Transcript: New Orleans' Mayor C. Ray Nagin's Interview

Transcript: New Orleans' Mayor C. Ray Nagin's Interview [September 2, 2005-verbatim] Mayor C. Ray Nagin lashed out at federal officials, telling a local radio station "they don't have a clue what's going on down here." The following is a transcript of the interview with WWL-AM. Listen to the mp3, courtesy of The New York Times

MAYOR RAY NAGIN: I told him we had an incredible crisis here and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice. And that I have been all around this city, and I am very frustrated because we are not able to marshal resources and we're outmanned in just about every respect.

You know the reason why the looters got out of control? Because we had most of our resources saving people, thousands of people that were stuck in attics, man, old ladies. ... You pull off the doggone ventilator vent and you look down there and they're standing in there in water up to their freaking necks.

And they don't have a clue what's going on down here. They flew down here one time two days after the doggone event was over with TV cameras, AP reporters, all kind of goddamn -- excuse my French everybody in America, but I am pissed.

WWL: Did you say to the president of the United States, "I need the military in here"?

Now, I will tell you this -- and I give the president some credit on this -- he sent one John Wayne dude down here that can get some stuff done, and his name is [Lt.] Gen. [Russel] Honore.

And he came off the doggone chopper, and he started cussing and people started moving. And he's getting some stuff done.

They ought to give that guy -- if they don't want to give it to me, give him full authority to get the job done, and we can save some people.

NAGIN: I need reinforcements, I need troops, man. I need 500 buses, man. We ain't talking about -- you know, one of the briefings we had, they were talking about getting public school bus drivers to come down here and bus people out here.

I'm like, "You got to be kidding me. This is a national disaster. Get every doggone Greyhound bus line in the country and get their asses moving to New Orleans."

That's -- they're thinking small, man. And this is a major, major, major deal. And I can't emphasize it enough, man. This is crazy.

I've got 15,000 to 20,000 people over at the convention center. It's bursting at the seams. The poor people in Plaquemines Parish. ... We don't have anything, and we're sharing with our brothers in Plaquemines Parish.

WWL: Do you believe that the president is seeing this, holding a news conference on it but can't do anything until [Louisiana Gov.] Kathleen Blanco requested him to do it? And do you know whether or not she has made that request?

NAGIN: I have no idea what they're doing. But I will tell you this: You know, God is looking down on all this, and if they are not doing everything in their power to save people, they are going to pay the price. Because every day that we delay, people are dying and they're dying by the hundreds, I'm willing to bet you.

We're getting reports and calls that are breaking my heart, from people saying, "I've been in my attic. I can't take it anymore. The water is up to my neck. I don't think I can hold out." And that's happening as we speak.

You know what really upsets me, Garland? We told everybody the importance of the 17th Street Canal issue. We said, "Please, please take care of this. We don't care what you do. Figure it out."

NAGIN: Everybody: the governor, Homeland Security, FEMA. You name it, we said it.

And they allowed that pumping station next to Pumping Station 6 to go under water. Our sewage and water board people ... stayed there and endangered their lives.

And what happened when that pumping station went down, the water started flowing again in the city, and it starting getting to levels that probably killed more people.

In addition to that, we had water flowing through the pipes in the city. That's a power station over there.

So there's no water flowing anywhere on the east bank of Orleans Parish. So our critical water supply was destroyed because of lack of action.

WWL: Why couldn't they drop the 3,000-pound sandbags or the containers that they were talking about earlier? Was it an engineering feat that just couldn't be done?

NAGIN: They said it was some pulleys that they had to manufacture. But, you know, in a state of emergency, man, you are creative, you figure out ways to get stuff done.

Then they told me that they went overnight, and they built 17 concrete structures and they had the pulleys on them and they were going to drop them.

I flew over that thing yesterday, and it's in the same shape that it was after the storm hit. There is nothing happening. And they're feeding the public a line of bull and they're spinning, and people are dying down here.

WWL: If some of the public called and they're right, that there's a law that the president, that the federal government can't do anything without local or state requests, would you request martial law?

