The Louisiana Governor’s Race is down to two candidates, and the election is just one week away. For those of you outside of Louisiana here are the vital facts.
Bobby Jindal is a 32 year old whiz-kid, ultra-conservative religious guy, Rhodes scholar, and energetic speaker. Republican, of course. What’s really interesting is that he has attracted some surprising endorsements, such as New Orleans democratic mayor Ray Nagin. Apparently, Nagin, who was not a politician but a businessman when he took office as mayor, sees Jindal as a business-friendly problem solver. In other words, Nagin and Jindal have a particular ideological bond –even though they are politically opposite. The mainstream Democrats are shocked that their black, Democratic mayor would break ranks and endorse a conservative Republican.
The democratic gubernatorial candidate, Kathleen Blanco, is a very nice, smiley woman, mother of 6 kids, whom you’d trust in a hearbeat with your life savings. As a person, that is. As a politician, you’d might have some reservations. In my view, she is not what you would call a ‘bold thinker.’ Her job-qualifications are that she was Lieutenant Governor, which in Louisiana means that she was a powerless ambassador of good will. But she is a "solid Democrat," whatever that means.
Bobby Jindal is now leading in the polls. We do know what that means: time for the last minute mudslinging and demagoguery. Time to launch the accusatory flyers.
Stuffed in my mailbox yesterday I find a flyer that purports to give me the latest scoop about Bobby Jindal, juicy tidbits that the mainstream press is apparently too afraid to publish:
"Bobby Jindal is willing to let Louisiana women die to protect his extreme agenda: Even if a doctor says a woman’s life is in danger, Jindal would prohibit her from having an abortion. On November 15th take exception to Bobby Jindal. Reject his extreme views and protect the health of Louisiana women."
For what it’s worth, I prefer Jindal to Blanco, even though I don’t like his pro-life views. But I like the fact that he is smart and understands that Louisiana needs to attract and keep business if it hopes to improve its economic condition. I’m sure that if Blanco were leading I’d be getting some flyers accusing her of engineering the Nazi holocaust, or similar heinous acts of depravity.
So one thing I know that both Democrats and Republicans agree on: a significant number of voters have childishly simplistic views that respond well to demagoguery. And if Jindal keeps up his lead in the polls I expect to learn that he once tortured newborn kittens.
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This is outragous. I do not torture new born kittens and I am doing this for the good of Louisiana.
Here is a copy of the letter that Mayor Nagin sent out to various local church groups and other citizens who have signed up for his E-mail listserve:
“Ernie … got a funny.” Now this is one reason I have a fairly liberal policy towards editing posts!