JFK AND HIS SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH LOUISIANA!

Thursday, November 27^th, 2023

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

JFK AND HIS SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH LOUISIANA!

 

The 34^th President of the United States was assassinated 60 years ago this month under controversial circumstances that leave a number of questions unanswered to this day. Republicans look to Ronald Reagan as their ideal. But John Kennedy captured the hearts of the American people like no other president, before or since.  And from the first stirrings of his efforts to become president, to events that took place after his death, my home state of Louisiana has had a special place in the Kennedy legacy.

 

John Kennedy’s first foray in building Louisiana relationships began in 1956, during the then young Senator’s efforts to become the vice-presidential candidate on the Adlai Stevenson ticket.  Stevenson had promised the VP spot to Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver, but didn’t want to offend the Kennedy patriarch, Joseph Kennedy.  So he threw the nomination open to the convention floor.

As luck would have it, the Louisiana delegation sat right beside the Massachusetts delegates.  John Kennedy and his campaign manager and brother Bobby became fast convention friends with two senior Louisiana delegates, Judge Edmund Reggie of Crowley, and my mentor and friend, Camille Gravel from Alexandria.  But the Louisiana delegation was controlled by Governor Earl Long, and he was firmly committed to Kefauver for the vice-presidential nomination.  Long left the convention early, having given strict instructions to Reggie and Gravel to support Kefauver.

Despite orders from Ole’ Uncle Earl, Reggie and Gravel led the whole Louisiana delegation in support of John Kennedy.  Long was furious, since the rest of the southern states went with Kefauver, the southern candidate.  But the efforts by Reggie and Gravel built a special bond between Louisiana and the Kennedys.

Four years later, when John Kennedy set his sights on the presidency, he knew his Catholicism would be a problem.  There had never been a catholic president, and Kennedy wanted to build some initial political bridges in friendly territory. On October 16, 1959, he headed for Crowley, Louisiana, at the invitation of Judge Reggie and his wife Doris, to be the Grand Marshall of the International Rice Festival. One Hundred and thirty thousand people packed the streets to show their support and affection.  There are some marvelous photos taken at the Rice Festival of the future president, who never wore anything on his head in public, sporting a hat made from rice.

Following the Rice Festival, it was on to Baton Rouge, and then to the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans where Kennedy received similar accolades from the city’s large Catholic population.  There was no doubt that Louisiana was in Kennedy’s corner.  After he had become president, he reminisced that he felt his campaign had really taken off after his initial foray into the deepest of the deep southern states.

Under the Kennedy presidency, many Americans throughout the country felt a new wave of optimism, which they referred to as Camelot. But then came Dallas. An unstable 24-year-old man with a $21 rifle changed the world.  Some historians have written that the Kennedy assassination caused America to lose its innocence.  And sadly, Louisiana ties to Kennedy’s death emerged.  Lee Harvey Oswald was born in New Orleans, and was active for years in the Crescent City as a pro-Castro Marxist.

Fifty years later, President John F. Kennedy is remembered as one of Americana’s most inspiring and creative presidents. But his story would not be complete without an acknowledgement of the strong feelings of affection between this popular president and the people of the deepest of the deep southern states. Louisianans by the thousands were there for him on his path to the White House from the very beginning.  And, tragically, at the end, as well.

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

 Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com. You can also listen to his regular podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NUTRIA-IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER IN LOUISIANA!

Monday, November 13^th, 2023

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

NUTRIA-IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER IN LOUISIANA!

 

Guess what! Nutria are back in the news. Recent press reports indicate that these pesky rodents are moving inland to gnaw away at our swamplands. These little critters are taking over the state. With so many problems on Louisiana’s plate, add to the list what we can do about the onslaught and continuing invasion of nutria. That’s right. 

And we even have U.S. Senators from both parties in Washington joining forces in trying to stop this assault on the Bayou State.  Now remember, that there is almost no cooperation among each political party in Washington.  But the nutria blitz has brought together both sides of the normally partisan spectrum. Louisiana’s own, Senator John Kennedy has reached across the aisle joined by democratic senators to offer bipartisan legislation that will fund a more aggressive effort to wipe out these swamp-like beavers.  “Nutria have devoured miles of our marshes, and some areas have no chance of growing back. This bill would help prevent these invasive swamp rats from further destroying Louisiana’s marshland,” said Senator Kennedy.

This ongoing effort to eliminate nutria is nothing new down here in bayou country.  Efforts have been going on for years to try and keep these pesky varmints out of Louisiana.  The state even pays $6.00 a hide to hunters who bring in nutria pelts.  But so far to little avail.  So let me put forth another idea.  Now don’t roll your eyes or hold on to your stomach.  How about skinning, roasting or pan searing, then (gulp!) eating these invaders out of our marshland?

Now slow down and don’t get your dander up.  Remember that we eat about anything down here in the deepest of the deep southern states.  Some folks might even feel that if we could stick a bike tire in fried batter, we just might eat it.

As a sole attorney practitioner in Ferriday back in the 70s, I took about any case that walked in the door. Often, my clients were slow paying, or could not pay anything at all. Hunting has always been quite prevalent in northeast Louisiana, and clients would drop off an array of creatures from the wild. I was never short of deer meat, ducks, wild geese, doves, squirrels, racoons, frogs, catfish; the assortment of outdoor delicacies seemed endless. And yes, even nutria. Luckily, we had a large freezer in which to pack my culinary acquisitions.

