Has the political issue of the moment in the New Orleans Mayor’s race moved from the attacks against Desiree Charbonnet to those now against LaToya Cantrell?
In the “olden” days, before social media, that is, discussion over politics and political controversies centered around the water-cooler, dining room table and talk radio. Now, thanks to Facebook and Twitter, in particular, everybody can comment on the issues of the day, the candidates running for office and get feedback from best friends and strangers.
I have searched online to see what comments are being made lately and have discovered that believe it or not, there still appears to be a tremendous amount of lethargy about the upcoming elections. How do I come to this conclusion? Answer is simple: Just check the number of social media posts. If they inundate the feeds, that of course means high interest. If not, well, maybe tomorrow.
Today, there clearly is low interest, very few political posts on the topic.
Here are just some that currently appear on Facebook and Twitter. If anything, it does show strong emotions by some and the possibility that the people appear to be less interested in the issues to move the city forward than the politics.
John Osterlind
The front runner to be the next mayor of New Orleans not only illegally used her city credit card for personal use, she was 14 months behind her house payment forcing her bank to sue her. The IRS also sued her. She is a deadbeat who wants to be in charge of a 1.3 billion budget when her own personal finances are a disaster. This woman can not be the next Mayor.
I was unhappy when the Charbonnet Campaign was being attacked by the Torres PAC although he wasn’t running. I’m equally as unhappy now as theCharbonnet Campaign attacks Latoya Cantrell. This will be a...
As Thomas said, “Disgusting attacks on LaToya Cantrell by a desperate opponent. This is run of the mill political finance, not grand embezzlement as Charbonnet supporters would paint it.”
If I'm elected as New Orleans' next Mayor, our city will have a partner at the federal level with Rep. @CedricRichmond. #NOLAMayor
It's time to cut through all of the talk in the mayor's race, and focus on who can get things
done for our city.
I feel strongly that leader is Desiree CharbonneL .US. Congressman Cedric Richmond
If I'm elected as New Orleans' next Mayor, our city will have a partner at the federal level with Rep. @CedricRichmond. #NOLAMayor pic.twitter.com/slr7BkPdDg
— Desirée Charbonnet (@Desicharbonnet) October 31, 2017
Dan Fagan: If New Orleans mayor front-runner Latoya Cantrell can't manage her personal finances ... https://t.co/6XHA3kw9yv pic.twitter.com/cmZNSSXc9O
— New Orleans Advocate (@theadvocateno) November 1, 2017
AND THIS BY EMAIL
Julie S. Harris
NEW ORLEANS MAYOR - I am supporting LaToya Cantrell. As I explained in the primary, I have respect for the work of both candidates but think LaToya is whom we should support for Mayor.
The Louisiana Weekly (along with Gambit and other papers who endorsed her) expressed much of my rationale -- Here are the LA Weekly's words:
Only one candidate matches current political experience with a deep connection to the neighborhoods and communities of our city.
LaToya Cantrell made her name saving Broadmoor from destruction post-Katrina. She garnered private monies to rebuild its library and community center, and innovated a new form of neighborhood specific, community millage that can only be used for programs or improvements to that specific neighborhood.
Cantrell proved residents are willing to support their community if the financial focus is hyper-local, and local homeowners are involved in the solutions.
She carried that neighborhood-based resolve onto her tenure on the City Council, where Cantrell achieved advances both in economic development and community preservation. Her campaign to ban indoor smoking made national news, with major publications wondering if Cantrell’s next stop was the Mayor’s office.
LaToya Cantrell needs no on the job training. She is an outsider-reformer with an insider’s expertise. She can beginning working on behalf of the beleaguered people of New Orleans on Day One, with no delay–an essential requirement thanks to the budgetary and public safety challenges the next Mayor must confront.
