New Orleans Snubbed - No Presidential Debates in '08
Via The Times Picayune:
How naive of New Orleanians to think that a sense of justice and site logistics -- not politics -- would determine the locations for next year's presidential debates.
What else but politics explains the indefensible decision by the Commission on Presidential Debates to leave New Orleans out?
The commission's official line is that the city, recovering from Hurricane Katrina, is not ready to host such an important event. That's what commission Co-chair Paul Kirk told Anne Milling, founder of Women of the Storm, which together with four local universities sponsored New Orleans' proposal.
''Politics trumped the moral decision,'' an incensed Ms. Milling said Monday.
The commission's explanation is a slap in our face. It also contradicts the reality on the ground. Read on...
memory hole backhoes always at work
Of course, there is no sense in either party to think if you go to New Orleans it might look like you are actually representing the people. Why don't the Repug's and the Dem's both stop posing and just hold all their shit in DC?
What's a little snubbing when you've already been butt-raped by your own government?
are you kidding,after what the repugs..and some Dems did to those folks....there could very well be a riot......and who could blame them if they did....so no...you won't see a debate in NOLA.I would say it would be a survival thing
Ssssshhhhh....New Orleans? 9/11. This country 9/11 realizes what the Bayou is going through 9/11 and they are just not 9/11 ready to hold such an important 9/11 event. When the city is back 9/11 on it's feet we'll........
This is a slap in EVERYONE'S face! I've never been to New Orleans but it tell me that if ever I, as a citizen of these United States, am in time of need I no longer count.
What people don't understand is that what happens to the most vulnerable in a society is the harbinger of justice (or injustice) for the rest of us.
" Plague on Both thier Houses!!!"
Greg @ 5:
Rudy is that you? :lol:
It is a lot like saying, "Americans recovering from the attacks on 9/11 are not yet ready for Democracy."
WHAT that U say... THEY FLOAT ! (even in NewOrleanes)
Will New Orleans ever see the wisdom of...
Earth Ball Homes and Greenhouses ????
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Peace, Love & Later, Roger@RogerART.com
We have already started the process, Join in anytime...
Today we got an inverter, 12 volt to 110 volt, and a real nice 12 volt fan... updats with PICS will start soon at, www.EarthBall.org
Peace, Love & Later, Roger@RogerART.com
.
Well, there might be some questions in folks minds when they, as they finally would on the MSM, what the 9th Ward looks like.
Today.
Americans are in total state of denial about the state of the nation and neither party wants to....
Wake them up.
Yep- politics. From both sides:
The Dems don't want to it to be known that Edwards is the only candidate to actually go there and work. Edwards put his back & money where his mouth is and still helps out. He's the only one go there and actually sweat behind a shovel.
The Republicans will do anything to avoid drawing attention to their failures and the cold hard fact that Bush caused the flooding of New Orleans. The are all tied to Bush, and his empty promises will for sure bite them if they dare to go to New Orleans.
But they should have the debates there, for this reason: Dem or Rep, it will put a hard glaring spotlight on the emptiness of their words when an American city still lies in ruins two years on. I say put up a platform in the Ninth ward and let's hear them talk about "what america needs".
Why is there a picture of Tim Russert?
And here is what Bush did to cause the flooding of New Orleans:
February 2001
Bush’s first budget proposed more than half a billion dollars worth of cuts to the Army Corps of Engineers for the 2002 fiscal year. Bush proposed half of what his own officials said was necessary for the critical Southeast Louisiana Flood Control Project (SELA)—a project started after a 1995 rainstorm flooded 25,000 homes and caused a half billion dollars in damage
February 2002
The president unveiled his new budget. Bush provided just $5 million for maintaining and upgrading critical hurricane protection levees in New Orleans—one fifth of what government experts and Republican elected officials in Louisiana told the administration was needed. Bush knew SELA needed $80 million to keep working, but the he only proposed providing a quarter of that.
