Nagin brings race to forefront of campaign again

WWLTV ^ | March 7, 2006

[ncountylee]

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin again brought race to the forefront of the mayoral campaign when addressing displaced New Orleanians this weekend at a gathering organized by the NAACP in Houston.

Nagin urged the mostly African-American audience to vote in next month’s election and he pointed out that he faces a long list of challengers, including many white candidates.

“There was all this talk about this being an opportunity to change New Orleans forever and maybe everybody shouldn’t come back, and maybe this is an opportunity to kind of change New Orleans and go back to what it used to be,” he told the audience. “I have 23 candidates running for mayor and very few of ‘em look like us.”

Nagin’s comments came about six weeks after he upset many white residents by saying that God wanted New Orleans to be a majority African-American city and by saying he wasn’t concerned what Uptowners had to say.

Nagin later said he wished he hadn’t mentioned God and that he was sorry he said he didn’t care about what the people living Uptown had to say.

Pollsters viewed Nagin’s latest remarks as a way to try to secure some African-American votes as the base of white supporters that helped carry him to victory the first time, seems to erode.

"The first time he ran, he won with white votes,” said Loyola political analyst Ed Renwick. “About 85 percent of the whites voted for him. His white vote has deteriorated significantly, so he has to pick up black votes to replace them."

Political pollster Silas Lee said Nagin, like all candidates, is trying to tailor his remarks to their audience.

"The challenge for Mayor Nagin is that everything he says is going to be evaluated in a post chocolate city environment," said Lee.

Eyewitness News talked to a few residents rebuilding in Gentilly, who said they didn’t appreciate race being so prevalent in the election.

“I think it’s separating and we don’t need that,” said Vaughn Barbarin, who was working on his gutted house with relatives and friends.

Barbarin said he didn’t vote for Nagin last time and said he wasn’t sure who would get his vote this time.

Gloria Barbarin said Nagin would get her vote, but she is not happy about his latest remarks.

“As a voter, I really don’t care about the people looking like me,” she said. “I will vote for Nagin and I hope he never makes another statement like that because it’s an insult.”

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Would one expect anything else from an obviously racist politician?

[Westlander]

Has Nagin been taking lessons from Detroit's Kilpatrick?

[Gordongekko909]

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[inkling]

Can Honore run for Mayor?

[Gordongekko909]

"The first time he ran, he won with white votes,” said Loyola political analyst Ed Renwick. “About 85 percent of the whites voted for him. His white vote has deteriorated significantly, so he has to pick up black votes to replace them."

I had Renwick back in undergrad. Sharp guy.

[Gordongekko909]

That would rock so hard it wouldn't even be funny.

[AmericanCowboy]

Chocolate melts in your mouth, not in Nagin's hands....

[Search4Truth]

This is going to be a very interesting election cycle. It will be a harbinger of things to come for N'Awlins.

[ditto h]

Screw this racist!!

[coconutt2000]

New Orlean's black mayor is a racist, hateful fellow full of unresolved issues. I'm sure he still blames all white people for his only being a mayor instead of governor. It doesn't matter that he didn't run for governor, it is still the white people's fault that he's only a mayor. And if he loses this election, it will be because white people cheated him out of his victory. His lack of a platform other than the color of his skin would've had nothing to do with it. White people should vote for him because of all those slaves that worked the white man's fields for all those years. It is only fair that white people vote for black people to make up for slavery. Black people should vote for him because they're black and he's black, and black people should stick together. Mayor Ray Nagin freed the black people from slavery and he deserves their vote. As mayor, he promises that the police will harass old white women and beat up crackers in retribution for centuries of oppression. If you vote for Mayor Ray Nagin, he'll cover New Orleans in chocolate, and make sure every home has a box of brownies, a crack pipe, and ultra soft, double ply toilet paper. Mayor Nagin's one regret is that he was unable to get filthy rich during his previous term, and he hopes to embezzle more money in his next term. /sarcasm

[Gordongekko909]

This election is a vital turning point. If Nagin or a similar Dem gets elected, the welfare dependency / crime cycle that we had pre-Katrina will continue. If we strike while the iron's hot and pick up a pro-business, small-government mayor, then New Orleans will truly be reborn in a far greater form than it was before.

[Bullish]

Stick a fork in Nagin. He's done.

Problem for him is that more whites vote then blacks. Southern whites don't appreciate his dealing the race card from the bottom of the deck. They're going to drop him like a chocolate turd.

[TYVets]

Would one expect anything else from an obviously racist politician?

Racist politicians and corruption are usually found sleeping in the same bed.

[WoofDog123]

""The challenge for Mayor Nagin is that everything he says is going to be evaluated in a post chocolate city environment," said Lee. "

I think this nickname is here to stay.

[Gordongekko909]

His opponent in the last mayoral race was Chief Pennington. He was part of Marc Morial's crew. Both candidates were black, so the races of the candidates wasn't really an issue in the runoff. Nagin picked up the white vote handily because Morial and Friends make Nagin look like Martin Luther King.

As much as Nagin sucks, he is infinitely superior to Morial. We got the far lesser of two evils with Nagin.

[Gordongekko909]

...he's not exactly dealing with "Southern" whites, per se. He's dealing with New Orleans whites. New Orleans isn't exactly "the South."

[ncountylee]

Or the Earl Butz platform (revised).

Loose shoes.

Warm place to dump.

A tight fit.

And a rock for every pipe.

[Rokurota]

“I will vote for Nagin and I hope he never makes another statement like that because it’s an insult.”

"I will stick my hand on the hot oven again and just hope I don't get burned again."

[Christian4Bush]

My "tribute" to Ray "School Bus " Nagin (and his voting base):

Bald Confusion (to the tune of...most of "Ball of Confusion")

People movin' out,
People movin' in. (NOT)
because of the color of their skin
run, run, run, but you sho' can't hide

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,
vote for me and I'll set you free
rap on, brother, rap on

The only person talkin' about love thy brother
is the preacher
and it seems nobody's interested in learning
but the teacher

Segregation, determination, demonstration, integration,
Aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our (chocolate city)

Ball of Confusion (Bald Confusion)

Oh yeah, That is N'Awlins today,
Hey,hey

The sale of pills are at an all time high
young folks walkin' around with their heads in the sky
the cities aflame in the summertime
And, oh, The beat goes on

Evolution, revolution, gun control, the sound of soul
shooting rockets to the moon
kids growing up too soon

politicians say more taxes will solve everything (prophetic)

And the band played on

(Group) So, round and around and around we go
where the world's headed, nobody knows

Oh, Great Googamooga, can't you hear me talkin' to you
just a Bald Confusion, oh yeah
that's what the world is today, hey

(ok, i'll leave the parodies to doug from upland)