In so many fields, Louisiana lags way behind other states: education, healthcare, economic development, to name only a few. However, in one category, Louisiana stands head and shoulders above any other state, colorful and strange politics.
With the end of qualifying, we now know the field in the upcoming political races. In possibly the strangest political development seen in recent years, two metropolitan New Orleans politicians will have to face their own sons in the October 20th election
In St. Bernard, Parish President Henry “Junior” Rodriguez faces several opponents, including his son, Henry Joseph Rodriguez, III. The younger Rodriguez admitted that his entry into the race caught his father by surprise and spurred a heated discussion. According to Rodriguez, III, “Politics is in our blood.”
Yes, indeed, just ask Jefferson Parish Councilman-at-large John Young, Jr., who must face his son, John Young, III in his re-election bid. Young, III is 22 years old and has never run for office before. He said, “I’m simply embracing political action.” The elder Young expressed his love for his son stated that “I’m sure this confusion will be resolved soon.” We’ll see.
There were other interesting developments in Jefferson Parish. The sheriff Harry Lee who is facing a tremendous health challenge and is getting treatment for his leukemia is going to be opposed by Harahan Police Chief Peter Dale. On Saturday night, Dale is having a major fundraiser featuring none other than Dan Akroyd, the former Saturday Night Live star. Another major parish-wide elected official Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard will also face opposition. One of Broussard’s challengers is former radio talk show host Keith Rush. The 76-year old Republican is known for his strong right wing views and his enthusiastic support of former KKK leader and State Representative David Duke. Because of the controversy, Rush has just been included on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hate Watch List.
Undoubtedly, these campaigns will be interesting, although they will not hold a candle to the State Senate District 6 race. In that campaign, incumbent State Senator Julie Quinn (R-Metairie) will be opposed by a large field of candidates, including two state representatives and a former congressional candidate. However, the most unusual candidate she will face former television anchor Mary Lou McCall, the ex-wife of her boyfriend Jefferson Parish Councilman-at-large John Young. McCall will be making her first foray into politics. She is the mother of John Young, III, who will be running against her ex-husband. She also kicked off her campaign yesterday by filing a lawsuit against her ex-television partner, former New Orleans Archbishop Philip Hannan, maybe the most beloved figure in the greater New Orleans. It was a very unusual way to start a campaign, yes indeed.
In the New Orleans Council-at-large race, one of the candidates is Kimberly Williamson Butler, the former Clerk of Court who was jailed for disobeying a judge’s order and upon release compared herself to Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. Mandela spent 27 years in jail, Butler spent one day quite an apt comparison! Joining Butler in the New Orleans race is Dyan “Mama D” French, who is known for her notorious outbursts in council meetings and her frequent charges of racism. If this publicity seeking rabble-rouser, who is an expert at disrupting meetings, she gets elected, it will be pandemonium in the New Orleans City Council.
In the Governor’s race, businessman John Georges made his switch official by changing to Independent status. He has a long history of giving financial donations to the GOP, but has been on the receiving end of vicious attacks by party officials, so it was no surprise that he left the party. He joined State Senator Walter Boasso (D-Arabi) in leaving the GOP for greener pastures. Boasso became a Democrat and hopes that his gubernatorial chances will improve now that he has left the GOP.
Yesterday, we also learned the decision of “Hamlet on the Bayou” New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who opted not to run for Governor after playfully considering his options for months. Obviously, when Nagin realized that he would be destroyed in a statewide race, he eventually decided that his ego could not take such a trashing. Now, the people of New Orleans will have his “full attention.” Oh yeah!
Governor Blanco toyed with the media yesterday and the frontrunner U.S. Congressman Bobby Jindal (R-Kenner). After announcing that she would not run for re-election, rumors persisted that she would change her mind and run. Yesterday, there were insider reports that were floating around in political circles that Blanco would change her mind and eventually qualify. In fact, her security team supposedly made a sweep of the Secretary of State’s office in advance of her visit. Well, it was all a ruse to toy with the media and Jindal. In the words of one GOP official, “they were playing with his mind.”
In the upcoming election, voters will witness plenty of characters, but they won’t see U.S. Senator David Vitter will undoubtedly have a very minor role in this election. Don’t expect him to see him pounding the pavement for any candidate, especially since his name is in the news on a daily basis in connection with the U.S. Senator Larry Craig scandal. Some Democrats are claiming that Republicans are guilty of a double standard by forcing Craig to resign and giving Vitter a pass. Before the D.C. Madam connection, Vitter would have played a major role in the election. At this point, few if any candidates will be eager to share a podium with the now tainted Senator.