February 2004
The SELA project sought $100 million to strengthen the levees holding back the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, but Bush offered only $16.5 million. The Army Corps of Engineers asked for $27 million to pay for hurricane protection upgrades around Lake Pontchartrain—but the White House cut that to $3.9 million. Gaps in levees around Lake Pontchartrain, which were supposed to be filled by 2004, were not filled because of budget shortfalls.
May 25, 2007
Donald Powell, recovery chief for the Gulf Coast, publicly stated, "the federal government is responsible for this hurricane damage because of the failure of the levee system.” This is the very first statement ever out of the White House that accepts responsibility for the failure of the federal flood protection system in Louisiana.
Uh huh. Right. I live in Louisiana now, and I can tell you where all that money goes. Into the pockets of the lovable idiots in Baton Rouge. No, Louisiana doesn't need more money, it needs to use all the money it gets.
And the white politicians are worse than the blacks on the corruption front.
GOOD! GOOD! GOOD!
I didn't want the GOP in my city of New York during the 2004 elections to stand on their failed attempts at fixing what happened on 9/11.
So I also don't want Republicans standing on the site of their OTHER disaster. And Democrats were to blame too. I don't want them there either. I just don't want it used politically in THAT way.
Yes it needs to be talked about, and we need to bring our attention back to that city, but a debate only does that temporarily and in the long run is just tacky and won't do any real good. Just fodder for the presidential hopefuls to use.
Who wants to get sick from watching that crap?
Say what? I was there just one year after Katrina and there were large multi-day conventions being held there. For sure the Lower 9th was still devastated but the infrastructure needed to host a single-night debate was already there. And that was over a year ago. How will New Orleans be less ready in another nine or ten months?
Both parties know that a New Orleans-hosted debate would bring the cameras there for a couple days before (and at least a day after) and they'd have lots of time to visit the areas that still are struggling.
Out of sight, out of mind, out of the political dialogue. That's what the debate planners want.
azureblue @ 11:
Azureblue, you are spot on. From a political strategy standpoint, it was a smart move for both parties not to do debate there. From an American standpoint, its a pretty shitty thing to do.
Oh that makes perfect sense. The city that is/has been the most effected by government policy in the history of the United States shouldn't have anything to do with Presidential debates. A month's pay says that the MSM will completely ignore this issue, and stick to covering Hilary Clinton's pants suits.
It really never ceases to amaze me the stupidity that comes out of DC. This city isnt ready to host a tiny presidential debate. The ridiculousness in that statement almost deserves no response. Perhaps the real reason is political convenience. Wish I were surprised, but I cant say that I am !!
Why the hell would they want to go there for any kind of debates?. They don't want to look at those people they have simply screwed over and talk about all the shite they are going to do to fix the problems, especially the republicans who are behind all this shit and backed up and supported by none other then Mary Launders the US Democratic Senator from that state who votes like she is the republican that she is and does nothing to help the lower income citizens but blow smoke up their asses. Yes I am talking about her and the worthless Governor, who seem to work hand in hand and blame it all on the Mayor, who simply has little or no power to call the real shots.
Until we put the right person in the office of President, this is simply not going to happen
the Commission on Presidential Debates doesn't care about black people.
Once again, you miss the point. Google Sen. Trite Loot's website. He's crowing about how he managed, single-handedly, to bring a GOP prexy debate to Mississippi. Think about it. Why have a debate in New Orleans when you're having one in Mississippi? Just goes to show you, Louisiana doesn't have clout in D.C. because it doesn't have a Corrupt Bastard like the suit Trite Loot. I nominate Loot for the Shit Eating Grin of the Year award.
What's wrong with us? New Orleans is at the center of the debate revolving around competence in government. The Democrats should be pushing hard to get a debate in New Orleans. I can't believe a city so critical in the development of our culture has been so casually allowed to die and disappear from the national conscience. I wonder what the GOP wunderkind Bobby Jindal will do about New Orleans. It will be interesting to see if he's truly different in that he's more focused on operational execution versus politics...time will tell. Until the, this national shame will continue. (posted at skewz.com)
Hide your face from what you have created... You stinking, lying, murderous sons of republicans. Republican you illegitimate republicans. So we are good enough for blackwater but not good enough for the right wing media?
