R. Reese Fuller

Presidential politics in Louisiana

by R. Reese Fuller

Yesterday, while Sen. Barack Obama was shoring his bid to become the nominee for the Democractic Party in the upcoming general election, Sen. John McCain was in Kenner kicking off his general election campaign and hurling barbs at Obama. The Times-Picayune reports:

He called Obama inexperienced and a proponent of a large federal government. The Arizona senator cast Obama as a tax-and-spend Democrat, saying he "accumulated the most liberal voting record in the Senate." ...

McCain spoke at the halfway mark of his two-day tour of Louisiana, a series of stops, speeches and fundraisers to propel him into the general election. Earlier Tuesday, he attended a $10,000-a-couple fundraiser at the National World War II Museum before attending a "high-dollar" dinner at Republican fundraiser Joe Canizaro's house in Old Metairie, said GOP state chairman Roger Villere. McCain heads to Baton Rouge today.

McCain's campaign expects to raise roughly $2 million from Louisiana donors for the general election, Villere said. The cash should aid the Arizona Republican, who had less than $24 million on hand as of May 20, in contrast to Obama's $46 million war chest, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

You can watch McCain's 22-minute speech here:

McCain is scheduled to appear today in a town hall meeting in Baton Rouge today with Gov. Bobby Jindal. Both are expected to hold a news conference later today.

Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton are also scheduled to appear at the National Conference of Black Mayors on Saturday, which starts today in New Orleans.