Potential Vitter challenger stops in Shreveport

Stormy Daniels mulling run against U.S. Sen. David Vitter

By John Andrew Prime
Shreveport Times

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels, a political independent mulling a run against incumbent Republican David Vitter to be Louisiana’s junior U.S. senator, stopped in Shreveport briefly Friday to listen to voters’ concerns and put away a little fried catfish, okra, hush puppies and pie.

Daniels stopped at Southfield Grill, where some people showed up to pose for photos or get her autograph. But for most she was another face, albeit a pretty one framed by blond hair, in the crowd.

Sisters Cynthia and Susan Keith said they didn’t notice Daniels as much as two people she was with, her campaign manager and a photographer who sported a lot of tattoos.

“I said, ‘I wonder if that’s her,’” Cynthia Keith said. “She kept looking at her phone and looking around. I figured she’d walk table to table.”

One fan who ate breakfast early then waited for Daniels was Anthony Tamaccio, drummer with the local band Expletive. “She was very personable. She seemed genuine.”

The registered Republican said he asked for an autograph and later gave her a copy of his band’s T-shirt and a CD. “Other fans of hers were coming around as well. She’s a striking blonde, but there are a lot of those in this town. … I’m not going to get all political about it.”

Daniels said a couple of people actually approached her to talk about the election.

“A nice lady walked in the door, came straight to me and asked me one question: why am I doing this,” Daniels said before heading to Delhi for the day’s next event, a stop at an Independence Day event. “Then she congratulated me and told me to stick it to David Vitter.”

Aside from her work as a porn star, much of the buzz about Daniels has been the contrast it affords in comparison to Vitter, a conservative Republican and proponent of family values who was ensnared in controversy two years ago when his name appeared on the clientele list of Washington, D.C., area madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey.

Palfrey, facing jail time, reportedly hanged herself after being convicted of federal racketeering and money laundering charges. Vitter apologized for his name appearing on her escort service client list but was not called as a witness in her trial and has not commented on the issue since.

Shortly after Palfrey’s death, the Senate ethics committee rejected a complaint against Vitter by a government watchdog group that questioned whether he violated Senate rules. The panel said it dismissed the complaint because Vitter’s patronage of Palfrey’s escort service occurred before his initial candidacy and election and did not result in criminal charges or involve the use of public office.

“I might not be the epitome of family values,” Daniels said. “But I can tell you one thing, I wouldn’t humiliate my wife and children like the current senator has. If that’s not against family values, I don’t know what is.”

The 30-year-old said she’s about 50-50 on whether to actually embark on a campaign for the Senate seat. In May, Daniels announced formation of an exploratory committee for a possible run. And she kicked off her “listening tour,” her second such foray, Thursday at a police and hunting supply store in Lafayette.

Daniels is a Florida resident born in Baton Rouge. Under state and federal law, she must only be an inhabitant of the state at the time of her election.

As for her work, Daniels said she’s not ashamed of it and is open about her sexuality. “I have no intention of leaving the industry that has been great for me.”

Daniels, who was Penthouse Pet of the Month in February 2007, has appeared in more than 100 films with titles including “One Wild & Crazy Night,” “The Price of Lust,” “Double D Babes 3″ and “Camp Cuddly Pines Powertool Massacre.”

“To disown porn would be very hypocritical of me,” said Daniels, who also appeared as the lap dancer in the 2007 mainstream film “Knocked Up.”

Daniels said she will work on a mainstream feature film in Shreveport and Monroe this fall and plans to expand her work in adult films as a director and writer.

The political neophyte was the editor of the her school newspaper and president of the 4-H Club in high school.

In addition to being pro gun, the self-described independent favors the FAIR Tax championed by conservatives but also supports health care reform, sex education and energy taxes.

“People are always asking me if I am pro life or pro choice,” Daniels said. “I say I am pro condom because if you are pro condom, it kind of alleviates the rest of that issue.

Southfield Grill owner Frank Koerner was a little torqued by the media crush on Daniels and made media representatives stay off his property.

“I didn’t want it to be a media circus,” he said, noting that TV vans and an entourage can clog parking and hurt access from congested Southfield Road and Youree Drive.

He said a visit to his eatery by Gov. Bobby Jindal caused similar gridlock and he didn’t want a repeat. “It’s not fair to our customers to have that disruption in our restaurant.”

Daniels, eatery partner John Escude noted, blended in. “They came in, sat down and ate like everyone else. She didn’t go around making any speeches, and left.”

Daniels said she enjoyed the food at Southfield Grill but, like any good Louisiana girl, she likes Cajun food best. She said she put a lot away Thursday in Lafayette. “Every time I come to Louisiana, I leave 5 pounds heavier.”

Daniels said she’s been pleased by her tour so far, even in Shreveport, which she hasn’t visited for years. “The reception was extremely good. I expected at least one heckler, but there were none,” she said.

“What I want people to bring away from it is just because you’re a woman and a blonde and you’re considered to be a sex symbol, you’re not an idiot just because you enjoy sex. I am a person, I do have ideas and thoughts and there’s more to me than people probably would think.”

Daniels doesn’t consider herself a feminist and doesn’t think running for office, or winning it, will tarnish her reputation. “I intend to fight very hard to stay the person I am. If I have made it this long in the tough world of show business without losing my integrity, I might be OK.

“I think I can give (Vitter) a pretty good run for his money,” Daniels said. “Whether or not I can win, I don’t know about that. We’ll see.”