A matter of conscience

If you ask me, I'd say Karen Carter Peterson has the religious freedom to choose not to serve under these objectionable circumstances if she wants.

But the speech earned only tepid response from legislators who gathered in the House chamber to hear him, and drew infrequent interaction and applause — save for standing ovations for Jindal’s family and loud laughter that followed a joke about people looking forward to Jindal’s final address.

“I guess it was a nice farewell,” said state Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton. “I would have liked to have heard more specifics on how to get through the budget process.”

At least one Democrat — state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, of New Orleans — showed frustration. Peterson chairs the Louisiana Democratic Party.

“She walked out because we’ve heard that speech from him before,” Louisiana Democrats spokesman Beau Tidwell said in a statement to The Advocate. “No ideas for Louisiana and no clue. Between his Iowa campaign and his budget nightmare, he walked out on the state and on the families of Louisiana a long time ago.”