Johnson: Accentuate the positive, like Haley Barbour

http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20100523/OPINION/5230308

May 23, 2010

Syndicated columnist

Haley Barbour has figured out how to be president of these United States. He learned at the feet of a master.

Oil spill? What oil spill? Who ya gonna believe, me or your greasy feet?

Accentuate the positive, pray away the negative, blame the messenger for the doom-and-gloom messages, ignore the poor who don't have a lobby anyhow, do a little sidestep, call on your rich allies, cozy up to those with means, hire a public-relations firm that specializes in aw-shucks candidates and go for it, Haley.

At least Mississippi will have a little relief.

Whether he's dismissing the national shame of slavery, shoveling Katrina relief funds to insurance companies instead of victims, posturing for a national audience that cares not how little he's done for most Mississippians, Haley keeps a broad smile on his face.

He seems like a favorite uncle, the one who made silver dollars come out of his ears.

Only Haley's silver dollars don't go to the children.

They go elsewhere, to corporations and foreign countries, at least if you judge by per-capita income of my state's citizens -- still the nation's lowest.