Kathleen Blanco
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| Kathleen Blanco | |
 Gov. Kathleen Blanco |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 11, 2004 |
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| Lieutenant(s) | Mitch Landrieu |
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| Preceded by | Mike Foster, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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| Born | December 15, 1942 New Iberia, Louisiana |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Raymond Blanco |
| Profession | Marketing Consultant, Teacher |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (born December 15, 1942) is a Democratic politician from Louisiana. She currently serves as the governor of her state.
She was elected on November 15, 2003, defeating her Republican opponent Bobby Jindal, in the general election by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent. She became the first woman to hold the office of governor of Louisiana. She is currently the fourth oldest governor in the United States. Blanco became a national figure following Hurricane Katrina.
She was born in New Iberia, Louisiana, the daughter of Louis Babineaux and his wife, the former Lucille Fremin. Her grandfather was a farmer, the family owned a country store, and her father was a small businessman and farmer who moved to Coteau near New Iberia. The community has one church and one school; Blanco attended a strict all-girls Catholic school on the banks of Bayou Teche. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she was a member of Kappa Delta sorority. In 1964 she married Raymond Blanco; they have four daughters and two sons.
Prior to her election, she served a four-year term as State Representative in the Louisiana Legislature from 1984 to 1988, a six-year term as Public Service Commissioner from 1989 to 1995 and two terms as Lieutenant Governor from 1996 to 2004. She will face re-election in 2007 and has repeatedly indicated that she will seek re-election in 2007.
Blanco has had a difficult working relation with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin. Despite having joined the Democratic Party in 2001, Nagin endorsed Republican candidate Bobby Jindal (rather than Blanco) for governor in 2003. Both politicians have been at odds since then. Ironically, Blanco had herself previously broken party ranks and backed Republican candidate Mike Foster over the Democratic Congressman Bill Jefferson in 1999.[citation needed]
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[edit] Governor of Louisiana
On 11 January of 2004 she took the oath of office in both English and French, succeeding Murphy J. Foster, Jr. as Governor of Louisiana. Blanco has traveled more than her predecessor, seeking new sources of economic development for the state. She has visited Nova Scotia, and in December 2004, visited Cuba to boost its trade with the state. During this controversial visit, she met with President Fidel Castro - a leader with whom the American government has no formal diplomatic relations. As of 2005 Governor Blanco will also be visiting Asia (primarily Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan) in the near future.
A major focus of Governor Blanco's time in office has been the future of the football team the New Orleans Saints, one of two major sports franchises in the state of Louisiana. At one time or another, Governor Blanco has proposed the construction of a new stadium for the team, a renovation of the Louisiana Superdome, and has implied that the state cannot afford to retain the team. This has led to an ongoing impasse between Governor Blanco and Saints owner Tom Benson. In the spring of 2005, Benson halted negotiations between the team and the state until after the 2005 NFL season is over. While Governor Blanco would certainly like to resolve this issue and remain focused on issues such as education, there is little doubt that the outcome of this debate will play a major role in Louisiana's future economic development.
As Governor, she is a member of the National Governors Association, Southern Governors' Association, and the Democratic Governors Association.
[edit] Hurricane Katrina
[edit] Actions in advance of Katrina
On August 27, 2005, Governor Blanco speaking on Hurricane Katrina told the media in Jefferson Parish "I believe we are prepared. That's the one thing that I've always been able to brag about."[1] Later that day she issued a request for federal assistance and US$9 million in aid to President George W. Bush, which stated, "...I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster. I am specifically requesting emergency protective measures, direct Federal Assistance, Individual and Household Program (IHP) assistance, Special Needs Program assistance, and debris removal." Also in the requesting letter, the governor stated: "In response to the situation I have taken appropriate action under State law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26, 2005 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. A State of Emergency has been issued for the State in order to support the evacuations of the coastal areas in accordance with our State Evacuation Plan and the remainder of the state to support the State Special Needs and Sheltering Plan."[2][3] [4]
FEMA, issued a statement dated August 27, that President Bush authorized the allocation of federal resources, "following a review of FEMA's analysis of the state's request for federal assistance." [5] A White House statement of the same date also acknowledges this authorization of aid by President Bush. [6] On August 28, Governor Blanco sent a letter to President Bush, which increased the amount of aid requested to US$130 million. [7] Time magazine has reported that on August 29, the day that Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Governor Blanco could reach neither Bush or his chief of staff and had to leave a message pleading for help with a low-level adviser. [8]
[edit] Actions following Katrina
