‘The perfect storm of delay’

As president of the National Urban League, Marc Morial isn’t in a position to endorse a candidate in today’s mayoral runoff in New Orleans. But he has strong feelings about post-Katrina New Orleans both in his current role and as a former two-term New Orleans mayor. “I governed well,” Morial told The Eagle editorial board Thursday, calling the lateness of the evacuation the “biggest mistake” made, on top of the failure to adequately provide for the shelters’ needs. But it was “the perfect storm of delay,” he said, noting the response and recovery problems involved all levels of government. He also wishes the Bush administration had heeded the Urban League’s call for a Sept. 11-style victims’ compensation fund and a singular Gulf Coast authority to oversee reconstruction. The latter idea especially seems preferable to the haphazard rebuilding effort so far.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

2 Comments

  1. Gary C.
    Posted May 20, 2006 at 2:31 pm | Permalink

    Its a shame. I was reading the Other day that the N.O. airport never flooded. The airport was set-up as a medical triage, and had a lot of sick patients just lying on the floor.Trust me look up the photos.

    What I dont understand is how come supplies were never flown in? How come the sickest of the sick were not flown out? Why werent adequate hospital supplies flown in? Why couldnt they fly in supplies and then move them across the city from the airport?

    HOW COME PRES. BUSH CANCELED HIS SPRING VACATION EARLY FOR THE TERRI SCHIAVO INCIDENT, BUT COULDNT CANCEL HIS SUMMER TRIP WHEN AN AMERICAN CITY WAS DYING? Sorry but this is the worst prez. we ever had.

  2. Ben Huie
    Posted May 21, 2006 at 12:17 am | Permalink

    Good point Gary. I know of National Guard troops who were expecting and ready for call-up that never came.

    I did read about one hero in the days after the storm. The Sheriff in Wayne Co. (Detroit) Michigan took a bunch down with no authorization at all. He said they could not stand by and do nothing. You also saw Fish/Game wardens from all over running boats.

    Then there were the airboat guys from FL who the authorities blocked from going in – saying they cound not guaruntee their safety. These are guys who rung the ‘glades – they don’t need anyone to guaruntee their safety!

    There is definitely plenty of blame to spread around in that fiasco – in BOTH parties.