The final gubernatorial forum before tomorrow’s primary election was held Wednesday night at LSU. Most reports on the event zeroed in on David Vitter’s absence, coupled with Scott Angelle pointing to the videos posted last weekend by blogger Jason Brad Berry.
“I understand a serious sin,” Angelle said, after directing viewers to the website containing the videos. “It is now perhaps a lifestyle that we need to examine – a lifestyle that Louisiana cannot afford.”
Most of the questions and answers retraced well-worn paths covered in previous debates and forums – higher education, tax credits and exemptions, Medicaid expansion. Yet there were a few insightful questions.
“You’ll be a Democrat in charge of a state that’s mostly Republican, so will that partisan divide complicate your ability to govern?” KTBS reporter Jeff Beimfor asked John Bel Edwards.
“No,” Edwards replied, adding Louisiana actually has 600-thousand more registered Democrats than Republicans.
“I have the relationships in the Legislature,” Edwards explained. “I have the relationships with people in local government across Louisiana; in the business sector; in the higher education community. We can get this done.”
The most penetrating questions came from Mitch Rabelais, the LSU student moderating the forum.
“You talk about increasing funding for education,” Rabelais queried Jay Dardenne. “Where would you get those revenues?”
“By cutting elsewhere to start with,” Dardenne responded. “First and foremost, we’re going to make education a true priority.”
Rabelais also put Scott Angelle on the spot, asking, “You talk about adding transparency. How would adding transparency to how these reports are prepared and organized help bring in revenue to the state?”
“Well, look, it’s –“ Angelle began, clearly flustered. “By bringing revenue to the state is about not giving away the revenue that we have.”
Now it’s all over but the shouting -- of campaign ads. And your job comes tomorrow, as you cast your ballot.