My home back then was a mile off the highway with access by a dirt road that turned to mud in the winter. Often it was hard to get out of the house, even with my winch-loaded truck. So on rainy weekends, we experimented with creating a variety of recipes using our varied meat collection. Nutria weren’t around back then in any significant numbers. A backyard garden added to the flavors, and weekend cookery became a de rigueur ritual. Out of all this gastronomic adventure came my cookbook, Jim Brown’s World-Famous Squirrel Stew and other Country Recipes, available at www.TheLisburnPress.com.

 

So how about them nutria? They only eat plants. Can you believe that famous New Orleans chefs like Suzanne Spicer and John Besh argue that nutria meat is very high in protein, low in fat and actually healthy to eat? There are a number of ways these chefs and many others prepare the meat.  You can try Ragondin salad.  (Ragondin is French for nutria.  Sounds a bit more agreeable to eat.) Soupe au Ragondin, Heart Healthy “Crock-Pot” Nutria, nutria jambalaya, even Nutria fettuccini.  And of course you could stir up nutria in sauce piquante, etouffee, and bisque.

So I say you should break out the barbecue tongs and give this exotic dish a try.  And such a gastronomic effort will help wipe out these critters from out marshlands.  Over nine million nutria have been taken in the state over the past 15 years. But there are still plenty to go around.

And I can even suggest a Louisiana state slogan to go along with the new campaign.  “If you can’t beat ‘em, eat ‘em!”

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

 Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com. You can also listen to his regular podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOUR’S A CHARM FOR A LOUISIANA SPEAKER!

Monday, November 6, 2023.

Baton Rouge Louisiana

 

FOUR’S A CHARM FOR A LOUISIANA SPEAKER!

 

     It took four Louisiana congressmen 51 years before one of them became Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Second line to being president, a responsibility and honor that very few receive.  Finally, after all this time, an obscure young congressman from Shreveport made it.

 

      Becoming Speaker is a huge challenge to undertake. Most congressmen and congresswomen stay in Washington three or four days a week, then come home to their districts for a long weekend. Not the speaker. He or she is in demand by other members of Congress to travel to their respective districts, located all over the country and assist in their reelection, generally fundraising. A speaker of the U.S. House Representatives is lucky to get home once every two months.

 

     The first Louisiana congressman who had any chance of reaching this major post was Hale Boggs of New Orleans.  He was a congenial fellow and a great retail politician. He made all the local events, and had a cadre of local officials in his corner whenever election time came around. He worked his way up to the post of majority leader, the position second only to being Speaker. Boggs also served as member of the Warren Commission that investigated the death of President John Kennedy.

 

     In October 1972, Boggs was travelling to help Congressman Nick Begich of Alaska, when their plane disappeared while flying from Anchorage to Juneau, Alaska. Search parties looked for months, but apparently the plane crashed into deep snow, and to this day has never been found.  He was declared dead in absentia in December 1972, and never fulfilled his dream of being Speaker.

 

     The next Louisiana congressman in search of reaching the Speaker’s office was Congressman Bob Livingston of Jefferson Parish. He had been elected to his post in 1977 when then Congressman Dave Treen became governor. Before his quest to be elected to the office of Speaker, Bob ran for Governor himself in 1980. I was in that same race and shared the podium with Bob on many occasions. He was, and still is a real gentleman, and I consider him a good friend. In 1998, Bob was selected by his colleagues as Speaker.  But before assuming this job, Bob had some problems with his personal life and declined to be sworn in.  He now is a successful attorney and lobbyist in Washington.

 

     We all know the story of Congressman Steve Scalise, who currently represents a winding district in Jefferson Parish. Steve has been my friend for many years both while he served as a legislator and Baton Rouge and now as an important congressman.  Steve was shot at a congressional baseball practice in 2017, and came close to losing his life. But he made a strong comeback and took over the role of majority leader, the same position held by Hale Boggs. 

 

     He gave his best shot at being the new speaker, once it became apparent that then Speaker Kevin McCarthy would not hold onto his job.  Since the Republicans control the House of Representatives, these members elect the Speaker. Steve needed 217 votes to become elected, but just ran short of putting the coalition together. So he withdrew his nomination a few weeks ago, and became the third Louisianan to just miss out on ascending to the top job in Congress.

 

     A number of new candidates put their name up for consideration. Out of nowhere, up popped the name of an obscure congressman from Shreveport, Mike Johnson. He was Mr. nice guy, but most of his colleagues really knew little about him. And with the help of a number of conservative lobby groups in the nation’s capital, Congressman Mike built support little by little. And lo and behold, to the surprise of most of the Washington establishment, Mike Johnson emerged and was selected to the job of being second line to being president of the United States.

 

     So now little old Louisiana, who elects only five members of Congress, can claim that it holds the position of Speaker and Majority Leader in Washington, something no other state has ever accomplished.  Let’s hope the Bayou State bountifully benefits from all his new power at the nation’s capital.

 

Peace and Justice

 

Jim Brown

 

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com. You can also listen to his regular podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.