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

Jackson Free Press ^ | 09/02/05

[Perdogg]

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"?

NAGIN: I said, "I need everything."

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.

WWL: What do you need right now to get control of this situation?

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.

It's awful down here, man.

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."

WWL: Who'd you say that to?

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.

WWL: Did the governor do that, too? NAGIN: I don't know. I don't think so.

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.

I'm not sure if we can do that another night with the current resources.

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: Really?

WWL: I know you don't feel that way.

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.

WWL: You and I will be in the funny place together.

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.

You know, I'm not one of those drug addicts. I am thinking very clearly.

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.

WWL: What can we do here?

NAGIN: Keep talking about it.

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

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.

WWL: We're both pretty speechless here.

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

[Balding_Eagle]

I cannot believe the biggest disaster to ever hit the United States is turning into a blame game. There will be plenty of time for that later.

You've made that statement on the wrong board, try and get that posted on DU.

You're also confusing response with laying blame.

The Left is laying blame. We are responding.

The left has hired airplanes to fly banners around the Houston Astrodome towing "Blame Bush" banners so they appear on national TV, and you want us to sit politely and wait until 'things settle down'? Well, by God, I've waited 30 years to respond to those bastards. Is that long enough? How much 'wait until later' do you think is appropriate when they are trying to destroy this presidency?

We would be utter fools not to respond at once to the hurricane of criticism coming from the left. That is what THIS thread is all about, and I for one am grateful for the talent FR has on board. I say bring it on, it's time drown a few RATS.
 

[Bommer]

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.

they're thinking small, man!
they're thinking small, man!
they're thinking small, man!
they're thinking small, man!

they're thinking small, man!
they're thinking small, man!
they're thinking small, man!
they're thinking small, man!

thinking small, man! thinking small!

[pillbox_girl]

NAGIN: 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."

Excuse me? What the hell is Nagin doing asking others to "please take care of this"? Isn't he the mayor? Isn't New Orleans his city? Doesn't that empower him to solve these problems himslef before they become a crisis? Doesn't it actually make him responsible to solve these problems?

Why isn't anyone asking Nagin what he actually did himself to solve these problems before disaster struck?

People vote for liberal democrats because they want someone to do for them the things they should rightly be doing for themselves (like feeding them, clothing them, providing them with medicine, and housing them). Is it any wonder the people they elect behave the exact same way (like maintain levees and pumping stations and evacuating citizend before disaster hits).

[smonk]

the president wanted to visit the region earlier, but governor Haley Barbour, who is apparently the only leader in the entire region with any sense, asked him to wait.

[Lunkhead_01]

Nabob on gin.
Nabobongin.
Na bon on gin.
Na bon bon gin.
Na bon gin.
Nagin.

[Lorianne]

Poor, Black, and Left Behind

http://www.motherjones.com/news/update/2004/09/09_414.html

September 24, 2004

This article has plenty of ammo to use against those blaming Bush re Katrina ..... Seems as though Ivan was a dry run for the incompetent leaders of Lousiana, so they could botch it big time for Katrina.

I tried to post this as a separate thread but the mods pulled it.

[Sidebar Moderator]

Only use the headline found at the source. It prevents duplication. Thanks.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

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

Well they certainly are not going to give it to you!! You already dropped the ball. In fact Mr. Nagin I am convinced you couldnt manage a bowl of jello never mind a devastated city

[G.Mason]

"Secretary of Transportation??"

That would be a good start. A win for him and certainly a win for New Orleans. ;)

[bethtopaz]

Yeah, if my memory serves me (and it seems like yesterday) - Rudy took the bulls by the horns and didn't blame anyone (no time). He did say: "Thank God, George W. Bush is president!"

[dufekin]

"How does a light weight flake like Nagin get elected mayor of a big city?"

How did a light weight flake like Jimmy Carter get elected President of the United States? Like Carter, Nagin proved well-meaning but incompetent.

Nagin wants to control crime, but he hasn't a clue how to do it. He wanted to evacuate his city, but even after two failed trials and three failed simulations, he couldn't think of a plan. He really wanted to put the poor on buses to send them to safety, but he proved too incompetent to make it happen.

The threats of lawyers haunt Nagin tremendously; the ACLU threatened to sue him a trial evacuation ago, so he figured that not evacuating at all would save him some legal troubles.

I'm not sure how he got elected. He probably told the citizens that he'd do his best to control crime, provide public services, and ensure safety during hurricanes [okay, maybe not; Louisianians are notoriously incognizant of tropical storm perils]. And he probably even tried to do just that; maybe he even outlined a plan. But it didn't work; he didn't execute it. No one knew their role. It sounded good, but it fell flat.

And don't get me into obstructionist Blanco, who must be a DNC shrill and perhaps a racist. But will Nagin achieve re-election? Let's put it this way: will there be two people left in New Orleans come election day, one to run for mayor and the other to support the one? Otherwise, bet your book on Mayor Nagin for Life.

[G.Mason]

they're thinking small, man!
they're thinking small, man!
they're thinking small, man!
they're thinking small, man!

I'll tell you what. I am sure glad I'm not Hiz Honor! ;)

[torchthemummy]

Like all pols, this guy wanted to move up eventually - governor, congressman, senator. What this guy realizes is that not only has his incompetence resulted in the deaths of thousands (consequences to follow in DC on a national stage) but his chance to have shined - ala Guliani - is long gone. He now will have to deal with the fact that instead of skyrocketing political advancement with a successful evacuation and a quelling of looters he now will have the blood of thousands on his hands that will essentially end his political career. I am not asking for this to happen but would not be surprised if in the long run Nagin literally bites a bullet.

Many NO and some LA leaders will be convicted legally and, even more so, publicly once a federal review of NO and LA has been completed. The tragic good that will come out of this is that the corrupt gov't that is NO will be cleaned out and the successors will have a certain level of federal review for a long time.

[torchthemummy]

Right on! Wait until joe shmo from the hood gets close enough to Nagin. 'Course this would only happen in the short-term if the constituent travels to Baton Rouge.

[go-hyde-go]

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 would be will to bet that at least 100 times as many school buses were instantly available. What a shame.

[wotan]

Actually, Nagin says some sensible things.

Excellent hindsight, sometimes, too.

Too bad he didn't bother to think about anything before the hurricane hit.

[Jim_Curtis]

You might think all the Bush bashing over this flood is merely typical "get Bush" stuff but the left and their media have a much more pressing problem for which they need to deflect attention by piling on Bush.

The Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor should be in jail for criminal negligence. The left must throw everything they have into a push to create a perception that counters that reality because this could possibly sink the Democrat Party if the reality of the situation were allowed to stand.

The media might even start mentioning Nogin as Presidential material for 2008. That sounds insane but when you need to counter reality, insanity is the weapon to use.

[dollar_dog]

Facts show supported our President in 2000.

[faithincowboys]

Was with Kerry in 2004. Is a Democrat-- elected by Democrats. Trust me, he ain't a conservative Republican.

[Zack Nguyen]

How does a light weight flake like Nagin get elected mayor of a big city?

The bigger the city, the more likely they are to elect a lightweight flake, in my opinion. Large cities are pools of political backscratching, massive bureaucracies, public works projects, sweetheart deals, and frankly, corruption.