New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin crosses party lines, endorses Republican Bobby Jindal 11/04/03

Capitol Watch ^ | 11/04/03 | John Hill, Mike Hasten, Melody Brumble, Michelle Mahfoufi

[Libloather]

New Orleans mayor crosses party lines, endorses Jindal
Staff Reports
Posted on November 4, 2003

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin crossed party lines Monday and endorsed Republican Bobby Jindal for governor.

"Bobby Jindal understands that all of Louisiana benefits from and needs a strong New Orleans," Nagin said. With Jindal as governor, "New Orleans and the rest of the state will be partners, not adversaries - which is critical because we can only move this state forward together."

Pollster Verne Kennedy surveyed voters on the possible impact of Nagin's endorsement of Jindal prior to its announcement.

"It will be a positive among white voters in the New Orleans area, but a negative among North Louisiana whites," Kennedy said. "North Louisiana doesn't know Nagin. They think of him as just another black New Orleans mayor."

Nagin was the highly-paid regional head of Cox Cable prior to his 2002 election as mayor with 87 percent of the white vote. In the primary, he endorsed Randy Ewing but Ewing ran fifth in Orleans Parish.

Blanco complains Jindal broke pledge

Kathleen Blanco's campaign complained Monday that just moments after pledging not to run campaign ads that mention the opposition by name, a Bobby Jindal ad blasted her for running a negative campaign.

During a Sunday night debate, Jindal asked and Blanco agreed not to run ads criticizing each other.

He pointed out that the pledge could not go into effect immediately because each candidate already has placed ads with television stations around the state. He said it would take through Tuesday night to pull any ads that mentioned Blanco by name.

The debate ended at 8 p.m.

Blanco campaign spokesman Ed Pratt said a Jindal ad complaining that Blanco is going around the state saying bad things about him ran at 8:57 p.m. on KLFY-TV in Lafayette.

The ad has run on numerous stations in the past week. It shows Blanco talking, superimposed over numerous quotes of her statements taken from newspaper stories.

Asked during her Friday bus tour of Acadiana about her saying that Jindal is too young and inexperienced to be governor and that "the ship of state doesn't come with training wheels," Blanco said, "That's not an attack. That's just fun.

"People want to see spirit in an election," she said. "So far, it's been a boring election."

Both candidates acknowledged there's a problem with the pledge - they have no control over "third party" ads run by people not directly associated with the campaigns, such as political parties or other supporters.

Blanco's primary complaints about Jindal's campaign are that he says she is negative and that Gov. Mike Foster, who supports Jindal but is not part of his campaign organization, keeps saying negative things about her.

Jindal said he has told Foster, "If you can't say something positive, don't say anything."

Jindal, Blanco tied in latest tracking poll

Democrat Kathleen Blanco and Republican Bobby Jindal are now tied in the governor's race, according to the latest tracking polls by Verne Kennedy.

In polling through Saturday night, Blanco and Jindal both were the choice of 42 percent of the 600 Oct. 4 primary voters Kennedy's Market Research Insight surveyed.

Based on his nightly polling data, Kennedy projected the race would be 50.4 percent for Blanco and 49.6 percent for Jindal, which is a statistical tie.

As was the case when Jindal had an 11-point lead last week, voters shifted first from Jindal to undecided, Kennedy said.

"Basically, she is moving up a little bit, but the undecideds have gone up from 11 percent to 16 percent," he said. "That's the same thing that happened when they shifted from her to undecided, then to him. They are now shifting back."

Blanco is making gains among white women, Kennedy said.

Jindal has also dropped from getting 14 percent of the black vote to 10 percent, he said.

Kennedy's poll has a 4-point margin of error. He is polling the governor's race for a group of 25 wealthy businessmen who included contributors for both Jindal and Blanco. He shares his information with both camps.

"I think the real campaign is just starting, because she's on the air," Kennedy said. "She was basically dark for almost three weeks. It's never good for a campaign to do that."

