>>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS THE
EIGHTH OFFERING OF THE McLEOD
LECTURE SERIES.
SUPPORTED BY AN DOWMENT
ESTABLISHED FROM McNEESE STATE
UNIVERSITY, AND PART OF BANNERS,
THE McNEESE ARTS AND
HUMANITIES SERIES.
FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS
PROVIDED IN PART BY BLUE CROSS
AND BLUE SHIELD OF LOUISIANA,
SEEKING SOLUTIONS TOGETHER.
AND BY JEFF DAVIS BANK,
ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED
BY THE CONTRIBUTORS TO THE
MCLEOD ENDOWMENT OF THE
MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY
FOUNDATION.
AND THE FOUNDATION FOR
EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC
BROADCASTING.
ALL PROUD SPONSORS OF THE ROLE
OF LOUISIANA'S LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR.
PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE EIGHTH
PROGRAM IN THE ANNUAL McLEOD
LECTURE SERIES.
IMBETH COURTNEY, YOUR HOST FOR
THIS EVENT.
THIS SERIES HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED
IN MEMORY OF FORMER LEGISLATOR
AND JUDGE BILL McLEOD.
THE McLEOD ENDOWMENT WAS
ESTABLISHED AT THE McNEESE
STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION, TO
CREATE A SERIES ON LOUISIANA
POLITICS AND THE SOUTHWEST
LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE ARCHIVES.
TONIGHT, WE WILL FOCUS ON THE
ROLE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR,
AS WELL AS THE IMPACT OF THE
OFFICE IN WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT
HOLD FOR THE POSITION.
BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR CONVERSATION
WITH OUR GUESTS, LPB'S NEWS AND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS PRODUCER SHAUNA
SANFORD PREPARED THIS OVERVIEW
OF THE ROLE OF THIS IMPORTANT
OFFICE IN OUR STATE.
>> YOU MAY NOT INSTANTLY
RECOGNIZE THESE FACES, BUT THEY
ARE SOME OF THE BEST WHO HAVE
BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF
LOUISIANA, SERVING IN THE SECOND
HIGHEST OFFICE AS LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR.
MOSTLY DEMOCRATS, THERE HAVE
BEEN ONLY A HANDFUL OF
REPUBLICANS ELECTED, INCLUDING
THE CURRENT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
JAY DARDENNE.
>> THERE IS AN INTERESTING STORY
THAT MAKES ITS ROUNDS AMONGST
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS LIKE
A SPARE TIRE.
THEY OFF SEVERAL BOOKS ON
POLITICAL HISTORY, SERVED AS THE
PRESS SECRETARY FOR GOVERNOR
KATHLEEN BABINEAUX BLANCO AND
TWO U.S. SENATORS, AND IS THE
CHAIR OF THE LSU PLANSHIP SCHOOL
OF COMMUNICATIONS.
>> FOR THE LONGEST TIME, THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, IN ADDITION
TO BEING THE SECOND IN LINE TO,
TO THE GOVERNORSHIP, WAS, WAS
THE HEAD OF THE SENATE, SORT OF
LIKE IT IS IN CONGRESS.
>> BUT WHEN JIMMY FITS MORRIS, A
RAILROAD EXECUTIVE WAS ELECTED
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN 1972, HE
TOOK ON A FEW MORE
RESPONSIBILITIES.
EDWIN EVANS WAS GOVERNOR AND HE
DECIDED TO LET FITS MORRIS BE
THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
>> THAT WAS NOT CONSTITUTIONAL,
NOT EVEN STATUTORY AS I RECALL.
IT WAS REALLY SOMETHING THAT,
THAT THE DECIDED TO GIVE THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BUT IT WAS
REALLY BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR, THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR GOT ALONG,
AND THE GOVERNOR, THOUGHT JIMMY
WAS BETTER FOR THE JOB THAN HE
WAS, OR JUST WASN'T AS
INTERESTED IN DOING THAT, AND IT
WORKED PRETTY WELL BUT ONLY
BECAUSE THINK DECIDED TO WORK
TOGETHER.
>> FITS MORRIS SERVED TWO TERMS
UNDER HIM.
>> WITH ALL RESPECT FOR GOVERNOR
ELWARDS, HE GAVE ME A FREE HAND
AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND GAVE
ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS
IN THAT I PROBABLY WON HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO DO WITHOUT THE FULL
CONSENT OF THE GOVERNOR.
ONE THING ANY PERSON RUNS FOR
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HAS TO
UNDERSTAND, HE HAS TO HAVE A
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOVERNOR.
A GOOD, BAT OR INDIFFERENT.
>> HE STARTED THE JOB FROM
SCRATCH.
GROUND ZERO, BUT HE PRIDED
HIMSELF ON BEING A PRETTY GOOD
SALESMAN.
>> AND I FELT THAT I COULD HELP
THE STATE TREMENDOUSLY BY
TRAVELING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,
AND MEETING WITH, WITH COMPANIES
THAT, THAT WERE DOWN IN
LOUISIANA, AND LETTING THEM KNOW
THAT, THAT WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR
THEIR BEING HERE.
IT IS A RESULT OF THAT IF THEY
EVER HAD ANY PROBLEM, I WOULD
SAY CONTACT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT
CALLING THE DEPARTMENT HEAD OR
THE STREETS, CALL ME.
>> THE PREMIUMS WERE IN THE
OFFICE AS HE SAW FIT.
STATE CONSTITUTION WAS REVISED
IN 1974, AND SO WAS THE JOB OF
THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
>> IN MY FIRST FOUR YEARS AS
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I WAS THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, PRESIDENT
OF THE SENATE, AND PRESIDENT OF
THE BOARD OF PARDONS, AND
PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.
I HAD MANY JOBS WRAPPED INTO
ONE, AND I STILL CARRIED SOME OF
IT TO MY SECOND TERM.
IT HAPPENED IN THE
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE.
THE GOVERNOR ALLOWED ME TO
APPOINT EVERY MEMBER OF THE, OF
THE SENATE, EVERY COMMITTEE
MEMBER, AND NEVER INTERFERED
ONCE.
HE ALLOWED PLEA IN MY SECOND
TERM TO, TO APPOINT EVERY MEMBER
OF THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND
INDUSTRY, WHICH WAS REALLY
UNHEARD OF.
BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR LIKES TO DO
THAT.
>> UNDER THE NEW CONSTITUTION,
THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR NO
LONGER SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF
THE SENATE, COULD ONLY EXERCISE
POWERS DESIGNATED BY THE
GOVERNOR, AND BECAME
COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF CULTURE, RECREATION AND
TOURISM.
AS DARDENNE EXPLAINS, THAT'S
WHAT ATTRACTED HIM TO THE
POSITION.
>> THE ABILITY ON A DAILY BASIS
TO GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT A PLACE
I LOVE AND TO MAKE CERTAIN
PEOPLE APPRECIATE ALL THE
WONDERFUL THINGS THAT LOUISIANA
HAS TO OFF AS WE TRY TO MARKET
THE STATE IN A REAL MEANINGFUL
AND PROGRESSIVE WAY.
>> FITS MORRIS IS AMONG THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS WHO
CERTAINLY LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK
ON LOUISIANA HISTORY.
OTHERS INCLUDE PBS PENCHBACK,
EARL K. LONG AND LUTHER FRASIER.
PENCHBACK, A REPUBLICAN WAS THE
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO HOLD
THE STATE'S SECOND HIGHEST
OFFICE.
IN 1868, HE WAS ELECTED TO THE
STATE SENATE WHERE HE BECAME
SENATE PRESIDENT, AND THEN THE
ACTING LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WHEN
OSCAR DUNN DIED.
IN 1872, HE BECAME THE 24th
GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA WHEN HENRY
CLAY WAS IMPEACHED.
HE SERVED FOR 35 DAYS.
FROM DECEMBER 9, 1872, TO
JANUARY 13, 1873.
KNOWN AS ONE OF THE STATE'S MOST
FLAMBOYANT LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS,
EARL KEMP LONG SERVED FROM 1936
TO 1939.
HE CALLED HIMSELF THE LAST OF
THE RED HOT PAPAS.
A LAWYER BY TRADE, LONG BECAME
GOVERNOR IN 1939 WHEN RICHARD
LESCH RESIGNED.
HE WENT ON TO WIN TWO ELECTIONS
SERVING AS GOVERNOR FROM 1948 TO
1952, AND AGAIN FROM 1956 TO
1960.
LUTHER E. FRASIER SERVED UNDER
EARL LONG DURING HIS SECOND TERM
IN OFFICE.
A NATIVE HE STARTED OUT AS A
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, AND THEN
WENT ON TO SERVE AS A DEMOCRATIC
MEMBER OF THE STATE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
HE BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDENT
OF McNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY IN
1944.
AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL HE
RESIGNED TO BECOME LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR UNDER LONG.
MELINDA SCHWEGMANN AND KATHLEEN
BABINEAUX BLANCO HAVE THE
DISTINCTION OF BEING THE ONLY
WOULD WOMEN TO EVER SERVE IN THE
OFFICE.
SCHWEGMANN WAS THE FIRST TO BE
ELECTED AND SERVE FROM 1992 TO
1996.
>> I THINK THAT SHE SORT OF
BUILT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE AND PROFESSIONALIZED IT
IN A WAY THAT MAY BE IT WASN'T
BEFORE.
>> KATHLEEN BABINEAUX BLANCO
FOLLOWED, SERVING FROM 1996 TO
2004.
SHE THEN WENT ON TO BECOME
GOVERNOR.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF
GOVERNORS WHO DID RUN FOR
GOVERNOR BUT COULDN'T DO IT, AND
SHE WAS THE FIRST SITTING
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN ANYBODY'S
MEMORY TO BECOME GOVERNOR.
