Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu is standing by comments she made to NBC News Thursday about how race and gender have an impact on political candidates in the South -- a sentiment she says "everyone knows" to be true.
Yesterday, when asked why President Barack Obama has a hard time in Louisiana, Landrieu first mentioned energy issues. Then, she added, "I'll be very, very honest with you. The South has not always been the friendliest place for African-Americans. It's been a difficult time for the president to present himself in a very positive light as a leader."
In a statement Friday night, Landrieu repeated that the South "has not always been the friendliest or easiest place for African Americans to advance and it's been a difficult place for women to be recognized as the leaders we are," adding "everyone knows this is the truth."
Here's the full statement.
"The main reason the President has struggled here is because his energy policies are not in line with the people of Louisiana. We are a pro-drilling, pro-oil, gas state. The offshore moratorium was extremely unpopular and, in my opinion, wholly unwarranted. It made a lot of people angry and put many businesses at risk. In addition, the south has not always been the friendliest or easiest place for African Americans to advance, and it's been a difficult place for women to be recognized as the leaders we are. Everyone knows this is the truth, and I will continue to speak the truth even as some would twist my words seeking political advantage.”
