Political Horizons for September 16, 2007 It’s a shame one member of the Louisiana media feels so threatened and insecure about how well he is doing as a journalist that he resorts to inflammatory name-calling and paranoiac musings to mask this – which must question his credibility to cover accurately and impartially the current election campaign One Mark Ballard of the Baton Rouge Advocate, head of its capital bureau, apparently did not like that criticism (that I will take his word for that there was, since I listen so infrequently to talk radio and did not read of any) heaped onto the mainstream media about its reporting “questions about [Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep.] Bobby Jindal’s campaign tactics and strategies.” If it were in reference to a poorly-reasoned, factually-challenged editorial The Advocate had published criticizing Jindal for not having as many debates as it liked (to which Ballard may or may not have contributed, as he writes both for the news hole and the editorial page), that public was response was more than deserved. (In fact, the only criticism I have seen of Ballard’s writing comes from Michael DiResto of the state’s Republican Party on a blog. And none of that was personal in nature, just a well-reasoned critique of the content of some recent columns by Ballard not even including anything about recent campaign tactic criticisms.) Rather than moving on, in a recent opinion piece that attempts to link Jindal’s addition of a “debate” to that editorial (he didn’t ask Jindal whether it had but implies it had something to do with that decision), he described those who presented the critiques on talk radio and writing on the Internet as “Internet and talk radio terrorists.” Ballard seems blissfully unaware that around the world, some engaging directly with U.S troops, real terrorists with real weapons are killing people. To compare those with a different opinion than his to actual murderes not only dishonors U.S. soldiers and others who have died by terrorist activities, but obviously is an insensitive, deeply offensive labeling of innocent people exercising a fundamental right that Ballard apparently believes should be reserved only for his writing. Maybe it’s a sense of paranoia that explains why Ballard so disregards good sense and courtesy. His “terrorist” label appears in the first sentence of the column; towards the end of it he writes (probably as a response to asking whether Jindal would do this) that “Jindal said he would ask his supporters to cease attacking those raising questions about his policy ideas, provided his Democratic opponents do the same.” Note that he makes it sound like Jindal controls an army of radio hosts and bloggers, with who the candidate is in regular contact directing their activities – which, it appears in Ballard’s mind, must have been given marching orders to rip into Ballard’s stuff. It’s a campaign apparatus of which I haven’t heard, and it’s probably news to Jindal, too. Typically, such …
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Briefing Book As I noted in the previous posting, Louisiana’s media can be selective in its political coverage to the point of inadequately informing the citizenry as evidenced by its failure to ask pertinent questions concerning Sen. Mary Landrieu’s relationship, if any, to indicted campaign finance fundraiser Norman Hsu – an error of omission. Unfortunately, some other recent stories appearing in the state’s press show the media makes errors of commission that likewise fail to assist the public in its quest for knowledge to help it make electoral decisions. One recent example about which I wrote deserves re-emphasis. The Baton Rouge Advocate editorialized that Republican gubernatorial candidate Rep. Bobby Jindal’s agreeing to fewer “debates” than it desired had a negative impact on information for voters, which I demonstrated was a shoddy argument at best and at worst displayed rank bias against Jindal who looks likely to agree to about as many debates as he did in 2003. Yet incumbent Democrat Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom has agreed to none – and yet we hear not a peep out of The Advocate condemning Odom. Another recent subject I covered also deals in part with an Odom action. The Blueprint Louisiana organization has released a reform agenda that mostly hits the mark, yet major office candidates, even those like Jindal strongly identified with reform, have not formally endorsed it, with one exception – Odom, whose political career is the antithesis of reform. Just by way of illustration, one part of the agenda deals with ethics reform, yet Odom has been plagued with past charges, some still pending, not only of misuse of power but outright corruption in office. Yet Louisiana media to date have not pointed out this obvious contradiction (see this typical reaction). Nor do they bother to question other dubious claims apparently when Democrats are involved. So when it is reported that the Louisiana House Democratic Caucus also said is supported the Blueprint Louisiana agenda, the media seems not at all curious as to how the voting record of many members of the Caucus shows the exact opposite of this stated intent. For example, almost every House Democrat supported SCR 76 last legislative session to rebuild New Orleans’ charity hospital in a fashion far more grandiose than the agenda’s health care plank would recommend. But when something involves Republicans, oddly the media suddenly becomes interested in connecting the dots to find inconsistency – to the point that they do it in the wrong way. Thus, we get a report that Jindal criticizes higher state spending while arguing for more spending, including federal dollars that he supported in his present position, in certain policy areas, which is called a “seeming contradiction” – compounded, it is argued, because much higher state spending in the past couple of years has been courtesy of federal dollars for recovery. It’s nothing of the sort, because the writer in this instance doesn’t …
