Shaw Group CEO Jim Bernhard rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange today, as part of his new public campaign to promote his Fortune 500 company’s new logo and stock ticker symbol. Meanwhile, political sources say the former state Democratic Party chairman has drawn the curtain on ambitions to run for the U.S. Senate next year, thus clearing the way to the Democratic nomination for Congressman Charlie Melancon. Now the state Democratic Party charges that U.S. David Vitter has overstepped ethical bounds by using town-hall meetings, paid for with public funds, to campaign against Melancon. Vitter spokesman Joel DiGrado responded that Democrats are reacting to town hall meetings by trying to shut down the debate.
—Republican state Senate candidate Brent Callais has sent out President Barack Obama on house calls in the form of mailouts attacking Democrat Norby Chabert. Obama in medical scrubs and with a stethoscope adorn the cover of a recent Callais mailer, which criticizes the Democrats’ healthcare plan and then states, “My opponent Norby Chabert supported Barack Obama for President and cannot be trusted on this issue.” While Chabert stated earlier he voted for Obama, he says he opposes the House bill that includes a public option. He further charges Callais reneged on his promise to not engage in negative campaigning, which ran in a news story two days before the flier went out.
—Political sources say that Speaker Pro Tem Karen Carter Peterson is showing a renewed interest in running for mayor of New Orleans, after seeming to rule out a candidacy only a few months ago. Only three candidates have declared, Sen. Ed Murray, Rep. Austin Badon and housing advocate James Perry, and all have had trouble raising money or attracting much support. That perceived vacuum has led to more political players, both black and white, pressing Peterson to take another look.
(John Maginnis publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com.)
