Washington Mardi Gras Is Full Ghosts of Louisiana’s Political Past

The Times-Picayune’s Stephanie Grace has covered the Washington Mardi Gras all week. She’s reported curious quotes and contradictory statements, and she’s fairly drawn a picture of Louisiana politicos lettin’ les bon temps roulette. Today’s letter from Washington, however, is downright creepy.

The party seems almost like a scene from A Christmas Carol gone bad. The ghosts of Mardi Gras Past, McCrery and Baker, chat over fat slices of King Cake. Jefferson sits quietly, ruminating on gifts gone wrong and surrounded by Ray Nagin’s (!?) staffers. And the players of the Future work the crowd, all smiles and long handshakes. Except John Kennedy, who was there, but not really, just like in his renewed post as Treasurer. Kennedy, the ghost of Mardi Gras Present.