Jindal's runoff television campaign began immediately after the primary. "For more than two and a half weeks, he had the playing field to himself, and he did move," Kennedy said.

"She now has her campaign moving and it is back to a very close race," Kennedy said.

Blanco said the poll indicates "my campaign is generating excitement across the state."

District attorney endorses Blanco

Democratic candidate Kathleen Blanco got more than a flu shot Monday when she visited New Orleans' charity hospital.

She got the endorsements of Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan and Jefferson Parish President-elect Aaron Broussard, which she hopes will be a shot in the arm for her campaign.

While at the hospital, Blanco spoke on the state's health care worker shortage.

Blanco expects to receive more endorsements today from Democrats who have been elected to statewide offices.

Scheduled to announce their support are Lt. Gov.-elect Mitch Landrieu, Attorney General Richard Ieyoub, Attorney General-elect Charles Foti, Treasurer John Kennedy and Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom.

Wooley gets Shehee's vote of support

Former state Senator Virginia Shehee of Shreveport Monday endorsed Robert Wooley for commissioner of insurance.

Wooley faces former Legislative Auditor Dan Kyle in the Nov. 15 runoff election.

Shehee is president and chief executive officer of Kilpatrick Life Insurance and Rose-Neath Funeral Homes and Cemeteries Inc.

Shehee announced the endorsement during a press conference in Shreveport, praising Wooley's work on a catastrophic insurance pool for hurricanes or other natural disasters. Wooley has been acting insurance commissioner since former commissioner Jim Brown was convicted of perjury more than two years ago.

"He's shaped up the Insurance Department better than I've seen in 50 years," Shehee said. "I don't see any point in changing horses."

LABI affiliate issues endorsements

NORTHPAC, a political action committee of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, is endorsing Mike Powell for election to House District 6 in Shreveport. The board "agreed that Mike Powell's support for business issues most closely parallels the goals of the business organization," said Ginger Sawyer, executive director of NORTHPAC.

The group also endorsed Theron Jackson for Senate District 39 in Caddo Parish.

"We believe that Theron Jackson's background and previous business experience make him uniquely qualified to serve in this position," Sawyer said.

Compiled by John Hill, Mike Hasten, Melody Brumble and Michelle Mahfoufi.

[Libloather]

Ya see, Kathleen Blanco doesn't care much for Ray Nagin. I'm pretty sure Dubya doesn't top her list either.

Things will get worse. Their voting base just moved out...

[zendari]

Indeed.

[hombre_sincero]

Sounds like there is some MAJOR political blackmail and payback going on here!

I would rather see JUSTICE and that mayor ....errr.... tried for his incopetence and minimally, manslaughter.

The governor requires the same treatment. Where da Cajuns?

[oceanview]

if you have listened to Jindal and Vitters comment about Katrina - both of them are worthless also. the entire political class in that state needs to be flushed into lake ponchitrain with the rest of the sewage.

[ncountylee]

"Their voting base just moved out..."

Or was kill by these two.

[kublia khan]

Very interesting, one wonders how much this played in their inability to coordinate throughout the crisis.
As the old adage goes
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

[Republican Red]

As much as I can't stand Nagin and think his incompetence is to blame for much of what we see, I'd be willing to let him slide if it meant taking down Blanco and Landrieau.

I'm sure all three will stay hand in hand together but I think someone's got to throw soomeone under the bus. I'd rather see Blanco and Landrieau be destroyed.

[va4me]

Nagin was a Republican before he ran for mayor, and supported both President Bush and Rep. Tauzin.

You could almost argue that he governed as a conservative as well, attacking corruption and cutting spending. Even National Review wrote a positive article about him (see: http://www.nationalreview.com/dreher/dreher073102.asp)

There is obviously no love lost between him and Blanco.

[DoughtyOne]

Well at this point it's hard to see Nagin's endorsement as anything much more than a kiss of death.

