EP. 15| EDWIN EDWARDS: CROOKED, CHARMING, AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY LOUISIANA
EDWIN EDWARDS WASN’T JUST A GOVERNOR — HE WAS A WHOLE LOUISIANA PERFORMANCE.
IN THIS EPISODE OF BAYOU AND BULLSHYT, WE’RE GETTING INTO EDWIN WASHINGTON EDWARDS: FOUR-TIME GOVERNOR, CAJUN POLITICAL GENIUS, CONVICTED FELON, SMOOTH-TALKING LAWYER, AND ONE OF THE MOST CHARMING, CROOKED, UNAPOLOGETICALLY LOUISIANA FIGURES TO EVER WALK INTO A PRESS CONFERENCE SMILING.
EDWIN EDWARDS ROSE FROM AVOYELLES PARISH TO THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION AND BUILT A POLITICAL CAREER THAT LOUISIANA STILL ARGUES ABOUT. HE WAS SMART, FUNNY, EFFECTIVE, SHAMELESS, AND SOMEHOW ABLE TO MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH RIGHT WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ASKING HARDER QUESTIONS.
IN THIS EPISODE, WE GET INTO HIS CAJUN ROOTS, HIS LAW CAREER IN CROWLEY, HIS MARRIAGES, HIS CHILDREN, HIS PERSONAL LIFE, HIS FIRST GOVERNOR WIN, THE 1974 LOUISIANA CONSTITUTION, THE JUNGLE PRIMARY, HIS COMEBACKS, THE 1991 RACE AGAINST DAVID DUKE, THE INFAMOUS “VOTE FOR THE CROOK” ERA, THE RIVERBOAT CASINO CORRUPTION CASE, FEDERAL PRISON, TRINA EDWARDS, REALITY TV, HIS LATE-LIFE BABY, AND HIS FINAL ATTEMPT TO GET BACK INTO POLITICS.
BECAUSE EDWIN EDWARDS WAS NOT JUST GOOD OR BAD.
HE WAS BOTH.
AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES HIM SO DAMN LOUISIANA.
AND YES — WE’RE TELLING IT THE BAYOU AND BULLSHYT WAY: RAW, REAL, DRAMATIC, FUNNY, AND RESEARCHED.
BECAUSE AROUND HERE, WE DON’T JUST DO GOSSIP.
WE DO HISTORY WITH RECEIPTS.
FOLLOW ME FOR MORE LOUISIANA STORIES, HISTORY, CULTURE, CRIME, FOLKLORE, AND A LITTLE RATCHET WITH THE RESEARCH:
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ALL SOURCES USED FOR THIS EPISODE ARE LISTED BELOW SO YOU CAN READ BEHIND ME, FACT-CHECK ME, OR GO BE NOSY WITH PURPOSE.
- 64 PARISHES — “EDWIN EDWARDS”
USED FOR EDWIN EDWARDS’ LOUISIANA POLITICAL CAREER, FOUR GOVERNOR TERMS, CAJUN IDENTITY, CORRUPTION LEGACY, AND PLACE IN LATE TWENTIETH-CENTURY LOUISIANA HISTORY. - NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION — “GOV. EDWIN WASHINGTON EDWARDS”
USED TO CONFIRM EDWARDS’ BIRTHPLACE, MILITARY SERVICE, LSU LAW DEGREE, LAW PRACTICE IN CROWLEY, EARLY PUBLIC OFFICE, AND GOVERNORSHIP BACKGROUND. - LOUISIANA SECRETARY OF STATE — “EDWIN W. EDWARDS”
USED TO VERIFY EDWARDS’ BIRTH DATE, EDUCATION, RELIGION, PARTY AFFILIATION, CAREER BEFORE OFFICE, AND GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION YEARS. - 64 PARISHES — “WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE”
USED FOR CONTEXT ON LOUISIANA’S NONPARTISAN BLANKET PRIMARY, ALSO KNOWN AS THE JUNGLE PRIMARY, AND EDWIN EDWARDS’ ROLE IN SHAPING THAT SYSTEM. - UNITED STATES V. STEPHEN EDWARDS / FEDERAL APPELLATE COURT RECORDS
USED FOR THE 2000 FEDERAL CONVICTION DETAILS, INCLUDING RICO, EXTORTION, FRAUD, CONSPIRACY, AND MONEY-LAUNDERING-RELATED CHARGES CONNECTED TO RIVERBOAT CASINO LICENSING. - REUTERS — “FORMER LOUISIANA GOVERNOR EDWIN EDWARDS IS DEAD AT 93”
USED FOR EDWARDS’ DEATH, LATER-LIFE CONTEXT, FAMILY DETAILS, AND PUBLIC LEGACY. - REUTERS — “EIGHT QUOTES BY AND ABOUT FORMER LOUISIANA GOV. EDWIN EDWARDS”
USED FOR CONTEXT ON EDWARDS’ PUBLIC IMAGE AS A QUICK-WITTED, CORRUPTION-TAINTED POLITICAL FIGURE. - JURIST — “FORMER LOUISIANA GOVERNOR RELEASED FROM PRISON”
USED FOR CONTEXT ON EDWARDS’ 2002 PRISON SENTENCE, FEDERAL RELEASE, AND HOME DETENTION. - BALLOTPEDIA — “EDWIN EDWARDS”
USED FOR CONTEXT ON EDWARDS’ 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RUN AND LATER POLITICAL ACTIVITY. - A&E / THE GOVERNOR’S WIFE MATERIALS AND REPORTING ON EDWIN AND TRINA EDWARDS
USED FOR CONTEXT ON EDWARDS’ POST-PRISON PUBLIC LIFE, THIRD MARRIAGE, REALITY TV APPEARANCE, AND LATE-LIFE FAMILY STORY. - LOCAL LOUISIANA REPORTING ON ELI WALLACE EDWARDS’ BIRTHUSED FOR CONTEXT ON EDWIN AND TRINA EDWARDS’ SON AND EDWIN’S LATE-LIFE FATHERHOOD.
BAYOU AND BULLSHYT IS A STORYTELLING PODCAST, BUT THE RESEARCH IS REAL. SOURCES ARE INCLUDED SO LISTENERS CAN READ MORE, VERIFY DETAILS, AND FOLLOW THE RECEIPTS FOR THEMSELVES.