Faced with a city with a budget deficit of $238 million, a debt in the billions, and on the verge of a bond rating downgrade, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is nowhere to be found. Instead, he’s in Washington, D.C., celebrating the inauguration of President Obama – and tossing off nonsensical pabulum. “Reach for the stars and follow your dreams,” he said to the National Press Club. “Be the change you want to see in the world. Don’t lose your sense of the possible. Make sure you keep the cycle of humanity moving forward, by when you get through a door; someone gets through that door after you. Those are some of the things I would say to [immigrants in D.C.].” Villaraigosa did not say whether he would tell them that when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.

Villaraigosa was at the National Press Club to push for immigration reform – by which he means all immigrants get citizenship, and the border remains open. His six-point plan for immigration included English education and employers using ID – but not government enforcement of the border.

Villaraigosa is widely rumored to be up for a position in President Obama’s cabinet; after that, he is widely rumored to be a presidential candidate. And with chops like that, who can blame Democrats for being excited about this four-time bar-failer and long-time absentee mayor?

Ben Shapiro is Editor-At-Large of Breitbart News and author of the book “Bullies: How the Left’s Culture of Fear and Intimidation Silences America” (Threshold Editions, January 8, 2013).