>> THE OFFICE CAN CERTAINLY BE A
SPRINGBOARD TO OTHER INFLUENTIAL
POSITIONS, AND MANY HAVE USED IT
AS JUST THAT.
MITCHELL ANDREWS SERVED FROM
2004 TO 2010 AND WAS ELECTED
MAYOR OF NEW ORLEANS BEFORE HIS
TERM EXPIRED.
BUT NOW THERE ARE QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF THE
OFFICE.
GOVERNOR JINDAL EVEN TRIED TO
ABOLISH IT.
DARDENNE SAYS THERE IS NO DOUBT
THAT THIS OFFICE IS IMPORTANT.
>> HAVING BEEN IN THIS ROLE NOW
FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, I FEEL MORE
STRONGLY THAT THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT POSITION FOR, FOR THE
STATE TO HAVE, TO HAVE SOMEONE
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE
FOR PROMOTING LOUISIANA AND
BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS
SPENT.
>> SOME MAY ARGUE THAT GIVEN THE
BUDGET WOES ELIMINATING THE
OFFICE WOULD MAKE SENSE.
>> IF YOU ELIMINATED THAT OFFICE
TODAY, YOU WOULDN'T COME CLOSE
TO BALANCING THE BUDGET.
IT WOULD BE A MINOR PART.
>> AND GIVEN THE SUCCESS OF SOME
OF THE MOST RECENT OFFICE
HOLDERS, HE BELIEVES IT'S HERE
TO STAY.
>> JAY DARDENNE IS SOMEBODY WHO
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK COULD BE
GOVERNOR.
MITCHELL ANDREW, RUNNING THE
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IN A
COMPETENT WAY, KATHLEEN
BABINEAUX BLANCO BECOMING
GOVERNOR FROM THAT OFFICE, AND I
THINK IT HAS A CACHET THAT MAYBE
IT DIDN'T HAVE EVEN 10, 15 YEAR
AGO BECAUSE OF THE SUCCESS OF
THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE
OFFICE RECENTLY WHO NOW HAVE IT.
>> JOINING US WITH THEIR OWN
UNIQUE VIEWS AND FIRST HAND
EXPERIENCES ARE SEVERAL OF OUR
STATE'S FORMER LIEUTENANT
GOVERNORS, INCLUDING ONE WHO
WENT ON TO BECOME GOVERNOR.
ROBERT BOBBY FREEMAN, THE
IBERVILLE PARISH ATTORNEY WAS A
DEMOCRATIC LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
FROM 1980-1988.
FREEMAN SERVED UNDER FIRST
REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR DAVID TREEN
AND THEN TREEN'S SUCCESSOR
DEMOCRAT EDWIN EDWARDS.
HE WAS DEFEATED FOR A THIRD TERM
BY THE FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE
PAUL HARDY
EARLIER FREEMAN HAD BEEN A
MEMBER OF THE LOUISIANA HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES FROM 1968-1980.
>>> PAUL HARDY, A DEMOCRAT
TURNED REPUBLICAN WAS THE FIRST
REPUBLICAN SINCE RECONSTRUCTION
TO HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO THE
SECOND RANKING POST IN THE
STATE.
HARDY SERVED IN THAT POSITION
FROM 1988-1992.
HARDY WAS DEFEATED FOR
REELECTION AS LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR IN 1991 BY DEMOCRAT
MELINDA SCHWEGMANN.
EARLIER HE HAD BEEN ELECTED IN
1972 AS THE DEMOCRATIC STATE
SENATOR FROM IBERIA AND
ST. MARTIN PARISHES, AND 241975
WAS ELECTED AS A DEMOCRAT AS
SECRETARY OF STATE OF LOUISIANA.
>>> MELINDA SCHWEGMANN, THE
FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD THE
POSITION, WAS THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA FROM
199-1996.
IN 1997, SHE WON A SPECIAL
ELECTION TO LOUISIANA STATE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
DISTRICT 98, FROM OR LIENS
PARISH.
SCHWEGMANN WAS ELECTED TO A FULL
HOUSE TERM IN 1999 AND SERVED
UNTIL 2003 WHEN SHE RELINQUISHED
THE HOUSE SEAT, WHICH WAS
DISMEMBERED BY REAPPORTIONMENT.
FROM 1996 TO 2004, KATHLEEN
BABINEAUX BLANCO SERVED TWO,
FOUR-YEAR TERMS LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR AND FROM JANUARY 2004
UNTIL JANUARY 2008, SERVED AS
THE 54TH GOVERNOR OF THE STATE
OF LOUISIANA.
PRIOR TO HER ELECTION, AS
GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, SHE SERVED A FOUR-YEAR
TERM IN THE LOUISIANA
LEGISLATURE AS STATE
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
LAFAYETTE AREA, AND A SIX-YEAR
TERM AS PUBLIC SERVICE
COMMISSIONER.
WELL, WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE ARE DELIGHTED.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING A GRAND TIME,
RECOUNTING TALES, AND WE WANT TO
SHARE SOME WITH OUR AUDIENCE,
AND I GUESS GOVERNOR BLANCO, I
HAVE TO TELL YOU WHEN JAY
DARDENNE SAID, A SPARE TIRE KEPT
IN THE DARK ALL PUMPED UP, WHY
DID YOU FIRST WANT TO BE, TO RUN
FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR?
>> WELL, I JUST THOUGHT THAT IT
WAS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL THERE,
JUST TO, TO GET INTO LOUISIANA,
INTO THE HEART OF LOUISIANA, AND
WORK WITH COMMUNITIES AND MAKE
THEM MORE THAN THEY EVER KNEW
YOU THAT THEY COULD BE.
THE IDEA EXCITED ME, AND I
REALLY JUST WANTED TO BE
HANDS-ON, AND, AND WORK
THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
LOUISIANA HAS A HABIT OF
CRITICIZING ITSELF SEVERELY.
AND DEMEANING ITSELF, AND I
WANTED TO STOP THAT.
I WANTED LOUISIANA TO BE PROUD
OF ITSELF.
AND SO, THAT THE PERFECT
VEHICLE, I THOUGHT, I HAD
WATCHED MELINDA'S WORK, PAUL'S
WORK, AND BOBBY'S WORK AS
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND I
THOUGHT THAT, THAT EACH ONE
BUILT SOMETHING NEW AND SPECIAL
AS WE WENT THROUGH THOSE YEARS,
AND I WANTED TO, TO PICK IT UP
FROM WHERE THEY LEFT OFF AND
JUST KEEP IT MOVING AND BRING
THAT PRIDE THAT I THOUGHT
LOUISIANA NEEDED.
>> YOU WEREN'T THINKING AT THAT
TIME, I WANT TO BE GOVERNOR?
>> WELL, I DIDN'T SEE IT AS A
DIRECT ROUTE.
WE HAVE HEARD TONIGHT THAT IT
WAS VERY CHALLENGING, NOT MANY
LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS HAD EVER
ACTUALLY BECOME GOVERNOR.
ALTHOUGH, I HAD RUN IN 1991, FOR
A SHORT TIME, FOR GOVERNOR, I
DIDN'T REALLY KNOW OR THINK THAT
REALLY IT WAS GOING TO BE THAT
WAY.
BUT, I JUST THOUGHT THAT, THAT,
LIKE EVERY JOB THAT I HAD EVER
HAD, THAT IF YOU DO IT REALLY
WELL, AND YOU DO IT WITH ALL OF
YOUR HEART, THAT, THAT PEOPLE
WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT, AND IF
IT'S MEANT TO BE, YOU WILL MOVE
ALONG, BUT, BUT, AS I WORK
THROUGH MY SECOND TERM, THEN I
BEGIN TO FEEL THAT THERE MIGHT
BE MORE OF A POSSIBILITY OF
BEING GOVERNOR.
>> WELL, WE WERE CHATTING, YOU
ARE SAYING THAT YOU ARE THE ONLY
ONE OF A FEW THAT DIDN'T REALLY
RUN AGAINST, FOR GOVERNOR, BOBBY
FREEMAN.
DID YOU JUST ENJOY BEING
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR?
>> WELL, I LIKED THE JOB.
I HAD NEVER -- YOU KNOW, WHEN I
RAN FOR ANYTHING, I WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT I HAD A REAL GOOD
CHANCE OF WINNING.
AND I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THE
CHANCE WAS THERE AT THE TIME.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, AT THE
ISSUES.
YOU LOOK AT THE, AT THE
PHILOSOPHY OF THE STATE AT THAT
TIME, AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT IT
WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THAT,
SO, THAT'S WHY I NEVER RUN FOR
THAT.
I WAS PLEASED WITH WHAT I WAS
ABLE TO ACHIEVE AS LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN
THE, THE CONSTITUTIONAL ONLY
SAYS, ONE THING ABOUT THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THAT YOU
ARE GOING TO, TO, YOU ARE GOING
TO TAKE OVER IF SOMETHING
HAPPENS AS GOVERNOR, REALLY.
AND NOTHING ELSE.
AND SO THE BIG THING THAT I
WANTED TO DO IS, IS THE, THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, SOMETHING
TO REALLY USE FOR THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA, AND THAT'S WHEN, WHEN
I WENT TO THE GOVERNOR AND TOLD
HIM THAT I WANTED TO BRING
LEGISLATION TO BRING THE, THE
OFFICE OF TOURISM, CULTURE AND
TOURISM AND FILMING UNDER
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SO THAT THEY
HAD A STATEWIDE OFFICIAL WHO IS
REALLY SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF
BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A BIG
INDUSTRY IN LOUISIANA, AND EVER
SINCE, IT'S BEEN A REAL BIG --
EACH OF THESE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNORS HAS DONE A GREAT THING
WITH, AND HAVE PUSHED IT
FORWARD.
>> SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU DON'T RUN
ON A TICKET.
SO, YOU HAD GOVERNOR TREEN WAS A
REPUBLICAN, AND YOU WERE, YOU
WERE THE LEADING DEMOCRATIC
OFFICIAL.
AND HE DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO
GIVE YOU TOO MUCH TO DO, RIGHT?
>> HE DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE ME
ANYTHING.
>> HE DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE ME AN
OFFICE.
AT ONE TIME, YOU KNOW -- I WENT
TO THE LEGISLATURE, AND I SAID,
I ASKED THE GOVERNOR TO GIVE ME
SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY, SO I
COULD, I COULD DO SOMETHING, AND
HE SAID HOW MUCH, AND I SAID
50,000, AND I SAID GOVERNOR, YOU
ARE INCREASING YOUR BUDGET BY
500,000, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE ME
50, AND HE SAID NO.
I SAID OK, SO I WENT TO THE
LEGISLATURE AND ASKED THEM TO
GIVE ME 50 MORE, AND HE WENT TO
THE LEGISLATURE AND SAID, DON'T
GIVE TO TO HIM.
AND THE LEGISLATURE AGREED WITH
ME, AND GAVE ME THE MONEY.
SO, HE SAYS, EITHER YOU ARE
GOING TO GIVE IT BACK TO ME, OR
YOU ARE GOING TO REFUSE IT, OR
I'M GOING, TO TAKE THE BUDGET
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE HAD TO
DO, AND I SAID YOU HAVE THE PIN,
AND YOU ARE THE GOVERNOR, YOU DO
WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU OUGHT TO
DO, AND SURE ENOUGH, HE DID VETO
IT.
RUINED MY WHOLE BUDGET, BUT I
GOT IT BACK, AND THAT WAS THE
END OF THAT.
AND HE AND I BECAME GOOD
FRIENDS, AND IN FACT, AFTER HE
GOT OUT OF OFFICE, THE FBI CAME
TO ME AND SAID, I WANT TO ASK
YOU SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HIM,
AND I SAID, OH, MY GOD, THIS IS
ONE OF THE MOST HONEST MEN YOU
ARE GOING TO FIND, AND THEY
SAID, WELL, I CAN'T TELL YOU
WHY, AND I KNEW WHY, HE WAS,
THEY WERE CONSIDERING HIM FOR A
FEDERAL JUDGESHIP.
SO THEY SAID WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT HIM?
AND I SAID, HE WOULD MAKE A
GREAT BOY SCOUT.
HE IS THE MOST HONEST, DECENT
GUY YOU ARE GOING TO FIND.
WE DIDN'T AGREE POLITICALLY, BUT
AS FAR AS BEING A MAN THAT COULD
BE A GREAT FEDERAL JUDGE, HE
WOULD SIT, HE WOULD FIT THE
POSITION PERFECTLY.
SO WE GOT ALONG ON THE OUTSIDE
OF POLITICS.
BUT, HE REALLY, HE, HE DID WHAT
HE COULD TO GET BOBBY OUT OF HIS
HAIR.
BUT BOBBY AND I HAVE BEEN
FRIENDS.
>>> WE ALWAYS WERE FRIENDS, AND
A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHEN WE RAN
AGAINST EACH OTHER, SAID PAUL,
WHY ARE YOU RUNNING AGAINST
BOBBY?
IT'S ALL, ALL THE SAME TEAM, AND
I SAID, WE ARE TALKING POLITICS.
I LOVE TO USE THIS PHRASE.
WE TALKING POLITICS, WE NOT
TALKING PREFERENCE HERE.
I THINK THAT BOBBY IS GOING TO
HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME
WINNING BECAUSE OF THE SCENARIO
AND THE SITUATION AND THE
CANDIDATES WHO ARE RUNNING FOR
GOVERNOR AND ALSO WHO ARE GOING
TO BE RUNNING FOR LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR.
AND IN OTHER WORDS, I WAS SAYING
THAT, THAT, THAT I THOUGHT THAT
EDWIN WAS GOING TO GET BEAT,
AND, AND FRANKLY, IF EDWIN
EDWARDS HAD RUN IN THE RUN-OFF,
MADE THE RUN-OFF ELECTION, HE
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN BEAT.
BUT SO WOULD I.
BECAUSE BOBBY'S FORCES, EDWIN
WOULD HAVE GOTTEN ENOUGH PEOPLE
TO VOTE WHO DIDN'T NECESSARILY
LIKE EDWIN BECAUSE OF THE EMPIRE
FACTOR AT THE TIME, BUT, IT
WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MANY VOTES
MORE THAN BOBBY WOULD HAVE
BENEFITED FROM.
I WOULD HAVE BEAT BOBBY FREEMAN
BY 22, 000 VOTES, AND TO ME,
THAT WAS A MAJOR VICTORY, AND WE
GO BACK TO OUR OWENSR FRIENDS,
ESPECIALLY IN THE BATON ROUGE
AREA, I TOLD YOU, AREN'T WE
LUCKY WE HAVE A FRIEND IN THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE?
[LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, THIS IS GREAT, YOU
KNOW.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS
LOOKING AT WHEN I WAS REVIEWING
SOME MATERIAL, I HAD FORGOTTEN
AND MELINDA, WE WERE CHATTING
AHEAD OF TIME, THAT YOU WERE A
TEACHER PRIOR TO GETTING INTO
POLITICS, SO, WHY DID YOU DECIDE
BECAUSE YOU REALLY CAME OUT OF,
YOU KNOW, NOWHERE WHEN YOU RAN
FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
>> I HAD SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN
BATON ROUGE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
KNOW THIS AS I WAS SO INVOLVED
WITH THE NON PROFIT SECTOR.
AND THE ARTS.
OUR CHILDREN'S ISSUES.
FAMILY ISSUES.
WOMEN, THE MENTALLY AND
PHYSICALLY DISABLED, AND I WOULD
GO TO BATON ROUGE YEAR AFTER
YEAR, AND JUST GET MAD AT WHAT I
SAW IN THE LEGISLATURE, AND, AND
EVERYBODY CAN APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I REMEMBER COMING HOME
SAYING, YOU KNOW, ONE DAY, I'M
GOING TO HAVE TO RUN FOR
SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK SOME
ATTENTION NEEDS TO GO HERE, AND
WHAT THEY ARE DOING, AND I THINK
I OFTEN DO THAT, EVEN BETTER.
AND I SAW THE OFFICE AS A WAY TO
BRING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES TO
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE, TO THE
FOREFRONT, THAT, PERHAPS, BY
USING THE POWER OF THE OFFICE OF
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I KNEW
TOURISM WAS IMPORTANT, AND OF
COURSE, I LOVED TRAVELING AROUND
THE STATE.
BUT, WHEN I WAS RUNNING AGAINST
PAUL, I SAID I CAN'T TOUCH HIM
ON TOURISM BECAUSE HE KNOWS
ABOUT TOURISM IN LOUISIANA.
BUT, I WANTED TO ADDRESS THE
ISSUES THAT I KNEW THAT THE
FAMILIES WERE INTERESTED IN,
AND, AND THAT BEING SPECIFICALLY
AS YOU KNOW, I DEVELOPED A FORCE
FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN, AND
ELDERLY ISSUES, AND I WANTED TO
USE THE POWER OF THE OFFICE.
THAT, THAT WAS STILL THERE, TO
ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
SO, THAT'S WHAT I, I HOPE TO DO,
AND I'M REAL PROUD TO SAY THAT
WE, I FEEL WE'RE ABLE TO DO
THAT.
WE BROUGHT THE, THE LOUISIANA
SERVE AND DELTA SERVICE COURTS
TO THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE, AND STARTED A COMMUNITY
SERVICE PROGRAM IN OUR STATE.
THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, SO I HAD
FUN DOING THAT, AS WELL AS THE
REAL FUN PART GOING AROUND THE
STATE AND MEETING EVERY TOURISM
OFFICIAL IN THE STATE, AND
PROMOTING WHAT WE ALL ARE SO
PROUD OF IN OUR STATE.
MEETING THE PEOPLE AND OUR, OUR
WONDERFUL STATE.
ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS IS
NOT ONLY TRAVELING AROUND THE
STATE, BUT THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR REPRESENTS THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA TO INTERNATIONAL
DIPLOMATS AND EVERYTHING, TOO,
AND I WOULD, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I KNOW THAT YOU ENCOUNTERED
IS, IS SOMEBODY VISITING, A
COUNCIL GENERAL OR SOMEBODY FROM
FRANCE WANTS TO MEET WITH AN
OFFICIAL, AND THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR MANY TIMES DOES THAT
ROLE, RIGHT?
>> QUITE HONESTLY, I AM SURE
THAT WE ALL HAD IT HAPPEN WHERE
THERE WERE OFFICIALS THAT CAME,
AND WANTED TO MEET WITH THE
GOVERNOR, AND PERHAPS, THE
GOVERNOR COULD NOT, AND THEY
WERE VERY SATISFY, I HOPE, WHEN
THEY WERE TOLD THEY WERE GOING
TO MEET WITH THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN AS HAPPY IF
THEY HAD BEEN TOLD WELL, YOU
WILL MEET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF
THE SENATE OR SOMEONE ELSE.
I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO, TO,
UM, SHOW THAT WE ARE PUTTING YOU
ON A LEVEL HERE, AND THIS IS
THE, THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO.
SO, I THOUGHT IT WAS QUITE A
ANON, AND I THINK THAT ALL OF US
AGREE THAT THE OFFICE IS VERY
IMPORTANT.
