Forman Endorses Landrieu

[NJ Democrats]

Sorry if duplicate.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060424/ap_on_re_us/new_orleans_mayor;_ylt=Akc6KL6b9QE.DSMGOv6JSYeyFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

Ron Forman the 3rd place finisher endorsed Landrieu over Nagin for Mayor of NO.

[Pirate Smile]

1. Here is four paragraphs:

NEW ORLEANS - The third-place finisher in the New Orleans mayoral race endorsed Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu on Monday over Mayor Ray Nagin in next month's runoff election.

Ron Forman, head of the organization that runs New Orleans' zoo and aquarium, said Landrieu has his "full support" in the contest to decide who should lead the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

"Mitch Landrieu has the experience to implement a plan, to manage a plan and to rebuild our city," Forman said.

Landrieu said he was pleased to get Forman's endorsement so quickly. "It needs all of its people to come together. I cannot do this by myself," Landrieu said.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. That is interesting...

...especially considering some of the things Forman said about Landrieu in the debate. NOLA politics are VERY interesting.

[pacalo]

3. I've heard him say a number of times that he's friends with both

Nagin & Landrieu. I think Forman truly loves New Orleans, wants what's best for the city, particularly for the rebuilding stages, & I'm happy about the fact that Forman will be working with Landrieu (if he wins) to rebuild New Orleans.

Forman is not only responsible for creating a first-class zoo & aquarium for the city, he has also transformed a shoddy area along the Mississippi River into what we call "The Riverfront", which includes a huge, beautiful shopping area. In addition, he brought an IMAX theater to N.O. He's proven himself to be a mover.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. In the debate...

Forman was pretty ugly toward Landrieu. It was hard to believe that they have been friends for over 20 years and could be that ugly toward one another. That was why I was a little surprised by the OP.

By the way...the Audubon zoo is not first-class! In my opinion, it is stand alone awesome!!! I have been to over 30 zoos across the country and NOTHING sticks in my mind like that zoo! I just I would have had time last week to go. It was so nice to be back there, but I was sad to see how much damage there still was some 9 months later!

[Pirate Smile]

7. They knew they were each others competition for the change vote - Nagin

was getting one of the top two spots and the other spot was going to either Landrieu or Forman.

That is why he went after him.

It's politics.

I'm not at all surprised that he endorsed Landrieu.

[pacalo]

11. The man has a golden touch -- everything he does is first-class...

& awesome! Thanks for mentioning how it compares to other zoos. :)

[skidrow]

4. Anybody but Nagin

Nagin is a DINO racist demagogue and definitely failed to help the people of New Orleans. I think Landrieu would even be an improvement, despite likely resembling his DINO sister

[Sgent]

5. I would be shocked

if Landrieu's policies were significantly different from Nagin's -- in fact they will probably be the same.

The difference is that it will have a more polished package.

[Orangepeel]

8. Nagin has topped out, vote-wise

As the well known incumbant, he got pretty much all the votes he's going to get among those that voted. Unless he can significantly increase turnout, he's toast.

Forman might be endorsing Landrieu for any number of reasons, but it's also the politically smart thing to do. He knows that his voters were voting against Nagin the first time.

[funkybutt]

12. not necessarily

"He knows that his voters were voting against Nagin the first time."

Maybe I don't see what you're getting at but I voted for Nagin the first time. 85% of the white vote went to Nagin 4 years ago. Saturday, he only got 5%. Nagin got a lot of republican votes 4 years ago because he was a republican before he switched to the democratic party. He was the "non-politician"/pro-business alternative to business as usual in new orleans.

[Orangepeel]

13. By "the first time" I meant Saturday's election, not 4 years ago

Sorry, that was very unclear. I meant that Saturday's election was basically a referendum on Nagin. It would be for any incumbant, but even more so for him because of all that New Orleans went through.

Because the incumbant is the default choice, most people's decision process would go "should I vote for Nagin or someone else? If someone else, who?" Very few people who voted for someone else on Saturday are going to go back to Nagin in the runoff because they've already decided against him.

[pitohui]

14. this is the democratic underground

in my humble opinion it is not quite right to promote nagin on this site, since he is as you know a republican who only switched parties because a republican can't be elected mayor of new orleans

he has since endorsed jindal and bush, both republicans

he is not on our team

supporters of nagin should take it elsewhere if you ask me, there are lots of sites to promote their cause

[Orangepeel]

15. is this directed to me?

because I was explaining why I think Nagin doesn't have a chance to win.

:shrug: (we need a smilie with a quizzical look on its face)

[funkybutt]

9. SHOCKING!!

not really...LOL

[pitohui]

10. not an easy decision

forman's wife worked for nagin but this is the right endorsement and i think he did the right thing