Endorsement

Trial judges are, on the books, elected officials, and even the vast majority of those whose names never appear on a ballot are subject to election challenge every six years. Should voters not call them to account for their performance, as they do with any other politician, on election day? Should they not encourage opponents to challenge incumbent judges? Or are judges different from members of Congress or city councils? Judges are most definitely different. The last thing we want or need in California is trial judges who sit on the bench with one eye on justice and the other on how any particular ruling is going to play with the public.

Hyun-Jin Ryu will be attempting to snap the Dodgers' four-game losing streak Friday in Baltimore and win his third consecutive game. But he's already nabbed one early prize. Just three games into his major league career, he's signed his first endorsement deal. Ryu has joined fellow South Korean Shin Soo Choo as a spokesman for Hanmi Bank. Hanmi Bank specializes in the Korean-American community and has 27 branches throughout most of California. Choo is an outfielder who has spent parts of the past nine seasons in the majors and currently starts for the Cincinnati Reds.

Most voters have by now received their sample ballots, and those who plan to vote by mail are sending in their applications. The June 5 election is underway right now. It is noteworthy for several reasons. Los Angeles County voters will be selecting a new district attorney, and this is the first time since 1964 that there is no incumbent trying to hold onto the seat. The field is wide open. To win outright in this nonpartisan race, a candidate must get more than 50% of the vote.

Top officials of the Boy Scouts of America have unanimously recommended allowing gay boys into the ranks of one of the nation's oldest and most traditional youth groups while continuing to exclude homosexual adults as leaders. Scouting's executive committee described the proposal as an effort to acknowledge changes in society while respecting the religious organizations that sponsor many Scout troops across the country. It also aims to move the organization beyond a controversy that has rocked its foundation in the last several months.

The presidential campaign season filled The Times' mailbag many times over, but not always with the kind of commentary suitable for a letters page. Criticism was plentiful, pointed and often unfair. Praise was rarely offered, and when it was expressed, it typically resembled campaign talking points or punditry memes. A common reaction by letter writers to The Times' 1,000-plus-word endorsement of President Obama, for example, was short and dismissive: "Big surprise. " So far, the local campaigns for the three citywide offices and eight odd-numbered City Council  districts have been different.

For a long time, measuring more years than I care to count, I thought the movie that became "Zero Dark Thirty" would never happen. The goal, to make a modern, rigorous film about counter-terrorism, centered on one of the most important and classified missions in American history, was exciting and worthy enough, or so it seemed. But there were too many obstacles, too many secrets, and politicians standing in the way of an easy path. Somehow, though, thanks to the great persistence of my filmmaking team and an enormous dose of luck, we got the movie made and found studio partners with the courage to release it. Then came the controversy.

Herman Cain seems to be having something of a Sarah Palin moment. The retired pizza chain executive, who enjoyed a brief but intense flash of political fame last fall when he shot into the lead as a Republican presidential candidate, thrust himself back into the spotlight Wednesday with an "unconventional" endorsement in the GOP primary race. "Here is my unconventional endorsement," he said in an appearance at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Charleston, S.C. "Not a candidate seeking the nomination, not someone that's not running.

Just one week after announcing he would not run for president, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is endorsing Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination, sources confirm. Christie will attend Tuesday night's Republican debate in New Hampshire as Romney's guest. The Romney campaign had announced the former Massachusetts governor would address supporters this afternoon with a "special guest. " When he reaffirmed his decision not to be a presidential candidate, Christie had suggested he was not likely to endorse one of the official candidates soon.

The first bit of rapid response among Republican presidential hopefuls came hours before the start of Monday's "tea party" debate in Tampa, as Rick Perry answered Tim Pawlenty's endorsement of Mitt Romney by announcing the support of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Jindal, once seen as a rising GOP star, said in a statement that Perry's "record on job creation simply cannot be beat. " "The 1 million jobs he's helped create as governor is a stark contrast to the 2.4 million jobs lost on President Obama's watch," said Jindal.

As Rick Santorum rises in the polls, the Republican presidential candidate is receiving fresh scrutiny over his endorsement of moderate Republican incumbent Arlen Specter against a strong conservative challenger in the 2004 GOP Senate primary in his home state of Pennsylvania. At the first two stops of his final swing through western Iowa, the most conservative part of the state and his stronghold, Santorum was questioned about his endorsement of Specter, an abortion-rights supporter.

