Election Day 2012

Just some random thoughts on election day.
‘This is the most important election of our lifetime’. That’s what everyone is saying, and it may be true. I have heard that in every election of my adult life, from the Nixon-Humphrey election in 1968 forward. As I said, it may be true and may have been true during all of those election cycles, for better or worse.
The very first memory I have of a presidential election was in 1952, when I was 5 years old. I remember the adults talking about it, and then electing Dwight D. Eisenhower.
In 1960 I was 13 years old and remember the Kennedy-Nixon election. I was actually interested in politics at that age. It was an exciting time.
As the years progressed, I realized that no one person or party has all the answers. Every individual has to follow his own lights when voting on important issues.
My granddaughter Mary Celeste is ready for election day, wearing her respectable Republican dress. I’m sure her dad loves it.

It is also important to keep in mind that we are not voting for the president today, we are voting for the people who will elect the president. The concept of the Electoral College is very confusing to a lot of people. My Facebook friend Lance Ward posted this video that offers a good explanation of the reasons for it. The commentator is a Romney supporter, but he leaves the partisan side of it out of this video and offers a really good explanation of why we have an Electoral College. It is worth watching.

Pre-election roundup

By tomorrow night we will know some things that we don't know now.
For instance, whether Barack Obama get four more years or will Mitt Romney be the new president-elect.
We'll know who is in a runoff for 26th JDC Judge (and I'm assuming there will be a runoff).
In case you've been hiding under a rock for the last couple of months, the candidates are Judge John Slattery of Springhill, ADA Mike Nerren and Whit Graves.
John Slattery has been practicing law for 29 years, serving the last 12 as City Judge and Ward 2 Judge in Springhill. He has served temporary terms as District Judge and as Bossier City Judge, by appointment of the Louisiana Supreme Court. He also served 15 years as an assistant District Attorney for Bossier/Webster.
Mike Nerren is a graduate of Haughton High School and LSU Law School. He has a private practice and is an assistant DA. Nerren has the endorsement of DA Schuyler Marvin.
Whit Graves has been involved in the legal system for 35 years. He was a Louisiana State Trooper for 12 years before completing law school. He has worked on both sides, serving as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney. Graves has spent a lot of time in the courtroom, completing more than 100 successful jury trials. Graves believes that while it is not illegal, that it is unethical for the District Attorney to endorse in a judicial race. Nerren counters that endorsements from public officials is a widely accepted practice. You have to be the judge on this one.
The Town of Benton has a couple of interesting races going on. The Mayor's race is a rerun between current Mayor Wayne Cathcart and Ken Shiflett. Cathcart was appointed when Mayor Doughty passed away, and was elected over Shiflett in the special election for that office. Cathcart should have no problem with this election.
The race for chief of police is between current chief Charles Pilkinton and former assistant chief Gene Hillen. Hillen currently serves as Constable.
This race is interesting because Hillen was terminated and charged with misdemeanor theft and with public payroll fraud. 
Hillen was offered a plea arrangement which would basically have been a slap on the wrist, but turned it down. He told me that he is innocent and that people who are innocent don't plead guilty.
The case went to trial and all evidence was heard. It was then recessed until November 12th (6 days after the election).
Chances are that Pilkinton will be re-elected, but if Hillen is found not guilty there will probably be some repercussions.

Presidential Prospects campaign in Shreveport/Bossier

Candidates for the Republican presidential nomination are hitting the campaign trail in Bossier and Shreveport.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich will be in town Monday evening for a fundraiser at attorney Norman R. Gordon’s home. Admission to the event is $250 per person.

On Tuesday morning at 8:30 Gingrich will hold a town hall style meeting at Strawns Eat Shop Too on East 70th Street.

Rick Santorum made appearances Sunday morning at First Baptist Church in Bossier and at Calvary Baptist Church. He flew on to Baton Rouge to campaign at the LSU-Mississippi State baseball game.

Mitt Romney will be in town Friday for a fundraiser at the Petroleum Club. The event is being sponsored by Rep. Rodney Alexander and Paul Dickson.

The Louisiana primary is on Saturday, March 24th.

A Scandal or Not?

I very rarely comment on national politics, but with the input today of a Ruston Physician I am ready to jump in.
Herman Cain, who is wildly popular in these parts, has been accused by 5 women who worked for him at the National Restaurant Association of making inappropriate sexual advances. Today Dr. Victor Zuckerman, who is a pediatrician in Ruston, came out in support of his former girlfriend, Sharon Bialek, who was the first accuser.
She said that Cain acted inappropriately.
Cain says he has no idea who Sharon Bialek is. Zuckerman said that Bialek introduced him to Cain years ago, and that Bialek also told him about the incident with Cain.
As for the other 4 women, I’m not that familiar with their stories.
A lot of people are suggesting that the Democrats are behind the women coming out, but I don’t buy that. The timing just isn’t right. If it is being orchestrated, and it probably is, it is by another one of the Republican contenders.
Indeed, Cain himself has blamed Rick Perry, saying it is ‘despicable’. Perry, in turn, blamed Mitt Romney.
I’m withholding judgment for a couple of reasons.
First of all, if there is more it will come out. So far it is ‘she said, he said’. It is better to have this fully vetted now. If Cain should get the nomination (and I don’t believe there is a chance of that), imagine more coming out when he is actually a candidate.
I’m also holding back because I have seen this a lot of times. It is a pattern, and hopefully Cain will be the exception.
1. The accusation.
2. The denial (I did not have sex with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky).
3. The attack on the accusers by the poltician and his minions.
4. More damning information comes out and there is an apology of sorts (I committed a serious sin).
That’s why I’m going to wait and see.
Now Herman Cain may be the biggest horndog in the country, or not. I have no idea. The problem I would have, as I have had with countless others, is that if something is proven, he has been lying to cover up. I don’t like liars.
If nothing more comes up, all the better, he can survive the storm.


Pat has this over at And So it Goes in Shreveport