Defending the Truth

Nagin Is Reelected In New Orleans
Landrieu Concedes After Tight Race

By Peter Whoriskey
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, May 21, 2006; A01



NEW ORLEANS, May 20 -- Mayor C. Ray Nagin was reelected Saturday, overcoming a ceaseless barrage of criticism stemming from the chaos of Hurricane Katrina and the stalled recovery to achieve what many considered an improbable victory.

In addition to the frustrations of post-hurricane New Orleans, Nagin had to fend off a strong challenge by Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, the scion of a politically powerful clan, who outspent him by large a margin.

Surrounded by throngs of cheering supporters, Nagin acknowledged the antagonism he has aroused since Katrina and, to the surprise of many in the room, thanked President Bush.

"I want to thank you Mr. President. You and I have probably been the most vilified politicians in the country," he said. "But I want to thank you for moving that promise that you made in Jackson Square forward."

He cited the billions of dollars for housing and levee construction that Bush has supported, and then urged unity: "This election is over, and it is time for this community to start the healing process."

Many here, such as City Council President Oliver M. Thomas Jr., considered Nagin's victory the "biggest upset ever." Earlier in the day, Thomas and many others had predicted a Landrieu win.

Despite calls by both candidates for unity across the historic barriers of race, the vote split largely along racial lines. Nagin won by gaining the support of about 80 percent of black voters and about 20 percent of white voters, according to election analyst Greg Rigamer.

Had he won, Landrieu would have been the first white mayor of the city since his father left office in 1978. The fact that a white candidate had made it to the runoff was taken as a reflection of the mass exodus of blacks from the city. Nagin won 52.3 percent of the votes, or 59,460, to Landrieu's 47.7 percent, or 54,131.

As he did throughout the election campaign, Landrieu pleaded with voters to put aside racial differences and focus on the huge task of rebuilding the city, most of which remains largely abandoned.

"From generation to generation, we have never risen above our differences and come together," he told his disappointed supporters at a downtown hotel. "But tonight let us pledge that we will begin. We will speak with one voice. We will get behind the mayor. We will do everything we can to bring this great city back again."

Many here called the election a pivotal moment in city history. Scores of voters arrived after a five-hour bus trip from Houston. Some emerged from cramped FEMA trailers parked in otherwise abandoned neighborhoods. And even those who came from the comfort of houses untouched by the flooding said the only issues that mattered were the hurricane and its aftermath.
"This is amazing, isn't it?" Landrieu asked Saturday during a campaign stop, reflecting on the unusual circumstances of the election.

Although Landrieu and Nagin agreed on many of the key issues of rebuilding, they presented voters a clear contrast of styles, and many approached the runoff election as a referendum on Nagin's tenure during Hurricane Katrina and the recovery.

"Why wasn't he prepared for the storm? Why wasn't there water at the Superdome? Why weren't there portable toilets there?" asked Stacey Stanfill, 36, an art teacher who supported Landrieu. "After the experience of [Hurricane] Ivan, there was no reason not to be prepared." The Louisiana Superdome became a temporary home for thousands after Katrina.

Other voters, however, were stirred to support Nagin, saying he was being unfairly blamed for a monstrous storm that no leader could have battled. Several said he should be given "another chance."

"A lot of fingers have been pointed at the mayor, but this city has never seen that kind of devastation," said Barbara Hamilton, 47, who rode a bus from Houston to vote. "Anyone else would have done the same thing."

Nagin, the former cable television executive, is given to a casual, freewheeling speaking style that has several times stirred controversy, most notably when he said God wanted the city to remain "chocolate." That has also divided voters here.

Some said that even if they disliked the content of such remarks, they found them endearing, the mark of a candidate who speaks openly.

"I'm out of energy, ladies and gentlemen, so you're not going to get the typical Ray Nagin speech, and I'm not going to get in trouble tonight, trust me," he joked during his speech.

"He has a screwy reputation with the nation, and I don't think that can help us," said James Marler, 36, a graduate student and painter.

By contrast, Landrieu, speaks carefully, offers multipoint answers, and sometimes sounds like a lawyer turned politician, which he is. His sister is Sen. Mary Landrieu (D), and his father, Moon Landrieu, was mayor here in the 1970s. Several voters said they are suspicious of dynasties and elites -- and that they classify the Landrieu clan as both.

But his supporters said those political connections and that history would serve the city well, especially when it comes to lobbying for federal recovery aid. "His connections and the dynasty are a good thing," said Tom Ellis, 47, a painting contractor and Landrieu supporter. "He's a political gym rat. He was built for politics."

Though many here consider the race a pivotal one in city history -- "HISTORIC ELECTION" was the headline in the New Orleans Times-Picayune -- the race was remarkably polite, compared with other mayoral election battles here.

The relatively tame character of the debate may have helped Nagin and hurt Landrieu, who many had presumed would win easily, given his experience, advantage in fundraising and number of endorsements. Nagin would be blamed, at least partly, for the chaos after Katrina and the slow recovery.
But Landrieu squandered his advantage, some analysts and voters said, because he failed to distinguish himself from the incumbent.

"I saw Landrieu in the debate, and he kept saying, 'I agree with the mayor. I agree with the mayor,' " said Wayne Guidry, 23, an accountant. "If he's going to copycat him, let the mayor continue what he's doing. And if you're going to keep agreeing with him, do you really want the job?"

"It was the nicest campaign against an incumbent in history," said Thomas, the City Council president. "For a guy who wants another guy's job, he sure complimented him a lot. That hurt him."
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/20/AR2006052000265.html

Simply amazing. If a conservative was as incompetant as this guy, he'd be toast. It's just politics as usual in New Orleans. Both of them were democrats.

I think it is a bold statement to keep the racism and social problems of this country in the forefront. I applaud them.

I heard him say during the campaign that he wants New Orleans to be a "chocolate" city. I think he is the racist.

He went on to talk about how chocolate is made by mixing cocoa and milk (black and white)...
Try to keep his comment in some kind of context.

This proves only one thing:

The people of New Orleans are IDIOTS.

I know you're not fond of polls, but I would love to see a few polls in the area which basically ask, in one form or another, ...

What the hell were you thinking???

I couldn't agree more.


I just honestly cannot believe that the people of New Orleans are that stupid.

That was his spin a few days after he said it. Whoever thought of that one for him should be given a raise.

When you see your fellow man floating down the street and your white government takes a freaking week to get to you...

well, I guess you wouldn't understand how that feels.