NAGIN: I've already called for martial law in the city of New Orleans. We did that a few days ago.

But we called for martial law when we realized that the looting was getting out of control. And we redirected all of our police officers back to patrolling the streets. They were dead-tired from saving people, but they worked all night because we thought this thing was going to blow wide open last night. And so we redirected all of our resources, and we hold it under check.

And I am telling you right now: They're showing all these reports of people looting and doing all that weird stuff, and they are doing that, but people are desperate and they're trying to find food and water, the majority of them.

Now you got some knuckleheads out there, and they are taking advantage of this lawless -- this situation where, you know, we can't really control it, and they're doing some awful, awful things. But that's a small majority of the people. Most people are looking to try and survive.

And one of the things people -- nobody's talked about this. Drugs flowed in and out of New Orleans and the surrounding metropolitan area so freely it was scary to me, and that's why we were having the escalation in murders. People don't want to talk about this, but I'm going to talk about it.

You have drug addicts that are now walking around this city looking for a fix, and that's the reason why they were breaking in hospitals and drugstores. They're looking for something to take the edge off of their jones, if you will.

And right now, they don't have anything to take the edge off. And they've probably found guns. So what you're seeing is drug-starving crazy addicts, drug addicts, that are wrecking havoc. And we don't have the manpower to adequately deal with it. We can only target certain sections of the city and form a perimeter around them and hope to God that we're not overrun.

WWL: Well, you and I must be in the minority. Because apparently there's a section of our citizenry out there that thinks because of a law that says the federal government can't come in unless requested by the proper people, that everything that's going on to this point has been done as good as it can possibly be.

NAGIN: Well, did the tsunami victims request? Did it go through a formal process to request?

You know, did the Iraqi people request that we go in there? Did they ask us to go in there? What is more important?

And I'll tell you, man, I'm probably going get in a whole bunch of trouble. I'm probably going to get in so much trouble it ain't even funny. You probably won't even want to deal with me after this interview is over.

NAGIN: But we authorized $8 billion to go to Iraq lickety-quick. After 9/11, we gave the president unprecedented powers lickety-quick to take care of New York and other places.

Now, you mean to tell me that a place where most of your oil is coming through, a place that is so unique when you mention New Orleans anywhere around the world, everybody's eyes light up -- you mean to tell me that a place where you probably have thousands of people that have died and thousands more that are dying every day, that we can't figure out a way to authorize the resources that we need? Come on, man.

And I don't know whose problem it is. I don't know whether it's the governor's problem. I don't know whether it's the president's problem, but somebody needs to get their ass on a plane and sit down, the two of them, and figure this out right now.

NAGIN: Organize people to write letters and make calls to their congressmen, to the president, to the governor. Flood their doggone offices with requests to do something. This is ridiculous.

I don't want to see anybody do anymore goddamn press conferences. Put a moratorium on press conferences. Don't do another press conference until the resources are in this city. And then come down to this city and stand with us when there are military trucks and troops that we can't even count.

Don't tell me 40,000 people are coming here. They're not here. It's too doggone late. Now get off your asses and do something, and let's fix the biggest goddamn crisis in the history of this country.

WWL: I'll say it right now, you're the only politician that's called and called for arms like this. And if -- whatever it takes, the governor, president -- whatever law precedent it takes, whatever it takes, I bet that the people listening to you are on your side.

NAGIN: Well, I hope so, Garland. I am just -- I'm at the point now where it don't matter. People are dying. They don't have homes. They don't have jobs. The city of New Orleans will never be the same in this time.

Translated to Ebonics:

MAYOR RAY NAGIN: I told him we had an incredible crisis heea and dat his flyin ova in Air Force One does not do it justice. And dat I gots been all around dis city, and I be very frustrated cus we is not able ta marshal resources and we're outmainened in just about every respect.

You know da reason why da looters got out of control? Because we had most of our resources savin people, thousands of people dat were stuck in attics, maine, old ladies. ... You pull off da doggone ventilator vent and ya look down der and they're standin in der in water up ta their freakin necks.