Since retooling her campaign message last month, mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel has gone on the offensive against City Hall, telling audiences that the place is mired in mediocrity and needs to "return to a time of strong leadership. " "We must change the L.A. that has emerged over these past few years," she said in a recent speech. "Today, paralysis rules. " Yet a review of campaign records shows Greuel has publicly supported much of the current city political leadership. Over the last eight years, nearly two-thirds of the council's 15 members were endorsed by Greuel, who appeared in mailers, fundraising invitations and other campaign materials promoting them.

Benjamin Kadish was just 5 and attending a summer day camp at the North Valley Jewish Community Center in 1999 when an self-professed white supremacist walked through the door and shot him and several others. On Thursday, the now 19-year-old joined his parents, Chuck and Eleanor Kadish, and several others working to combat gun violence and endorsed former lawmaker Mike Feuer for Los Angeles city attorney. Feuer, who is challenging City Atty. Carmen Trutanich in the May 21 runoff, has often talked about his efforts to stem shootings, both as a city councilman in the 1990s and more recently as a member of the state Assembly.

City controller hopeful Dennis Zine picked up an endorsement from Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina on Thursday and said the nod would be a "huge plus" in helping him win support among critical Latino voters. Molina, the sole Latina on the powerful board of supervisors, said Zine's three decades on the Los Angeles police force and 12 years as a city councilman show he's "dedicated to protecting and serving the public. " “I also admire Dennis' commitment to use the controller's office to promote civic transparency and accountability that will continue to instill pride and confidence in our city government," Molina said in a prepared statement.

Third-place primary finishers have been a hot commodity as the two remaining candidates for Los Angeles city attorney duke it out before the May 21 general election. Private attorney Greg Smith failed to make the runoff but has racked up a successful record suing Los Angeles and other local governments by representing police officers and firefighters in discrimination and whistle-blower cases. Last week, Smith endorsed former lawmaker Mike Feuer, who is challenging City Atty. Carmen Trutanich for the post.

When Los Angeles mayoral rivals Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti started scrambling last month to line up key supporters for the May runoff, Maxine Waters was near the top of the list for both - well worth any wining, dining or flattery that might be required. On Monday, Greuel reveled in her success in winning over the Democratic congresswoman from South Los Angeles at a joint appearance outside City Hall.  Join us at 9 a.m. as we discuss Waters' endorsement with Times reporter Michael Finnegan.

Over the past few weeks, the race for mayor of Los Angeles has been less a contest of ideas and leadership than it's been an endorsement roulette, with Controller Wendy Greuel and Councilman Eric Garcetti trotting out their latest pledges of support as evidence of their fitness for the city's top job. But does anybody other than the candidates really care? Are there large numbers of voters who will vote for Greuel because Houston Mayor Annise Parker endorsed her or for Garcetti because former Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez spoke up for him?

Donald Trump, speaking to reporters after he endorsed Mitt Romney on Thursday, said he was impressed by Romney's recent debate performances and his position on China. “I watched the last two debates; I thought he was terrific,” Trump said. “And I really thought in terms of creating jobs and creating wealth, I thought he really had a much different attitude and I loved it. I thought his attitude was great -- in those last two debates.” He declined to say whether he considered endorsing Newt Gingrich.

Herman Cain, the charismatic former pizza chief executive and one-time presidential candidate, endorsed Newt Gingrich in the GOP race for the nomination on Friday, a nod that could provide a boost to the former House Speaker in the crucial Florida primary that is just days away. “I had it in my heart and mind a long time ago,” Cain said, speaking to Republicans gathered for a fundraiser in West Palm Beach. “One of the biggest reasons is the fact that I know that Speaker Gingrich is a patriot.

Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich offers an explanation for why his reelection challenger has racked up the lion's share of endorsements as the May 21 runoff approaches: "He's part of the old-boys club; he's a career politician and I'm independent. " But former lawmaker Mike Feuer points to the backing he's received from hundreds of elected officials - including both of California's U.S. senators - civic and other groups, environmental organizations, labor, law and community leaders as evidence of "a clear desire for change" in the city's top legal post.

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel picked up the endorsement Monday of Maxine Waters, a Democratic congresswoman with substantial sway among black voters in South Los Angeles. Waters is the latest in a succession of prominent African Americans in L.A. politics to take sides in the May 21 runoff between Greuel, the city controller, and Eric Garcetti, a city councilman. Black voters, particularly in South L.A., are one of the biggest voting blocs up for grabs. Relatively few blacks backed Greuel or Garcetti in the March 5 primary, opting instead for City Councilwoman Jan Perry, the sole African American in the race.