Hangin’ with Garland

WWL 870-AM is broadcasting from our campus today. The office of University Media Relations asked me to sit in for a while, so I did. I thought we’d be talking about the debate last night and the presidential race in general. I had some incisive remarks at the ready, about how the debates make a mockery of the democratic process, about public financing for campaigns, about electoral reform. I was also prepared to talk about Mid-City or the Lafitte Corridor. But I ended up talking about my job, and the re-opening of the University in January 2006.

I actually didn’t get to talk very much at all. For one thing, the president of the university stopped by and he kind of takes precedence. Also there were callers and students stepping up to the mic and of course lots of commercials and news breaks, so my hour was up before I knew it.

But it was a great deal of fun hanging out with the host of the show, Garland Robinette. We had some interesting conversations during the breaks. Did you know he received death threats after making some positive comments about Obama?

And of course it was an honor to share the dais with Dr. Francis.