All of these developments will make for a very interesting election. There will be father vs. son, ex-wife vs. girlfriend, with some crazies thrown into the mix. In Louisiana, politics is never boring, and is almost always exciting and this year will be no exception.
Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 8:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 5 till 9 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com
Louisiana politics is better than any soap opera. From the whoremongering Vitter, to klan and Nazi supporters to "Boo-Boo" Aaron the Flooder Broussard, to Junior and Son(like Sanford and Son---only Fred Sanford made an honest living unlike Humpty Dumpty Junior Rodriguez), to Julie and boyfriend and Johnny Angel, the councilman and girlfriend. All this election is lacking is a tranvestite and a bisexual and it would have tapped every form of the strange, bizarre, outrageous and ludicrous. All that was lacking was for C. Ray, the "chocolate city" dude to throw his hat into the ring. It's more entetaining than "Saturday Night Live." No wonder Louisiana is last in everything good and first in everything bad. And if we don't get rid of all or most of the aforementioned "good 'ole boys" and "good 'ole gals," we deserve to remain first in everything bad and last in everything good. The comedy is about to begin ladies and gentlemen---have a good laugh, and then vote them out---all of them!!!
Written by Randy
on 9/10/2007
Uh, WD (short for "White Dumbass", perhaps?) just where did David Duke acquire the title "Dr."? Is that something that they give out in the American Nazi Party (you know, if you use four anti-Semitic slurs on the radio you become "Herr Doctor _______", or is it a new code for "Grand Spankin' the Wizard" of the KKK? Let me tell you this much - if I wake up in a hospital and I see his plastic surgery-enhanced mug looking down on me, I'm wheeling my ass straight outta that hospital, laisse-mon te dire. Doctor, mon go-go.
Written by Tee Dub
on 9/9/2007
Re: Dr. Duke
Exposing the liars is all that matters. If you don't listen to all sides, you are not seeking truth. Dr. David Duke's world wide best selling book "Jewish Supremacism" is free to download at The Pirate Bay dot com in MP3 format. While this free spoken word book is several hours long, it is broken up into individual files each about 30 minutes in length. Listen to it during lunch and see if you or your friends can find any lies at all. While listening to Dr. Duke, one comes to understand that he is not like the controlled mass media would have you believe. Dr. Duke is an extremely intelligent, highly educated, thoughtful man. Dr. Duke narrates this free copy of his book during the recent Israeli war on Lebanon and this timely commentary is extremely insightful. The Jews have much to answer for.
http://thepiratebay.org/tor/3541348/Dr._David_Duke_-_Spoken_Word_-_Jewish_Supremacism
NO war for Israel!
Written by WD
on 9/9/2007
Add Republican John Bryan a Florida city councilman to the growing group of Republican perverts,like David Vitter and Larry craig.He resigned his post Friday because of accusations he molested three of his adopted children and it seems he Committed Suicide hours later.Check foxnews dot com,but notice fox forgets to mention he is a republican.
Written by Diaperman
on 9/8/2007
I find it funny,Bobby Jindal was afraid Blanco might run again.You have to wonder why, Jindal called for Craig to resign,but did not want to change Vitter at all.Now my Hero Vitter might be silent, but be sure he will be making many changes in the back ground.I would expect him to be showing Larry Craig how to change.See Craig,you can get by with anything as long as you use a woman, in the picture somehow.The two men thing,was a no no,but if you had hired a hooker, to watch you with a man,that probably would have been alright.Yes i am glad the winds of change are blowing in Louisiana,and I plan to stay upwind of Vitter.
Written by Diaperman
on 9/7/2007
Goodness, dears, there has not been so much fun since Earl and Blaze made the headlines or was it Chep and Zaza Gabor. Unfortunately, I did not get to Baton Rouge to qualify. We ran out of gas for the Bentley. However, I will be proposing my program at our little site http://rhettswife.createforum.net/index.php?sid=37ff5ebfee9b9d971f02b8247f2783b9
May the best win the catfight that will ensue. However, the best we have seen of the claws out was those of the wilted magnolia, Blanco, when she had the Secretary of State's office swept. It looks like Piyush got a little upset when "Louisiana State Police officer walked into Secretary of State Jay Dardenne's office and asked to perform the kind of security sweep that signals a visit by the governor....... but the situation drew state Republican leaders and several Jindal campaign operatives, including manager Timmy Teepel, to the scene."
In so many fields, 