With the New Orleans Saints victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game, the focus for most candidates for any elective office is going to be very difficult.The city is now in a festive but frenzied mood with the first New Orleans Saints team in the Super Bowl.
There are a number of questions we need to ask:
Will the voters be able to focus on politics?
How can the candidates best take advantage of the Saint victory?
Can the candidates possibly be divisive now and go negative as the city is really looking for positive strokes.
So, here is my take:
Will the voters be able to focus on politics?
Yes, but it will be very difficult.There will be debates and the media will focus on them.At the same time, the media will also focus upon the Saints.The key race is for the second spot (possible runoff for Mayor).With Mardi Gras also starting up, it will be very difficult for voters to spend time and even focus on that or any election.The key might be early and now absentee voting.
How can the candidates best take advantage of the Saint victory?
Yesterday, Mitch Landrieu ran television commercials during the Saints Minnesota game.Candidates will obviously hit media that target the Superbowl.One candidate Troy Henry, already has a big endorsement—Deuce McAllister.However, it will be tough for any candidate since in mixing politics with the Saints might give the audience mixed messages.
Can the candidates possibly be divisive now and go negative as the city is really looking for positive strokes.
This is the biggest gamble.New Orleans has so many “positives” in the air, going negative could absolutely turn off the voters.Often, this is the period when candidates will hit with negative messages especially if they want to suppress another candidate’s voters.But, making comments that could be perceived as divisive, could be a real loss for any candidate.In short, the Saint win will permeate the way New Orleans candidates engage the election over the next two weeks.For the Mayor’s race, the challenge could be even more difficult as the challengers for the possible runoff spot must get better known while not looking as the Grinch who stole the Super Bowl Magic>
The partying in the French Quarter had barely started when the New Orleans Saints began to turn their attention from the thrilling victory they just had crafted in the biggest game in franchise history to the even bigger game that awaits.
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I do very much hope the Saints win the SuperBowl. It will be better for Louisiana than if LSU won national champtionships in football, basketball, and baseball all in one year. And it will be a great morale boost. But after the election, reality will set in: Landrieu does not have the courage or the oomph to make the changes needed to turn NOLA around. Those in NOLA who can focus on more than one thing at a time had better get energized and working for Couhig or there will be 4 years of just drifting along. Better than Nagin, as if that was enough? A city very near the tipping point needs dynamic leadership, not just a nice guy who will tolerate the corruption of his allies. Written by chaubert
on 1/25/2010
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