And they don't gots a clue what's goin on down heea. They flew down heea one time two days after da doggone event was ova wit TV cameras, AP reporters, all kind of goddamn -- excuse muh French everybody in America, but I be pissed.

WWL: Did ya say ta da president of da United States, "I need da military in heea"?

NAGIN: I said, "I need everythin."

Now, I tell ya dis -- and I give da president some credit on dis -- he sent one John Wayne dude down heea dat can get some stuff done, and his name be [Lt.] Gen. [Russel] Honoe.

And he came off da doggone chopper, and he started cussin and people started movin. And he's gettin some stuff done.

They ought ta give dat guy -- if they don't want ta give it ta me, give him full authority ta get da job done, and we can save some people.

WWL: What do ya need right now ta get control of dis situation?

NAGIN: I need reinfocements, I need troops, maine. I need 500 buses, maine. We ain't talkin about -- ya know, one of da briefins we had, they were talkin about gettin public skoo bus drivers ta come down heea and bus people out heea.

I be like, "You got ta be kiddin me. This be a national disaster. Get every doggone Greyhound bus line in da country and get their asses movin ta New Orleans."

That's -- they're thinkin small, maine. And dis be a major, major, major deal. And I can't emphasize it enough, maine. This be crazy.

I've got 15,000 ta 20,000 people ova at da convention center. It's burstin at da seams. The poor people in Plaquemines Parish. ... We don't gots anythin, and we're sharin wit our brothers in Plaquemines Parish.

It's awful down heea, maine.

WWL: Do ya believe dat da president be seein dis, holdin a news conference on it but can't do anythin until [Louisiana Gov.] Kathleen Blanco requested him ta do it? And do ya know whether or not she has made dat request?

NAGIN: I gots no idea what they're doin. But I tell ya dis: You know, God be lookin down on all dis, and if they is not doin everythin in their power ta save people, they is goin ta pay da price. Because every day dat we delay, people is dyin and they're dyin by da hundreds, I be willin ta bet ya.

We're gettin reports and calls dat is breakin muh heart, from people sayin, "I've been in muh attic. I can't take it anymoe. The water be up ta muh neck. I don't think I can hold out." And dat's happenin as we speak.

You know what fo real upsets me, Garland? We told everybody da importance of da 17th Street Canal issue. We said, "Please, please take ridee of dis. We don't ridee what ya do. Figure it out."

WWL: Who'd ya say dat to?

NAGIN: Everybody: da govanor, Homeland Security, FEMA. You name it, we said it.

And they allowed dat pumpin station next ta Pumpin Station 6 ta go under water. Our sewage and water board people ... stayed der and endangered their lives.

And what happened when dat pumpin station went down, da water started flowin again in da city, and it startin gettin ta levels dat probably killed moe people.

In addition ta dat, we had water flowin through da pipes in da city. That's a power station ova der.

So der's no water flowin anywheea on da east bank of Orleans Parish. So our critical water supply was destroyed cus of lack of action.

WWL: Why couldn't they drop da 3,000-pound sandbags or da containers dat they were talkin about earlier? Was it an engineerin feat dat just couldn't be done?

NAGIN: They said it was some pulleys dat they had ta maineufacture. But, ya know, in a state of emergency, maine, yas creative, ya figure out ways ta get stuff done.

Then they told me dat they went ovanight, and they built 17 concrete structures and they had da pulleys on them and they were goin ta drop them.

I flew ova dat thin yeeterday, and it's in da same shape dat it was after da storm hit. Theea be nothin happenin. And they're feedin da public a line of bull and they're spinnin, and people is dyin down heea.

WWL: If some of da public called and they're right, dat der's a law dat da president, dat da federal govanment can't do anythin witout local or state requests, would ya request martial law?

NAGIN: I've already called fo martial law in da city of New Orleans. We did dat a few days ago.

WWL: Did da govanor do dat, too? NAGIN: I don't know. I don't think so.

But we called fo martial law when we realized dat da lootin was gettin out of control. And we redirected all of our police officers back ta patrollin da streets. They were dead-tired from savin people, but they worked all night cus we thought dis thin was goin ta blow wide open last night. And so we redirected all of our resources, and we hold it under check.

