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| Mary Landrieu (D) Defeated by Bill Cassidy (R) - Louisiana U.S. Senate |
This morning U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) appeared as a guest on my radio program, Ringside Politics, on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans.
Over the past 16 years as host of Ringside Politics, I have interviewed Senator Landrieu over a dozen times. In the past, she would call in to promote a particular issue or cause, usually engaging in pleasant conversation or good natured debate.
Our relationship certainly changed in our last radio interview, which occurred over a year ago on the contentious topic of Internet taxes. It was a testy exchange as the Senator and I clashed on whether the government should extend its reach into Internet commerce and tax consumers who purchase goods online.
After our on air tax debate, the Senator refrained from appearing on my program, even though she had an open invitation. She finally relented this morning and called in for an interview; though she seemed quite unhappy, possibly because polls show her way behind.
Initially, we discussed her infamous decision to support Obamacare and later her 97% support for President Obama and finally the shocking allegations made by State Senator Elbert Guillory (R-Opelousas) that there was rampant voter fraud in her last election. In fact, Guillory alleged that 10% of Landrieu’s votes were fraudulent in the last election.
The Senator abruptly ended our 11 minute interview before I could ask the dozens of questions submitted by listeners, who wanted to know why she supported the President on issues such as gun control, amnesty for illegal aliens, liberal judicial appointments, higher spending, and more taxes.
Here is a link to the heated interview which showed how much pressure Senator Landrieu feels as her 35 year political career may be ending. Her downfall, however, is of her own making; Landrieu has no one to blame but herself.
While she was abandoned by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and her fellow Democratic Senators on the Keystone Pipeline issue, she would not have been so vulnerable if she would have listened to the people of Louisiana.
In the end, she was too invested in liberalism to connect with the voters of her state. She supported President Obama 97% of the time, while Louisiana voters only give President Obama a 37% approval rating, so it is clear she has not represented her constituents.
She has a lifetime American Conservative Union voting record of only 20%. While her ideology might work in Vermont, it is miserably out of step in the red state of Louisiana.
The majority of Louisiana voters are motivated to vote against Mary Landrieu and Barack Obama for a variety of reasons, but the most important one is Obamacare. During the deliberations on the legislation, voters throughout the state bombarded Landrieu’s office with postcards, emails and calls demanding that she vote no on the bill.
Instead of listening to our concerns, she voted with President Obama. The result has been much worse than a billion dollar waste of a website; it has been massive job losses, work hours being cut, many Americans losing their doctor and millions of people facing higher insurance premiums. Today, doctors are fleeing an industry in turmoil thanks to Mary Landrieu and President Obama.
Sadly, Senator Landrieu was irritable on the air today. It was not the way she should have ended her political career. Maybe she has regrets about her poor decisions in office or maybe she is just upset that her privileged lifestyle is coming to an end. Either way, it is a good lesson for Bill Cassidy.
Hopefully, our new Senator will never forget that he works for the people of Louisiana, not a political party and certainly not a politician or a President.
UPDATE: Mary Landrieu lost her bid for reelection for the U.S. Senate to Republican Bill Cassidy. When the votes were counted Saturday evening, Cassidy became Louisiana's new Senator and won by approximately 15 a point percentage margin.
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Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 10:00 p.m. Sunday on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore.
For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com or email him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
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