>> AS MELINDA SAID, THERE IS A
LOT OF TOURISM INVOLVED.
GUESS WHAT, TOURISM IN THE MINDS
OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF
LOUISIANA, THEY DON'T VOTE.
WHICH MEANS THAT, THAT THE
POLITICIAN, WHY YOU GO ABOUT
THESE PEOPLE, THEY DON'T VOTE.
AT THE SAME TIME, THEY DON'T
REALIZE THE, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
OF THE TOURISM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE
WERE ABLE TO PASS TAX INSTALLED
NOD IN 1989.
WE WERE VERY, VERY INSTRUMENTAL.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HAD TO GO
TO THE HOUSE BECAUSE, BECAUSE I
DON'T REMEMBER KATHLEEN, WERE
YOU IN THE HOUSE AT THAT TIME?
1989?
>> I HAD JUST GONE TO THE PUBLIC
SERVICE COMMISSION.
>> GUESS WHAT CAUCUS WAS AGAINST
ME TRYING TO PASS THE TAX
RESHOPPING?
AND OF COURSE, THE GOVERNOR
DIDN'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED, BUT
HE SAID I WILL VETO IT IF YOU
PASS IT BECAUSE BASICALLY, TAX
RESHOPPING IS VERY SIMPLE.
IT TELLS THE FOREIGN VISITORS
WHEN YOU COME TO LOUISIANA, AND
YOU BUY SOMETHING, YOU BUY SOME
MERCHANDISE, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE
YOU THE TAX, THE TAXI BACK WHEN
YOU GET TO THE AIRPORT.
AND BY DOING THAT, WE FIND OUT
WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM AND
HOW MUCH THEY ARE SPENDING AND
THE IMPACT AS OF THE LATEST
STUDY ON THAT, WAS, WAS A $45
MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT BACK IN
2007.
THEY ARE NOW BACK TO, TO
PREKATRINA NUMBERS, WHERE WE DO
BETTER WITH THAT SITUATION.
BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE
CONSTITUTION IN 1974 TOOK AWAY
THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FROM HIS
POSITION AS PRESIDING OVER THE
SENATE.
WHICH I THINK WAS A MAJOR
MISTAKE.
BECAUSE, BECAUSE FITS MORRIS WAS
THE BENEFICIARY OF THAT KIND OF
AUTHORITY, AND AS LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, WHEN BOBBY CAME IN, IT
WAS GONE.
SO, WE HAD TO DEPEND ALMOST
ENTIRELY ON WHAT THE GOVERNOR
WOULD GIVE US IN ORDER TO
PERFORM WHATEVER SERVICES AND
DUTIES WE WERE SUPPOSED TO
PERFORM, AND IT WAS US, UP TO US
TO GO AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
NEVER FORGET, AND LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE
IN THE MINDS OF THE FOREIGNERS,
THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK TO THE
SECRETARY.
THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK TO --
THEY WANT TO TALK TO THE
[INAUDIBLE] OR THE GOVERNOR IN
THE TITLE.
I WAS IN PARISH, AND, AND WE
WENT TO THIS LITTLE PUB, AND WE
WERE WITH A LARGE DELEGATION
FROM LOUISIANA, AND INTRODUCED
ME AS LA GOVERNOR, YOU KNOW, THE
GOVERNOR OF NEW ORLEANS.
SO, THE DELEGATION SAYS PAUL,
YOU NEED TO GO AND CORRECT THEM.
GO AND TELL THEN YOU ARE THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF
LOUISIANA, AND I SAID WHAT?
THESE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE
LOUISIANA IS.
THEY ALL KNOW NEW ORLEANS.
AND GETTING BACK FRANKLY TO THE
POINT YOU ASKED EARLIER, ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT REALLY, REALLY
MADE ME WANT TO GET INVOLVED
WITH THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE, AT THE TIME, AND BOBBY
AND BEFORE BOBBY, BUT ESPECIALLY
BOBBY, HAD STARTED OFF THE MOVIE
INDUSTRY, AND REALLY HUSTLING
THE MOVIE INDUSTRY.
AND IN 1985, OR 1987.
>> FOR OUR AUDIENCE, THE CAJUNS,
A MOVIE FILM, A FEATURE FILM.
>> YES.
SO I GOT REALLY INVOLVED, AND I
DIDN'T MAKE MUCH MONEY BUT GOT
VERY INVOLVED IN THE MOVIE.
BUT I REALLY GOT INVOLVED, AND I
SAW THE, THE OBVIOUS BENEFIT
THAT WE COULD REAP FROM THE
MOVIE INDUSTRY.
AND, AND WHEN, WHEN I WAS
ELECTED, WE WERE FORTUNATE TO
GET STEEL MAKING KNOLL I CAN'T
SAY BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE
TREMENDOUS COOPERATION FROM
PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA, AND IT WAS
A GREAT, GREAT HIT, AND I REALLY
THINK IT DID A LOT TO GET MORE
MOVIES TO NOW START TO LOOK AT
LOUISIANA.
>> BUT YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR, AND
ANYBODY HERE, YOU KNOW, THEY
HAVE TAKEN THE MUSIC, AND THE
MOVIE INDUSTRY PART OF THE, OF
THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
AND MOVED IF OVER TO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, AND THE GOVERNORS.
>> THE BIG BATTLE WAS THE
LEGISLATORS, AND I SAT ON THE
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AS
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, AND I
REMEMBER THE HOUSE MEMBER SAYING
WELL, THIS IS, THIS IS TOURISM,
THIS IS NOT ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN
WILL, WILL EVERYBODY GET THIS?
THAT, THAT MOVIES, TOURISM, ALL
OF THESE, THAT'S ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
AND I PUNCHED HIM AND SAID, HAVE
YOU EVER BEEN TO DISNEY WORLD?
DO YOU CALL THAT TOURISM OR
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?
SO, THAT WAS A BATTLE THAT WE
ALL HAD, I THINK, AND, UM, AND
THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE MOVIE
INDUSTRY, MOVING IT BACK AND
FORTH, IT REALLY DIDN'T MATTER
TO ME AS LONG AS EVERYBODY GOT
IT, THAT THIS IS ALL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT'S A VERY
IMPORTANT, UNIQUE AS SPECK OF IT
THAT NEEDS THAT, THAT PERSONAL
ATTENTION, THE PEOPLE ACROSS OUR
STATE THAT SELL OUR STATE TO
OTHERS, AND WORKING WITH THOSE
TOURIST COMMISSIONS WAS THE
GREATEST JOY IN THE WORLD.
>> RIGHT, AND JOIN IN?
>> I WAS GOING, PAUL MENTIONED
ABOUT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE, OF THE
SENATE AS PRESIDING OFFICER, AND
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IN 1972,
WHEN EDWARDS DECIDED TO
REORGANIZE ALL OF THE
GOVERNMENT, I SAT ON THE
COMMITTEE TO, TO, TO REORGANIZE
THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.
SO, I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH, AND
I SAW IN SEVERAL OTHER STATES
WHERE THEY HAD TAKEN LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR OUT OF THE SENATE, AND
SO I SAID WAIT, THAT'S, THAT'S
NOT A BAD IDEA.
NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD RUN
FOR IT.
SO I WENT TO THE COMMISSION, AND
I SOLD IT TO THEM.
AND THEY BOUGHT IT, AND AFTER
THAT, THE PEOPLE VOTED ON IT,
AND OF COURSE, APPROVED IT, AND
THE THING ABOUT IT, I THOUGHT IT
WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO
BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY TIME
WHERE, WHERE, A, AN EXECUTIVE
OFFICER ACTUALLY CAST A, A
LEGISLATIVE VOTE IN CASE OF A
TIE, SO, I SAID, LEGISLATIVE,
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S --
LEGISLATIVE OFFICE SHOULD BE IN
CHARGE AND LEC THEIR OWN, AND
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD RUN
FOR IT AFTER THAT AND TAKE IT
OPEN, STILL, NO MATTER WHO, WHO
THEY ARE, I'M DIFFERENT THAN
PAUL, I BELIEVED THAT'S THE
RIGHT THING TO DO TO LET THEM
ELECT THEIR OWN OFFICE.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK, GOVERNOR?
>> WELL, I WATCHED ALL OF THAT
WITH A LOT OF INTEREST.
I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE WHEN
EDWIN CAME BACK, AND YOU WERE,
YOU WERE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ONE
MORE TIME.
AND, AND I SAW WHAT BUDDY DID TO
YOU, PAUL, AND I LEARN A GOOD
LESSON.
I GOT ALONG WITH MIKE FOSTER.
[LAUGHTER]
>> I MADE IT MY BUSINESS TO GET
ALONG WITH MIKE FOSTER.
>> WHO COULDN'T GET ALONG --
>> WELL, WE HAD GOODWILL FRIENDS
BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED TO THE
SENATE, AND WE CONTINUED THAT
RELATIONSHIP, BUT IT IS A TRICKY
BALANCE, AND, AND, AND I
CONSIDER MYSELF FORTUNE.
MIKE ALSO HAD STAFF PEOPLE WHO,
WHO AGREED WITH ALL OF THE FOCUS
THAT WE WERE, WE WERE, THAT WE
BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
WE NOW HAVE A VERY FIRST CLASS
STATE PARK SYSTEM THAT CAN
COMPARE -- WELL, IT'S BETTER
THAN MANY, MANY STATES BECAUSE
IT'S REALLY FIRST CLASS, AND
GOVERNOR FOSTER'S PEOPLE
SUPPORTED THAT, SO THEY HELPED
US TO MOVE THAT THROUGH THE
CHANNELS.
