Gov. Bobby Jindal doesn't have the best record picking winning candidates, but his support would undoubtedly represent a welcome boost for either of the candidates in the upcoming U.S. Senate Republican primary, scheduled for Aug. 28. Former Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor's 11th hour entry into the race has changed the outlook for scandal-plagued incumbent David Vitter, who's faced renewed criticisms over his handling of former aide Brent Furer. Vitter has a sizeable fundraising and name recognition advantage over Traylor, but this race still appears too hot for the ethics-standard governor to want to touch.
Recent articles from both The Hill and TPMDC indicate that Jindal will not be making an endorsement in the race, at least for now. His spokesman, Kyle Plotkin, e-mailed the same statement to both publications: "Right now, the Governor is focused on fighting the oil spill and working to lift the moratorium. There will be time to discuss endorsements in the coming months."
That tends to suggest that Jindal will be withholding his endorsement until after the August primary, to presumably back whichever of the two Republicans emerges victorious against Democrat Charlie Melancon. Vitter remains the candidate of choice for both the Louisiana Republican Party and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
MAY 23 Here's a story in the Picayune about some statistics that must come as a blow to folks who believe that any private school can do a better job of educating kids than any public school: Danielle Dreilinger reports that only 30 percent of the voucher kids are passing. That's less than half of the state wide average, she says. It's an interesting statistic because most of the schools (if not all) taking voucher kids have never had their students' standardized test scores released to the public before.
MAY 23 Stephen Sabludowsky blogs on Bayou Buzz about auditor requests here. Recently the state GOP started crowing about a request from the Legislative Auditor, claiming they were being targeted because of their anti-tax stance. (Uh, your what?) Denial and hyperbole aside, the state Democratic party blew holes in that theory with an email announcing they'd received the same request, Sabludowsky writes here.
MAY 23 Jim Brown blogs about the senate race in this post. He says that, given Bobby Jindal's "lack of traction" on the national stage, it might make more sense for the governor to consider running against Mary Landrieu for the senate seat. Since Tim Teeple left the Cassidy team, it makes sense he might land on a Jindal for Senate team, Brown opines.
MAY 23 In this Louisiana Voice post, blogger Tom Aswell writes of rumors that his nemesis, state Superintendent of Education John White, may be soon departing Louisiana for a federal post. It's hard to believe, given his performance, Aswell says, but stranger things have happened. An anti-White BESE member says that, if true, White is quitting before he can be fired.
MAY 23 In this post on American Zombie, blogger Jason Berry writes about the Mother's Day shooting. Mayor Landrieu said that "this is not who we are," but the fact is, this is New Orleans, Berry writes. The violence infused in the city is the result of a culture created by "sins of omission or sins of commission," Berry writes. It's not a problem that can be solved by legislating, policing, praying or publicizing, he says: Someone's got to understand what's happening first.
MAY 23 This post in the Westside Journal tells us what Port Allen Mayor Deedy has been up to lately: vetoing ordinances, apparently. This story is most interesting, however, when it delves into a petition that has been circulating around the city lately. It accuses the former mayor of a lot of nasty things; the former mayor says it is full of lies and "broken syntax" which may be a larger offense in his eyes.
MAY 23 This editorial posted in The Advocate is a bit confusing. The writing is poor - definitely not up to the usual editorial writing standard there - and the point is hard to grasp. Apparently, the writer is saying that privatization of state efforts is OK, as long as there is oversight and transparency, but Jindal's not good at that, and the legislature shouldn't over-react. Okey Dokey. Can't they get one of them Pulitzer-winning people to write an editorial?
MAY 23 This post on The Lens gives you links to a new Google Earth tool that allows you to see any spot on earth transform over the past 30 years. Bob Marshall, who covers the coast for the paper, says that in the case of Louisiana's coastline, it's possibly something you don't want to see, because it's not a pretty picture. There are several clips here, showing critical areas erode away. For Marshall, it was vindication for all those times he was met with eye-rolling when he talked about erosion.
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MOREOVER, it is troubling to imagine all the jobs, positions, favors, negotiations, kickbacks and deals associated with HUSH-HUSH & CONCEALMENT. Such factors appear likely causes and effects concerning Vitter’s engineering the appointments of federal ‘judge’ Kurt Englehardt and U.S. Atty Jim Letten. (I personally know that Englehardt is underhanded.)
ASIDE from likely hush $$$$$, perks, and career appointments, it is highly probable that the clandestine list of the New Orleans Canal Street Brothel "JOHNS" is the leverage tool for keeping certain people under control, or for forcing people to comply and cooperate with Louisiana’s systemic corruption. (Also, at the least, public exposure of that list of Brothel Johns could embarrass people or ruin lives).
For all such reason –especially in light of the Gulf Coast BP Oil disaster, ongoing revelations about Big Oil conflict of interest / commingling with New Orleans federal judges and various generous political contributors, as well as the SPARSE REGULATORY measures concerning the oil industry– the extent of Vitter's prostitution activities are of indeed a concern for Louisiana citizens. *More @ http://www.lawgrace.org/2010/0...g-overdue/