New Orleans is not back to its August 2005 splendor but we are more than able to host a presidential debate.
Me-thinks that the illegitimate children of feral dogs (nothing against feral dogs) are ashamed of their lack of action. As well they should be.
2005 splendor? WTF? You were lucky to not get shot or raped or both in 2005 New Orleans, and I'm just talking about by the cops! New Orleans was a disaster long before K. You have been in New Orleans WAY too long if you think that was splendor. New Orleans is a corrupt, perilous, dirty, slothful place, albeit with some charm. I am from there, and I avoid returning there like the plague. I had the sense to get out before K. With all due respect to you guys who want to help New Orleans, never never recommend someone visit there without a thorough debriefing on exactly where they can walk and when. Never never send your kids to school there because kids from good areas are not equipped for the kind of vigilance it takes to be moderately safe there. And I would argue never never have a national political event there. To me, it sends the wrong signal, that being that the rest of the world thinks New Orleans deserves to be a tourist destination. It shouldn't be until it can clean up its violent crime problem, and nothing but nothing is going to change things there until the merchants feel it in the pocketbook, so stop trying to cover it up. You take your life into your hands just walking the street there, you hear that, New Orleans Chamber of Commerce? Violent crime touched everyone's life there when I lived there. Everyone knew the cops were the worst kind of people. They would curse you out if you called them an hour after you reported the guy waving the gun around to find out wtf happened to the unit. I love New Orleans like a pair of junkie parents. I'm stuck with it as home, but you have been there way too long if you think pre-K New Orleans was splendor, and it's not just the stinking Republicans. It was them during and post-K, but a New Orleanian has got no room to call some other group murderous, lying, and corrupt.
They're probably going to turn down Ted Steven's request (more properly phrased, 'Demand') that they hold a debate in Juneau, too.
Malibu is still in the running, George is going to piss on the fire the next time AF-1 makes a run over it.
And why not hold a debate in 'IcePick Willie's Private Social Club', on Mulberry Street in Little Italy, NYC, in honor of the Republican front runner, Rudy 'The Crazy Strangler' Giuliani?
If they change their minds, and they hold a republican debate in New Orleans, they should definitely hold it in the Superdome, to remind everyone how full of sh*t it was after Katrina.
New Orleans and Katrina is very much a hot-button issue, but in defense of the committee(s), New Orleans isn't exactly the largest city or metro area (even pre-Katrina).
But as sort of an example of additional insanity, you've got (from the Democrats) 3 debates in Iowa (ditto repugs), New Hampshire, and LA (apiece), and yet there are none in Texas (with plenty of metro areas, and Houston and DFW are pronounced -- and the state is notable for its capital punishment tallies) and even none in New York (notable for 9/11, and Republicans curiously have none here as well). Republicans even also have 0 debates in Texas and yet 3 in Florida.
The only pattern that emerges is that a bunch of the debates are handed to the early primary states. The rest are seemingly distributed with little regard to value or order.
DW @ 29:
And next time a pipe bursts in YOUR house, or the toilet overflows, we'll put you in a shelter till you can stay with relatives, so you can resettle somewhere else, you should be very happy......BTW I live in NO in a slab on grade house that is protected by good levees (273 feet wide at the base, built before the recent crop) and 10.5 feet above sea level. Survival of this old city is inevitable, we'er just battling the Stafford Act and people like you!
So NO is capable of hosting a Super Bowl, but not a presidential debate? Wow, the politicians really do think a lot of themselves...
It's easy, like when you were a little kid: if you close your eyes and can't see anything, you can make pretend it isn't there.
Just like New Orleans.
This is just one more example of politicians ignoring the REAL problems facing this country. I truly worry about the future of this once great country. It seems we have gone back to the time of the robber baron industrialists. The heck with the suffering of the little people, as long as business is good. This nation turned its back on New Orleans when its citizens truly needed the help of the nation. And it continues to do so.
I think they should hold a debate in New Orleans, that is the only way there will be any effort to confront candidates with that failure and get anything more than, platitudes when the issue arises.
