Villaraigosa also recently hosted the Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and led the U.S. Conference of Mayors as its president.
There is a lot of speculation that the mayor has set his sights beyond Los Angeles. It's widely known he's already been offered and turned down a position in the Obama administration.
Villaraigosa says he's going to focus on the job as mayor until the last minute, the last day. That's in June next year. And then what?
"I'd say if I was a betting man, you're going to bet that I'm going to take some time to write, to think and reflect, to maybe speak on some of the important issues of our time," said Villaraigosa.
Last month I met Villaraigosa at the White House as he arrived for a meeting with President Obama. He's been there often. Villaraigosa had just given a major address to the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
In September he will chair the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, another national platform for Villaraigosa.
Villaraigosa said if he had to make a decision today, it would definitely be to take a time-out.
"I've had jobs now since 1994 that acted on the world," said Villaraigosa. "And I think it's maybe time for me to reflect a little more, and that's where I'm at. That could change. I'm not going to lock myself into anything."
