Greater Baton Rouge Business Report: Legislative scramble

There's nothing like a deadline to make people work harder, longer and faster, though not necessarily smarter. That's true with the Legislature, which began March 29 and lumbered lazily along for weeks.

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But after the Memorial Day holiday, legislators work hard against the June 21 deadline. When 6 p.m. that Monday comes along, the legislative session is over. Nothing can be done at 6:01.

That's one reason more bills will be enacted in the last three weeks than in the previous nine. Another reason is simple: the House spends most of its time for weeks considering House members' bills; the Senate does the same. So when each finally turns its attention to bills from the opposite chamber, many are rushed through. One old Capitol wag's axiom is "the snakes crawl through the Capitol during the last week."

The hot-button issues--and money--are always last. This year, they include the gay marriage ban, the limitation of homestead exemption to joint owners related by marriage, blood or adoption, the ban on "hog dog" events and pay raises for public officials (including legislators).

Battleground state

Despite polls showing President Bush ahead of John Kerry in the presidential race, the Democrats still believe Louisiana is up for grabs.

The Kerry campaign has ordered another $1 million in television ads to run in Louisiana during June. The ads tout Kerry's plan to create jobs, lower health care costs, foster independence from Middle East oil, strengthen military spending and reach out to the world community.

Democrats believe Louisiana is one of 20 or so swing states. The Kerry campaign concedes that Louisiana polls show an early Bush lead--up to 14 points in the March poll by Southern Media.

State Republican Party Executive Director Jon Bargas said the party has a more recent poll showing Bush up 19 points over Kerry here. The Multi-Quest was taken May 21-25 and had a margin of error of 6 points.

"After multiple visits by Senator Kerry and a $1 million ad campaign, he went from 14 points down to 19 points down," Bargas said. "The more Louisianans see of Kerry, the less they like him."

Republican odd couple

If ever there were a political odd couple, it's former Gov. Mike Foster and U.S. Senate candidate David Vitter. Sure, both are Republicans, but Vitter is a principled one, while Foster is only an expedient Republican.

They clashed over gambling: Vitter seemed genuinely opposed to gambling, while Foster called himself antigambling as he proceeded to be progambling in his policy. As a state senator, Foster consistently voted for gambling. As a candidate for governor, he said he was anti-gambling. When he took office, Foster proposed one vote up or down on all forms of gambling, knowing, of course, that the lottery and video poker were so popular that they would likely carry the proposition.

Vitter remained anti-gambling as Foster worked to keep Harrah's afloat. Foster said it wasn't a gambling matter, but a contractual obligation. Vitter was one of the most outspoken opponents to Foster's efforts to find a spot for the Jena Band of Choctaw.

Foster was so bitter that he took it out by passing what became known as the Anti-Vitter Law--prohibiting using money raised for federal campaigns on runs for statewide office. At the time, Vitter was considered to be a leading Republican candidate for governor in the 2003 elections.

But all that bad blood went out the window when Foster endorsed Vitter for U.S. senator. No one was happier than Democrats.

That's because Foster has lost 22 elections in which he endorsed a candidate, most recently Bobby Jindal in the governor's race. Perhaps, given their political histories, Foster really wants Vitter to lose. Then the only question would be Vitter's willingness to dance with the kiss of death.

JOHN HILL is a Capitol reporter for Gannett newspapers. He can be reached at hillsails@aol.com.