It's hard to turn anywhere without seeing another story on Congressman Joseph Cao, the unlikely successor to Bill Jefferson in Louisiana's 2nd District. Cao, a Republican who won election in a district that went 75 percent for Barack Obama, was the lone GOP vote in favor of the health care reform bill that recently passed the House. At a time when bipartisanship increasingly seems a thing of the past, Cao is all the rage. Cao's interview schedule, just for today, according to the Times Picayune, includes: The Associated Press, USA Today, Greta Van Susteren, Rachel Maddow, CBS, Tavis Smiley, and possibly National Public Radio.
While Cao now finds himself being attacked by both sides — Republican party leaders have expressed their disappointment, and Cao's already announced opponent in his 2010 re-election bid, Cedric Richmond, criticized him for inconsistent support — the congressman has won accolades from a leading health care reform advocacy group, Americans United for Change, which will spend $35,000 running the following ad in the New Orleans market throughout the week.