Mitch Landrieu, a 'Cajun Democrat,' could shake up national politics

Politico published a story Wednesday morning (March 21) that takes a deeper look at New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu's possible run at higher office, including the observation that he's a "Cajun Democrat."

Setting aside the idea that Landrieu is not a Cajun and has never claimed to be, the story is the latest in a round of glowing media coverage related to his ongoing book promotion. "In the Shadows of Statues," which weaves a memoir with the mayor's thinking on the South and race, was released Tuesday.

The Politico story represents the latest effort to drill deeper on Landrieu's chances as a 2020 candidate for national Democrats, who are trying to stake out a message to counter President Donald Trump ahead of the 2018 mid-term elections and the presidential election. Politico relies heavily on quotes from Louisiana natives Donna Brazile and James Carville, who, perhaps not surprisingly, are happy to promote a Louisiana Democrat -- and a Landrieu, at that.

But the story also contains a nugget from former President Barack Obama, whom Politico reports had a positive review of Landrieu's widely lauded Confederate monuments speech. The reporting is careful to say Obama isn't sold on Landrieu as a national candidate, but contains this unattributed line about Obama's thinking: "The former president has said privately that he could see the appeal of a bald white guy from Louisiana talking up progressive politics in a Cajun accent." The story was later changed to reference a "Southern" accent.

Read more: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/03/mitch_landrieu_cajun_democrat.html