Nagin's speech

[LuckyTheDog]

It occurred to me today that Ray Nagin's silly speech a few days ago was not really even a story of national significance. Yet, it got tons of play. Why?

He is a local mayor. He is not, in any way, a "national leader" of the Democrats or anything else.

The fact that Hannity, Rush, Fox News, etc. are grasping at that silly speech shows how desperate they are to take the focus off Bush and the corrupt GOP Congress.

Just sayin'

[bobbieinok]

1. when he said NOLA should remain 'chocolate'? where was their

outrage when a LA repub cheered that Katrina eliminated the poor areas of the city (or whatever weird anti-poor, racist comment he made)??

[malaise]

2. I had the same thought n/t

[LuckyTheDog]

3. That, too

But my main point is that his slightly odd statements are being used as an example of how weird "the Democrats" are. But Ray Nagin is not a national leader of the party.

If Howard Dean said something really stupid, that could reflect badly on the Dems, just as Trent Lott's racist comments did for the GOP. That's because those are people who have risen to high levels of national influence in their parties. Nagin simply hasn't. His actions and statements should not be lifted to the same level in terms of their national significance.

That said, however, I should say that I also think we should cut Nagin some slack. The dude has been under a lot of strain.

[mtnsnake]

4. I like Nagin's chocolate reference

The way I see it, Ray Nagin was simply looking out for all the displaced residents of New Orleans when he made that comment. He wants the city and it's original residents to have the opportunity to return to the way it was before the disaster, and rightfully so. Heck, if rich white Republicans have their way, New Orleans would become a city of white chocolate!