[StBernard] The Storms Impact - Point of View by Ron Chapman

[Westley Annis]

lm,

Let me respond by making some comments in observation of  my years of
experience working in the legislature and for three different parish
governments, as well as running several succesful political campaigns in
different parishes.

I've worked for a state rep, a state senator and three different parish
presidents over the years (all in different parishes).  I respected all of
them.  Each was different, particularly Junior.  But that's not necessarily
a bad thing.  There was something I liked about each one, but among them
Junior - believe it or not - is the least of the "politician".  Oh sure,
everyone in public office is a politician to some extent, but Junior was
easily the most direct, or shall I say "most blunt" among them, which I
found to be refreshing.  He let's you know where he stands, especially if
he's not with you.

When you have someone like Junior you have to take the bad with the good.
But let me say this.  I, like most St. Bernardians, am displaced due to
Katrina.  I'm living in St. Tammany.  Whenever I am out at the local mall or
at someone's home and the conversation turns to St. Bernard parish, every
single person I talk to who is a St. Tammany citizen never fails to mention
how much they like and respect Junior - and only wish their own parish
president would have his gutts - and I mean every damned person I come
across.  And give them credit - they've heard about Junior's antics, but
that doesn't seem to sway their opinion of him.  I always respect the
opinions of outsiders because they are far enough away from the forest where
they can still see the trees - they're unbiased.

As I said in my earlier post, every person in St. Bernard parish knows
Junior and what he's like.  So you learn how to deal with him.  Most of the
time, he does what he does just to push your buttons to see how you're going
to react.  As for sexual harrasment?  Well, unless Junior's gay, which I
don't think he is (laugh), I don't feel threatened.  Besides, if you know up
front where a person is coming from with his comments or antics, then can
you really be surprised, let alone offended?  I think not.

Junior is not polished (boy, is that an understatement) but it's his "rough
edges" that often work well in St. Bernard's favor.  I've been to meetings
with Junior working with Aaron Broussard, Nagin, Benny Rousselle, and they
all know too well of Junior's antics.  But you'd be a damned fool if you
think for one moment Junior doesn't have their respect.  Believe me HE DOES,
and I've witnessed it first hand on too many occassion.  In 2004 I went to
Washington D.C. twice with Junior, and while he certainly used his own
"style" to get the attention of Washington bureaucrats, he commanded their
respect.  Junior achieves his best work by being a little different.  As
Aaron Broussard told me on the trip back from D.C., "Junior was the spice in
our gumbo."  Broussard agreed with me that Junior's comments were going to
be the ones they remembered.  Sure enough, when we made the second trip a
few monts later Junior was the one person all the Congressional staff were
talking about.  They remembered him - in a good way.  And I define "good" as
"effective."

So you won't get any argument from me on how Junior behaves sometimes, but
it is all in good nature and he certainly doesn't mean any harm to anyone.
Oh, and about your comment "some of us didn't vote for him" - this is where
my expertise in campaign consulting come in.  Junior defeated his opponent,
who campaigned tenaciously, by a 57 to 43 percent.  Based on the level and
severity of campaigning done by his opponent in a parish as small as St.
Bernard and taking into consideration everyone predicted his opponent was
going to win by a landslide - a 14% margin of victory in that particular
election is the equivalent of one football team defeating another by the
score of like 49-14.  A very decisive win and close to being a slaughter.
All Junior needed was another 3 percent (60%) and that would have officially
made it a slaughter - technically that would have made it a "mandate".  He
came very close.

My point here, anyone who voted for Junior sure as hell wasn't alone.  And
like I said, they knew what they were getting.

Yes, Junior needs to better behave at times, but if you altogher restrain
"Junior from being Junior" then St. Bernard will lose his effectiveness.

John