On September 1, 2005, Governor Blanco authorized National Guard troops to "shoot and kill" rioters and looters, [9] which followed President Bush's statement that looters in New Orleans and elsewhere in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina should be treated with "zero tolerance" [10]. The attitude to looters, and the perception that police and national guard resources were diverted to deal with looters, were sources of controversy and criticism. Governor Blanco was also criticized for allegedly having only a minor subset of her available National Guard troops standing by on ready, and for not being able to provide relief supplies and standby medical or other first responder personnel to New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin for the victims of the hurricane. A Newsday article by Jim Pinkerton, for example, claims "The Louisiana Guard has about 11,000 members, of whom 3,000 are in Iraq. And yet, of the remaining 8,000 in the Pelican State, fewer than half were on duty the day Katrina struck." [11] Louisiana did indeed have only 3,500 ready out of 6,500 national guards available according to a different article in the Chicago Tribune; in comparison, the much harder-hit state of Mississippi had 850 guards on duty, and Alabama had 350 as of August 30. [12]
In addition, Governor Blanco had accepted an offer of National Guard reinforcements from New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Although this agreement was made on August 28, the day before Katrina struck, the paperwork required to deploy troops did not arrive from the federal government until September 1. The specific cause of the delay is unclear. [13] An article in the Washington Post cites three state and federal officials as stating collectively that "Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until August 31." It also quotes one as saying erroneously that as of September 3, Governor Blanco had not declared a state of emergency in Louisiana. [14]
Controversy has continued to circle the issue of the National Guard. According to an article in Newsweek [15], President Bush and Governor Blanco met on Air Force One on Friday, September 2, 2005 while it sat on the tarmac at the New Orleans airport. Echoing requests submitted by President Bush to Governor Blanco in a memo prior to the meeting, Mayor Nagin suggested federalizing the National Guard to improve the command structure. According to both Sen. David Vitter, a Republican ally of Bush’s, and Mayor Ray Nagin, the Democrat Mayor of New Orleans, Bush turned to Governor Blanco and said, "Well, what do you think of that, Governor?" Blanco told Bush, "I’d rather talk to you about that privately." To which Nagin responded, "Well, why don’t you do that now?". Immediately following that private meeting, according to a September 7, 2005 Washington Times article [16], Mayor Nagin said that "He (Bush) called [Nagin] in that office, and he said, 'Mr. Mayor, I offered two options to the governor.' I was ready to move. The governor said she needed 24 hours to make a decision."
Governor Blanco subsequently rejected the proposal. President Bush continued to press the offer so Governor Blanco rejected it in writing on September 6, citing the need for flexibility in National Guard operations, particularly the need for Guard in areas other than New Orleans where the military is not currently operating.[17] Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi reportedly declined a similar offer from the President. It has not previously been a policy during natural disasters to combine the command of National Guard and military operations under the authority of the President.[18] President Bush has the power to take command of National Guard brigades under the Insurrection Act without the agreement of a state Governor, but no President has done this since Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s and President Bush has so far also declined to do so. However, Governor Blanco and Major General Bennett Landreneau, commanding Louisiana's National Guard, have co-operated closely with Lieutenant General Russel Honoré, commanding military operations under Joint Task Force Katrina.
CNN and Fox News reported the Louisiana Homeland Security Department (which operates under the authority of Governor Blanco) refused to allow the American Red Cross to enter the city of New Orleans. [19], [20] The American Red Cross Web site confirms that the organization had not been allowed to enter the city to provide aid but also states that it is providing relief at the evacuation centers: "As the remaining people are evacuated from New Orleans, the most appropriate role for the Red Cross is to provide a safe place for people to stay and to see that their emergency needs are met. We are fully staffed and equipped to handle these individuals once they are evacuated." The deputy director of Louisiana's Homeland Security Department, Colonel Jay Mayeaux, has stated that he asked the Red Cross to delay relief operations for 24 hours for logistical reasons, and by the time that was up the evacuations had already begun.[21]
On September 14, after President Bush had accepted responsibility for all problems that occurred at the federal level[22], Governor Blanco accepted responsibility for all problems that occurred at the state level. Blanco stated, "At the state level, we must take a careful look at what went wrong and make sure it never happens again. The buck stops here, and as your governor, I take full responsibility."[23]
Governor Blanco continued to press President Bush and Congress for additional recovery funds for Lousiana, pointing out the disparity in assistance received by Louisiana compared to neighboring Mississippi, in spite of statements by members of the Louisiana State Republican Party that recommended quietly accepting what was offered and then possibly request more aid at a later date. Assisted by protests in the press, including the Washington Post and the New York Times, which referred to the treatment of Louisiana and New Orleans as "America's Shame,' in February 2006, the relentless Governor Blanco and the Louisiana Recovery Authority negotiated an additional $4.2 billion in aid for rebuilding housing in Louisiana. [24]
On June 19 Governor Blanco announced that she would send the National Guard to patrol New Orleans' streets after five teenagers were killed.
