Nothing, not even the post-Katrina election, can overcome ignorance

Last night I listened to an analyst explain how Ray Nagin was able to get enough of the white vote to win the New Orleans mayoral election. The majority of white people ages 30 to 55 voted for Mitch Landrieu. However, a substantial number of white voters over 55 voted for Nagin because when they hear the name "Landrieu," they think "liberal," "like Ted Kennedy.

If these people had ever bothered to pay even the slightest bit of attention to Sen. Mary Landrieu's voting record, they would see one of the most conservative Congresspeople on the Democratic side. If it weren't so pitiful, I'd fall down laughing.

It gets even worse when you factor in the under-30 white voters. They had a tendency to vote for Nagin because "they like his swagger" and "think he's hip."

I am all for people voting for a candidate based on his qualifications and not his skin color. But to vote for him because you are totally ignorant of his opponent's sister's voting record or because you like the way he walks--well, what can I say?