EVERYTHING THAT, THAT YOU DO IN
CULTURE, RECREATION, AND TOURISM
IS, IS FOR THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE
OF DRIVING AN ECONOMY, AND SO
HOW DID YOU MAKE THIS, THE WHOLE
STATE ENGAGE IN THAT?
THAT WAS THE REAL CHALLENGE, AND
WE HAD A LOT OF SMALL
COMMUNITIES THAT WERE DYING ON
THE VINE.
THERE IS A NATIONAL PROGRAM
CALLED THE MAIN STREET PROGRAM
THAT MELINDA'S PEOPLE HAD WORKED
IN, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE
POWER OF THE PROGRAM OF HELPING
SMALL COMMUNITIES BY GIVING THEM
FACADE GRANTS TO, DRESS UP THE
DOWNTOWN, AND TO FRESHEN IT UP
AND TO TRAIN THEM TO HELP GET
NEW BUSINESS BACK IN.
THE ADVENT OF THE, OF THE BIG
BOX STORES ON THE OUTSKIRTS JUST
DRIED UP THE ECONOMY OF THE, OF
THE SMALL TOWNS.
NOBODY WANTED TO GO INTO THE
SMALL TOWN.
IT WAS NOTHING TO DO OR SEE, YOU
KNOW, YOU COULDN'T SHOP THERE
EVEN, BUT, THE POWER PROGRAM
HAS, HAS REALLY JUST DONE
MAGNITUDE THINGS, IN SMALL TOWNS
LIKE COLUMBIA.
THAT'S SUCH A CHARMING PLACE,
BUT IT WAS DYING ON THE VINE.
ABBYVILLE, FRANKLIN.
>> JENNINGS.
AND, AND ALL OF NORTH LOUISIANA,
ALL OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA AND THE
SOUTH, ABOUTR BUT WE JUST PUSHED
THAT REALLY HARD.
WE PUT MORE, MORE MONEY INTO IT,
AND WE BROUGHT AS MANY
COMMUNITIES AS WE COULD SO WE
STRENGTHED EVERYTHING.
WE LOOKED AT THE ASSETS AND
SAID, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN
INTERNALLY?
THEN WE BROUGHT ALL OF THAT
EXTERNALLY, YOU KNOW.
WE STARTED MARKETING IT HEAVILY
AND WE DID A LOT OF
INTERNATIONAL STUFF, AND ONE OF
THE BIG THINGS THAT WE DID WAS
WE SPONSORED A LOUISIANA STATE
AT THE MONTPELIER JAZZ FEST IN
CANADA, AND FOR, FOR THREE
YEARS, AND AT THE END OF THAT
THIRD YEAR, WE HAD THE HIGHEST,
ACCORDING TO CANADA GOVERNMENT
STATISTICS, WE HAD THE HIGHEST
NUMBER OF CANADA VISITORS THAN
ANY STATE IN THE NATION, AND I
THINK IT WAS IN THE 1960s, IN
THE 60%, LIKE 65%, WE HAD MORE
VISITORS HERE, AND IT WAS THE
RESULT OF THE DIRECT MARKETING.
WE HAD TWO BIG EVENTS DURING MY
AGO-YEAR TERM, AND ONE WAS THE
YEAR OF FRANCO [INAUDIBLE],
COUPLED WITH [INAUDIBLE]
IT ORIGINAL NATED IN CANADA
REUNITING THE FRENCH PEOPLE, AND
WE HAD FAMILY REUNIONS, REAL
FORMAL, BIG FAMILY REUNIONS ALL
OVER THE SOUTH LOUISIANA.
BUT THE FRANCO PIECE OF IT TIED
THE WHOLE STATE, AND ALLOWED
PEOPLE IN EVERY REGION OF
LOUISIANA TO LOOK AT OUR FRENCH
HERITAGE AND CELEBRATE THE 300
YEARS.
>> WE WERE CHATTING AND I
REMEMBER WE DID EVANGELINE, THE
MUSICAL INSURING THEY HAVE SHORT
AT THE STRAND THEATER, AND THEY
ALL FELT VERY MUCH A PART OF THE
SHOW.
BUT THE WHOLE FOCUS WAS TO MAKE
SURE THE WHOLE STATE FELT IT,
AND THE MUSICAL WAS FILMED BY
LPB, AND FILMED IN SHREVEPORT
BUT WRITTEN BY A BATON ROUGE
COMPOSER, WHO WAS WRITING IT FOR
A SCHOOL.
>> IT IS A FABULOUS PIECE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THESE
CULTURAL ASSETS THAT WE WERE
DEVELOPING ALL ALONG THE WAY,
AND BRINGING TO THE FOREFRONT,
AND THAT IS HOW, HOW THE
DEPARTMENT MATURED.
IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET THIS
DEPARTMENT TO GEL AS A
DEPARTMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO EACH PERIOD,
EACH TIME THESE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNORS WORKED AT IT, IT GOT A
LITTLE CLOSER AND A LITTLE
CLOSER, AND THEN I HAVE THAT
EIGHT-YEAR PERIOD, AND WE REALLY
MADE IT HUM.
I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, BASED ON
THE FOUNDATION THAT I HAD TO
WORK WITH, IT JUST CAME TO GO,
AND WE ENDED UP SPURRING THE
ECONOMY.
TOURISM WAS A $9 BILLION PIECE
OF THIS ECONOMY, BY THE TIME I
ENDED OFFICE, AND THEN WE ALSO
DEALT WITH 9/11, DURING THAT
PERIOD, WHERE TOURISM SHUT DOWN,
ALL THE AIRLINES SHUT DOWN, AND
WE HAD TO COME BACK, AND WE HAD
TO CREATE SALES.
THE HOTELS, YOU KNOW, CUT THEIR
RATES, AND WE HAD SPECIAL
PROMOTIONS FOR DRIVING VISITORS,
AND WE DID A LOT OF THINGS HERE,
YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME CHALLENGES
TO MEET, BUT, IT WAS A VERY
EXCITING PERIOD OF TIME FOR ME,
PERSONALLY, AND FOR THE PEOPLE
THAT WORKED WITH ME, I HAD A
TERRIFIC STAFF.
AND, AND ALL THE STATE EMPLOYEES
IN OUR DEPARTMENT WERE ALWAYS SO
HAPPY, AND BRAGGING THAT, THAT
STATE EMPLOYEES AND ALL THE, IN
ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WERE
TRYING TO WORK FOR US.
TRYING TO GET IN WITH THAT.
>> BUT THEY WORKED HARD.
I WOULD TELL YOU THAT NOBODY
COULD TAKE A SLOW STEP WHEN WE
WERE THERE.
>> ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS
THAT EVERYONE CALLS THE GOVERNOR
TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE, TO GIVE
OUT AN AWARD OR MAKE A SPEECH OR
SOMETHING, AND WHEN THEY CAN'T
GET HIM OR HE CAN'T GO, THE
FIRST, NEXT CALL IS LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR.
SO, I KNOW DURING MY TERM, AND
I'M SURE DURING ALL THEIR TERMS,
THAT, THAT ALMOST EVERY SIDE, AT
LEAST THREE SATURDAYS OUT OF THE
MONTH I WAS ON THE ROAD, AND ON
SUNDAY, AT LEAST TWICE I WAS AT
FAIRS FOR SOMETHING GOING ON,
THAT I HAD, SO I WAS AWAY FROM
THE FAMILY, AT LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR YOU ARE AWAY FROM THE
FAMILY MORE THAN THE GOVERNOR IS
BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS ON THE
ROAD TAKING CARE OF THESE THINGS
AND YOU REALLY ARE THE
SUBSTANTIVE GOVERNOR IS WHAT
HAPPENS TO YOU.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ALL
HAD, AND IT STARTED BEFORE ME,
BUT IT REALLY WAS, WAS A BIG
BATTLE WITH THE LEGISLATORS, IT
WAS LIKE THE REST OF THE STATE
VERSUS NEW ORLEANS.
>> YEP.
>> NEW ORLEANS IS DOING THIS --
MY STRONGEST EFFORT WITH THE
TOURISM EXPERTS, WAS TO CONVINCE
THEM THAT, THAT WE WERE TRYING
TO BE, TO BE AS GENERIC AS WE
COULD IN THE PROGRAM, SO THAT
EVERYONE WOULD BENEFIT, AND I
WOULD TELL THEM, THINK ABOUT
THIS.
IF SOMEBODY COMES TO LOUISIANA,
THEY ARE GOING TO GO TO NEW
ORLEANS.
THEY ARE GOING TO GO TO NEW
ORLEANS, HOWEVER, IF SOMEBODY
COMES TO NEW ORLEANS, WE MIGHT
GET THEM TO COME TO THE REST OF
LOUISIANA.
AND CAJUN WAS NOT TOO HOT THEN,
IT WASN'T TOO COOL, EITHER, TO
BE CAJUN.
>> IT'S COOL NOW.
>> YES.
>> IT'S CAJUN NOW.
NEW ORLEANS IS CAJUN.
BATON ROUGE IS CAJUN.
>> SHREVEPORT IS.
>> SHREVEPORT IS HAVING A MARDI
GRAS.
[LAUGHTER]
>> AND LIKE SHE MENTIONED, IT'S
NOT JUST ONE OF US THAT DID IT.
IT WAS, IT WAS -- WHEN BOBBY
FIRST STARTED WITH THE MOVIE
INDUSTRY, IT WAS IN THE INFANCY
STAGES.
WE WERE ABLE TO PUMP IT UP MORE,
AND WE GOT PAUL AND WE LET THEM,
LED THEM TO LOS ANGELES, TO
HOLLYWOOD, AND THEY COOKED FOR
THEM AND LOVED IT AND THEN YOU
HAVE THE CREDIT ON THE MOE
STEPS, AND ALL STUFF THAT'S
WORKING ITSELF INTO WHERE IT IS
TODAY.
