New Orleans mayor calm after talk with Bush

ap on Bakersfield Californian ^ | Brett Martel - ap

[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.

[hummingbird]

Now I can say Nagin lacks grace, courtesy and manliness in addition to leadership. Does he think no one sees through this?

What is that phrase about it being better to keep one's mouth shut and being thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt...sumtin' like that.

[bethtopaz]

Damn! Cool!

[Jorge]

Mayor Ray Nagin returned from his meeting with President Bush a picture of calm.

Obviously relieved that a REAL man was now in control of things.

[ncountylee]

Even at 5 cents that's a real big taste. Expect the poverty/race pimps on first safe flight.

[pepsionice]

There should be two plan books for national emergencies...one for NO, and one for the rest of the country. On day one of a NO emergency...declare martial law and put a fed guy in charge for 60 days. Tell the mayor to pack up and go to the Bahamas...give him the ticket and the free room.

[devolve]

Buses? What buses? We have buses?

[Texasforever]

LOL.

[NormsRevenge]

The pressures he is under, self inflected to some degree or not are intense..

Just so he doesn't pull a Teddy K and stick a dagger in the back of the man who will bail his arse out in the end...and do so graciously.

[Paradox]

Nagin said Bush gave him a hearty greeting and did not seem at all offended by Nagin's earlier outburst.

George Bush is a CLASS ACT. He is a better man than I. The man has an inner peace that most people lack. Although I am not religious, I believe I know what that peace is.....

[pollywog]

Translation: After I ranted like a child, hopefully nobody will blame me for my incompetence, and someone will clean up my mess.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!

[ncountylee]

Yea, it was kind of nice to have someone come in and save your sorry butt ... wasn't it Mayor?

His hook-up is back too, no shakes.

[dixiechick2000]

"Those two inspired leaders and moral giants would sure make a great pair to give inspirational seminars. ;-) Maybe if the attendees paid extra they could also have Al Sharpton and the Governor of Louisiana (just to get a balanced perspective)."




...in the Super Dome. ;o)

[dixiechick2000]

ROTFLOL!

[I see my hands]

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Almost scary how dead on accurate Ayn Rand was.

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[bethtopaz]

It's o.k. I was defending him this morning to three ignorant people at my car repairshop - waiting to get my oil changed. I had turned on Fox News and when people came in and saw it they started their poisonous talk. I just cut one of the guys off and said, "Look, I like President Bush. I think he's doing a great job! I just want you to know that before you continue!" We ended up actually having a good talk. I just see myself as a teacher - these people are just repeating the talking points they hear from the alphabet stew on prime time. Once I start to talk and tell them that they don't want to mess with me, because I study this stuff -- they back down really fast, or just get pissed and walk away. But not as pissed as you and I are for all the lies and misrepresentations the MSM is constantly spewing forth about maybe one of the greatest presidents we've had in a long, long time.

[lndrvr1972]

What this useless person of a Mayor will not admit is that he went into a hotel and put 400 out of state tourists and put them on buses before his own city.

[hummingbird]

he should be calm maybe someone should show him the 100 probably plus of yellow school buses under water he could have used to get the people who everyone said had no way to get out of New Orleans instead of them being parked maybe he should have planned alittle better

...and someone should also introduce him to Jabar Gibson who got the key to a school bus, picked up about 70 people and drove to Houston. Never drove a bus before either.

[NormsRevenge]

There's a new Sheriff in town , Mayor..

Louisiana State Police officers stop a car in downtown New Orleans, Friday, Sept. 2, 2005. The occupants of the car were searched and then let go. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Brett Coomer)

[Howlin]

That's what I'm thinking. :-)

[hummingbird]

Thank you for your post, bethtopaz. Excellent.