Newsweek: A Family Affair (Meet the Landrieus)

[RamboLiberal]

<snip>

There are no other Louisianans, though, with the Landrieus' particular role in the history of New Orleans—or in rebuilding it now. Moon Landrieu pushed through the ordinance that outlawed segregated public accommodations there in 1969. Desegregation defined his eight years as mayor in the ' 70s, and he jokes about having become far more popular since his retirement. But his legacy as a parent is part of the reason.

When his eldest, Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu, all but tore her hair out on TV in response to the bad-mouthing of local and state officials, she was defending, among others, her own brother Mitch, Louisiana's lieutenant governor. When she returns again and again to the topic of the coverage of the Superdome, it seems an odd allocation of anger amid all the destruction—until one remembers that that structure was her father's baby, too. And when politicians from other parts of the country question the wisdom of "bailing out" the Gulf Coast, no one in the family can help remembering that, as Mitch Landrieu puts it, "There was a guy named Moon Landrieu who led the charge on bailing out New York City when he was president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors" in the 1970s.

There seems to be no aspect of the relief or rebuilding efforts in which the Landrieu family is not involved. Mitch spent the early days after Katrina in a Fisheries and Wildlife boat, pulling people from the Lower Ninth Ward off their rooftops. In an interview in his office, he says he feels personally responsible for bringing back the tourism industry and ensuring that reconstruction respects the city's history and culture: "We had something—have something—that's unique to the world.'' Another sister, Madeleine Landrieu-Sensenbrenner, who is a judge, has been trying to keep the justice system on life support, and their brother Maurice, an assistant U.S. attorney, has been sleeping on the floor of a makeshift jail, where he is available to advise cops making drug busts.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9558118/site/newsweek/


Hurricane Katrina touched close to home for the Landrieu family. Moon Landrieu is at far right.

[JNelson6563]

1. Nice family legacy

A sharp contrast to the Bush family legacy.

Julie

[juajen]

2. Thanks for posting that

I have been angry at Mary for not supporting progressive issues, especially for not standing up for John Conyers and Barbara Boxer during the Ohio debacle; but, as a Louisianian, I do love the Landrieu family. They are dedicated and smart. I expect Mitch to be Governor after Kathleen.