>> WHEN WE PASSED THE
LEGISLATION THEY HAD NEVER TAKEN
A TRIP TO HOLLYWOOD.
NEVER HAD PROMOTED IT.
AND, AND WE PUT TOGETHER THAT
THERE AND BROUGHT THE GROUP --
>> THEY CAME TO YOUR PARTY.
>> YEAH.
>> AND WE PUT TOGETHER A BIG
MARDI GRAS PARTY, AND FOOD AND
EVERYTHING, AND BROUGHT IT OVER
THERE, AND THE NEXT YEAR, THEY
STARTED COMING TO US, AND WE HAD
THE FIRST GO, TO FIRST GO TO
THEM.
NEVER HAD MADE A TRIP OVER THERE
TRYING TO GET THE FILM INDUSTRY
TO BE INTERESTED IN LOUISIANA.
AND NOW, WE ARE BIG.
>> WHAT DID YOU ALL THINK WHEN,
WHEN THE B.P. OIL SPILL CAME,
AND THEN PEOPLE WERE WORRIED NOT
ONLY ABOUT THE LIVELIHOOD AND
THE LOSS OF LIFE ON THE RIG AND
EVERYTHING, BUT THE IDEA OF
PEOPLE NOT BUYING SEAFOOD OR,
OR, YOU KNOW, THE DAMAGE, AGAIN,
TO LOUISIANA.
IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A
CONTINUOUS PROBLEM, DID YOU
REACT?
YOU ALWAYS REBECCA TO THINGS.
DO YOU THINK WHAT WOULD I DO?
>> MY HEART SANK.
I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT
FROM THE DAY IT STARTED AND KNEW
THAT IT, THAT IT WOULD TAKE A
LONG TIME TO GET PAST IT.
AND THE MEDIA DIDN'T HELP US.
PEOPLE IN NEW ORLEANS,
ESPECIALLY, THE TOURISM EFFORTS
IN YOU NEW ORLEANS HAD TO COMBAT
RUMORS THAT YOU CAN'T GO TO NEW
ORLEANS BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO
GET SICK FROM THE SMELL OF THE
OIL.
BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, A LOT OF
PEOPLE THINK THAT NEW LYNX SITS
RIGHT ON THE GULF OF MEXICO, AND
SO THE MEDIA, IN A WAY, BILKED
UP RUMORS THAT WEREN'T SO, AND
IT WAS A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE
JUST ACROSS, ACROSS THE BOARD,
NOT TO MENTION THE SEAFOOD AND
RESTAURANTS.
I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE IS
STILL THERE.
I THINK THAT WE STILL ARE
FIGHTING THAT IN SOME WAY
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL AFRAID
TO COME DOWN AND EAT THE SEAFOOD
SO WE HAVE A GOOD, A LOT OF WORK
TO DO.
>> NOW, SINCE YOU ARE OUR RONNY
AND YOU ARE LENIENT HERE, THIS
IS -- EVERYONE DOES SAY, NEW
ORLEANS, AND THE REST OF THE
STATE.
>> RIGHT.
>> NEW ORLEANS.
>> YOU THINK IT'S HARD TO FEEL
LIKE A TOTAL STATE AND ATTRACT
TOURISTS AND ALL.
DID YOU DEAL WITH THAT SAME
ISSUE?
>> OH, YEAH, FOR ME IT WAS MORE
OF A CHALLENGE TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYBODY KNEW I UNDERSTOOD THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE MAIN STREET
PROGRAMS AND SMALL-TOWN TOURISM
BECAUSE QUITE HONESTLY, ONCE
THEY COME AND THEY GO TO THOSE
TOWNS, ACROSS OUR STATE, THEY
ARE SOLD.
I HAD PEOPLE TELL ME, URVE IS SO
NICE, SO WE KNEW ONCE WE WE COUD
GET THEM THEY WOULD COME BACK
BUT IT WAS A CHALLENGE TO MAKE
SURE THAT EVERYBODY APPRECIATED
THAT I APPRECIATED WHAT THEY
WERE DOING.
>> SO YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A
VISITOR COME IN, AND YOU ARE A
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
AND WHY WOULD YOU TAKE THEM?
>> WHAT WILL YOU DO?
>> I WOULD FIRST ASK WHAT HAVE
THEY HEARD ABOUT LOUISIANA, AND
WHAT DO THEY WANT TO SEE.
BECAUSE THEY MIGHT WANT TO SEE
SOMETHING THAT, THAT I DON'T
BELIEVE THAT I WANT TO SHOW THEM
OR THEY WANT TO SEE SOMETHING
ELSE.
THEY MIGHT WANT TO SEE THE
CAPITOL.
THEY MIGHT WANT TO GO TO, TO THE
CAJUN AREAS, SO YOU WOULD ASK
THEM WHAT THEY WANT FIRST, AND
THEN ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEE ALL
OF LOUISIANA.
>> WHEN THE MOVIE "THE BIG EASY"
CAME OUT, HE HAD A COMBINATION
OF NEW ORLEANS AND CAGE YOU KNOW
ACCENT.
IT WAS SO BAD, LIKE, AND ALL OF
US WHO KNOW WE ARE A RICH STATE
WITH MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
>> YEAH SUCH YOU MUST THINK
ABOUT IT FROM A MEDIA STANDPOINT
FIRST OF ALL, THE BIG PROBLEM
THAT I SEE THAT WE HAVE IN NEW
ORLEANS WHERE WE KNOW THAT
EVERYBODY IS COMING.
THEY ARE COMING TO NEW ORLEANS.
THE BIG PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IS,
IS A CROWD PROBLEM IN NEW
ORLEANS.
AND I DON'T SEE IT, I DON'T SAY
IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT
WE HAVE A CRIME PROBLEM IN THE
BIG CITIES, BUT THAT'S UNITED
STATES-WISE.
BUT, YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT
EVERYBODY IS FIGHTING FOR THAT
DOLLAR, IS ATLANTA IS SAYING,
YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO NEW
ORLEANS, THEY HAVE A CRIME
PROBLEM.
NEW YORK IS SAYING, YOU DON'T
WANT TO GO TO NEW ORLEANS,
TUCSON, ARIZONA, I MEAN, ALL
THESE PLACES THAT, THAT THEY ARE
ARGUING THEIR CASE AS TO WHY YOU
OUGHT TO GO THERE RATHER THAN TO
NEW ORLEANS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SWAMP PEOPLE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> OK.
SHOOT THEM, SHOOT THEM.
YOU KNOW THE EXPRESSION.
THEY DID A POLL ON THAT.
>> I ONLY WATCH PUBLIC
TELEVISION.
>> GUESS WHAT THEY SAID, AND 50%
OF THE PEOPLE RESPONDED SAID
THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS NOT
GOOD FOR THE IMAGE OF LOUISIANA
BECAUSE OF THE CAJUN SITUATION.
AND 50% SAID THEY THOUGHT IT WAS
OK.
BUT, WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
THEY ARE REDOING THE SHOW.
THEY ARE UPPING THE SHOW.
AND YOU THINK THEY WOULD BE
DOING THAT IF THEY WOULDN'T BE
MAKING MONEY?
THE PEOPLE COMING TO LOUISIANA,
THEY ARE GOING ON A SLANT TOUR.
WE HAVE SWAMPS?
WE AUGUST TO BE EMBARRASSED THAT
WE HAVE HAL GATOR HUNTING?
WE AUGUST TO BE PROUD THAT WE
ARE SO UNIQUE THAT, THAT
EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME BECAUSE
THERE IS NOWHERE ELSE IN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OR IN
THE WORLD WHERE YOU CAN HAVE
SUCH A VARIETY OF, OF
SITUATIONS, AND EXPERIENCES THAT
YOU HAVE IN LOUISIANA.
NOT TO MENTION, THE FOOD.
EVERYBODY IS COMING FOR THE
FOOD.
THAT'S A GIVE ME, SO, THAT'S MY
POINT ABOUT SOME PEOPLE GET
UPWARDS AND GUESS WHAT, NOBODY
IS MORE CAGE YOU KNOW THAN ME.
NOBODY.
CATHLEEN IS CLOSE, BUT NOBODY.
[LAUGHTER]
>> AND --
>> I CAN TALK LIKE YOU.
>> YES.
>> SO, WHEN YOU SAY OR THINK
ABOUT IT, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
IT, IT'S AN ADVANTAGE THAT WE
HAVE.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE.
THAT'S OUR CULTURE, THAT'S WHAT
MAKES US -- THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY
WANTS TO COME TO SEE US.
>> SO THAT WAS BACK TO MY
QUESTION, DOES THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, THE KEEPER OF THE
CULTURE OF LOUISIANA?
DO YOU THINK?
I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT, AND I
THINK IF YOU ABOLISH THE OFFICE
OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND YOU
PUT CULTURE, RECREATION, AND
TOURISM, JUST MAKE IT ANOTHER
DEPARTMENT THAT BELONGS TO THE
GOVERNOR, IT'S GOING TO LOSE
SOME OF ITS CACHET.
I BELIEVE THAT.
AND I THINK YOU NEED THE TITLE.
YOU DO NEED IT WHEN YOU ARE
MEETING WITH DIGNITARIES FROM
AROUND THE WORLD.
WHEN THEY ARE COMING HERE, WHEN
YOU ARE GOING OUT INTO THE
WORLD.