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The story that U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-LA) hoped would go away refuses to die. This week Hustler publisher Larry Flynt announced that former New Orleans prostitute Wendy Ellis, also known as Wendy Cortez, passed a polygraph test administered by an international lie detector expert, Edward Gelb, former President of the American Polygraph Association. Cortez claims that she had a four month paid relationship at a French Quarter hotel with Vitter in 1999 while he was a State Representative. The polygraph test showed she was telling the truth. According to Mr. Gelb, the chances that Cortez is being untruthful are less than .01 percent. Flynt held a news conference with Cortez to provide more information about her claims. These accusations are nothing new to people who follow Louisiana politics. Starting in 1999, reports begin to circulate that congressional candidate and then State Representative David Vitter was a client of a local prostitute named Wendy Cortez. According to GOP State Central Committee member Vincent Bruno, who worked in the campaign of Vitter’s opponent, former Governor Dave Treen, Cortez approached him and other Treen volunteers with her claims about a relationship with Vitter. She was upset that Vitter was campaigning for Congress on a family values platform, while paying for her services on the side. Eventually, Treen decided not to use the salacious information in his campaign and Vitter was elected. Despite Vitter’s election to Congress, the prostitute story persisted. It was brought up during a 2002 interview that I conducted with Vitter on my radio show. He was asked directly about his relationship with Wendy Cortez and he denied it. In a 2004 radio interview, Vitter was confronted about the relationship once more and he angrily refuted the charge. His most recent denial occurred on July 16 at a Metairie, LA press conference standing next to his wife when he claimed that “those New Orleans stories” were untrue. He did admit to a “very serious sin” and did not deny that his phone number appeared on the call list of the D.C. Madam, but he refused to address the New Orleans stories. At this point, Vitter needs to clear up this situation. His constituents need to know the truth. He owes it to the people who are paying his salary and those who he represents in the United States Senate. With this new revelation, Vitter faces a crucial leadership test. Will he continue to stonewall or will he address the accusations? It seems at least plausible that Vitter was involved with Cortez and possibly other prostitutes in New Orleans and was engaged in this type of behavior both in New Orleans and Washington D.C. In responding, Vitter does not need to go through hoops for Larry Flynt, and take his lie detector test; however, he does need to be honest about his activity. If Vitter admits that he frequented prostitutes and had a problem, but sought counseling from his priest and forgiveness from his wife, then the voters of Louisiana will …
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'60s figure says he financed donor Hsu As the media and opponents of Republican Sen. David Vitter gear up to try to damage him again politically over an incident unrelated to his Senate service, strangely silence reigns concerning Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu’s campaign finance activities that have everything to do with honesty and integrity in the performance of her Senate duties. A woman has come forward claiming that Vitter was briefly her client in prostitution eight years ago, with the only a passing grade on a lie detector test, which is not even admissible in a court of law, to back her up. Vitter has in the past denied the allegation, and has not been charged with any crime. Despite intense media coverage of Vitter’s admission of a “serious sin,” which he made clear affected his personal, not political, life, the public still supports him and the latest accusation about his past moral behavior seems unlikely to change that – even as the media floats stories quoting “experts” who mistakenly insist he will be damaged politically. Yet the media seems curiously unconcerned about the relationship between Norman Hsu, prominent Democrat fundraiser recently jailed on suspicion of fraudulent activities, and Landrieu. Evidence mounts that Hsu raised possibly stolen money to bestow illegal campaign contributions through he and his associates to, among others, Landrieu, in her case to the tune of $14,700. One media report from outside Louisiana said Landrieu said she planned to “divest” her campaign of these donations, again reiterated by her yesterday (but nearly two weeks after she first announced of the intent to divest). But other than that, nothing more has been done to follow up important questions, such as what exactly was the relationship between Hsu and Landrieu, why has she delayed doing this, and how exactly are these donations to be “divested?” Nor has Landrieu provided any answers herself. A review of her website shows that while Landrieu, who’s never been in the military and never really had a job outside of elective office, is quick disagree with the trained military judgment Gen. David Petraeus who commands forces in Iraq, she does not at all address the important matter of this campaign finance scandal. If Louisiana’s media aren’t going to do their jobs and ask her about this, the least she can do is volunteer the information, to show that she has nothing to hide and to clear up any misconceptions that might arise about her relationship with Hsu and his cronies. This matter of possible corrupt political activities that has touched her campaign strikes directly at her job as Senator, and the people of Louisiana are owed by her a full explanation of it. (If you’d like to have Prof. Sadow’s column mailed to you, go to http://www.between-lines.com and click on “Join the mailing list!” on the left-hand side.)
