Thursday, April 12, 2012

very. stupid. move.

Mitch Landrieu to endorse Cynthia Willard-Lewis in City Council race

Because this city needs to go backwards?  This stinks as bad as the Gentilly landfill.

And BTW:

Landrieu is expected to appear with Willard-Lewis at an afternoon, get-out-the-vote event the candidate is staging at the New Orleans Healing Center on St. Claude Avenue.


Isn't the New Orleans Healing Center a non-profit?  Is it even legal for them to be hosting a campaign event?  

21 comments:

jeffrey said...

I find it laughable that anyone would conclude, given the alternatives in this race, that either choice represents something besides, "going backward"

Jason Brad Berry said...

I disagree.

Anonymous said...

"I find it laughable that anyone would conclude, given the alternatives in this race, that either choice represents something besides, "going backward""

Stacy Head is no messiah but anyone who equates her to CWL just doesn't pay attention.

Anonymous said...

Ditto anon at 8:55. Campaign checks from Richards + Metro = CWL vote for near-criminal garbage contracts. Do your homework, anon. Willard-Lewis is a vote for sale to anyone willing to write a check for $5K.

Anonymous said...

This is a no-lose move for Landrieu. He gets to endorse an A/A candidate who doesn't really have a shot at winning this low-turnout special election.

Who are the Head voters going to support against him in the next election? CWL? Austin Badon? There's no challenger in the A/A community that can hurt him and nobody to the right that can plausibly win.

In the world of doing the right thing, this isn't 'right'. But it's politics, and probably a pretty solid political move.

Jason Brad Berry said...

No-lose move? This is an act of desperation on Landrieu's part to try and shore up his waning support in the African-American community.

If CWL wins...then is subsequently hit with bribery charges from Mouton and River Birch....Landrieu loses big time.

If Stacy Head wins, Landrieu's endorsement looks weak and affects him in the upcoming election. Plus, CWL could still get indicted on top of the loss....then he really looks foolish.

There was more to lose her by making the endorsement than just sitting still. Landrieu needs to shore up the AA vote but CWL is a bad way to do it.

There is definitely something to lose.

Jason Brad Berry said...

to lose here...

Anonymous said...

wouldn't it be great if politicians could give endorsements like the drug companies: "vote for this person! (in softer voice or fine print) ***this person may be up for indictment soon and is clearly an opportunist for significant donors. should the candidate be guilty of any felonies, misdemeanors, malfeasance of office, or immoral behavior, this candidate reserves the right to remove any and all endorsements due to a failure of the candidate to come into this arrangement in good faith. our endorsement is applicable only in the case that this candidate had nothing to do with scandal, bribery, murder, theft, bullying, bad breath and chewing with their mouth open....

They could totally out each other and than we might really find out what is going on behind the curtain.

Jason Brad Berry said...

Oh and I forgot to mention the real potential losers....the citizens of New Orleans.

Jason Brad Berry said...

I also forgot to mention the effect this will have on his current supporters. This may be an unforgivable move for many people looking to move the city forward.

I think the problem many political strategists have in this city is that they are so focued on ballots and old-shcool political voting blocs that they are misreading the larger body politic. There is a growing percentage of voters who don't associate themselves with political blocs, race included, who will make an increasing dent in the coming elections, especially city-wide elections like this one.

Anonymous said...

the new orleans healing center is wholly owned by pres kabacoff and run as a for profit entity.

Jason Brad Berry said...

Thanks for clearing that up. I thought it was a non-profit.

Anonymous said...

The Healing Center appears to be quite the amusing conglomeration. Part high-dollar "investment," part commune and part non-profit. It appears to have all the bases covered. This one may be worth keeping an eye on.

Anonymous said...

The healing center is a strange animal of the public-private breed. Do the math. $12 million was plowed into a 55,000 sq.ft. building. Isn't $218/sq.ft. a bit steep for a 20th century furniture warehouse with a St. Claude Avenue frontage?

Anonymous said...

So, if the Healing Center is a for profit, did they rent? How does that work?

Anonymous said...

Head may indeed be the lesser of two evils but she threw some of her own constituents under the bus when she introduced the permit ban which applied only to the RPC's proposed hospital site but exempted the former City Hall Annex.

Anonymous said...

The ordinance passed in December 2007 and was published in May 2008 -- before official site selection but at least a year after the city had committed itself to the RPC footprint.

Anonymous said...

Jeffrey's post was exactly right. Mayor Head got elected tonight and Mayor Landrieu knows it. That's why the CWL endorsement. Glad I don't live in NOLA any more.

Anonymous said...

"If I had a Taser, a ticket book, and a bulldozer, I know I could solve most of my problems in District B, and I don't have any of them."
Stacy Head to City Council's Housing & Human Needs Committee, Monday April 16, 2012

Anonymous said...

At a neighborhood meeting in the University area on January 31, 2011, Ms. Head made a nearly identical statement in response to citizens' quality of life concerns:

“The council has no enforcement authority whatsoever,” Head said in response to these complaints. “I wish we did. I wish I could have a bulldozer, a ticket book and a maybe a Taser.”

http://uptownmessenger.com/2011/02/private-patrols-or-off-duty-officers-under-consideration-by-fontainebleau-university-area-residents/

Jason Brad Berry said...

Is there a thesis?

I hope so, cause I'm getting really bored.