I still say Nagin is firing blankos... His isn't the endorsement I'd want to have.

As for Blankos, she should be getting her resume ready, or perhaps better yet her Passport.

[Salvation]

This is how he originally ruffled Blanko/s feathers -- or so I heard today.

[uncitizen]

Sounds like there is some MAJOR political blackmail and payback going on here!

Agreed!

[frankjr]

I wouldn't want Nagin on my side....unless he promised me a trip to Vegas. He is very free with our tax dollars. No shame...quite an attribute.

[Rosemont]

" if you have listened to Jindal and Vitters comment about Katrina - both of them are worthless also. the entire political class in that state needs to be flushed into lake ponchitrain with the rest of the sewage."


Jindal and Vitters took cheap shots early on trying to curry favor with the MSM. I saw Hannity beat up on Vitters though.

[va4me]

Their voting base just moved out...

The article said that Nagin got 87% of the white vote, something tells me Blanco didn't do nearly as well. I don't think they had the same base, especially since Nagin made enemies with city leaders due to his attacks on city-wide corruption. He was even accused of going after blacks to please his white supporters.

[chemicalman]

Nagin endorssed Jindal, but the parish voted for Blanco.

[Happy2BMe]

BTTT

[Holly_P]

I love it when the dims turn cannibal.

[planekT]

During a Sunday night debate, Jindal asked and Blanco agreed not to run ads criticizing each other.

Meaning they agree to remain neutral or friendlier, as long as the other one stops digging up dirt.

[SuziQ]

"It will be a positive among white voters in the New Orleans area, but a negative among North Louisiana whites," Kennedy said. "North Louisiana doesn't know Nagin. They think of him as just another black New Orleans mayor."

Knowing the Dems dirty tactics before that election, I wouldn't be surprised if this were the Dems attempt to keep whites from voting for Jindal. The Dems had put the word out in some white areas that Jindal was black, to try to suppress the vote for him. Nagin putting out this public statement only reinforced the idea.
I smell a big LA RAT, and I don't mean a nutria!

[Dane]

A third world country could use 500 buses to get 30,000 people out, but in New Orleans, they stay waterlogged.

CANCUN, Mexico - A massive evacuation of tourists in one of the world's largest resorts began Sunday, as hundreds of buses were dispatched to move tens of thousands of tourists away from Hurricane Emily, heading toward a direct hit on the coast. The very size of the task was daunting: about 500 buses were ordered to move 30,000 tourists in Cancun — part of a total of 70,000 to 80,000 mostly foreign tourists to be evacuated statewide to temporary shelters in ballrooms and convention centers

[Libloather]

dims turn cannibal

Another Olivia Newton-John hit. Always liked her...

[Libloather]

CANCUN, Mexico - A massive evacuation of tourists in one of the world's largest resorts began Sunday, as hundreds of buses were dispatched to move tens of thousands of tourists away from Hurricane Emily, heading toward a direct hit on the coast. The very size of the task was daunting: about 500 buses were ordered to move 30,000 tourists in Cancun — part of a total of 70,000 to 80,000 mostly foreign tourists to be evacuated statewide to temporary shelters in ballrooms and convention centers

And I'm sure they practice this stuff all the time. Hurricane season, ya know...

[Redbob]

THIS explains Jindahl's op-ed piece in the Thursday (9/8) Wall street Journal in which he effectively absolved Nagin of blame for this fiasco.

I didn't understand such claptrap coming from an alleged 'Pubbie at the time, but now I do!

[Jess Kitting]

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin crossed party lines Monday and endorsed Republican Bobby Jindal for governor.

When is the next Louisiana gubernatorial election? Or the next New Orleans mayoral election, for that matter?

[Redbob]

"...Olivia Newton-John... Always liked her..."

Ah, yes: we used to call her
"Olivia Newton-Fox!"

[Shermy]

"As much as I can't stand Nagin and think his incompetence is to blame for much of what we see"

Not to be picky, but what exactly did he do wrong?

