"I learned more about the power of listening while in office, "he says. "At Harvard they teach the power of speaking, which is very important, but the power of listening is underestimated here."

The abortion issue proved to be his political Achilles heel during his governorship. The fight that ensued between him and the legislative body was controversial and widely publicized.

Roemer twice vetoed an abortion bill that was the most restrictive in the country. But the Louisiana legislature eventually passed the measure. This is legislature eventually passed the country. But the Louisiana legislature the first time in this century that a Louisiana legislature overrode an executive veto.

Roemer said that he vetoed the bill because it was "badly written, "and because "it left women no choice."

Governor of Louisiana

His career as governor of Louisiana began on shaky footing. Mustering only a third of the total vote, Roemer defeated incumbent Edwin Edwards in the 1987 gubernatorial elections.

He entered office proclaiming the beginning of the "Roemer revolution," promising to fight the corruption and patronage which epitomized Edwards' governorship.

Along with the title, Roemer inherited a $1.2 million debt, with the prospects of a $70 million deficit. In order to reduce the deficit, he says, he imposed spending cuts and tax hikes.

Despite the odds, Roemer succeeded in balancing the budget by abolishing government slash funds and trimming the eligibility standards for unemployment.

The core of his economic program was to reduce Louisiana's dependence on oil revenues. Its success was partly due to the rise in oil prices during the Gulf War.

In spite of his fiscal success, Roemer's economic policies encountered widespread disapproval .He suffered his greatest defeat when he proposed a tax burden shift that would incorporate 90 percent of homeowners. The proposal was rejected in a public referendum.

Before his proposal, businesses shouldered the tax burden. Roemer says he attempted to shift the tax load from urban centers to rural areas and have large plantation and land owners share in the responsibility.

But Roemer is quick to point out his successes. Under his leadership, Louisiana increased spending on environmental projects and increased teachers' salaries by 20 percent.

The state consistently performed in the bottom 10 percent of these categories.

Reelection