TIPOFF CITY ATTORNEY'S MOVES AREN'T MAKING ANYONE HAPPY.

Byline: RICK ORLOV

City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo found himself with few friends last week amid the strike by the Engineers and Architects Association.

It was Delgadillo's office that angered union leaders when it won a temporary restraining order against about 200 EAA members to keep them on the job.

At the same time, it was Delgadillo who made a point of letting the world know he wouldn't cross an EAA picket line and risk being called a scab.

All of which was fine with other city officials -- until they asked if Delgadillo then would dock two days' pay off his annual salary of more than $172,000 for his time off work.

``The question is moot,'' spokesman Nick Velazquez said. ``He was not scheduled to be in the office those days. He was working. Just not out of his offices here.''

Other elected officials were miffed that Delgadillo was trying to one-up them. And still other city staff were angry because they had to forego their pay if they agreed not to cross the picket lines.

If you were a member of the California Republican Party and wanted to have a moment with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger at the party convention a week ago, you would have had a better chance if you had left the Century Plaza Hotel.

Schwarzenegger made a drop-in appearance at the convention's Saturday session and gave a brief luncheon address. He totally skipped the next day's general session.

Instead, Schwarzenegger held court that Sunday at First AME Church, the citadel of African-American politics in Los Angeles.

And by all accounts the governor did well.

``He did all the right things,'' said Kerman Mattox, a longtime Democratic consultant and spokesman for the church. ``He got here an hour early. He met with our parishioners. He made no demands. His people wanted him to be able to speak 10 minutes, we said three minutes and he had no problem with that.''

Mattox said Schwarzenegger is the first major Republican officeholder he can remember who has come to the church to court African-American voters.

``At one point, the choirmaster called him up and taught him the choir two-step,'' Mattox said. ``He surprised us. He has some rhythm.''

Mattox said Schwarzenegger remained in the church parking lot after the service to pose with parishioners.

``What's really surprising to us is that the governor has now been here more than (Democratic candidate) Phil Angelides,'' Mattox said. ``He's never asked to come here.''

For about an hour last week it was the ``moustache caucus'' in the chambers of the state Senate as members paid tribute to departing colleague ``Landslide'' Richard Alarcon.

In honor of Alarcon, Senate members donned fake moustaches to mimic his real one.

As for the nickname ``Landslide''? It refers to the slim 29-vote margin by which Alarcon won his Senate seat in 1992.

But Alarcon won't be gone from Sacramento long.

While Alarcon, D-Van Nuys, is leaving the Senate because of term limits, he is expected to easily win election to the state Assembly this November.

MEDIA WATCH: Careful observers of Los Angeles City Hall politics will notice a change when the City Council returns from its summer recess next month.

Gone will be the longtime council news-conference backdrop that featured giant skylines of the city from the 1960s -- which no longer reflect the new downtown.

In its place will be a deep-blue drape with an oval-shaped painting of City Hall and the words: Los Angeles City Council, City Hall.

It's similar to the backdrop used in Washington, D.C., press conference rooms.

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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