Day: November 21, 2013

Dean Kelly back in the pokey: 10 year stretch in the pen awaits.

I think everyone saw this coming:

Ex-model Dean Kelly back in jail for violating plea-deal terms ~ Meg Gatto

Vital background here and generally here. Continue reading “Dean Kelly back in the pokey: 10 year stretch in the pen awaits.”

Reality begins to set in……

Few support delaying changes in Flood Insurance ~ Andrew Taylor

Meantime at the local business community meeting on this topic a couple of days ago here in Bay Waveland, Steven Palazzo sent a staffer in his stead as he is evidently afraid to publicly engage his vote to bankrupt substantial numbers of his own constituents “reforming” the corporate welfare program otherwise known as the Flood Insurance Program.

Jim Brown’s Weekly Column: JFK and his special relationship with Louisiana

Thursday, November 21st, 2013
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

JFK AND HIS SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH LOUISIANA

The 34th President of the United States was assassinated 50 years ago this week under controversial circumstances that leave a number of questions unanswered to this day. Republicans look to Ronald Reagan as their ideal. But John Kennedy captured the hearts of the American people like no other president, before or since. And from the first stirrings of his efforts to become president, to events that took place after his death, my home state of Louisiana has had a special place in the Kennedy legacy.

John Kennedy’s first foray in building Louisiana relationships began in 1956, during the then young Senator’s efforts to become the vice presidential candidate on the Adlai Stevenson ticket. Stevenson had promised the VP spot to Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver, but didn’t want to offend the Kennedy patriarch, Joseph Kennedy. So he threw the nomination open to the convention floor.

As luck would have it, the Louisiana delegation sat right beside the Massachusetts delegates. John Kennedy and his campaign manager and brother Bobby became fast convention friends with two senior Louisiana delegates, Judge Edmund Reggie of Crowley, and my mentor and friend, Camille Gravel from Alexandria. But the Louisiana delegation was controlled by Governor Earl Long, and he was firmly committed to Kefauver for the vice presidential nomination. Long left the convention early, having given strict instructions to Reggie and Gravel to support Kefauver.

Despite orders from Ole’ Uncle Earl, Reggie and Gravel led the whole Louisiana delegation in support of John Kennedy. Long was furious, since the rest of the southern states went with Kefauver, the southern candidate. But the efforts by Reggie and Gravel built a special bond between Louisiana and the Kennedys.

Four years later, when John Kennedy set his sights on the presidency, he knew his Catholicism would be a problem. There had never been a catholic president, and Kennedy wanted to build some initial political bridges in friendly territory. On October 16, 1959, he headed for Crowley, Louisiana, at the invitation of Judge Reggie and his wife Doris, to be the Grand Marshall of the International Rice Festival. (A sad side note. Judge Reggie passed away this week at the age of 87.) One Hundred and thirty thousand people packed the streets to show their support and affection. There are some marvelous photos taken at the Rice Festival of the future president, who never wore anything on his head in public, sporting a hat made from rice. Continue Reading…………….