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   My vote for man of the year

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Topic: My vote for man of the year (Read 610 times)

PuffPuffPass
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Terry Fox: A True Canadian Hero

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My vote for man of the year
« on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 1:52pm »

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this is the mayor of New Orleans.

never before have I heard a man express his true emotions over a radio show, as i did when i listened to this interview he had.

This is a broken man people..... this man calls it like it is and even lets us know some information that he even admits he should probably not be sharing...

I hope you all listen to this radio show, I found it hard not to feel the same way these two men felt by the end of the conversation.... you will hear what I mean

You have to go to this link
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.impact/index.html
then scroll down till you see the highlighted text reading "(See the mayor's demand for national leaders to 'get off their asses' -- 12:09)

I hope you listen..

cheers

« Last Edit: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 1:59pm by PuffPuffPass »

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Rhune
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #1 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 1:57pm »

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Thank you for posting this.

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PuffPuffPass
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #2 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 1:59pm »

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I cant believe i put the wrong link in.. I fixed it now to the cnn page where you can find the audio link

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Rhune
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #3 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 2:01pm »

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(CNN) -- New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin blasted the slow pace of federal and state relief efforts in an expletive-laced interview with local radio station WWL-AM.

The following is a transcript of WWL correspondent Garland Robinette's interview with Nagin on Thursday night. Robinette asked the mayor about his conversation with President Bush:

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. (Listen to the mayor express his frustration in this video -- 12:09)

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.

WWL: OK. Keep in touch. Keep in touch.

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PuffPuffPass
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #4 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 2:12pm »

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kool, I missed the text icon....

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rcs_mum
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #5 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 3:27pm »

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Rep. Elijah Cummings (D) Maryland -- Stated on CNN that he is sick of these victims being called "refugees". He says that they are citizens of the United States, the pay taxes and they deserve to be treated as such!! He also said that Congerss should be ashamed of how the tragedy has been reated to.

I guess I was thinking of them as refugees instead of evacuees of a disaster, in one of our own cities.

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yesteach
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #6 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 4:02pm »

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I thought surely this topic was for Bush, PPP... Wink

Actually, after watching the news last night, and watching Ted Koppel with the FEMA director (he really let him have it!) - I heard Bush was going down there today. Kept thinking, if I was Bush, not sure I'd show my face down there at the moment.. I'd just the troops they need and the help they need down there - the man has totally screwed this up!

The mayor is right, there are zillion buses in this country, get the damned things down there and get these people out.. this is a disgrace!

« Last Edit: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 4:33pm by yesteach »

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PuffPuffPass
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #7 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 4:26pm »

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Sorry Teach,

Bush has done some thimngs very well IMO, but I cant help but conclude that in real bad situations (911 & now this) that his admin has dropped the ball.n 4 days is just way too long, too many people dead, too many people still stranded and the relief only just started in earnest.

4 days

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Rhune
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #8 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 4:29pm »

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I don't have nearly as many complaints about how 9/11 was handled as a whole as I do about how this has been handled. Certainly some responsibility and blame lie with Bush, but most certainly there are other higher ups that have as much or more responsibility for how this was handled as well. After 9/11, there was a day or reckoning and Afghanistan felt it. Will a day of reckoning come from this? I can't help but think it will be washed, or that some expendable schmoe will be set up as the fall guy for it all.

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yesteach
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #9 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 4:34pm »

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on Sep 2^nd, 2005, 4:29pm, Rhune wrote:

I can't help but think it will be washed, or that some expendable schmoe will be set up as the fall guy for it all.

Probably this poor Mayor, who they'll all try to say didn't let them know how bad things were... Sad

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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #10 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 4:37pm »

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They all should have been bused out of there this weekend, before it hit. They should have had all those Greyhound buses and school buses and anything else that ran at the Superdome and Convention center filling up as people arrived and taking them out. Trying to keep people there through this was stupid! And even now, they're dragging things out, and talking about what to do and how to do it while people are dying!

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Pocket
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #11 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 4:44pm »

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Sorry, that's just semantics. What we have in Texas are refugees.....people seeking refuge. There's nothing wrong with the word refugee. I have nothing but compassion and admiration for Mayor Nagin. If he gets in trouble for his comments, he'll have plenty of champions. He spoke out of fear for his people and his city. Nobody has a better right to speak out than he does. The other politicians jumping in front of the camera, I don't have near as much admiration for.

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Dixie
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #12 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 5:01pm »

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I think it is very easy to Monday morning quarterback who should do what and when. We have no idea how difficult it is to get into and out of the affected areas. According to my family, and a few friends and co-workers I know in the nearby areas, (they were affected but no injuries so far), the roads into and out of the affected areas are all but impassable. It will take a HUGE amount of coordination and communication to fix this and help these people.

And that leads me to another point. There are several differences in this disaster and 9/11. The acreage affected and the devastation to the infrastucture is massive, much more so than it was on 9/11, which was basically limited to Manhattan.

Another, and perhaps more important difference is the leadership provided by Rudy Guiliani. In my opinion, he was able to keep everything centralized, coordinated and somewhat calm. I think that the mayors and other officials of the affected areas are doing the best they can, but unlike NYC, all eyes are not looking to one place or one man to solve the probelms. This is much bigger, and more spread out. It has been four days. I truly believe that EVERYONE is doing the best they can.

I know there are inspiriational stories out there as well that have not made the national news. Tragedy makes a better story, and keeps people tuned in to the 24 hour cable networks.

« Last Edit: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 5:27pm by Dixie »

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PuffPuffPass
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #13 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 5:04pm »

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Im glad this link was used. I myself am sitting here wondering when I will be able to go visit New Orleans on business again? The NADA convention (national auto dealers association) has thier convention in the convention center allmost every second year. Just this February i was there for it. I hope that NO is able to rebuild itself quickly... and I look forward to walking its streets again. I will admit that going back to the convention center will be hard.

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Rhune
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Re: My vote for man of the year
« Reply #14 on: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 5:35pm »

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I'd like to think that everyone is doing the best they can, and perhaps they are now, but I also really believe that someone or more likely many someone's really dropped the ball on this one. This tragedy did not have to mushroom into what it has. The military SHOULD have been there sooner and in stronger numbers, and people should have been evacuated sooner from those areas, like before the storm hit.

« Last Edit: Sep 2^nd, 2005, 5:38pm by Rhune »

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