I be not sho if we can do dat another night wit da current resources.

And I be tellin ya right now: They're showin all these reports of people lootin and doin all dat weird stuff, and they is doin dat, but people is desperate and they're tryin ta find food and water, da majority of them.

Now ya got some knuckleheads out der, and they is takin advantage of dis lawless -- dis situation wheea, ya know, we can't fo real control it, and they're doin some awful, awful thins. But dat's a small majority of da people. Most people is lookin ta try and survive.

And one of da thins people -- nobody's talked about dis. Drugs flowed in and out of New Orleans and da surroundin metropolitan isa so freely it was sridey ta me, and dat's why we were havin da escalation in murders. People don't want ta talk about dis, but I be goin ta talk about it.

You gots drug addicts dat is now walkin around dis city lookin fo a fix, and dat's da reason why they were breakin in hospitals and drugstoes. They're lookin fo somethin ta take da edge off of their jones, if ya will.

And right now, they don't gots anythin ta take da edge off. And they've probably found guns. So what yo seein be drug-starvin crazy addicts, drug addicts, dat is wreckin havoc. And we don't gots da mainepower ta adequately deal wit it. We can only target certain sections of da city and fom a perimeter around them and hope ta God dat we're not ovarun.

WWL: Well, ya and I must be in da minority. Because appisntly der's a section of our citizenry out der dat thinks cus of a law dat says da federal govanment can't come in unless requested by da proper people, dat everythin dat's goin on ta dis point has been done as crunk as it can possibly be.

NAGIN: Really?

WWL: I know ya don't feel dat way.

NAGIN: Well, did da tsunami victims request? Did it go through a fomal process ta request?

You know, did da Iraqi people request dat we go in der? Did they ask us ta go in der? What be moe important?

And I'll tell ya, maine, I be probably goin get in a whole bunch of trouble. I be probably goin ta get in so much trouble it ain't even funny. You probably won't even want ta deal wit me after dis interview be ova.

WWL: You and I be in da funny place together.

NAGIN: But we authorized $8 billion ta go ta Iraq lickety-quick. After 9/11, we gave da president unprecedented powers lickety-quick ta take ridee of New York and other places.

Now, ya mean ta tell me dat a place wheea most of yo oil be comin through, a place datis so unique when ya mention New Orleans anywheea around da world, everybody's eyes light up -- ya mean ta tell me dat a place wheea ya probably gots thousands of people dat gots died and thousands moe dat is dyin every day, dat we can't figure out a way ta authorize da resources dat we need? Come on, maine.

You know, I be not one of those drug addicts. I be thinkin very clearly.

And I don't know whose problem it is. I don't know whether it's da govanor's problem. I don't know whether it's da president's problem, but somebody needs ta get their ass on a plane and sit down, da two of them, and figure dis out right now.

WWL: What can we do heea?

NAGIN: Keep talkin about it.

WWL: We'll do dat. What else can we do?

NAGIN: Organize people ta write letters and make calls ta their congressmen, ta da president, ta da govanor. Flood their doggone offices wit requests ta do somethin. This be ridiculous.

I don't want ta see anybody do anymoe goddamn press conferences. Put a moratorium on press conferences. Don't do another press conference until da resources is in dis city. And then come down ta dis city and stand wit us when der is military trucks and troops dat we can't even count.

Don't tell me 40,000 people is comin heea. They're not heea. It's too doggone late. Now get off yo asses and do somethin, and let's fix da biggest goddamn crisis in da history of dis country.

WWL: I'll say it right now, yo da only politician dat's called and called fo arms like dis. And if -- whatever it takes, da govanor, president -- whatever law precedent it takes, whatever it takes, I bet dat da people listenin ta yas on yo side.

NAGIN: Well, I hope so, Garland. I be just -- I be at da point now wheea it don't matter. People is dyin. They don't gots homes. They don't gots jobs. The city of New Orleans will never be da same in dis time.

WWL: We're both pretty speechless heea.

NAGIN: Yeah, I don't know what ta say. I got ta go

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.