Landrieu Gains Importamt Black Backing in LA Senate Race

Fields says he'll back Landrieu Tarver, Cravins still withhold support for fellow Democrat John Hill / Louisiana Gannett News Posted on November 20, 2002

BATON ROUGE - State Sen. Cleo Fields of Baton Rouge, one of Louisiana's most prominent black political leaders, Tuesday said he not only endorses U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu but also actively will work for her re-election.

Fields, who earlier expressed skepticism about Landrieu's commitment to traditional liberal concerns, will target black voters through radio, mailings, appearances and a get-out-the-vote organization on election day to help Landrieu defeat Republican opponent Suzanne Haik Terrell in the Dec. 7 runoff.

With both Democratic and Republican polls showing the race very tight, Fields' decision to work in her campaign is good news for Landrieu, who said she is grateful.

The new Democratic theme mentioned by Landrieu, Fields and state Democratic Party Chairman Ben Jeffers on Tuesday is unity.

"Winning this election will take a unified and committed team, and that's what we are building," Landrieu said. "Today, we welcome Sen. Fields to that team."

That team, so far, does not include two other prominent black politicians, state Sens. Greg Tarver, D-Shreveport, and Don Cravins, D-Lafayette.

"I am doing nothing. Don is doing nothing," Tarver said, adding that Landrieu "was very arrogant, very insulting" during a telephone conference call.

U.S. Sen. John Breaux also is trying to bring Tarver and Cravins on board the Landrieu train, Tarver said. "The last time we talked, I made it very clear that I'm not going to support her," he said.

Cravins agreed with Tarver's characterization of the three-way telephone call, which he said Landrieu ended abruptly to go to a fund-raiser.

"She was very condescending," Cravins said, saying that he asked Landrieu for a senatorial office and presence in Acadiana and that Tarver had asked Landrieu for more staff in her Shreveport office to help an overloaded single person.

"She told Greg she was surprised he hadn't mentioned it because 'we talk all the time.' Greg interrupted and said, 'We've talked four times in six years,'" Cravins said. "It ended with her saying something like, 'When you guys decide to help us, call us.' I said I wasn't calling anybody, that I wasn't the one needing help."

Phone calls to Landrieu's campaign for a response to Cravins' and Tarver's comments were not returned Tuesday.

Jeffers said he would continue peace talks with Tarver, Cravins "and anyone who is disgruntled with the Democratic Party or our candidate."

"The many conversations I've had with both have been very pleasant," Jeffers said. "It is important to our party that we have a unified front on Dec. 7 because historically, when we are unified, we win."

Fields called a press conference Tuesday morning to announce his support after saying for more than two weeks that he was inactive because the Democratic Party took black voters for granted and that Landrieu has offended many by advertising her record of voting 74 percent with Republican President George W. Bush.

"Ben Jeffers is like a father figure to me," Fields said. "I could not sleep at night knowing that we were not together."

"You make it better not by destroying it," Fields said. "You make your point and then, working together, you make it better."

Fields also said he was happy that Landrieu reorganized her campaign to emphasize what she's done for Louisiana and on her working with local officials. "Mary has changed the message and changed consultants. We all make mistakes."

Fields' support "will help with a large number of voters around the state who look to him for leadership," Jeffers said. "He is one of the best speakers."

Fields said his supporters and grass-roots campaign workers were meeting Tuesday night to plot strategies to help Landrieu.

"I have given them the signal, and they understand it is an unqualified endorsement. My people know now I am on board, and they are going to be on board."

Asked if former President Bill Clinton had called him to discuss the campaign, Fields declined to answer. It has long been speculated that Clinton, who remains popular among many Democratic black leaders, would get involved by encouraging their support for Landrieu.

"I don't want to talk about every person I talked to. Let me say I talked to a number of prominent Democrats, both national and local."

While his support for Landrieu is unqualified, Fields refused to be critical of Terrell.

"Suzie Terrell is a good person. She has made a good public servant. I have never had a problem with Suzie Terrell when I worked with her as a senator. I have nothing negative to say about her."

Now here is a "Letter to the Editor" in the Nov. 20 edition of the pro-Landrieu Shreveport Times:

Landrieu not concerned about Louisiana

Patrick Young

Shreveport

I noticed that as soon as Mary Landrieu had an opponent singled out she immediately started attacking Suzanne Terrell. It is very apparent Landrieu is not concerned about the good of the United States or Louisiana. She publicizes her appearances to make everyone think she is doing the will of the people. She highly publicized her appearance at General Motors trying to muster votes. Former Sen. J. Bennett Johnston protected and secured the jobs at GM. He is the one who helped Louisiana land the GM plant. He is the one who helped appropriate the money for Interstate 49 and the Red River waterway project.

Landrieu publicized her appearance at Barksdale Air Force Base. She wants the people to think she is doing her job. Twice this year she did not even show up to vote on very important issues regarding the people she was elected to represent. She said she was going to stand by Sen. Tom Daschle and not vote for an economic stimulus package. She also would not vote on an appointment for Judge Charles Pickering.

Landrieu said Terrell is a "rubber stamp," when she, herself, is nothing but a puppet for her Democratic Party.

I really want Terrell to win too. But Randita makes a valid point. The lack of a GOTV operation, especially with nothing much else on the ballot and on a Saturday 2 weeks before Christmas, is very worrisome. I hope Suzie Terrell can put one together. Landrieu will have the GOTV organizations, especially in Orleans Parish. We better find a way to match that and not to be overconfident.

Notice the headline is classic rat speak. Fields was the guy she was NOT supposed to have to worry about. There is no news here. The real news would be if Tarver and/or Cravins came on board. So far, based on the deeply set paragraphs of this piece it; doesn't look like mary has that support. Sizie : 53/47.

Hmmmm. I wonder if Terrel or the people in Rove's office could begin backchannel negotiations with Tarver, Cravins, or both, to see what it would take for them to sit this one out, or even to endorse Terrel (an almost impossible ambition, I know, but politics is the art of the possible...). Federal judgeships for some of their political clients on the state bench? Find some judges that Tarver and Cravins have helped in the past and who are also in debt or have good relations with Sen. John Breaux. Federal project money into districts in which Tarver and Cravins have clients and interests? Make it happen. Put it under the rubric of Homeland Security or slap something tasty in a Defense Supplemental.

Time to think outside the box, people. If you frame it in terms of voting strategically and using black leverage, then you can have a valuable set of negotiations with black Democrats. They represent a constituency. If you offer to help their constituency in return for services rendered, both sides win. Let the black leadership in Louisiana know that if they play ball in the Bushes, it can be a win-win situation for both Republicans and black Democrats. The result? Other local black leaders across the country will begin to think anew.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

I think a better idea is just to schedule meetings and talk to black leaders about why we believe our ideas are best for them too. In 2000, I lived in Houston and campaigned for a Congressional candidate in a district with a large black population. He won the endorsement of a black minister's group and was the first Republican to win that endorsement.

After the endorsement was made, he asked if they could tell him what he had done that no other Republican had ever done. The answer was that he was the first Republican to answer their letter asking for an interview.

Sometimes, half of winning is being willing to show up at the game. I think Republicans probably could win more votes with minorities just by asking them to consider what we believe.

WFTR
Bill

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