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Balking at Blueprint Blueprint Louisiana made a big splash in its stumping for a reform political agenda in the state. After revelation of which fall election candidates have signed on to support it, it appears that the group itself didn’t have the credible impact for which it may have hoped. The organization attracted some funding and got together reform-minded individuals with public opinion data to formulate an agenda for change in the state. Amid much publicity, they produced a comprehensive action plan and, for the most part, one on the mark – with a single exception, it does make for a true reform platform that will bring positive change to the state. That one slip, however, may have cost the endorsement of the effort by gubernatorial candidate Republican Rep. Bobby Jindal. As part of its education reforms, the group touts expanding the “voluntary, high-quality pre-kindergarten [program limited to certain parishes] to provide access to all four-year-olds in the state. In close partnership with Head Start and the child care sector ….” (emphasis mine). Unfortunately, that is a guarantee for a waste of money the group otherwise seems to oppose. Research shows the only beneficial present effects pre-K education has is when it is treated as if it were another grade of school, with bachelor-degreed teachers specializing in that area. By contrast, Head Start and other forms of pre-K end up having little in the way of lasting results or even in the present. (Oddly, in using information from a laudatory report of high-quality pre-K programs, the Blueprint LA people seemed to miss this distinction.) Therefore the Blueprint LA estimate to implement such a program, about $90 million, seems low, if that’s what they mean at all. The Jindal campaign only states that Jindal wanted to focus on his own plans and not anybody else’s, but reviewing the plan and Jindal’s ideas (as they are expressed in some detail on his campaign web site, even if all have not been unveiled yet) show extremely compatible ideas, so one might wonder if Blueprint LA hadn’t whiffed on this one whether Jindal might have gone with them. Of course, being such a prohibitive favorite Jindal sees no need to tie himself to a group which will increase his room to maneuver if he wins. Regrettably for the group, this means somewhat of a slide to irrelevancy since Jindal will attract at least half the voters on Oct. 20 – and it also struck out with two other major contenders, but for the simple reason that neither are genuine reformers. Democrat state Sen. Walter Boasso does have some reform credentials, but in his refusal to put health care quality and taxpayer resources ahead of special interests in regards to his continued support of the state’s underperforming hospital-centric indigent care system negates other more salutary issue preferences of his. And Democrat Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is not a reformer, period, …
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For many years, I have kept a daily dairy about special events. On this week, commemorating the 6th anniversary of the attack on America, I want to share with you my diary entry of the tragic day. Tuesday, September 11, 2001 Baton Rouge, Louisiana I have watched through a window a world that has fallen. W. H. Auden Six years ago, on, 9/11, this date turned into the frantic dialing of 911. A surreal feeling of shock and helplessness enveloped me as I watched the day’s events unfold. A family friend called at home a little after 8:00 A.M. central time to tell me about the first plane’s crashing into the World Trade Center. Like millions of Americans, I turned on my television just in time to see the second plane hit the second tower. I was home alone, so I immediately felt the need to call the people closest to me. I was able to reach my mother, my brother Jack, and my daughters Gentry and Meredith; I told them all to turn on their TV sets. I reached my son James on his portable phone as he was entering the LSU Lab School. But, what about my oldest daughter Campbell? I knew she had flown back to Washington late last night from California, where she was doing a story for NBC news on the retirement of the president’s plane, a former Air Force One. Perhaps she was still home. I called her apartment but got no answer. Then the third plane hit the Pentagon in Washington. Thoughts raced through my head. Was there a fourth plane—or more? Wasn’t the White House a likely target? Was my oldest daughter sitting in her NBC office in the White House? Her portable phone didn’t answer. I called the White House switchboard, which is noted for