Hello??? New Orleans is below Sea Level???? New Orleans is a different case. No place in the Country is as vulnerable to a hurricane as New Orleans.
I was in New Orleans as the storm approached and did not need the mayor or anyone to tell me to leave or provide me with transportation.
But if you blame the mayor of New Orleans and Governor of Louisiana for the deaths, why not assign blame to the Governor of Mississippi?
As for New Orleans please cite me an example of a more successful evacuation in US History. 1.25 Million People over two roads in less than 48 hours.