Mike Johnson has just been sworn in as Louisiana’s new congressman from District Four; John Kennedy as Louisiana’s new senator.
As republicans– by default– they’ll become part of President-elect Donald Trump’s efforts to ‘Drain the Swamp’ in Washington.
That catch phrase swept Trump’s presidential campaign by storm; but it turns out– Drain the Swamp is not a new phrase.
“It is time to drain the swamp in Washington.” said Donald Trump many times throughout his campaign.
It was a phrase used over and over in the 2016 presidential campaign.
“We are going to drain the swamp.” Trump said.
The phrase was so popular– it could not be contained to Trump.
“Drain the swamp… drain the swamp… drain the swamp.” shouted crowds at his rallies, repeatedly.
But, how about this; ‘Drain the Swamp’ was used in the Bayou state during Col. Rob Maness’ 2014 senatorial campaign.
“Sarah Palin actually used the phrase ‘drain the swamp’ in a radio ad she did for me.” Maness explained.
“The swamps of Washington need to be drained,” declared Palin in that ad, “and Rob Maness is just the guy to do it.”
“When President-elect Trump took it up and started using it in his presidential campaign,” said Maness, “it really hit home.”
The meaning of ‘drain the swamp’– was the subject of a Maness interview on “Bayoubuzz.”
“When I said ‘drain the swamp’, when I developed that hash tag in 2014 and 2015 with GatorPac,” explained Maness in that interview, “we were talking about draining the swamp inside of D.C., and getting the career politicians and lobbyists out of the group.”
Now– in part to help Donald Trump fulfill campaign promises– Maness’ GatorPac has created a ‘Drain the Swamp’ survey.
“We’ll use that information,” said Maness, “and go back to them and devise various ways to try to hold folks accountable.”
After all– whether in Washington or Louisiana– navigating the political swamp can be tough.
“I’m Rob Maness,” he declared in a past political commercial during a failed senate bid, “and here in Louisiana you learn to be tough. One moment of weakness and the alligators can eat you alive.”
That was illustrated by an alligator snapping its jaws shut.
“The alligators are the career politicians.” Maness said.
“Louisiana needs a senator that will stand up to the career politicians,” Maness declared in his commercial, “and the alligators.”
That was emphasized with shots of Maness wrestling a real, live alligator.
“You can’t really identify them well,” said Maness, “unless the water is out of the swamp. So, we do have to drain the swamp.”
“Funny how that term caught on, isn’t it?” said Trump.
Or maybe not so funny if you’re from Louisiana; or you are one of those career politicians Trump was targeting his speeches.