Just when you thought Mary Landrieu’s U.S. Senate campaign couldn’t get any more wishy washy, it does. In her appearance on “Meet the Press” last Sunday, Ms. Landrieu pledged not to run negative attack ads against her opponent, Suzanne Haik Terrell, in the runoff on Dec. 7. Apparently, Ms. Landrieu either has a premature case of Alzheimer’s or she just flat out does not mean what she says.
In an advertisement that ran late last week, Ms. Landrieu and the Democratic Party went on the air and made negative accusations against Ms. Terrell’s record as Elections Commissioner. I understand negative attack ads are a common component of political campaigns, and by no means am I objecting to their use when they are factual.
What I do object to is the fact that Ms. Landrieu, on national television last Sunday, told the people of Louisiana that she would not run attack ads against her opponent, and then after saying that, she ran them anyway.
Tim Russert, who moderates “Meet the Press,” specifically asked Ms. Landrieu, “Would you agree to run only positive commercials,” to which Ms. Landrieu replied “Yes. And I will run positive commercials.”
Can we really trust someone representing Louisiana in the U.S. Senate who says one thing, and then not even a week later does the opposite of what she said?
I am seeing a bit of a similarity here between Ms. Landrieu and former President Bill Clinton. While on nationwide television, President Clinton made that ever-so-famous, earth-shattering lie, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky.” With all of this being said, it appears to me as if Ms. Landrieu has learned a lesson or two from old Slick Willy while she has been in Washington, D.C.
Doesn’t that sound like the typical politician? Throwing words out at the voters only during election time and then once elected they just happen to forget all of the promises that they made during their campaign. One of the reasons that this bothers me is the fact that I was taught growing up to back up my words with actions. If I didn’t think I could do something, I shouldn’t say that I could. It really disturbs me that a person with the Ms. Landrieu’s position would use her words so loosely. It’s as if she doesn’t care what she is saying.
What also amazes me is how all of a sudden after six years of being a United States Senator, Ms. Landrieu decides two weeks before the election to come up with this “extraordinary $100 billion payroll tax cut,” that will essentially only return $14.71 per week to the taxpayers, but is worded to sound like a lot of money is being returned to the hardworking people of this state.
Where were these great tax cutting plans back in 1997 when she was first elected? So all of a sudden Mary wants to put money back into the pockets of Louisianians even though she has voted for higher taxes 121 times over the past five years? Give me a break. Nice try, Mary, but I think this is yet another ploy to try to get re-elected on December 7.
It is apparent that even Mary Landrieu, herself, doesn’t realize what she is saying. She says one thing, and then does another. I, personally, do not feel that we need someone like this representing Louisiana’s interests. If she can’t shoot straight with us now, just think what’s going to happen over the next six years if she is re-elected.