Posted on 09/02/2005 9:36:25 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The cursing had stopped. The tears were gone. Mayor Ray Nagin returned from his meeting with President Bush a picture of calm.
He leaned back against a railing in a hotel lobby that for the first time in nearly five days was devoid of stranded, sweating, and generally miserable tourists.
"I feel much better. I feel like we've gotten everyone's attention and hopefully they'll continue to do what they're doing," Nagin said Friday night in the damaged downtown Hyatt hotel, where his temporary lodgings and command post have been set up since Hurricane Katrina made life in the Big Easy insufferable.
"I'm cautiously optimistic. I want to see it happen (Saturday). I want to see it happen next week. Then, when I see consistency of delivery, I'll feel like there's a light at the end of the tunnel."
His comments came a day after he was heard on a radio interview erupting in tears and telling the government to "get off your asses and let's do something." By nightfall Friday, his tone had changed.
"Today was a turning point, I think," he said. "My philosophy is never get too high, never get too low. ... I always try to keep my emotions in check and yesterday I kind of went off a little bit. I was worried about that, but it maybe worked out.'"'
Nagin said Bush gave him a hearty greeting and did not seem at all offended by Nagin's earlier outburst. Bush spent Friday on a daylong tour of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
"I do think the pleas for help basically got the nation's attention, and the nation's attention got everybody to stop and re-evaluate what was going on, including the president. ... He basically said, 'Look, our response was not what it should have been and we're going to fix it right now.'"
The mayor asked Bush to focus on helping New Orleans with law enforcement, finishing the evacuation and draining the flooded city. He said New Orleans also needs a fleet of crop dusters to spray the city for mosquitos that could spread disease after hatching from the stagnant water that has swamped most of the city since Monday.
He's still a moron.
President Bush meets New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin following a news conference at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Friday, Sept. 2, 2005. Bush is touring the Gulf Coast communities battered by Hurricane Katrina, hoping to boost the spirits of increasingly desperate storm victims and exhausted rescuers.
""I feel much better. I feel like we've gotten everyone's attention"
Translation: After I ranted like a child, hopefully nobody will blame me for my incompetence, and someone will clean up my mess.
My seven year old son has more leadership talent than this clown.
It seems that somebody was b slapped...
Of course he's calm! Of course he's thinking good thoughts! He knows the the feds will spend billions in his city and he and his black dems thugs will get ten cents (at least) of every dollar spent for themselves. Even Willie and his Arkies must be impressed by the racist corruption in New Orleans!
President Bush told him to have a cup of STFU!
Incompetent.
How about some DDT?
Bush has more patience than I have - I would have SPIT on nagin's hand and then broke his face.
The difference between a politcian and a Marine I suppose.
It at least appears that way.
I can't imagine the horror of being in that area, so I suppose he has to be given a pass for going off a bit. I would go bonkers myself.
Rove gave him a qualude and told him to stfu
Chris Wallace of Fox News was on Howie Carr's (local AM)radio show earlier (Friday) and when he heard the good mayor's remarks he seemed stunned, chuckled and then sarcastically said something like "I will offer $150 if anyone can get this guy to come on Sunday."
I agree.... he's a moron.
He'll be getting a phone call from Howard Dean very soon, and will be back to trashing Bush in no time.
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