Boggs Named Carnival Conquest Godmother

Corrine "Lindy" Clairborne Boggs, former U.S. representative from Louisiana, is to serve as godmother of Carnival Cruise Lines' newest ship, Carnival Conquest, at the official naming ceremony slated for November 19, 2002, in New Orleans. The Carnival Conquest will be the line's first vessel inaugurated at the Port of New Orleans, where the ship will be based year-round. Boggs will name the ship by breaking the traditional bottle of champagne against the hull in a special ceremony at the port. The 110,000 gross-registered-ton, 2,974-passenger Carnival Conquest will be the largest "Fun Ship" in Carnival's 18-vessel fleet. "Lindy Boggs is an individual who has served her state and country with distinction and made countless contributions as a lawmaker, a diplomat, a champion of women's rights and an educator, among her many roles and achievements," said Carnival President Bob Dickinson. "She is one of New Orleans' most revered citizens and it is our privilege to have her serve as godmother of the Carnival Conquest." Most recently, Boggs served as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican) from 1997 to 2001. She was the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana, and served 17 years - the Longest tenure in Congress of any woman from the South. In 1976, she became the first woman to chair a national political convention, presiding over the nomination of President Jimmy Carter. At age 24, the Louisiana native moved to Washington, D.C., with her newly elected husband, Rep. Hale Boggs. She quickly emerged as an influential force in American politics, running her husband's congressional campaigns, managing his Capitol Hill office and chairing numerous organizations such as John F. Kennedy's and Lyndon Johnson's inaugural ball committees. Following her husband's death in 1972, Lindy Boggs succeeded him, serving in Congress from 1973 to 1990. She spearheaded legislation on issues ranging from civil rights to credit access and government service pay equity for women. At the same time, she raised three children who rose to prominence in their own right, including her youngest child, national Public Radio and ABC-TV commentator Cokie Roberts. Boggs has the distinction of being the first woman to serve as a regent of the Smithsonian Institution, to receive Tulane University's Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Award, and the Congressional Award of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, among many other honors and numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities throughout the United States.