being efficient. There was a brief recording saying to hold on for an operator; then the line went dead. For a moment I feared the worst: a plane crashing into the White House, my daughter inside. Then I heard Matt Lauer on the “Today Show” say, “Now let’s go to Campbell Brown for an update across the street from the White House.” Campbell told a national audience that the White House had been evacuated and she was broadcasting from a nearby hotel. She gave hourly reports throughout the day and late into the evening. After staying glued to the TV all day, Gladys and I kept a long-standing dinner date with friends at Chris’s steakhouse. Halfway through dinner, around 9:00 o’clock, my portable phone rang. It was James. “Dad, I’m still watching everything on television,” he said. “I just need to do something. Do we have an American flag here at home?” I told him we had one stored in our “flag box,” where we keep banners for the various seasons, as well as holiday flags for Christmas, Halloween, and Easter. When Gladys and I drove into our driveway that night, a large American flag was …
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Our views: Jindal does disservice Interestingly, that it is miffed at Republican Rep. Bobby Jindal’s unambitious debate plans tells us much more about the politics of the Baton Rouge Advocate than it does about Jindal. The Advocate’s editorialists complain how Jindal has committed to appear at only two statewide debate forums, spewing forth with, as it turns out, a whole lot of bogus reasons why Jindal should attend more. (And it’s selective outrage as well – other candidates could have participated in them but some chose not to as well when they heard Jindal was not committing, so why reserve opprobrium to just Jindal?) For one thing, how many debates is enough, if apparently two isn’t? In the last presidential cycle, there were scarcely any more among the major party candidates, and if there is a general election runoff to this governor’s race, there probably will be just as many. How many were there in 2003? Honestly, I don’t remember exactly, but I think just four. The Advocate also pouts about how having so few debates fails to “test himself and his ideas in the arena of public debate and discussion,” that these events are “of far greater value to the voters than canned sound bites and slick, carefully packaged political commercials,” and that the two scheduled “would be very late in the game.” These arguments show both ignorance and muddled thinking. As any political scientist who studies campaigns and elections will tell you, the “debate” (which isn’t a true debate of candidates taking an issue and interrogatively arguing back and forth) is an artificial construct that tells us next to nothing about the issues and nothing at all about how well they can govern. Getting questions, sometimes spurious, with little time to answer them in a full and complete way produces the very “sound bites” devoid of complexity and context. And, news flash to you, Advocate: us who study campaigns generally agree that the sum total of “slick, carefully packaged political commercials” tell voters more about the candidates and their preferences than do debates. And who cares about the “late in the game” timing? Studies also show a good portion of voters, roughly a quarter, don’t make up their minds until the last week of the campaign – regardless of how many “debates” there have been. And it’s not as if there aren’t other alternative (and better) sources of information about candidates and their issue preferences – The Advocate admits it has heard of television and radio spots, and surely by now it has heard of candidate web sites where all sorts of information about candidates and their preferences may be found (in fact, Jindal’s appears to provide more of this than any other candidate). Surely the editorialists at The Advocate know these facts. Which is why the opinion piece in question demonstrates a combination of their pique at and fear of a Gov. Jindal. That is, Jindal sees these media-driven …
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Among the votes cast this past week in Congress was a vote to lower College Student Loans and their allowable interest rates. This bill was called the “College Cost Reduction Act of 2007. How did they vote? Both Congressman Boustany AND Senator Vitter voted AGAINST this bill – Voting in favor were Senator Landrieu and Congressman Melancon. ABSENT FROM THE VOTE – Congressman Jindal as he is trying to bring THE HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDAR TO LOUISIANA by apparently taking tax payer’s money to NOT VOTE in congress. There - Now you know!
