My Congressman, Anh Joseph Cao (pronounced Gow) is in the headlines because of his vote in favor of the House health care reform bill. He's been called a hero by some and denounced as a sell-out by others. He's neither: he's an accidental Congressman who was only elected because of an indicted (and later convicted) opponent, 11 term Congressman Dollar Bill Jefferson, and timing. In New Orleans, the party run-off primary was delayed until the day Barack Obama carried it 75-23 because we evacuated for Hurricane Gustav in September. Jefferson won the Democratic nomination because his opponent was a twitty white former teevee anchorwoman. The Congressional general election was held one month later when Obama was not on the ballot to bring out African-American voters who would have held their noses and voted for Jefferson. Cao narrowly defeated Dollar Bill by a mere 3 points, 50-47. Cao was also the beneficiary of the elimination of the open primary in federal elections in favor of party primaries. As the old adage goes, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
Do I sound churlish and partisan? Maybe so, but the Accidental Congressman has earned my skepticism. I *am* glad Cao voted for the bill instead of following his previous pattern on major bills proposed or supported by the Obama administration: he'd hint that he was considering breaking with House Goopers, get praised by his backers in the NOLA media and then vote no. The main reason Mr. Cao did not dance what I like to call the Cao two-step this time was because of the anti-choice Stupak Amendment. Mr. Cao was a Jesuit seminarian before dropping out and holds, shall we say, Jesuitical views when it comes to women, families and gays. His vote for the health care bill was based more on political expediency than on courage. Make no mistake about it: Cao is a *real* conservative Republican on 95% of the issues, which is why Newt Gingrich has taken him under his wing. I know that the teabaggers think Newt is now a moderate but that says more about them than the former Speaker.
Mr. Cao should enjoy his time in the national spotlight as it's likely to be fleeting: he was more or less a lame duck from the start. At the recent Rising Tide conference I moderated the politics panel and asked whether Cao was "a hardy survivor or an endangered species?" The unanimous answer: endangered species. The health care vote should help him some BUT the district is overwhelmingly Democratic and African-American. And I'm not the only white progressive who's ready to vote Mr. Cao out. Then there are the racial politics of the district. New Orleans was one of the last majority black districts to be represented by a white representative, the legendary Lindy Boggs who served until retiring in 1990, which means that many in the African-American community are determined to re-take the seat. An acquaintance of mine told me: "We waited patiently for Lindy to retire but this dude's one and gone."
Mr. Cao's re-election campaign should be entertaining for political junkies like me but downright nasty and racially divisive for the community much like the 2006 Mayoral election campaign.
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"The Cao two-step". HELL yes. The man can dance. I just wish no one had given him the opportunity to exercise his happy feet in the first place.
Posted by: liprap | November 10, 2009 at 13:57
I know Cao is a Repug, but coming in from the LGBT and Progressive side, I do not want to see a Ministerial Alliance-backed Black candidate for the slot. Sorry, but that's the way it is.
The Black community in this city are hateful of Trans folk. That's why they hang out with me and mine. Same goes for the GL part too. We are "Family". Since I live in the half of the city that the Ministerial Alliance purports to represent, I have to defend my folk against their twisted version of Jebus.
Maybe LaFonta or Larry Bagneris would be good choices.
Posted by: GentillyGirl | November 10, 2009 at 14:13
anti-stimulous? when did he decide not to be a beckkkie?
Posted by: pansypoo | November 10, 2009 at 15:24
Hey, I'd trade Stupnagel (or whateverhisnameis) to the Repugs for him ...
Posted by: Fixer | November 10, 2009 at 18:31
One thing Cao has done well is raise the perception of New Orleans nationwide. He's been on television and radio a lot, and while one may disagree with his positions, he has not embarassed his district through indictment or behavior like so many other NOLA-brand politicians do.
He has raised the value of LA-2.
Posted by: Cousin Pat from Georgia | November 10, 2009 at 20:42
Morwen, Cao has just been quiet on his views about LGBT issues, it's hard to imagine him being any better than the folks you mentioned.
Pat, that sets the bar pretty low: he hasn't been indicted. Being the most junior member of the minority party doesn't really enhance anything. Sorry, I don't like or trust Cao. I hate the holier than thou type and that's what he is.
Posted by: Adrastos | November 10, 2009 at 22:18
As a little side note: for all the hot air spewed about corruption, Cao's campaign website was put together by a certain recently indicted "Whiz" ex-CTO.
Posted by: Clay | November 11, 2009 at 06:36
The election returns posted above are not complete. The general election vote was Cao, Republican, 49.54%; Jefferson, Democrat, 46.83%; Malik Rahim, Green, 2.82%, Greg Kahn, Libertarian .82%. The Green Party's campaign was very vigorous and deserves to be listed in your story of why the election turned out as it did.
Posted by: Richard Winger | November 11, 2009 at 11:56
Uh, Richard, I listed the two viable candidates. There were very few Green voters who would have voted for either Jefferson or Cao.
Posted by: Adrastos | November 11, 2009 at 13:39