Letting the Good Times Roll

Louisiana's Governor parties his campaign debt away in Paris

Last year, on a fine October Sunday morning in New Orleans—the day after Edwin Edwards was elected to his third four-year term as Governor of Louisiana—the conversation over breakfast at Brennan's turned to campaign debts. In all, Edwards had spent roughly what the U.S. had paid for the Louisiana Purchase. About $4.4 million in loans from contributors remained outstanding. Somebody suggested taking everybody to South America in return for forgiveness of the loan. Somebody else suggested France. Two weeks ago everybody went to France....