Mayor Ray Naquin of New Orleans was in Houston all weekend campaigning for the upcoming mayorial race. He would like to keep his job. He was praised by local black leaders but there were lots of questions for him from Katrina evacuees living here now.
The most basic question was, why should we vote for you? And also, what were you planning to do with the people you didn't evacuate before the storm?
Both very good questions.
The tapes released by AP last week, even though they were widely available among the press and government officials since last October, failed to implicate the president and his administration asleep at the switch. They have shown the opposite. The president called the governor and the mayor and asked them to evacuate the city and surrounding areas a good 56 hours before the storm hit. It was further recommended by Max Mayfield from the National Hurricane Center. But no. Naquin waited until 19 hours before the storm to urge an evacuation. A fatal mistake. He was more concerned about the city losing money if the evacuation was not really necessary after all and more concerned to make a point that he was going to run his city, not the governor or the president.
A fatal mistake.
He complains now that very few of those running against him in the upcoming election "look like us" to the local audiences here. The mayor of chocolate city strikes again. Any politicians running to the floor of the House or the Senate demanding he resign for racist remarks?
No.
Concerning the absentee voting process he says, "This process that's before us is one that I'm getting more uncomfortable with every day. This is not about Ray Nagin. There is potential for major changes in the political structure."
We can only hope.
I watched some of the Oscars as I was not able to find anything at all on tv to watch last night. John Stewart was disappointing with the opening but seemed to warm up as the show went on. I felt bad for Lauren Bacall who was struggling to read the teleprompter and not at all comfortable on the stage. And it says a lot when it's all about glorifying the pimps with the song category. Plus George Clooney saying that he's glad Hollywood is not in touch with real life.
And they all complain no one goes to the movies and ratings for the Oscars show slip and slide every year.
Hello?
"Humility does not mean you think less of yourself. It means you think of yourself less." - Ken Blanchard
2 comments:
Ah, March of the Penguins won for best documentary. I loved the crew taking the stuffed penguins on stage. Then I smiled and thought of you. :)
I've just come across your blog by way of someone...I don't remember who. Like your observations. I'll be back.
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