Auction tells plenty about Blanco's support posted Tuesday, December 12th, 2006 @ 6:18 am  E-mail Story |  Print Story  Either the business community and its lackeys have lost faith in Gov. Kathleen Blanco or they've forgotten their manners. Or they're not thinking in the long-term. That's about all we can infer from events that transpired last week at the Monroe Chamber of Commerce's annual holiday party, which was held at Bayou DeSiard Country Club. That dinner for two with Blanco and her husband at the Governor's Mansion secured a $1 bid during the auction/fundraising hour of the chamber's party told us the governor's support among business-minded folks in Northeast Louisiana has eroded greatly.  The $1 bid offered by a noted bank president was a slap in the face to the governor, who has shown interest in helping Northeast Louisiana in the face of horrendous economic news as of late. That the bank president gave the dinner with the governor and her husband to the University of Louisiana-Monroe for officials there to use as they see fit added salt to the wound.  It was akin to pouring Clorox on an open cut. It should be noted that at past auctions at the Monroe chamber's annual holiday parties dinner for two with the governor generated bids in the neighborhood of $5,000.  Mike Foster was governor back then.  Mike Neal was president of the Monroe chamber. Certainly we aren't the only ones who see the irony in that coincidence. While there are individuals who might find it humorous that Blanco was snubbed by the people who turned out for the Monroe chamber's annual get together, the governor should be reminded to consider the organization and the crowd that snubbed her in the first place. If the Monroe chamber and many of its members were held in high regard in Louisiana--in this community for that matter--Blanco would have a reason to be worried about her political viability in Northeast Louisiana. To that end, she doesn't. No, we're concerned that Blanco will be the one who has the last laugh. She's the governor, and she certainly can instruct her minions in her administration to pay lip service to any requests for favors in this region of the state.