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Qualifying is now closed and most of the races have turned out as we thought. We have a surprise in C/P District 1 – a heads up race between Charles Primeaux and City Councilman in Scott – Purvis Morrision. Councilman Morrison has done a GREAT job as part of the team in Scott helping Mayor Hazel Meyers really grow Scott and the wind is definitely at his back. Susannah Malbreaux was considering running and would have been an amazing councilwoman, however realizing what was at stake in this race she decided to throw her support behind Morrison. Morrison will have some big shoes to fill. District 1 has some very serious issues that is going to take some hard work and dedication to find his way through. Primeaux doesn’t seem as if he cares that much about it. Several folks have met with him, including me, and I have to tell you I am more than a bit concerned about his motivations for running in this district. Another interesting development is of course Bruce Conque has some competition. Same Dore is working incredibly hard in District 6 and it appears that Conque could suffer from “incumbent fatigue” – where many people just see him as part of the problem. Dore is offering a new face and that alone may be the tipping point in this race. A surprise to many – Charlie Buckels after much ado about running again in District 39 has now decided that he is going to run for the BESE Board… because when you think of Charlie Buckels, one things Higher Learning, of course. WHAT? Honestly what does Charlie have to do with Education or experience in Education of our Children? Perhaps he was worried about his commissions he is getting off the RED LIGHT ATM Machines he is installing for Joey Durel. Sadly – we did not come up with anyone to run against Joey Durel. While I take issue with more than a few of his administrations decisions and well inactions… We could have done a LOT WORSE. But second terms often turn into problems especially when the incumbent doesn’t have to work for re-election. Joey – don’t rest – you have a LOT of work to do, my friend. Congratulations to Sheriff Mike Neustrom on running unopposed for Sheriff! I got to speak with the Sheriff at last week’s Donkey Jam and congratulated him on his win. He has done a great job and we thank him for his service. However, I would be remised if I didn’t mention the latest developments in the Pat LeBlanc case. Kevin Blanchard of The Baton Rouge Advocate reported on this developing story on the 8th – Link here - This Bribery and Laundering scheme involving the LeBlanc Brothers and Convicted Sheriff of Bexar County near San Antonio Texas just won’t go away and I am concerned that so few here locally are reporting on this. Pat LeBlanc is claiming no wrong-doing …
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Boardwalk sales taxes lag projections This summer we’ve seen more uncomfortable examples highlighting the poor choices Bossier City elected officials have made in recent years – and perhaps a rare second chance at redemption in the offing. The city’s elected officials must have been the only ones surprised when the sales tax take from the Louisiana Boardwalk has run below expectations because, for over a decade, its mayoral administrations and city councils have clung to the absurd notion that pumping citizens’ dollars into venture capital opportunities is how to bring about economic growth. “Build it and they will come” has been the “Field of Dreams” motto that, in its two high profile instances, cost the city in past dollars $77.5 million. Much of that went into what today is known as the CenturyTel Center. It was supposed to set off an economic development boon in southern Bossier City (where it was widely protested by those residents). A decade on exactly two businesses (one since closed) and no residential developments have popped up near it and it regularly loses the city money (but its parking lots provide a great place for public safety personnel to practice their driving skills). The rest was poured, literally, into a parking garage at the Boardwalk for a private developer who easily could have built this with its own resources (and $15 million more was spent on other infrastructure elements for the Boardwalk, but I’ve been giving the city the benefit of the doubt on the necessity of its paying for this on that). Doing the math, making very generous assumptions that the Boardwalk because of the garage is the only Bossier City retailer adding new business and not cannibalizing others (evidence of which rings very hollow) and comparing changes in sales tax take citywide over the past several years, the Boardwalk is hardly increasing city sales tax revenues past the rate of inflation. In other words, it might take a century to “pay off” the garage “investment.” These follies really hit home considering the city just set out to borrow $100 million for various projects, $66 million of which have been on the drawing board in the city’s long-term capital budgeting plans. Assuming a generously-low 5 percent interest rate and 30 year life, the total cost of that $66 million – which the citizens’ money blown by the city on the arena and garage would more than have covered – would be about $127.5 million. Just think of the possibilities frittered away by Bossier City politicians. These projects could have been finished quicker, maybe even by now, paid in cash, saving $61.5 million – plus having available the excess and years of interest accumulated as it all grew waiting for the right moment, and freeing future revenues from where all the money came from originally blown on these baubles, gaming. Just imagine the tax-cutting and fee reduction that the city could have accomplished, making Bossier City a progressive, …
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