European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 26, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Louisiana politics like nowhere else on Earth Huey p. Long symbolizes politics in Louisiana. David Duke from Kkt to a civil rights for ally by Alan Sayre the associated press David Duke says his message is simple he Speaks what the voters think followers of the Lormer Kun flux klan Leader Hope hell Lix what s wrong with Louisiana while opponents say a Man who once dabbled in nazism and questioned whether the holocaust happened should be shunned. Duke Calls those affiliations a a Youthful indiscretions Quot and says he now favors Quot civil rights Lor  Duke was elected to the Louisiana House As a Republican in 1989 by a narrow margin. He advocated ending minority set aside programs making welfare recipients work for their checks and giving harsh penalties to violent criminals. He rattled the political establishment last year with a Strong run against u s sen. J. Bennett Johnston a three term Democrat. On saturday Duke jumped into a nov. 16 Runoff for by Richard e. Meyer the los Angeles times the Louisiana state Capitol is extraordinary it has a governor buried in the front Yard. At the grave stands his statue. He is a contradiction. He stands Rock still but he seems to be in motion one foot Forward his arms thrown Back one hand open. He is cold As Stone but he has a slight smile. It is a knowing smile. Odd things Are going on in Louisiana. He would understand. Few politicians achieve such distinction that they Are called by just one name or a nickname or their initials. Most have been presidents Ike for instance or for. But to this Day two score and 16 years after he was fatally shot As he walked Down a Capitol hallway everyone in Louisiana Calls this governor by his first name. It is a Plain name almost comical. Huey but Huey Pierce Long stands As tall in memory As he does atop his Pedestal. One comes naturally to this Man to seek explanations for the oddities of this place. He embodied its unvarnished paradoxes. He was the Kingfish feared because he was a populist and a governor against former gov. Edwin w. Edwards a leaving behind gov. Buddy Roemer Duke 41, began dabbling in extremist politics As a teen Ager. In College at Louisiana state University he became known As the nazi of leu. In 1970, he protested a speech by attorney William Kunstler with a sign Reading Quot Gas the Chicago 7.�?� a reference to some of Kunstler s famous clients. Duke at one time taught English for the state. Department in Laos but was fired after six weeks for drawing a Molotov cocktail on a bulletin Board said Charles Green who headed the language school. Out of College Duke soon became head of the invisible Empire knights of the Kun flux klan. Under his leadership it became one of the largest and most visible of the a Kkt a Many splinter groups. In 1976, Duke and a companion in blackface disrupted the unveiling of a bust of p b s. Pinchback a Black Man who served briefly As a reconstruction governor in Louisiana. In 1981, he protested the coca cola co s decision to pump $30 million of its business into Black owned enterprises. In 1980, Duke left the klan after he was accused of trying to sell membership lists he later founded the National association for the advancement of White people. A newsletter from that group once suggested dividing the United states into different countries for citizens of certain ethnic backgrounds. Among videotapes advertised was one entitled truth about the holocaust featuring Duke discussing the question Quot did 6 million really die Quot Duke ran for president As a Democrat in 1988 and did t make a Ripple. He then moved to the populist party. At a new Jersey convention of the populist party in 1988, Duke said Quot the Middle class in America needs a voice. They re squeezed Between organized zionists on one Side and big Banks on the  until recently gop gubernatorial candidate David Duke celebrated Hitler s birthday. Demagogue a rabble rouser with a dictator s instincts a one Gallus Mussolini but loved a truth is revered a because he took on Standard Oil and made it pay and pledged to Quot share our wealth Quot and to make Quot every Man a King Quot and because he delivered on his promises Charity hospitals and free schoolbooks and free hot lunches and paved roads and new Bridges. It made no difference and it matters nothing now that his honesty was always suspect that his enemies indicted him and tried to impeach him that his brother Uncle Earl who also became governor played the horses and ranted and raved and was locked up in a mental Hospital and got himself out by firing the administrator and then took up with a stripper. Here today in the Runoff for governor in what . Liebling once proclaimed Quot the Gret Stet of Loosian Quot Are two men who would never have the ghost of a Chance of making the race much less winning in say Maine a or maybe even California. One is Edwin Washington Edwards. At 64, he is a former governor trying to make a comeback. The states Only cajun chief executive during modern times Edwards has served for three terms a dozen years in All longer than anyone else in state history. He has been the subject of a dizzying array of accusations he has been investigated 16 times by his own count. In 1985, he was indicted. Twice he was put on trial on charges of fraud and racketeering the jury deadlocked. Then he was acquitted. He is a renowned Gambler and an unrepentant Rake. The other is David Ernest Duke. At 41, he is a former grand wizard of the knights of the Kun flux klan and a member of the Louisiana House of representatives he won 44 percent of the Overall vote a and 60 percent of the White vote a when he tried to unseat democratic sen j Bennett Johnston in the last election. Research by a coalition against racism shows these things about Duke which he variously minimizes or concedes. On one occasion he wore a nazi uniform with a Swastika armband and picketed William Kunstler. Calling him Quot a communist  on another he sold racist books at his legislative office. Until recently he celebrated Hitler s birthday every year. Posing As a Black he wrote a Book to trick Black militants. Posing As a woman he helped write a Book for women on dating and sex. Altogether this is a Campaign the likes of which Are not to be found anywhere else on Earth. Fast Eddie former governor seeks 4th term by Mary Foster the associated press Edwin w. Edwards lived it up while he ran Louisiana. He