I also think there should be one debate west of the Mississippi. Three out of four debaters are in the Southeast, the other is in New York. Since when is that a well thought out plan? We in the West have issues that are different than Southerners. Why can't even one debate be in the West?
DW @ 29:
And that goes for people who live in tornado zones throughout the midwest, avalanche zones in mountainous areas, drought zones in semi-arid regions, and earthquake zones in the western states. Not to mention anyone livng near a major river (watershed), which includes most towns and major cities. Hmmmmmmm, guess we'll all have to live in a meadow in central Canada.
Thanks for your "compassionate" insight - moron!
James M. Martin @ 22:
Right on with the right on, Mr. Jimmy.
No disrespect to the poster (Logan Murphy) but your story leaves out a few pertinent details, as does the linked story at the TP. I guess we get so used to thoroughly chewing this stuff over down here that we forget 99 out of 100 outrages, swindles and footdragging incidents never make the national news. Let me recap a few salient points:
1. Louisiana has (for now) a democratic governor. Mississippi's Haley Barbour is not only a Republican, but a Bush inner-circle crony.
2. Mississippi received, on a per capita basis, more than twice the federal monies that Louisiana did, despite receiving far less damage from Katrina (Mississippi received wind damage from a 'natural disaster. New Orleans suffered catastrophic flooding and near total destruction of it's infrastructure due to the failure of faultily designed and improperly constructed floodwalls).
3. New Orleans currently has about 4,500 hotel rooms, and has hosted numerous conventions and sporting evnts since the flood, as well as two Mardi Gras. Our convention center's facilities are state of the art.
4. Oxford Mississippi (the 'city' chosen by the committee) has 640 hotel rooms.
But of course, the decision has nothing to do with politics.
I hope all those reporters enjoy the daily one hour bus ride in from their hotels in Memphis.
Heretic @ 25:
Fuck you. where were you from, Metairie? the Northsore? Tragedy speaks for itself, it has no need of 'splendor' as imagined by suburban mouth breathers. New Orleans is an island of resistance in the strip mall shithole of the USA. I LOVE it.
azureblue @ 11:
Hey azureblue, I assume you are from the good state Of Louisiana like me also... and I am glad you have brought up all this infor. about Edwards, Republicans, and the rest of the clowns running the show at the White House... I totaly agree with you ... and maybe you can bring Edwards back to greet them at the door or bring to the Mississippi river instead... did you see Mary Landrieu speak at Democrat lat year on video to defend N.O. for the Katrina damage... she is one hell of a US senator
So politicians are suppose to go to NO so they can pander at a racist college????
hi Guys & Gals,
I hate to burst your bubble of conspiracy theories, but as I live here in New Orleans, I'm slightly better informed as to the reasons this didn't happen. It's really quite simple. The debate group looks for certain information and assurances from the local government that they can and will deliver what's necessary to hold a debate. All accounts indicate that Ray Nagin's minions FUCKED UP BIG TIME by totally failing to provide the necessary information, documentation, and assurances that they could and would deliver the necessary services. This is hardly surprising; in fact, it's par for the course. Our local government regularly fucks this kind of thing up. Things like federal grants, funding, and so forth, to the tune of MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars are lost on a REGULAR BASIS because the nitwits in City Hall can't manage to fill out and file the proper forms on time. This happens all the time, so it's hardly surprising that it's happening now.
Oh yeah, to all the New Orleans haters, a big FUCK YOU, just for the record.
Most of the candidates with the exception of John Edwards do not want to remind the nation that as Chris Matthews put it just after Katrina "Katrina ripped off the scab of racism and poverty in our nation". Well on Matthews program the scab was ripped off for about a month, hey Chris why not a bi-weekly report on your program to help keep the scab off.
Candidates do not want to remind people of the racism and poverty that is alive and well in the U.S.
Bring back the League of Women Voters!
Not enough prostitutes have returned to New Orleans to service all the reporters.
