New Orleans re-elected Ray Nagin. Only in Louisiana could something like this happen. Only in New Orleans could the man who presided over the worst natural disaster to ever befall the city; the man who let hundreds of buses drown while his residents also drowned; the man who used racist remarks during the Festival aftermath; the man who doesn't have a plan for rebuilding his city; only in New Orleans would that man be re-elected. It is simply fucking amazing.
What is even more amazing is that the voters let it happen. Not only that, they conspired in the result. His challenger, Mitch Landrieu, couldn't put together a coalition to defeat a man like Nagin and was defeated. The final tally was something like 52%-48% of 113,000 votes, so Nagin can't claim he has a mandate.
Machiavelli would be proud of New Orleans. The Republicans backed Nagin because anything Landrieu is not acceptable. However, the Republican power brokers will hold Nagin up as an example of Democrat incompetence. The voters of New Orleans didn't see through that little scheme. Business backed Nagin because they thought they'd get a better shake than Landrieu would give them. The voters bought that one too. The voters of New Orleans were bought like sheep for this election, and they let it happen. Simply fucking amazing.
Ironically, the black power brokers who backed Nagin were originally empowered by Landrieu's daddy, Moon, who successfully put together a black coalition to become mayor. It was Moon the father who put together the coalitions that defeated Mitch the son. Along with a healthy dollop of Republican money and business interests.
I hope Nagin has a plan, because New Orleans is going to need one. In the broad national scheme of things, the voters of New Orleans just showed everyone that they could be lead blindly into voting for the man who presided over the destruction of their city. The voters of New Orleans just trivialized themselves in the minds of most of the nation. They wanted Ray Nagin and those of us who aren't shocked are laughing.
What a shame. What a damned shame.
3 comments:
let me be the first to connect:
New Orleans and Ray Nagin
with
Washington DC, and Marion Barry
They sure know how to pick 'em.
Calm down, Pawpaw. You gonna pop an artery.
I don't think anyone and especially republicans were bamboozled last night when they voted for Nagin. I have supported him quite openly.
Nagin is a complicated guy. However his downfall ,that he is so much not politico is one reason for his success. Look at the Lake view area numbers. He was in the single digits in the primary. He jumped into the low to mid twentys last night. Even in the area where the levee broke. Those people were thinking. They have had plenty time to think as they have been away from there homes and been expats for a while.
I think there is segment of conservative voter that realizes that what is ranted on TV is not the facts about Nagin or who is to blame. They realize that post Disaster things happened because of our great Governor not so much Nagin.
Nagin is not corrupt. Nagin fought the machine that brought NOLA to ruins. Nagin was not successful many times because he refused to embrace the tactics of the machine(graft patronage etc) to fight back. Call Nagin naive but he was a fighter and had principles. Conservatives rememebered that.
Was Nagin a racist?Really, most conservatives that knew Nagin forgave him for that infamous comment. Its Nagin's mouth slipping and he doesnt have a racist bone in his body in my view. The "Chocalte City" comments is not enough for conservatives to continue to put a Morial like machine in power.
Did you see Nagin speech last night. He didnt have to thank Bush like that but he did. Did you see the reaction when he mentions Blanco's name and the crowds reaction. Speaks volumes. Go look at acceptance speech on the wafb web site or access it through the dead pelican. There you see a glimpse of the Ray Nagin that people know is a reality. They also know who is playing who.
Nagin is not perfect but after the conservatives came home from supporting Couhig or Forman they saw that there was one choice. Nagin at least will listen to us and include us. Would Mitch? Would Mitch had been truly non partisan and reaching out or would we be a backdrop to his Sisters constant rants against the Republicans and Bush? Ditto for Blanco. Sorry we got a half decent mayor and pretty new city council last night down there. I am feeling good.
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