Putting Words in Their Mouths

With six weeks to go before the March 8 primary, L.A.’s five leading mayoral candidates have had three debates, with about a dozen to go. The ambitious schedule creates plenty of opportunities to score points -- or fumble.

Can you match the political wisdom, nonsense or non sequitur to the candidate from whose lips each quote sprang?

1. [The mayor should] wake up every single day and make this place electric.

A. B. C. D. E.

2. This is the homeless capital of America. It is the poverty capital of America.

A. B. C. D. E.

3. We are the poverty capital of the world, the low-wage capital of the world.

A. B. C. D. E.

4. Housing is where jobs go to sleep at night.

A. B. C. D. E.

5. We cannot acquiesce to the [corporations] that would just as soon get the money from China as get it from Pacoima.

A. B. C. D. E.

6. It’s just embarrassing how [the airport] looks.... We’ve got Hollywood here; let’s build sets.

A. B. C. D. E.

7. We have to realize that the fact of not hiring honest people, without giving them clear direction, giving them guidance as relates to supervision management, also perpetuated [corruption].

A. B. C. D. E.

8. Traffic’s a tough thing.... But it’s about getting up every day and leaving no cone unturned.

A. B. C. D. E.

9. Ladies and gentlemen, the bucket is full. You cannot just paint the bucket to make it better. We need more capacity, we need another bucket, we need another airport. Any fifth-grader can figure that out when they’re sitting on the 405 for two hours going to LAX.

A. B. C. D. E.

10. This [airport] plan is one that will actually do all the things everybody complained about that they didn’t want to see done.

A. B. C. D. E.

11. My staff used to say, “_________, you’re the only guy we know, the only politician we know, who solves problems people don’t know that they have.”

A. B. C. D. E.

12. We’re creating environmental awareness programs at the environmental awareness library that I built in Lakeview Terrace on the site where Rodney King met his fate that illful day.

A. B. C. D. E.

13. We need a mayor that can bridge this city.

A. B. C. D. E.

14. I introduced a bill to expand opportunities to improve our urban river parkways because LAX was one big concrete river that didn’t make any sense.

A. B. C. D. E.

15. I was Antonio’s roommate and I’m not disclosing anything.... Yes, it was warm and fuzzy.

A. B. C. D. E.

Bonus question:

I used to give [the homeless] money. In fact, I was on a first-name basis with a lot of the homeless downtown.... One of the homeless came up to me and said, “I’m voting for you.” So I gave him some money.

A. Richard Riordan B. Tom Bradley C. Sam Yorty

Scoring:

11-16 You’re on a first-name basis with Jimmy and Bernie. You’re headed for mayoral debate burnout. Sit out the next round.

6-10: You’re not sure what a “traffic corridor” is. You’ve never heard of Plan D. But you’ve got a nose for nonsense.

0-5: Don’t worry, the TV ads start soon.

Mayoral debates online at la36.org

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ANSWERS: 1c, 2e, 3a, 4b, 5a, 6c, 7d, 8c, 9a, 10b, 11c, 12a, 13e, 14a, 15c, 16a