordan boarded the Secret Service van once again, this time for a ride to the posh Willard Intercontinental Hotel, where he was staying. Riordan said he had to make a morning appointment with the staff of the Wall Street Journal. And, oh yeah, he was exhausted.

“I could keep pace, but I just ran out of steam,” said Riordan, adding that he is a casual bicyclist, not an avid runner like the President. “I couldn’t run the last mile with him.”