De talk uf de town in our state iz still de governor’s election. It wuz no real shocker dat John Bel Edwards won. What wuz a shock wuz how bad he beat David Vitter.
Now Vitter iz a seasoned politician who had faught some bigtime elections in New Awlins. But he had usually been de attacker. An’ dis time, when de Democratic machine started attackin’ him, he jus’ didn’t know which way to turn.
James Carville an’ hiz New Awlins gang put some very strong ads togedder which showed phone records uf Vitter callin’ a D.C. Madam when some very important votes wuz being taken on de Senate floor.
Some old-line Democratic Party leaders wuz quick to declare dis win az a takeover for dar party. Dat could be de furtherest from de truth. All udder statewide offices are still Republican. Five uf our six congressmen are Republicans an’ at least trew next year both uf our U.S. senators will be Republican. It should also be noted dat a whole buncha state House an’ Senate members weren’t even opposed … an’ mos’ uf dem were Republicans.
So what we are sayin’ iz dat Vitter may be out, but de Grand Ole Party still rules de state. An’ it should be noted dat some key issues facin’ Edwards may jus’ make him a one-termer. Wit’ de mood uf voters in our state, nuttin’ comes az a shock any mo. An’ moods uf some groups can change overnight.
Take our teachers for example. Day are all excited about Edwards for now. But me, I have never known teachers to be very happy for very long.
Experts say Jay Dardenne had a lot to do wit’ Vitter gettin’ beat. Az uf dis writin’, Dardenne hasn’t been given a political patronage appointment by de new gov. Dat announcement will probably be made in de next few weeks.
Edwards will be sworn in in early January, an’ between now an’ den, dar’s gonna be a whole lotta jockeyin’ for jobs an’ appointments to various boards. Edwards haz already ruffled a few feathers because he appointed state Sen. Ben Nevers from Bogalusa to head hiz transition team. Nevers haz taken stances in recent legislative sessions dat haven’t been very popular.
Laura Leach from our area iz also on dat transition team. So we know she will watch out for Southwest Louisiana.
A final note on dis race: many felt voters had heard enough about Obamacare an’ Obama an’ dat probably made a lot uf folks stay home. Obama wuz president de day afta Landrieu got beat, an’ he’s still president today afta dis election haz ended.
An’ De Politics Goes On
A year ago, Vitter was leadin’ in all de polls an’ de big question wuz who wuz gonna run for hiz U.S. Senate seat. Well, not only did Vitter not win, but he announced he wuzn’t gonna run for de U.S. Senate next year.
Our Congressman Charles Boustany haz sed he’s in de race. Congressman John Fleming from Minden haz sed he’s in. Udders mentioned are Treasury Sec. John Kennedy, Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle an’ Bob Maness, who wuz in de race wit’ Landrieu an’ Cassidy last year.
Kennedy always tinks uf runnin’ but never does. Angelle will try to use de name recognition from de governor’s race, an’ Boustany an’ Fleming serve 2-year terms, so dar always runnin’. Me, I wouldn’t be surprised to see six or seven run for dat seat.
Local Races Mean New Faces
De race for state representative for District 34 was expected to be a real horse race. Incumbent A.B. franklin knew from de get-go he would have hiz hands full wit’ Wilfred Carter, a former district judge an’ state rep.
When de dust cleared, Franklin had kept hiz seat by only 120 votes. Election night, Carter hinted he may run for Lake Charles mayor next year.
Several new police jurors will be seated later dis month. It should be noted dat Carter, Franklin an’ de police jury candidates all ran real clean races — de way it should be. Franklin said on election night dat dis would be hiz last term, so you can bet dar will be a bunch runinn’ for his seat in four years. Ain’t politics in our area great?
Jindal Spends Taxpayer Money To Run For President
We’ve heard lots uf complaints from members uf de Legislature about Bobby Jindal not bein’ in dis state much, but instead, makin’ politics in Iowa an’ New Hampshire. Associated Press reported earlier dis year dat he had spent 255 uf 304 days out uf de state.
But now comes de news dat all hiz out-uf-state travels saw him bein’ escorted by Louisiana State Police at a cost uf $400,000 taxpayer dollars. Now dat doesn’t include hiz travel bills for hotels … all uf which he sed wuz for state bidness.
Legislators and state officials from both parties are very upset with Jindal over dis. While our gubment officials wuz fightin’ for every penny day could get to make ends meet, Jindal wuz politicin’ in dem two early primary states. An’ now he iz outta de race for president because he never moved de needle above 2 percent.
Forget what’s legal or not (and state police sez state law requires de governor have protection when travelin’ outta state), Jindal needs to do what’s right and pay back de money spent on his campaign by state taxpayers.
Les Safe Fur Now
Afta tree weeks uf rumors, it wuz made official afta de Texas A&M game dat Les Miles would remain LSU football coach. It had started so promisin’, wit’ a 7-0 record and Leonard Fournette a shoe-in for de Heisman. Tings were lookin’ good in Tiger town. But den dar were three straight losses an de halo became a hangman’s knot.
Bum Phillips once sed dar are two kinds uf coaches in football: dem what’s been fired an’ dem what’s gonna get fired. Coach Les dodged de bullet for now, but time will tell what will happen if he haz a dog season next year.
Dar’s big money involved in college sports — especially football, an’ dem bigtime supporters expect to see winners. It’s as simple az dat.
We wish coach Les an’ hiz family de best.
Happy Days Are Here Again
Old folks like me can remember de glory days uf Mcneese Football. An’ az far az we can tell, dose glory days are baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. Az uf dis writin’, de Cowboys are still in de playoffs, an’ coach Viator is a finalist for FCS coach uf de year. Flags are flyin’, bumper stickers are all over de place, an’ folks are wearing blue an’ gold EVERY DAY now. Show your support and let’s keep dis Cowboy stampede movin’ into basketball and baseball season. Wear your blue an’ gold.
We Need A Museum Like Dis
We recently sawed in de paper whar folks in Albany, N.Y., are raisin’ money for a political corruption museum. For a $12.50 “bribe,” visitors will get a tour of crooked politicians an’ shady deals.
We tink dar should be one uf dem in Baton Rouge. Uf course, dar will be a corruption board to which folks who give 50 grand or more are appointed. Talk about gettin’ rid uf our state debt in a hurry.
Deep Taughts While Watchin’ De Saints Tank Again
10) Fifteen million for coach Les. I’d be hiz chauffer for a hundred grand.
9) How many college football coaches are gonna be fired before de end uf de year?
8) Will Sedonia get me dat new pistol Remington jus’ came out wit’ for Christmas?
7) Just how long will Black Friday and Cyber Monday last next year?
6) Why does T Claude keep pourin’ more nog dan egg in hiz egg nog?
5) Why iz American Express already callin’ an’ tellin’ me I can leave home
without it?
4) Ain’t it great how Sedonia cuts out her naggin’ when it gets close to
Holiday season?
3) Are de Houston Astros gonna be better or az good az day wuz last year?
2) How can de New Awlins Saints continue to play so bad on defense?
1) Why iz it dat I don’t plan to have no turkey again until next October?
Final Shot
Lefty, my fran, sez he really liked de “Patrick Henry” outfit Clerk uf Court Lynn Jones wore for de runoff election. Lynn sez numbers jumped form 31 to 35 percent. Lefty sez he wants one like dat dat lights up for hiz Christmas gift from me. I reminded him dat he would probably be lit up for Christmas with or without a costume.
‘Til next time, lache pas la patate.
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