gambled in Las vegas and fought off the feds but the Man dubbed Quot fast Eddie Quot said he was never the womanizing rogue and scoundrel he was made out to be. I have been less Strait laced than some people feel a person should be but i be always abide by the rules Quot he said. Edwards 64, the son of a sharecropper is known for Quick wit Sharp barbs and political savvy. He Heads into a nov. 16 Runoff after fast week s gubernatorial election with three terms As governor and six years in Congress behind him. Edwards was at the height of his popularity when his second term ended in 1979 he could t legally run for a third consecutive term Edwards ran again in 1983 and declared the Only Way he could lose was to be caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy he won with nearly 63 percent of the vote despite Edwin Edwards the former democratic governor has been investigated 16 times. Unfavourable publicity a he had acknowledged that he and his former wife Elaine received $20,000 from a South korean whose dealings with congressmen and others led to an investigation dubbed  a he had shrugged off a Book written by a Lormer aide who accused Edwards of Selling state jobs and conquering legions of women. A he was investigated by the internal Revenue service after publicity about his gambling. A he was investigated during the Fri Quot Briab Quot sting in which undercover agents posed As insurance agents interested in doing business with the state the investigation led to the bribery conviction of a top aide. Charles Roemer ii. The lather of current gov buddy Roemer. The conviction was later overturned. Edwards third term went sour marred by a sagging Oil based Economy and two racketeering trials one ending with a Hung jury and the second with acquittal. He came in second to buddy Roemer in the 1987 race and dropped of of a Runoff. Edwards critics say returning him to office would damage the state s reputation Quot people look at some of the More flamboyant things about me and ignore my accomplishments in this  he said Edwards lists As accomplishments modernizing and reforming the state Constitution and streamlining state government reducing taxes pushing through dozens of major Public works projects and pressing for education crids Page 14 the stars and stripes  26, 1991 sen. Joseph Biden d-dei., fared Well with his constituents in the Clarence Thomas hearings. Diden a show earns grass roots Praise by Drummond Ayres or. The new York times when sen. Joseph r Biden or dropped by the ranch House in Wilmington del., last week for a cup of Coffee the waitress scurried to meet him with a big hug. Quot you were great Quot crooned the waitress Ruth Martin a a you re my  almost everywhere the Delaware Democrat went on his Home turf he found a warm greeting and a Good word for his efforts As chairman of the judiciary committee in ifs inquiry into the supreme court nomination of Ciarence Thomas. There were plenty of harsh words for other committee members for the confirmation process in general and for Thomas and his accuser Law professor Anita f. Hill. But for Biden there was almost Universal Praise with Quot Lair Quot and Quot evenhanded Quot the words heard most often some members of Congress and some students of the congressional process have criticized him for calling the second round of Thomas hearings or Lor not scheduling it sooner or have accused him of running things too strictly or too loosely. But there is Little of that criticism at the grass roots Quot great Job Quot a Melr Oliner passenger called out in Union station in Washington As the senator who commutes daily Between Wilmington and Washington hastened through. Biden turned to wave and a tourist snapped his picture the hash focusing even More attention on a face now familiar to millions of americans a woman struggling with two bags veered toward him Quot you did Fine Quot she panted. Quot but you Ell Specter and Hatch they re in rouble with the women of  Rene Greenbaum a new yorker waiting at the Wilmington Tram station to catch a metro liner Homo told the senator that he was one of the few Good to times about the Thomas hearings you re were a natural in a really Tough Job she said you just came across As so human so real i did t miss a minute of it Quot the Senaldi gave her a Little hug and moved to shake another hand to makes a Nice Little.kihit/,&Quot Greenbaum said in conversations wills Biden about the Thomas hearings Tew people mention his eventual vote which was against Thomas rather tin talk is mainly about the Lone of the a Cannes and Tio was telling the truth Quot you tried to help everybody Quot said Phyllis Greenberg of Wilmington As Biden worked the Booths and tables of the ranch House restaurant Quot i be got a plane Lor you in my  another ranch House Patron Don Macdonald a retired chemical worker said he was Quot tired ust tired Quot of watching Congress at work because so Little Progress was made and because Many congressional procedures like hearings on judicial nominations had become acrimonious Lalk fests but even though he Voles Republican Macdonald had no harsh words Lor Biden saying instead that lire Job of the judiciary committe chairman was Quot untenable Given the group that s there to work with Quot Trevan Borum a Law student from Wilmington told Biden that he had done a Quot fantastic Quot Job with the inquiry. Quot your questioning filled in the empty Blanks Quot tie said. 1 you helped people figure out whal was credible and what was t you were just totally Niiro Priale Quot since narrowly winning election to the sen in in 1972. Biden has never been in any real political difficulty in Delaware easily winning three re Elet turn Vic tone lard year tie captured 63 percent of the i Ite despite the baggage of an Emba Rassim j 19mm run Lor j resident that he ended prematurely when in was not am of no plagiarizing some passages in tin Spee Efu Quot. During arid since the Thomas hearings i in ten also has fared Well with the Delaware press Quot he did the Best Fie could with a chaotic  the news journal in Wilmington said in an Edi Lurial still at feast one news journal column ,1 Norman a i of Carnan. Tias warned Biden  tie nerd find a Way to Reform the judicial continuation process Quot or be held responsible Tor the corruption of a National governmental Trust Biden say tie intends to hold hearings on Rel Onri he also wants in meet with president Bush Lodr it use the is be we a ii t humid the last of tin i said the stars and stripes b Page 15