There's the school bus issue, but he's not the evacuation planner.

All I can figure is he should have maybe ordered the evacuation a day earlier. How much that would have helped I don't know. Bush had to push him and Blanco, I expect they did not delay out of malice but fatigue from prior evacuations.

Other than that, what did he do wrong?

[not2worry]

I believe the real Cajuns are sitting back thinking "I Told You So".

[cajungirl]

Nagin got the white and creole vote.

for the hundredth time, Blanco is the bad person here. Nagin is a good guy who was screwed bad by the Gov.

I know hardly anyone agrees ,,I just had to say so.

[cajungirl]

Nope, the cajuns almost to the last one I have talked to are blaming Bush and FEMA.

[ANGGAPO]

Doubt if that will save his butt.

[cajungirl]

I have to say it to be fair. Most people I hear around these parts blame Pres Bush and fema. They aren't listening to details just parroting what they heard from someone. Pres Bush is taking a hit. Blanco is not.

[el_texicano]

Ai yi yi!!! LA politics iw worse than the twilight zone.

[irishfox]

That would explain why the good senator dares not critize Nagin's response to the hurricane. He has plenty to say about the governor though.

[Redbob]

"Not to be picky, but what exactly did he do wrong?"

Try to pay atention: There was a "disaster plan," and he did NOT PUT IT INTO EFFECT!

Any rational person would see that as gross negligence.
There was a well-thought-out plan (or at least as well thought out as you're going to get in New Orleans), and he chose NOT to use it.

In lieu of that plan he did - nothing.

[Redbob]

"Nagin is a good guy who was screwed bad by the Gov."

Would you like some brownies with that Kool-Aid?

[del4hope]

Had an interesting conversation tonight with some folks from Baton Rouge.

Said LA keeps their politics like their cooking "Spicy"

[Redbob]

A little more blame for the gummint of the Crescent City:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1481517/posts

[JUMPIN JEHOSPOHAT]

The next Louisiana gubernatorial election is 2007. (If the law doesn't change)

[Fred Hayek]

The more I read about Nagin, the more I agree. Granted he may have dropped the ball on some stuff, so he is not entirely blameless. But wait until the rest of the story is published, bet there was a lot of problems between Nagin and Blank-O, w/ Blank-O throwing down obstacles just to be petty.

[MNJohnnie]

I would consider this far fetched if I had not read about how ever step along the way Blanco has made a political calculation about what to do. For Example, Sun Sept 4 2004 Washington Post. Bush asked Blanco to turn over to Fed control rescue and recovery efforts in NO. She Refused. "Unnamed" sources in the Louisiana Govt. told the post that turing over control would allow the Feds to BLAME the state. So Blanco was MORE worried, even after all the mess we saw in NO last week, about getting BLAME then in saving lives. These Dems REALLY DO put their OWN political careers ahead of the LIVES of fellow Americans. I can see her dragging her feet and blocking relief shipments to "punish" Nagel for his "disloyalty".

[cajungirl]

Right. He went off the plantation. And was elected by voters who are not Dems or don't like present dems.

[cajungirl]

Only if you quit being snide to me.

Do you live here?

[MNJohnnie]

Pres Bush is taking a hit. Blanco is not.


Of course the fact that you have been parroting DNC Talking Points for the last 10 days is no reason why we should suspect your anecdotal evidence as being rather tainted.

[VeniVidiVici]

Sorry but Nagin should be excoriating Blanco. He has not done so. He is as guilty as she is.

[MNJohnnie]

Of course the fact that ""cajungirl have been parroting DNC Talking Points for the last 10 days is no reason why we should suspect her anecdotal evidence as being rather tainted.

[JUMPIN JEHOSPOHAT]

Truth About NOs Emergency Preparedness Plan
[COPIED]

I recently received the following message from a very reliable source (a retired Two Star General of unquestionable repute) and thought it would provide each of you with correct information counter to what some of the media are erroneously reporting.