AND YOU KNOW YOU TO HAVE TO GO
OUT IN THE WORLD TO INTRODUCE
YOUR STATE TO PEOPLE WHO, WHO,
PERHAPS, HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT
OR NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND
OUT OF SIGHT IS OUT OF MIND IN
MARKETING YOUR STATE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A PERSON
WHO IS, IS WILLING AND ABLE TO
REPRESENT LOUISIANA IN ITS MOST
POSITIVE VALUES.
KAY
>> AND DAY OUT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE
GREAT THING, AND YES, YOU CAN
CALL IT THE CULTURAL KEEPER.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S A
LITTLE CONTROVERSY, AND I DON'T
KNOW WHETHER IT WILL PLAY OUT IS
THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE ARE,
SOME OF THE MUSEUMS ARE UNDER
THE GOVERNOR AND SOME OF THEM
ARE UNDER THE SCAIRT'S OFFICE.
>> LET'S SEE HOW JAY DARDENNE
HANDLES THAT.
[LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S BECAUSE THE
LEGISLATURE --
>> OH, I REMEMBER THAT.
>> YIELDED TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES
WANTING TO GET -- WELL, THEY
COULDN'T AFFORD TO KEEP THE
MUSEUM GOING SO THEY WANTED --
THEY, THEY THOUGHT THE STATE
COULD DO IT BETTER, SO IT
BECOMES PART OF THE STATE.
>> AND AS YOU SAY, IT'S ALL
ABOUT MONEY.
>> IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY, AND,
AND ALSO, THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR'S MUSEUMS WERE
ACCREDITED MUSEUMS, NATIONALLY
ACCREDITED MUSEUMS, AND IT'S
VERY HARD TO SPEND ENOUGH MONEY
TO GET SOME OF THE SMALLER
MUSEUMS IN, AND IN A, IN THE
TOUGH BUDGET TIMES, WE ALWAYS
SEEM TO PICK ON PARKS, AND I
REMEMBER EDWARDS' THIRD THEY
REMEMBER THEY WERE GOING TO
LIMIT FUNDING FOR PARKS,
MUSEUMS, PUBLIC BROADCASTING,
WAS THE ONLY THING PEOPLE CARED
ABOUT.
>> WE HAD THAT BATTLE.
YOU REMEMBER THAT WE GOT PEOPLE
ONBOARD ACROSS THE STATE, THE
LEGISLATORS WALKED DOWN THE HALL
AND SAY, DON'T TALK TO ME.
>>> THOSE PEOPLE CALL ME, I AM
GOING TO VOTE FOR IT, BECAUSE WE
BROUGHT THE PUBLIC ONBOARD, AND
THAT'S, WHAT WHAT DID IT.
BUT, BACK TO THIS ELIMINATION
QUESTION.
MOST STATES, MORE THAN 40, I
BELIEVE, STILL HAVE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNORS, AND IN MANY STATES,
THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE NEARLY
THE, THE DUTIES THEY SERVE AS
PRESIDENT IN THE SENATE, AND
THAT'S ABOUT IT.
AND SO, I THINK THAT IT'S
REALLY, REALLY ALMOST RIDICULOUS
THAT WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME
DEBATING THIS BECAUSE,
OBVIOUSLY, WE FEEL IN LOUISIANA,
THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HAS SOME
VERY IMPORTANT DUTIES, AND I
DON'T KNOW WHY THERE IS A
QUESTION ABOUT IT, AND AS YOU
HEARD THEM SAY, MONEYWISE YOU
ARE NOT GOING TO, TO SAVE
ANYTHING.
SO --
>> WELL, THEY RAN A POLL, AND
ASKED THE PEOPLE, DO YOU THINK
WE OUGHT TO ABOLISH THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S OFFICE?
AND OVER 70% OF THE RESPONDENTS
SAID YES.
SO, I SAID, THAT'S REALLY, LET'S
RUN A POLL, DO YOU THINK THAT WE
AUGUST TO ABOLISH THE SECRETARY
OF STATE?
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL?
THE TREASURER.
AND THEN WE WILL ABOLISH
EVERYTHING.
THEYTHEY WERE SO UPSET WITH
GOVERNMENT, BUT WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE WHOLE STATE CAPITOL
THEY WANTED TO GET THE STATE
CAPITOL IN BATON ROUGE, THERE
WAS A CATHOLIC.
THE PROBLEM WAS SOME OF THE
ITEMS THAT THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED
IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S
OFFICE, THEY HAVE THE WEDDING
RECEPTIONS, THEY CAN HAVE THE
PROM PARTIES.
BUT, THE REST OF THE STATE, IN
THESE MAJOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS
THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU
CAN'T DO ALL OF THAT STUFF.
IT'S AGAINST THE POLICY OF THE
RULES.
SO, WE COULDN'T DO IT, SO, MY
GOOD FRIEND, I SAID PAUL, WHAT
DO YOU WANT TO DO?
AND I SAID, LET THEM HAVE THIS.
IT WAS DEAD AS A DOORKNOB.
WE COULD HAVE KILLED THIS WITH
NO EFFORT WHATEVER, BUT GUESS
WHAT, IT IS AWESOME.
THE WHOLE STATE CAPITOL IS
AWESOME.
AND I GIVE THEM ALL THE CREDIT
FOR IT, HAVING SAID THAT, I
THINK THAT, THAT AUGUST TO BE
THE LIEUTENANT GORCHL'S
JURISDICTIONS, AND I THINK THAT,
THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE
OUGHT TO HAVE CORPORATIONS AND
ELECTIONS.
ELECTIONS, ARE YOU KIDDING?
THEY HAVE GOTTEN US CRAZY WITH
ALL THE ELECTIONS THAT WE ARE
HAVING, AND THEY ARE THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING THE
ELECTIONS, GOD BLESS YOU.
WELL, KATRINA AND, AND THEY HAVE
TO GO TO NEW ORLEANS?
THEY COULDN'T GET COMMISSIONER,S
IN NEW ORLEANS TO HAVE AN
ELECTION.
THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT THE
ELECTIONS ARE.
AND THAT'S WHY I THINK, FRANKLY,
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ABOLISH
THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE, BUT IF THEY WANT TO,
LIKE I TOLD THEM.
AFTER THEY LEFT AND THEY WANTED
TO ABOLISH IT, BECAUSE I WAS THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND
REPUBLICAN, GETTING BACK AT WHAT
THEY HAD TRIED TO DO TO BOBBY,
AND I SAID FOX, WHY DON'T WE
JUST CONSOLIDATE THE OFFICES,
AND HE SAID, ARE YOU CRAZY?
I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE UP ANY
TURF WHATEVER, BUT HAVING SAID
THAT, HAVING SAID THAT, I REALLY
FEEL LIKE THE SECRETARY OF
STATE, CORPORATIONS AND THE
ELECTIONS, THAT'S A FULL, FULL
PLATE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY
HAVE DONE AWAY WITH THE
COMMISSIONER ELECTIONS AND NOW
THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS SPNL
FOR ALL THE ELECTIONS, AND I
THINK EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE
HISTORIC SITUATION IN OUR STATE
THAT DRAWS IN OUR TOURISTS,
OUGHT TO BE IN ONE JURISDICTIONS
AND OUGHT TO BE UNDER THE PERSON
WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE
RESPONSIBLE, THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR.
>> DO ANY OF YOU THINK THAT
THERE SHOULD BE A TICKET THAT,
THERE SHOULD BE --
BE -- NO?
>> I THINK THAT WE ARE GOOD THE
WAY WE ARE.
>> IT'S HARD TO DO THAT WITH,
WITHOUT THE PARTY PRIMARIES.
>> RIGHT.
>> IT'S VERY HARD TO, AND ONE OF
THE PROBLEMS THAT THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNORS HAVE HAD IS THAT WE
ARE INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED.
THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
WE HAVE PROBLEMS, BECAUSE, UM,
WE ORGANIZE OUR OWN CAMPAIGNS,
AND WE RUN AT LARGE, AND WE ARE
ELECTED JUST LIKE THE GOVERNOR
IT, AND EVEN OTHER STATE OFFICER
SO WE ARE INDEPENDENT, WHICH
THEN CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS.
WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON YOUR TIME
AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, IS THERE
ONE UNIT THAT STANDS OUT?
>> ONE PARTICULAR MEETING, THE
INTERIM EMERGENCY BOARD,
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SERVES ON
THAT, AND I GOT TO A MEETING
RIGHT ONTIME, AND FOR SOME
REASON I KNEW THAT, THAT THERE
HAD BEEN A PREMEETING BEFORE THE
TIME OF THE REGULAR MEETING
BECAUSE ALL OF THE GUYS ON THE
COMMITTEE WERE RIGHT ON THE SAME
PAGE, AND IT WAS VERY, VERY,
OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THEY HAD HAD
A MEETING BEFORE I GOT THERE
BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT I WAS
GOING TO OBJECT TO WHATEVER THEY
WANTED TO DO.
AND I SAW IT IMMEDIATELY, AND
CALLED FOR A LITTLE RECESS.
AND I WALKED BACK THERE WITH THE
LEADERS ON THE COMMITTEE, AND I
SAID, LOOK OUT THE DOOR, SEE ALL
THE NEWSPAPER MEN, AND THE TV
PEOPLE?
I SAID, IF YOU ALL DO WHAT YOU
ARE TALKING ABOUT DOING, THEY
ARE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
THEY WILL, I SAID, I AM NOT
GOING TO SIT HERE AND JUST TAKE
IT, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE
SITUATIONS WHERE, WHERE THEY
FIGURED OH, WELL, THE LADY WON'T
SAY ANYTHING.
WE'LL GO RIGHT AHEAD AND DO IT.
