Louisiana Political News Service

COMPILATION OF QUOTES FROM THE MEDIA OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS:


THE COOK REPORT (CHARLIE COOK)

If you are Breaux, you've had a great run in the House and Senate, befriended two presidents, co-chaired a federal commission on tax reform, and settled into a private-sector job that is making you a ton of money. Do you really want to get into a nasty race -- and face a genuine risk of defeat?

OUACHITA CITIZEN (SAM HANNA, JR.)

Therein lies the proverbial excrement from a bull in the Breaux corner. He doesn't need an attorney general's opinion to tell him whether he can run for governor. It's simply his call.

TIMES PICAYUNE (STEPHANIE GRACE)

But long before that, Breaux had already revealed himself as a master vacillator -- which, come to think of it, has been one of the rubs against Blanco since she took office a lifetime ago.

LOUISIANA POLITICAL NEWS SERVICE (COMMENTARY)

The "Beltway" backers of our most famous professional lobbyist Mr. Breaux of Maryland and the local folks who have lived off of the "system" for years are pushing their last best hope into a hopeless cause. Between the folks who have left the state and the old yellow-dog Democrats who have passed away in the last few years, the votes just aren't there anymore.

THE ADVERTISER (EDITORIAL)

We believe it is in the state's best interest that former U.S. Sen. John Breaux not run for governor at this time… Imagine how heated, nasty and distracting the fight will get if Breaux runs.

TIMES PICAYUNE (JAMES GILL)

John Breaux makes a fat living as a lobbyist in Washington, votes in Maryland and bores everyone to death in Louisiana while he dithers, again, over whether to run for governor.

There are a lot of young voters out there who don't remember anything Breaux did for Louisiana, its economy or environment. Worse, there are plenty of older voters out there in the same boat.

NEWS STAR (EDITORIAL)

It's not always pretty when ideas compete, but political competition provides voters pause to reflect, to study and to question the state of their state. That's what citizenship is all about.

With no incumbent in the autumn race, this year's election can be less about pointing fingers and more about choosing paths.

NORTHSIDE JOURNAL (Neil S. Kavanagh)

Now, when the citizens of Louisiana are beginning to shout for change; when the old corrupt political machine is slowly being dismantled; Breaux comes slinking back to our state. Like a spectre rising from a dark graveyard, he brings our struggling state nothing more than the promise of Edwards style corruption, cronyism, bribery and racketeering.

AMERICAN PRESS (JIM BEAM)

Therein lies what will more than likely become the key slogan in this campaign. Do we want to look ahead or return to politics of the past? Breaux represents the past.

NEW YORK TIMES (ADAM NOSSITER)

Mr. Breaux represents skill, but he also symbolizes the political establishment. “In a year of reform, John Breaux is a clear personification of Louisiana’s history, not its future,” said Mr. (Elliot) Stonecipher, the consultant.

TOWN HALL (LEE FLETCHER)

Change is in the air. It is blowing across Louisiana like a fresh breeze. The good old boy network is still in business but may be on its last leg. A new day is coming.

ADVOCATE (JOHN LAPLANTE)

Democratic leaders are pinning their hopes of keeping control of state government on a retired politician who might not even get on the ballot.

BUSINESS REPORT (Rolfe McCollister Jr.)

It's time for a Louisiana couchon du lait. The pigs at the trough should be put on the spit. Fire up the coals.

GAMBIT (Clancy DuBos)

If I had to bet, I'd put my money on big changes in the fall. Voters are very dissatisfied with Blanco, but they are far from sated by her demise. Her decision only whets their appetite, in fact. They'll want more red meat come October.

THE TOWN TALK (EDITORIAL)

Breaux has made his allegiances and preferences more than clear. Let him fight for the people of Maryland. He spent 32 years representing Louisiana, first in the U.S. House and then in the U.S. Senate.

Three decades is more than enough to get something done. Louisiana needs new blood and new thinking.

LOUISIANA POLITICAL NEWS SERVICE

The old "Louisiana Way" is about to change whether John Breaux or the ghost of Huey Long runs for Governor. The elections this fall are the beginning of a new era. They can fight it or embrace it, but it is coming like a freight train.

SHREVEPORT TIMES (Emily Metzgar)

It would be hard to find a better illustration of the crossroads at which Louisiana finds itself in 2007 than a symbolic race between new ideas in the form of younger, forward-looking, results-oriented leadership and a blast-from-the-past in the form of a senator-turned-lobbyist-turned-candidate.

Others may be mistaken in assuming a head-to-head competition between Louisiana’s past and Louisiana’s future is the Republican’s worst nightmare. It may be a dream come true.

THE DEAD PELICAN (CHAD E. ROGERS)

I say bring him on. I want to see Breaux run because his fate at the polls would tell us something about ourselves. John Breaux has been involved in Louisiana politics for over 30 years, so his contribution to our current status quo cannot be questioned. If Breaux were to become our next governor, the message from voters would be clear: we are comfortable being at the bottom in almost every national ranking.

THE HILL (JOHN BREAUX)

“I’m Senator John Breaux!” and she looked at me and replied, “Not anymore you’re not.”
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Labels: BREAUX, CAMPAIGN, GOVERNOR, LOUISIANA, POLITICS