The political fate of Attorney General Charles Foti is the hottest topic of this slow uninteresting 2007 election season.Will Charles Foti run for reelection; can Charles Foti be reelected; who will run if Charles Foti chooses not to run is dominating the political discussion.
I for one am not convinced Charles Foti cannot win re election.Has the political disaster for Attorney General Foti in Orleans penetrated southwest and north Louisiana voter’s consciousness? I would be very surprised if it has, plus do these voters even care about a news story from Orleans Parish and Katrina.Could voters eventually not care as this boils down to a he says and she says and then becomes boring.
Can anyone beat Charles Foti by just signing up and running – I give Foti 90 plus percent of all black voters and if he gets into a runoff with a republican – then his fate is determined by turn out as much as anything else. I expect Charles Foti will run a statewide poll and how that turns out will give him a much clearer picture than political pundits and their predictions.If Foti does not run, then the strongest democrat would be Richard Ieyoub. Does Richard Ieyoub want his old job back badly enough to live on the meager salary of attorney general?
Some media speculation is now centered on John Kennedy as a potential successor to Foti. John Kennedy is certainly a potential contender, however these commentators and writers seem to have a very short memory as John Kennedy ran for attorney general and lost to Richard Ieyoub (Ieyoub stomped him). Number two campaign: Kennedy was endorsed by then very popular Governor Mike Foster and was elected treasurer. Number three campaign: Kennedy then ran for governor in 2003 and found zero support (democrats ignored him) and he had to settle for reelection as treasurer.Number four campaign: Kennedy then ran for the US Senate in 2004 as the liberal democrat. Kennedy finishes a very poor last out of three major candidates (Vitter wins in first).
Never mind that he was a liberal democrat three years ago – lately he has been flirting with changing parties and running as a republican next year against Current US Senator Mary Landrieu. This year, number five campaign: Jason Redmond (who works for Kennedy and was campaign manager for the disastrous US Senate campaign) bragged about the bipartisan support by callers urging Kennedy to run for attorney general this year. YEAH RIGHT - seeking headlines at the expense of his fellow democrat’s hasn’t exactly put him in a strong position with those democrats whose help he now needs to campaign for attorney general. In fact, they are waiting for the opportunity to repay him for all the headlines he has garnered at their expense. I do know something about the politics of the business community and they remember the liberal democrat John Kennedy from his failed US Senate campaign (very few supported him) and now they wonder how long he will he remain the cost cutting conservative.
Kennedy could change parties – but that is certainly no sure bet for winning. If you are not a republican purist on issues like abortion – the republican base will desert you in a Minnesota minute. Any republican candidate for attorney general must have been pro life forever – no equivocations allowed – NONE!Abortion will be the litmus test for any republican candidate for attorney general. John Kennedy might run and he might win – however he is always running for something and he has twice lost badly. If he does happen to win this one, it will be accomplished without the Democratic Party leadership.
The problem with looking at votes in Congress is that because of amendments, a bill may well be a tangle of good and bad. This has been used in campaigns by both sides, where Senator A attacks Senator B for voting for X and Senator B attacks Senator A for voting for Y. Turns out Senator A and B both voted for the same bill, which contained X and Y as amendments. Very convoluted. That's why I like to look at what bill the Senators (and Representatives) introduced. Go to thomas.loc.gov and take a look. Who, on balance, introduced more bills (or amendments) that you would support and that would best serve Louisiana?
Written by David (neither Vitter nor Duke)
on 8/2/2007
For Louisiana to shake it's past? Nah,,, I have seen hound dogs shake fleas with more efficiency. It would take some determined people that want to really make good things happen for that to occur. All I see is a pity party at the expense of the suffering citizens that really have no effective say-so on the subjects. Just a bunch of self serving interests making grand announcements trying to capture headline news, so the money will flow from Congress.
Written by Beam me up Scotty, This place is infested
on 8/2/2007
No thank you, Ole Jarhead. Like many I would not want to put my family through a political campaign. Guess that is why I am more forgiving of personal failures of some of our politicians and try to judge them on the whole. We must have strong leadership. I sure would like to see Landrieu replaced. If Louisiana is to move forward, it must shake its past. I have been suspicious of her from the way she first took office. Her votes on many issues have puzzled me. But that is my personal view from the outside. All of you are closer to the problems.
Written by Sharon
on 8/1/2007
Miss Sharon, I don't know, maybe I should run against her! NAW too many skeletons in my closet, I would vote for you though!
Written by Ole Jarhead
on 8/1/2007
Mary Landrieu, that is.
Written by Sharon
on 8/1/2007
Ole Jarhead, any chance we could come up with a strong candidate against Landrieu. I liked what I hear about Kennedy but many are like you and want him to stay as Treasurer.
Written by Sharon
on 8/1/2007
I want Foti to go but I would like Kennedy to stay as Treasurer!
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