At the recent Louisiana Press Association convention, Gov. Bobby Jindal made a trip there “to drink coffee,” he said, not to have a press conference. In fact, his appearance was to be “off the record.”
That can’t be, especially at a press convention. We’re sure some of his remarks, all of which were made before small groups of people “over coffee” were reported in some of the various state newspapers represented.
The governor walked through the hallway of the hotel, originally the Heidelberg, now the Hilton, and talked as rapidly as ever. Press people, of course, walked with him, funneled him questions and listened for answers. We didn’t see any note-taking but memories are good among press people.
He answered this writer’s inquiries to my satisfaction that the state is moving fast into getting projects for restoration of the coast into actual construction phase rather than studying and planning and re-studying. He had the answers on the tip of his tongue, even on individual projects, as though all he did during the day20was study how to save the coast.
The governor of the state always attends the annual Louisiana Press Association convention. This writer recalls Gov. Edwin Edwards strolling up the hallway and sitting down in front of one of the big windows of the convention hotel. He actually had an informal press conference, inviting questions and answering them in his usual relaxed manner, getting excited at times, as press people gathered around the big window.
Let’s face it. Edwin Edwards was no Bobby Jindal. Edwards could have been a great governor but he got into trouble somewhere.
He got our state constitution modernized, something no other governor bothered to do. He was effective in getting the legislature and the people behind his projects.
Though he is fast-spoken, Jindal could be an Edwin Edwards who did the right thing. He is very intelligent, has a mountain of information in his brain at any time and could put it to use at the scratch of a pen.
Though Jindal has had a lot of criticism lately because of his trips out of state and his change of position on certain issues, he has served our state well.
Sure, he has made mistakes. He has admitted them. Who doesn’t?
Democracy, you know, is a terrible form of government. But the fact is that it is the best form of government. All other forms take the people away from the decision-making.
A benevolent dictatorship is said to be the most efficient form of government. But the problem is, only one or two people c an turn that benevolent dictatorship into a malevolent dictatorship which is the worst form of government.
So we’ll accept democracy with all of its shortcomings. And it will take people like Jindal to fast talk us into the people’s needs to make it work.
We’re looking forward to it.
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