[edit] Abortion ban
On June 19, 2006, Blanco signed into law a ban on most forms of abortion (unless the life of the mother was in danger or her health would be permanently damaged) once it passed the state legislature. Although she felt exclusions for rape or incest would have "been reasonable," she felt she should not veto based on those reasons. The bill would only go into effect if the United States Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. [25]
This decision is consistent with the generally conservative leaning of Louisiana's populace on social issues.
[edit] Lawsuit against the Federal Government
In August 2006, Blanco filed a lawsuit "to force the federal government to spend part of its oil and gas income from the Outer Continental Shelf to help shore up Louisiana's coastline". [26]
[edit] Spike Lee's documentary
Blanco was one of the participants in film director Spike Lee's documentary When The Levees Broke: A Requiem In Four Acts.
[edit] Trivia
- During Thanksgiving week in 2005, Kathleen Blanco was No. 2 on CNN's "Political Turkey of the Year" list behind only former FEMA director Michael D. Brown.
[edit] Electoral history
Public Service Commission, District 2, 1988
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, October 1, 1988
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Kathleen Blanco | Democratic | 44,450 (32%) | Runoff |
| Kernan "Skip" Hand | Republican | 25,293 (18%) | Runoff |
| George Ackel | Democratic | 23,383 (17%) | Defeated |
| Edward "Bubby" Lyons | Democratic | 22,082 (16%) | Defeated |
| Others | n.a. | 22,314 (17%) | Defeated |
Second Ballot, November 8, 1988
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Kathleen Blanco | Democratic | 161,270 (57%) | Elected |
| Kernan "Skip" Hand | Republican | 120,392 (43%) | Defeated |
Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, 1995
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, October 21, 1995
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Kathleen Blanco | Democratic | 590,410 (44%) | Runoff |
| Suzanne Krieger | Republican | 211,520 (16%) | Runoff |
| Chris John | Democratic | 206,915 (15%) | Defeated |
| Others | n.a. | 342,910 (25%) | Defeated |
Second Ballot, November 18, 1995
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Kathleen Blanco | Democratic | 964,559 (65%) | Elected |
| Suzanne Krieger | Republican | 513,613 (35%) | Defeated |
Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, 1999
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, October 23, 1999
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Kathleen Blanco | Democratic | 968,249 (80%) | Elected |
| Kevin Joseph Duplantis | Republican | 121,296 (10%) | Defeated |
| Others | n.a. | 117,467 (10%) | Defeated |
Governor of Louisiana, 2003
Threshold > 50%
First Ballot, October 4, 2003
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Bobby Jindal | Republican | 443,389 (33%) | Runoff |
| Kathleen Blanco | Democratic | 250,136 (18%) | Runoff |
| Richard Ieyoub | Democratic | 223,513 (16%) | Defeated |
| Claude "Buddy" Leach | Democratic | 187,872 (14%) | Defeated |
| Others | n.a. | 257,614 (19%) | Defeated |
Second Ballot, November 15, 2003
| Candidate | Affiliation | Support | Outcome |
| Kathleen Blanco | Democratic | 731,358 (52%) | Elected |
| Bobby Jindal | Republican | 676,484 (48%) | Defeated |
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Melinda Schwegmann (D) |
Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana 1996–2004 |
Succeeded by Mitch Landrieu (D) |
| Preceded by Mike Foster (R) |
Governor of Louisiana 2004–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Governors of Louisiana |  |
|---|---|
| Claiborne • Villeré • Robertson • Thibodaux • H. Johnson • Derbigny • Beauvais • Dupre • Roman • White • Roman • Mouton • I. Johnson • Walker • Hebert • Wickliffe • Moore • Warmouth • Pinchback • J. McEnery • Kellogg • Nicholls • Wiltz • S. McEnery • Nicholls • Foster • Heard • Blanchard • Sanders • Hall • Pleasant • Parker • Fuqua • Simpson • H. Long • King • O. Allen • Noe • Leche • E. Long • Jones • Davis • E. Long • Kennon • E. Long • Davis • McKeithen • Edwards • Treen • Edwards • Roemer • Edwards • Foster Jr. • Blanco |
Categories: NPOV disputes | Articles which may be biased | Articles with unsourced statements | 1942 births | American schoolteachers | Cajuns | Computer and video game censorship and ratings | Governors of Louisiana | Lieutenant Governors of Louisiana | Living people | Louisiana politicians | People from Lafayette, Louisiana | Roman Catholic politicians | University of Louisiana at Lafayette alumni | State governors of the United States