---

On Friday night before the storm hit, Max Mayfield, of the National Hurricane Center took the unprecedented action of calling Nagin and Blanco personally to plead with them to begin MANDATORY evacuation of NO and they said they'd take it under consideration. This was after the NOAA buoy 240 miles south had recorded 68' waves before it was destroyed. President Bush spent Friday afternoon and evening in meetings with his advisors and administrators drafting all of the paperwork required for a state to request federal assistance (and not be in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act or having to enact the Insurgency Act). Just before midnight Friday evening the President called Governor Blanco and pleaded with her to sign the request papers so the federal government and the military could legally begin mobilization and call up. He was told that they didn't think it necessary for the federal government to be involved yet. After the President's final call to the governor she held meetings with her staff to discuss the political ramifications of bringing federal forces. It was decided that if they allowed federal assistance it would make it look as if they had failed so it was agreed upon that the feds would not be invited in. Saturday before the storm hit the President again called Blanco and Nagin requesting they please sign the papers requesting federal assistance, that they declare the state an emergency area, and begin mandatory evacuation. After a personal plea from the President Nagin agreed to order an evacuation, but it would not be a full mandatory evacuation, and the governor still refused to sign the papers requesting and authorizing federal action. In frustration the President declared the area a national disaster area before the state of Louisiana did so he could legally begin some advanced preparations. Rumor has it that the President's legal advisers were looking into the ramifications of using the insurgency act to bypass the Constitutional requirement that a state request federal aid before the federal government can move into state with troops - but that had not been done since 1906 and the Constitutionality of it was called into question to use before the disaster. Throw in that over half the federal aid of the past decade to NO for levee construction, maintenance, and repair was diverted to fund a marina and support the gambling ships. Toss in the investigation that will look into why the emergency preparedness plan submitted to the federal government for funding and published on the city's website was never implemented and in fact may have been bogus for the purpose of gaining additional federal funding as we now learn that the organizations identified in the plan were never contacted or coordinating into any planning - though the document implies that they were. The suffering people of NO need to be asking some hard questions as do we all, but they better start with why Blanco refused to even sign the multi-state mutual aid pack activation documents until Wednesday which further delayed the legal deployment of National Guard from adjoining states. Or maybe ask why Nagin keeps harping that the President should have commandeered 500 Greyhound busses to help him when according to his own emergency plan and documents he claimed to have over 500 busses at his disposal to use between the local school busses and the city transportation busses - but he never raised a finger to prepare them or activate them. This is a sad time for all of us to see that a major city has all but been destroyed and thousands of people have died with hundreds of thousands more suffering, but it's certainly not a time for people to be pointing fingers and trying to find a bigger dog to blame for local corruption and incompetence. Pray to God for the survivors that they can start their lives anew as fast as possible and we learn from all the mistakes to avoid them in the future.

[ozzysmom]

Tell the truth to these folks (Major Garrett's story)...that's what I have been doing with my kin in Louisiana...hopefully they will share it with their friends, etc. What part of Louisiana are you from? I am from Louisiana but folks from my area of Louisiana are considered "yankees"...lol Northeast part of LA. You know those "old cotton fields back home, just a mile from Texarkana" where I live now...lol And it ain't no "just a mile from Texarkana"...never been to Texarkana before we transferred here so thought we could just live on the "Louisiana side" of Texarkana...there "ain't" no Louisiana side of Texarkana...just Texas/Arkansas...lol Awww live and learn.

[cajungirl]

I am telling you what I hear.

And Dude you might ask around and look at my history here before you start slinging mud at me.

You are truly acting like a jerk and owe me an apology.

[MNJohnnie]

Nope, the cajuns almost to the last one I have talked to are blaming Bush and FEMA.

SURE they are. That is why not ONE other Lousiana Freeper backs up your DNC talking points.