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Posted by on Jul 12, 2021 in Blog | 2 comments

R.I.P. Gov. Edwin Edwards

 

 

Remembering Louisiana’s flamboyant four-term governor Edwin Edwards, who died today.

 

The last of the Southern New Deal political giants is gone.

He was a Cajun, who spoke French and played the piano. Openly hedonistic and corrupt. Charmingly honest and funny and twisted as a snake. What a character. What a life.

Reporter at Courthouse Confronting Gov. Edwards During Corruption Trial: “Do you have anything to hide?”
Edwards: “Hell yes, but not anything in connection to this investigation.”

On another occasion, Edwards was asked if he thought he’d win re-election. He famously replied: “The only way I lose this election is if I get caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy.”

When he ran against Republican Klansman David Duke, the Democrat had bumper stickers printed up: “VOTE FOR THE CROOK!”

In one of his last political races, famous for his infidelities (Edwards was married and divorced three times), he called himself “the Silver Zipper.”

Probably the only Governor in history who stood at craps tables in Las Vegas betting black chips and never shied from the cameras. Louisiana loved him.

I miss deeply casino executive and a mentor to me Nick Gullo from New Orleans, who died a few years ago (who served time for being a hitman). He knew Carlos Marcello and Gov. Edwards personally. We used to talk about those days. He just flat out said — “yeah sure, Eddie Edwards was a crook–but he was our crook!”

 

2 Comments

  1. Governer Edwards loved to play poker, there used to be a weekly game some where around Baton Rouge with Lindy Chambers, who had half the slots and pool tables in nthree states, and the great Jr Prejean who played the squeeze box cajun stile. Jr told me with Edwards in the game you had to hold on to your seat…over a 10 year peroid Jr won 15 million. He loved the horses and thats where
    he would lose the money he won in poer. doc earle

  2. Always loved the guy, no matter what they.say . he was once a celebrity bartender at mollys at the market back when jim monaghan was still alive, standing room only. I once saw him somewhere, and he was rockin a beautiful leather mickey mouse jacket, as only he could. He did just about everything with charm and grace. Au revoir.
    Linda keenan

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