Meeting raises possibility that Nagin may have political future

NOLA ^ | 10/30/05 | KEVIN McGILL

[Libloather]

Meeting raises possibility that Nagin may have political future
10/30/2005, 9:58 a.m. CT
By KEVIN McGILL
The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — There were fewer than 300 seats and more than 500 people jammed into the hotel for a town hall meeting. It was overcrowded and under-air conditioned (nothing new in post-Katrina New Orleans), dozens of unhappy people lined up behind a single microphone and the scene appeared set for an ugly political inquisition as Mayor Ray Nagin entered the room — 30 minutes late.

Nagin made an opening statement on housing, then turned it over to the audience.

There was a request for zoning variances for FEMA trailers. There were urgent pleas to get felled trees off houses. There were a few mini-political speeches on federal environmental and economic issues.

But, there was surprisingly little criticism of Ray Nagin.

Yes, the mayor took his shots — a few catcalls when he walked in late, and, toward the meeting's end, an eastern New Orleans resident, Rafael Perales, said he was back from a Houston shelter where residents have vowed not to return until the city administration changes.

When Perales criticized Nagin's hurricane recovery panel, saying the "Bring Back New Orleans Commission" looked more like a re-election commission, Nagin shrugged it off.

"I am so FAR not worried about re-election right now," he said firmly but not angrily. "You want the job, man?"

Most gripes were aimed at the federal government, a target Nagin readily focused on himself. "What I start to realize is that Washington is very skeptical about helping us," he said at one point.

[Libloather]

After one man griped at Wednesday's meeting about Nagin's now abandoned idea to bring casino gambling to downtown hotels, a woman who said her wedding planning business is suffering mightily after Katrina stepped up to Nagin's defense. "At least you had an idea," she told the mayor.

I always thought that opening the strip clubs had some promise...

[mtbopfuyn]

Is Hell freezing over?

[Sociopathocracy]

Nagin may have political future

As what? A page for Barney Frank?

[Paleo Conservative]

He'll be able to organize the dead vote.

[TASMANIANRED]

On to bigger screw ups.

[GreenHornet]

I think we can rule out Secretary of Transportation.

[RasterMaster]

I think he's going into the barge business....maybe they'll let him become an ADMIRAL!

[NonValueAdded]

Remember that Nagin must still hold the patronage strings and if you are openly critical of hizhonor, you might get your house fixed by the turn of the next millennium. This shouldn't be too surprising. I'd think with the amount of corruption in the Big Easy, that the population has learned to keep their opinions to themselves.

[kingu]

It is a debatable point as to how much of the city was destroyed because he and his fellows made huge money grab after huge money grab from the levee projects, mostly because of the universal nature in the levees failing in so many places.

It is also debatable how many people who passed away during the disaster and shortly afterward is his responsibility as well. What is undeniable is that due to his lack of following established disaster plans, people spent days without shelter, and those with shelter faced hunger, thirst, and living conditions that make a port-a-potty look like a step up in the world.

He wasted tens of millions in taxpayer funds by leaving vital city equipment in harms way.

If someone can do that and still be reelected...

Oh, what am I saying? The stupidity of folks is a never ending well of supply. Sure he'll be reelected; I'll be slightly shocked if anyone bothers to try to run against him. I can even see the reasoning residents will use. 'Sure Nagin stinks worse than the SuperDome, but he's doing something now, which is more than the other g(uy/al) is doing.'

[Wuli]

How many at the meeting were the safe-stay-behinds and how many were the left-and-never-will-returns?; like 35 major Louisiana companies who say they will stay in Houston now?

[G.Mason]

Yeah ... right!

Charley Rangle needs someone to wipe the dribble off his chin, and John Conyers seems to need a valet and hates white folks.

The only way he can get re-elected mayor in NO would be if the displaced, now living in Dallas, can vote for a mayor, (who also lives in Dallas) to be mayor in NO.

That didn't even make sense to me, and I wrote it. ;)

[Paleo Conservative]

I think he's going into the barge business....maybe they'll let him become an ADMIRAL!

Here's his navy.

[hdstmf]

Not as a page. He could be an intern, like Monica was to Bill.

[caryatid]

Meeting raises possibility that Nagin may have political future

Only in Louisiana ...

[AmishDude]

Will somebody please put this in humor?

[RasterMaster]

Maybe he wants Teddy Kennedy's nickname, "the Skipper". Noggin's navy vs. the SS Oldsmobile.

[caryatid]

Oh, what am I saying? The stupidity of folks is a never ending well of supply. Sure he'll be reelected...

No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American Public. [ H. L. Mencken (1880-1956), The Sage of Baltimore ]

[gaspar]

Regarding New Orleans and its political leaders, Americans are taking a trip through a sewer in a glass bottomed boat. (Thanks to Wilson Mizner, who first said it about Hollywood.)

[WasDougsLamb]

Meeting raises possibility that Nagin may have political future

------Sad. Just plain sad.

[jmaroneps37]

Unless the Whigs can arrange for some big time voter fraud in Feb. when he will be up for re election, empty noggin could lose. There won't be enough " hands" still living on the NOLA plantation
to win.