AND WE WENT BACK IN THERE, AND
THE MOOD HAD CHANGED, AND, AND I
WALKED OUT OF THAT ROOM, AND I
SAW, UM, ANOTHER OF OUR FEMALE
LEGISLATORS OUT IN THE HALL, AND
I TOLD HER ABOUT IT, AND I SAID,
DID YOU EVER HAVE A DAY LIKE
THAT?
BUT IT WAS SUCH A GOOD FEELING
BECAUSE, BECAUSE I FELT LIKE
HEY, I'M, I MADE A DIFFERENCE.
THAT DAY.
JUST ON THAT ONE LITTLE ISSUE
BECAUSE I WAS NOT GOING TO JUST
SIT THERE AND LET THE POLITICS
AS USUAL GO ON.
>> OK.
>> THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT I
CAN REMEMBER THAT REALLY, REALLY
MADE ME HAPPY.
WHEN I WAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
AND THE FIRST THING THAT I WAS
VERY, VERY PLEASED ABOUT WAS,
WAS STEEL MAKING KNOLL I CAN'T
SAY, WHEN YOU WERE ABLE TO
CAPTURE THAT MOVIE, AND IT WAS
SUCH A TREMENDOUS, SUCH GOOD
PRESS, NATIONALLY, AND IT WAS
JUST AWESOME.
ONE THING, WAS WESTERN ABLE TO
PASS IT BECAUSE I KNOW THE
POWERS WHO WERE IN AT THE TIME,
NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE COULD.
AND THE THIRD THING IS, THAT I
REMEMBER THAT, THAT I REALLY HAD
GOOSE BUMPS, WE WERE IN NEW
ORLEANS FOR A TOURISM SUMMIT, AS
THEY STILL DO NOW AS WE HAD
BEFORE, ALL OF US HAD.
AND THE MAYOR AT THE TIME, SPOKE
TO THE GROUP, AND SAID TO THE
ENTIRE GROUP, I CAN HONESTLY
TELL YOU THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME
SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR OF NEW
ORLEANS, I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE
THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE
REST OF THE STATE APPRECIATES
NEW ORLEANS, AND IT'S NOT TIME
TO TAME ADVANTAGE OF NEW
ORLEANS, AND THEY GAVE HIM A
STANDING OVATION, AND WE WERE
VERY PLEASED ABOUT IT.
I REMEMBER THAT, IT WAS A GREAT
FEELING.
I GUESS ONE THAT REALLY, REALLY
STANDS OUT IN MY MIND IS WHEN I
HAD NO MONEY TO, TO, I HAD NO
OFFICE BECAUSE THEY HAD TAKEN
OFF, SO I WENT TO, TO THE
MINNEAPOLIS BOARD, WHICH IS
CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNOR.
MOST OF THE VOTE, AND I WENT TO
THEM AND TOLD THEM THAT I HAD
FILED A SUIT, BUT YOU I COULDN'T
WAIT UNTIL, IN THE THE SUIT WAS,
WAS BEING ADHERED, NEEDED MONEY
TO RUN THE OFFICE.
>> YOU HAD TO FILE SUIT TO GET
MONEY TO RUN FOR OFFICE?
>> WHAT GOVERNOR TREEN DID WAS
TO ABOLISH THE OFFICE
UNCONSTITUTIONALLY.
>> I GOT YOU.
>> BECAUSE WHEN YOU DON'T FUND
IT, YOU ABOLISH IT, AND YOU
CAN'T DOTE, SO I FILED SUIT ON
THAT VOTE WHILE WE WERE WAITING
FOR THE SUIT, I WENT TO, TO THE
INTERIM BOARD, AND HE WENT TO
THEM AND TOLD THEM, DON'T GIVE
HIM MONEY SO I MADE MY PLEA TO
THEM, AND THE BOARD SOATD FOR ME
TO GIVE ME MY MONEY SO FROM THAT
MOMENT ON, THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR SAYS, CAME BACK, SO
THAT REALLY MADE THE DIFFERENCE,
AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO ANY
FURTHER TO COURT.
BUT IT MADE ME FEEL GOOD BECAUSE
THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE
KNEW WHAT THEY HAD TO DO, AND IT
WASN'T PERSONAL TO THEM.
IT WASN'T BOBBY FREEMAN VERSUS
DAVE TREEN OR VICE VERSA.
IT WAS WHAT SHOULD WE DO FOR THE
OFFICE.
>> WE HAVE GIVEN YOU LOTS OF
TIME.
YOU HAVE LOTS OF THINGS TO THINK
ABOUT, BUT AS LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, IS THERE SOMETHING --
>> I THINK PROBABLY THE MOST
MEMORABLE DAY WAS 9/11, 2001.
MIKE FOSTER WAS AT A GOVERNOR'S
CONFERENCE IN KENTUCKY, AND THE
AIRLINES WERE SHUT DOWN.
NOBODY COULD FLY FOR, FOR ABOUT
A WEEK OR MORE.
ED TO DRIVE BACK, AND IT WAS A
LONG DRIVE, AND IN THE MEANTIME,
THERE WAS SUCH A, A, A TENSION
IN THE AIR.
AND I WAS THE ACTING GOVERNOR AT
THAT POINT IN TIME.
I REMEMBER GOING ON THE AIR TO
TELL THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA
THAT, THAT WE WERE NOT IN
DANGER.
THAT THEY COULD, THEY COULD
BREATHE EASILY, BREATHE EASY
BECAUSE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT,
THAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT THE
COUNTRY WAS UNDER ATTACK, AND
THAT EVERYBODY WAS IN DANGER.
AND I WAS IN LAFAYETTE AT THE
TIME, AND I BEGAN TO THINK AND
WONDER IF THESE FOLKS WERE SO
CLEVER, TO DROP A BOMB IN THE
PLANES IN NEW YORK CITY, WHICH
ACTED LIKE BOMBS, TO DO THE SAME
THING IN, AT THE PENTAGON IN
WASHINGTON, AND I THINK THAT,
THAT THEY WERE AIMING FOR THE
WHITE HOUSE, AND I WAS WONDERING
IF THEY WERE SO CLEVER THAT THEY
HAD TARGETED EVERY STATE CAPITOL
IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT, I WENT ON THE AIR, AND TOLD
THE STATE, THE PEOPLE OF
LOUISIANA, THAT WE WERE SAFE,
AND YOU KNOW, THAT THERE WAS NO
EVIDENCE, THAT THAT IT WAS
MOVING LIKE THAT, AND I JUST
REMEMBER HOW MOVING THAT WAS.
IT WAS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE NEEDED
REASSURANCE.
WE HAD A LOT OF OTHER VICTORIES.
IT WAS A POINT OF PRIDE WHEN WE
WORKED ON A PROJECT THAT I,
ACTUALLY, STARTED WHEN I WAS THE
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER, AND
THAT WAS TO BEGIN TO, TO PUT THE
LIBRARIES ACROSS LOUISIANA ON
THE INTERNET, AND WHEN I WAS THE
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, I
LITERALLY CREATED THE FIRST
E-RATE BEFORE THE FEDERAL
E-RATE, AND TO ALLOW PUBLIC
LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS TO HAVE
CHEAPER PRICES TO PUT THE MAIN
LINES IN.
IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE AT THAT
TIME, NO ONE COULD DO IT, SO THE
FIRST COMPUTERS WENT IN TO DO
THE RUNNING OF THE SCHOOLS AND
THE LIBRARIES.
BUT WHEN I BECAME LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, BY THE WAY, MELINDA
AND BILL GATES FOUNDATION HELPED
US IN BOTH THOSE INSTANCES.
THE FIRST WAS WHEN MELINDA WAS
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
WHEN TOM CAME TO ME AS PUBLIC
SERVICE COMMISSIONER, AND I WAS
CHAIRMAN, WE ALL --
>> YOU ALL WORKED TOGETHER.
>> AND YOUR HUSBAND, JOHN,
HELPED US WITH THAT.
AND THE NEXT TIME WAS WHEN I WAS
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, WE GOT
ANOTHER GRANT FROM THE GATES'
FOUNDATION, AND WE WERE ABLE TO
INTERKECK EVERY PUBLIC LIBRARY
IN LOUISIANA, INCLUDING THE
TINIEST LIBRARIES.
THERE IS ALL THAT DOCUMENTATION
IN HIS LIBRARY IN HIS HOME IN
SEATTLE.
AND IT'S A BIG POINT OF PRIDE
WITH HIM.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT
THERE AS GOVERNOR, AND SO YOU DO
THESE BIG THINGS AND YOU FEEL
REALLY GOOD BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU
ARE HELPING GENERATIONS.
>> THAT'S A WONDERFUL THING, AND
I THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT
MEMORY, AND THANK YOU, PAUL
HARDY, FOR BEING WITH US AND
KATHLEEN BABINEAUX BLANCO, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, MELINDA
SCHWEGMANN, BOBBY FREEMAN, IT
HAS BEEN A PLEASURE AND HAS GONE
TOO QUICKLY.
I HAVE MANY MEMORIES MYSELF
BECAUSE I WAS COVERING ALL OF
YOU.
I'M LOOKING BACK AND THINKING
ABOUT WHAT, WHAT REALLY, WHAT
WONDERFUL TIMES WE HAVE ALL HAD,
AND REALLY, MEANINGFUL TIMES,
AND IT HAS BEEN A VERY
MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION AS PART
OF THE McLEOD SERIES.
THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF IT,
AND WE THANK THE McLEOD FAMILY
AND McNEESE UNIVERSITY FOR
HELPING US BE PART OF YOUR
EVENING, AND THANK YOU OUT THERE
IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE APPRECIATE YOU WATCHING
LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.
I'M BETH COURTNEY AND GOOD
EVENING.
[APPLAUSE]
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