Barbour steers Mississippi toward recovery

Washington Times ^ | 9/21/05

[Uncle Joe Cannon]

Barbour steers Mississippi toward recovery

By Guy Taylor

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

September 21, 2005

GULFPORT, Miss. -- Flood-ravaged New Orleans has dominated press coverage and political debate in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, though neighboring Mississippi took the full brunt of the storm's fury, leaving more than 10,000 residents homeless.

"We're not into whining or moping around or victimhood," said Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who has avoided the blame game that started in Louisiana as soon as Katrina made landfall.

The Republican governor remains optimistic, insisting that somewhere in the hurricane's devastation is "an opportunity to build the Gulf Coast back bigger and better than ever before."

His can-do attitude has drawn praise from, among others, former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan, who compared Mr. Barbour's post-Katrina leadership to that of former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani after the September 11 attacks.

Mr. Barbour, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, says he's not bothered by the comparatively scant national press coverage given to his state's suffering.

"I would rather [have made] the progress that we've made than get a lot of press attention by not making progress, so it doesn't bother me that we're not on the front page of the news," he said in an interview with The Washington Times.

-snip-

But while some observers say his leadership in Katrina's aftermath have made him a possible White House contender for 2008, Mr. Barbour, 57, insists politics is the last thing on his mind.

[Uncle Joe Cannon]

Barbour/Giuliani anyone?

[BigSkyFreeper]

Haley Barbour PING.

[hsalaw]

Barbour sounds like a real stand-up guy. I haven't seen ANYTHING about the conditions in Mississippi.

[msnimje]

...so it doesn't bother me that we're not on the front page of the news,"

He should be. You only get on the front page by being a screw up or being hated by the press. Good deeds and competence have no place in the MSM.

[Bogolyubski]

What a study in contrasts - Haley Barbour and Kathleen Blanco. The competent adult working to help and the blubbering infant.

I've never been a big fan of Barbour's, but his sanity and professional demeanor counts for a great deal when facing a disaster of this magnitude. I'll bet there are lots of folks in Louisiana who wish he was their governor, too.

Here's another study in contrasts: Gen. Honore and Ray Nagin. A no-nonsense soldier and a slightly yuppified pimp.

[chemicalman]

NO doubt the eye of the storm passed right over the Waveland/Bay St. Louis area. I have been travelling back and forth between work to help out my uncle and cousins homes. Everything between the railroad and beach is cleared out as if a bulldozer plowed through the area. Much of the railroad is in mangled pieces. The storm surge went past Hwy 90 and was evident from the debris in the bushes.

One thing I'm really proud of is the fact that through all the devistation that is out there in that area, church groups, Salvation Army, Red Cross, military, Kiwanis, and many other groups are out there helping remove trees, supplying ice, food, clothes, necessities, tarping the roofs, providing medical help, etc. The military drives down the street door-to-door asking if you need food, water or ice, and they are happy to load you up. Those folks are working their butts off for people they don't know. Those folks are real heros.

I don't hear one resident complaining about anything there except that they lost everything and have to start all over.

[KateatRFM]

"We're not into whining or moping around or victimhood,"

Well gee whiz, they must not be "mainstream Americans" according to Harry Reid & Co.! Real Americans sit on their fat bums and chant "We---Want---HELP!"

Hurrah for Haley Barbour and the people of Mississippi.

[JZelle]

Barbour bump

[ducks1944]

We in Mississippi don't want Haley Barbour to run for President we need him here in State to rebuild our coast. He has done a great job. We are so glad that Ronnie Musgrove was not reelected. Thank GOD for Haley Barbour.