I went to a professional meeting in New Orleans and it was fine. Once again New Orleans gets snubbed. I think that Bush sent aud to Bangladesh before he even turned on the television to see what had happened to New Orleans. Since most of our talk is ignored,we need to take action. The blogosphere should host a second debate in New Orleans.
We have given the USA oil, natural gas, the first sugar in the USA, and allowed them to plant their filthy polluting refinaries and chemical factories in our state, given them inexpesive labor, and most of all our support and trust, and what did the government and the majority of American people do to us?
Blame us. They blamed us for our poverty. They blamed the minimum wage workers who had no car, no credit card, and no money reserves for not leaving.
They pissed all over us, and our own representative, David Vitter (R) recently voted to table a farm bill that would have helped our destitute cane farmers. Landrieu(D) put up the Bill but Vitter thought other (bush issues) deserved immediate attention. He voted with Bush 99% before Katrina and now he does so in the majority, and like the farm bill, even when it hurts the very people who probably voted for him.
Shame on the Bush administration, and shame on those in America who blamed us for the natural disaster that befell us..
Joe America @ 40:
Joe,
I'm wondering where you're getting this information. I live in the same city you do, and while I am not unaware what a clusterfuck city hall can be, I've heard nothing of what you're taking about, not even a rumour. And as you know, this town runs on rumours.
Got a citation for those accusations?
NoGWBpolicyleftinplace @ 34:
Have the debates there. Maybe it will start some reasonable discussions about the future of NO. Clean it up and turn it into a National Park. We should help the former residents all we can with relocation and getting on with their lives but don't encourage people to move back there. Most scientists and engineers (that aren't tied to a political agenda) agree that NO isn't a just a high risk area or tornado alley. Its like pitching your tent on the railroad tracks. Even with the improved levees NO is more vulnerable than ever for future flooding. All the compassion in the world won't stop the next storm surge. For a good read go to the Aug '07 issue of Nat'l. Geographic
StevenMN @ 46:
Great, another fucking concern troll.
Ill tell you what will stop the next storm surge. Having the feds close the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet. Next order of business would be having someone besides the Army Corps of Engineers (who screwed up the job in the first place) in charge of floodwall construction.
As for 'helping us relocate,' do you have even the foggiest notion what that would cost? This isn't just some cozy little nest of restaurants and jazz clubs down here. There's five universities a Lockheed Martin Aerospace plant and a naval base, not to mention a cuple of million people and businesses who invested their lives and fortunes in the area because the feds told them those chessy little floodwalls were safe.
Stop embarrassing yourself by commenting on things you know nothing about.
John Doheny @ 47:
A troll or a realist? Until the improvements you propose happen, and it would be wonderful if it would, NO is still as vulnerable a tent pitched on the railroad track. Even with all the existing improvements the system can only withstand a weak category 3 hurricane (if you can trust the corps of engineers) something that happens about every 30 years. Compare that to the Dutch system estimated to be at least 50 times stronger and designed to withstand the worst storm any engineer could imagine. Until something like that happens in NO anyone rebuilding there is living in a dreamworld.
I wish the best to you and your fair city.
The below is a perfect example of the lunatic right and their focus on the "black Menace" - directly from the article's comments:
See? It's NOT Bush's fault, it's all the uppity "ghetto poor"
I love the comment that "...things were GREAT until the blacks started coming back..."
By the way New Orleans has 24,000 hotel rooms in the city alone. Not 4500! Do people even reserch before they make statements!
Roger Drowne EC @ 9:
Damn man, you must have the worst website in the *entire history* of the Internet...
StevenMN @ 49:
1. Malfeasance by current government is no reason to bail. The answer is fixing government, not abandoning the nation's third largest port.
2. Cat 3 hurricanes may 'happen' every thirty years, but they don't strike New Orleans every thirty years. In fact, the city has never suffered a direct hit of that magnitude. Katrina was a weak cat 2 or strong cat 1 when it made it to us, and the eye passed 30 miles east of the city.
DEREKNOLA @ 51:
Yes they do. But sometimes 'they' transpose figures from the wrong link.
Mea Culpa.
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