[StBernard] Melancon Challenges Sen. Vitter in Louisiana

[Westley Annis]

Jim,

After my previous comment I learned pretty much what you mention.  Melancon
figures he might as well take a shot at it since his district could get
carved up.  As for David and his deameanor, I've know him personally going
back to his days as State Rep.  He's actually a really nice guy and
personal.  He's always appreciate of anything someone does for him and goes
out of his way to thank you.  What few people know about him is in his youth
David had a serious stuttering problem - I've learned this from others who
know him well.  Naturally, that impacts your personality, or at least what
might be perceived as your personality.  Add to that the fact that he's a
trained lawyer.

He is a real conservative when it comes to government and through his deeds
established himself as a "good government" proponent - even a reformist.
Few remember, but it is Vitter who is the father of the term limits
amendment to the state constitution here in Louisiana, as well as the
legislator who led the fight to do away with the state inheritance tax.
There were numerous other bills he got passed on ethics reform.

What gets me is how some will talk accolades of elected officials for doing
great deeds when all they really did was what they were supposed to do.  At
least I'll give to Vitter that he actually pushed through several bills that
became law that made a visible difference to the Louisiana political
landscape.  And on the Senate side working with Vitter on most of these
bills was then Sen. Jay Dardenne - now Secretary of State.  But how soon we
forget.

John