In 2003 Jindal was touted as having made some serious progress for Republicans in the black community. His black vote in 2003 was significant. However, we saw that black vote erode in 2007. And now, with this veto, I suspect that Jindal is even more unpopular with blacks. The face of the pay raise was Duplessis. I listen to talk radio in New Orleans during both drive times, and I can tell you that many of the callers voicing strong opposition to the pay raise laced their comments with racial overtones.  The photo of Duplessis when the vote was taken didn’t help either.

Talk radio in New Orleans has an overwhelming white audience. When Duplessis said yesterday that she blamed talk radio for the veto shows how disconnected the black community is from mainline talk, at least in New Orleans. You could tell when she went on the radio shows that she was unprepared and seemed surprised that people called in. I don’t think she had any idea that the format existed, at least to this degree.

The pay raise issues is not a big one with blacks. Senator Murray, for example, who represents a district with all white Lakeview, got lots of heat from the Lakefront but very little heat from Mid-City or Treme. 

If anyone wants to cause the Governor difficulties in the next session, he doesn’t need to look any further than the Black Caucus for a willing partner.

maurepas1 - 01 July 2008 05:56 AM

In 2003 Jindal was touted as having made some serious progress for Republicans in the black community. His black vote in 2003 was significant. However, we saw that black vote erode in 2007. And now, with this veto, I suspect that Jindal is even more unpopular with blacks. The face of the pay raise was Duplessis. I listen to talk radio in New Orleans during both drive times, and I can tell you that many of the callers voicing strong opposition to the pay raise laced their comments with racial overtones.  The photo of Duplessis when the vote was taken didn’t help either.

Talk radio in New Orleans has an overwhelming white audience. When Duplessis said yesterday that she blamed talk radio for the veto shows how disconnected the black community is from mainline talk, at least in New Orleans. You could tell when she went on the radio shows that she was unprepared and seemed surprised that people called in. I don’t think she had any idea that the format existed, at least to this degree.

The pay raise issues is not a big one with blacks. Senator Murray, for example, who represents a district with all white Lakeview, got lots of heat from the Lakefront but very little heat from Mid-City or Treme. 

If anyone wants to cause the Governor difficulties in the next session, he doesn’t need to look any further than the Black Caucus for a willing partner.

What the black politicians and the black masses think aren’t always the same. And in Duplessis’ case, she represents an area that was nearly 100% flooded. So I’d be surprised if those trying to rebuild will be happy at a politician who wants to feather her nest.