Landrieu defends comment suggesting race a factor in Obama's Louisiana unpopularity

[alp227]

Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune

WASHINGTON --Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La, is defending a TV interview in which she attributed President Barack Obama's unpopularity in Louisiana mostly to his administration's energy policies, but also cited race as a factor.

Her comments Thursday, made in response to a question from NBC's News's Chuck Todd, quickly drew rebukes from her leading Republican Senate opponents, Rep. Bill Cassidy of Baton Rouge and Tea Party Conservative Rob Maness, as well as Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal. The controversy comes just ahead of Tuesday's open primary, with polls showing Landrieu ahead but short of the 50 percent plus one vote needed to avoid a Dec. 6 runoff against the 2nd-place finisher.

"The main reason the President has struggled here is because his energy policies are not in line with the people of Louisiana," Landrieu said Friday in a statement after criticism of her NBC interview. "We are a pro-drilling, pro-oil, gas state. The offshore moratorium was extremely unpopular and, in my opinion, wholly unwarranted. It made a lot of people angry and put many businesses at risk."

"In addition, the South has not always been the friendliest or easiest place for African Americans to advance, and it's been a difficult place for women to be recognized as the leaders we are. Everyone knows this is the truth, and I will continue to speak the truth even as some would twist my words seeking political advantage."

Read more: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/10/sen_landrieu_defends_comment_s.html

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Full title that didn't fit: Sen. Landrieu defends comment suggesting race a factor in Obama's Louisiana unpopularity over GOP criticism

Good to see an otherwise DLC Democrat not cave to right wing whining. I am still waiting for right wingers to apologize for their racial microaggressions against Obama whether birth certificate conspiracy theories or Limbaugh's non stop comments as such.

[Chemisse]

1. Good for her.

It's the elephant in the room. Everybody knows that a good portion of his unpopularity is due to his race. Yet people whisper about it. Why give these racists pigs a free pass? There is ample evidence to support this, so if the Republicans want to make a stink, they should be prepared to have it all come out on the table.

[still_one]

2. I agree.It isn't just La. either. I have never seen a President treated with so much disrespect by

Congress and the press.

[Major Hogwash]

19. And the crap the GOP says about Obama is crazy, insane, ludicrous garbage that is nonsensical!

The Republicans thrive on creating conspiracies that only a looney rightwinger would believe.
Most of the Republican base is made up of people who are anti-science, anti-women, anti-immigrant, and against using logic.
The crazier the conspiracy, the faster they are apt to believe it!

[7962]

22. I dont know, remember the "Clinton death list"? Hillary killed Vince Foster?

The Clintons killed Ron Brown? They flew cocaine into arkansas for their own gain?
Hell, that just off the top of my head!!

[still_one]

23. This is much worse in my view /nt

[Faux pas]

3. Kickin'

[Robbins]

4. This proves it

Her statement was a silver bullet to get black voters out.She needs black voters especilly if she wants to aovid runoff.

[NOLALady]

13. She didn't really need a silver bullet

to get black voters out. They have always put her over the top. If she has a runoff, it will not be because of the lack of black voters.

[question everything]

5. What she should defend is her objection, back in 2009, to the public option

Her op-ed in the WSJ that "small business object to the public option."

For the life of my I don't understand why small business want to be in the health care business (unless they are, of course).

I don't know if she is attacked for her (final) support of the ACA. This is how many Democrats are now being attacked and none of them have the guts to say: yes, I support eliminating the shackles of dead end jobs;. eliminating the limit of insurance payments; keeping kids on their parents insurance until they are 26 (or is it 25?) and eliminating the "pre-existing" conditions requirements.

(Sorry, did not mean to hijack the thread but it bugs me..)

[mountain grammy]

6. Don't back down, Mary..

It's time we concede the racist voters to the Republicans. Trying to win them over is pointless and degrading.

[Mustellus]

7. Lets play "What Bad Name Is Missing".....

Obama is a Nazi Commie Socialist Facist Al-Queada Dictator Kenyan Liberal Mooslim Terris Indonesian ......

Hint: the one name they never mention is the one they want to call him.

[graegoyle]

8. ...but is implied by half of them.

[tularetom]

9. From the Department of No Shit Sherlock

But she done good by bringing it up in the midst of a tight senatorial race.

My opinion of her just took a big jump.

[JustAnotherGen]

10. Truth Be Told At Last

Glad she's doubling down and re-loading a cannon with truth. :yahoo:

[RandySF]

11. Brilliant play

She's only pissed off the people who will vote for her anyway. On the other hand, it could drive up her base vote.

[heaven05]

12. good to read

a thrid wayer has courage enough to speak up against GOP intimidation. Rare, for sure.

[Iliyah]

14. K & R

[BeyondGeography]

15. That this even qualifies as controversial shows you how pathetic we are

Not just the South, but every racism-denying fool in the country.

[cstanleytech]

16. I actually agree with her though. The response from the far right to Obama since day one

has just been downright batshit insane and I dont think its because hes a democrat I think a large part of it is because of his skin color.

[Fred Sanders]

17. She is not a chickenshit, good.......the GOP are the chickenshits for not talking truth.

[tooeyeten]

21. GOP and truth?

They are the deniers of truth and facts.

[jtuck004]

18. "When under our Constitution we work through the political process to change directions,

we're called racist," he said"

No, just when you are racist.

Oh yeah - "Cassidy went on Fox News Thursday night to criticize Landrieu's comments."

This fox? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/27/1339664/-This-Is-How-Fox-News-Uses-Graphics-To-Convey-Their-Racist-Message#

Good choice for a platform there fella.

[tooeyeten]

20. Landrieu tells the truth

And posters show how racism is alive, well and kickin' in Louisiana.

[billhicks76]

24. Scumbag Republicans

They are and always will be a bunch of liars and need to own their truth that they are racist to the core. I hear republicans in well to do suburbia commonly refer to Obama as the N-word.

[blitzen]

25. Did Bill Cassidy recently became a grandfather? Has he announced the happy event?

http://theadvocate.com/news/9634068-123/cassidy-to-be-grandfather

Someone in the press ought to follow up on this story. The facts are relevant to the topic of this thread.

[SunSeeker]

26. K & R

[redstateblues]

27. I sent her a contribution when I heard

She had said that. It's true. I've lived in the south for half a century and racism is alive and well. It has evolved and become more sophisticated but make no mistake, the racists are working to turn the clock back.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

28. SHE IS ABSOLUTELY, FUCKING RIGHT!!! At least she admits it, unlike many people! Good for her!

[czarjak]

29. Or...

As it's been described to me in West Texas, " he's just a goddamed nigger." Old habits die hard.

[silvershadow]

30. Personally this makes me re-think my feelings about her. I am surprised and pleased she

spoke out once, then defended it later. Good on her.