Once again, we have a controversy caused by the Mayor of New Orleans Ray Nagin. After getting through Hurricane Gustav with relatively high marks, Nagin has once again put his foot in his mouth. Last week, he offered Texas evacuees the world famous “Mayor Ray Nagin Special Rate.”
What is this “special” all about? Well, it was supposed to be a special room rate in New Orleans hotels for Texas residents fleeing Hurricane Ike.The problem is that no special rate ever existed.
As usual, Nagin spoke without thinking about the consequences of his comments. It turns out that Nagin offered the rate without contacting local hotels, so when evacuees asked for the rate they were met with quizzical looks. Some evacuees were hopping mad and for good reason. Eventually, the Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association issued an e-mail to their members imploring them to help deal with the problem and offer discounted rates.
Nagin made the offer in a Thursday news conference. The purpose of his comment was to inform “our friends in Houston and Texas that we want to take care of you, since you have taken care of us.”
Of course, Texas was very welcoming to New Orleans area residents after Katrina and thousands of people from this region still live in the Houston area.
The “Nagin special rate” was really an attempt “to lighten the mood” according to Stephen Perry, President of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Association. While it might have lightened the mood, it did not sit well with Texas evacuees who traveled to New Orleans looking for a non-existent rate.
This whole episode is another example of Ray Nagin speaking before he thinks and proposing a policy that doesn’t exist. Obviously, Nagin does not realize the ramifications of his words.
Mr. Nagin should listen to his favorite presidential candidate Barack Obama, who repeatedly notes that “words do matter.”
Yes, Mayor Nagin words do matter. So, next time, consider what you say and maybe you will not infuriate other people, embarrass yourself and make New Orleans look bad once again.
Jeff Crouere is the Host of “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. He is the Political Analyst for WGNO-TV ABC26 and the Political Editor for NewOrleans.com. For more information, visit his web site at RingsidePolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
No Tony, crude dropped because investors are pulling out, and trying to rediversify their portfolios. There is a lot of fire sales out their, and they are looking for the best pick to invest in. Gold is ok for safe investment, and oil is o.k. as well, but there are some real deals down in the basement........ As I said, I am looking for it to stabilize somewhere around the $70 mark in November....... Written by
on 9/18/2008
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Good point Tony, neither the poor response at all levels of government following Katrina nor the improved response during and after Gustav are due to "party affiliation." It's sad that most people have to have a "boogie man" - that is, the "bad people" (Negroes, Republicans, "Whitey", Democrats,"Infidels", whatever) - to denigrate to create cohesion in their "own ranks." Rodney King once asked "Can't we all just get along?" Well.... actually.... no, we cannot. Written by kpf
on 9/17/2008
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Crude only dropped because of the glut in the market place, 3 million barrels a day floating around since Ike. As for C Ray, he likes to joke around however in a time of crisis some level of maturity when talking to the public is expected. Louisiana Lou remember one thing, C ray lived through Katrina and Bobby Jindal had a play book designed from the failures of the past. I'm wiling to bet you could have stepped in and done equally as well. Written by Tony G
on 9/16/2008
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WHEN IS RANTING RAY NAGIN's TERM OVER?
TOO LATE! ! ! ! ! ! Written by UPTOWNJYD
on 9/16/2008
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Ahhhhhh,,, the monitor lizards make their appearance. Written by
on 9/15/2008
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Perhaps our illustrious mayor thought he was cutting a deal with Home Depot or arranging for a relative to get money for houses he didn't demolish. What a self serving idiot our bemedalled hero is. Written by kabby
on 9/15/2008
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Just more of Nagin's jive talk. Sadly, we're stuck with him until his term runs out. What a disastrously hopeless representative for our lovely city. Perhaps, when he's gone, we can get someone voted in based on skill rather than ethnic background, and get moving forward. Written by noladude
on 9/15/2008
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O.K. folks..... Light, sweet crude for October delivery fell $5.47 to settle at $95.71 today.... I was pretty much set on $75 or so by November as I explained a month or so ago here on the Bayou Buzz....... I think it is still heading that way....... O.K...... Now for the rest of the story................. Ehhhhh,,, why bother, I wrote it 2 years ago, and just as it was overlooked then, it was overlooked when I was only talking about it 6 years ago, and it will probably continue to be overlooked...... Ehhhhh,, Cie este la vie I suppose.. I don't think you really want to know exactly whats going on, it takes to much reading on your parts. Written by
on 9/15/2008
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As we said on our forum: "Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims of the hurricane now pounding Houston and other areas of Texas. Thousands of New Orleanians and others fled there in August, 2005 and at other times when we were threatened by hurricanes. Now they will need us with what little we have here in New Orleans. What makes our hospitality so much less was the needless remark of Mayor Loose Tongue who told them to ask for the special "Nagin Rate" and his inability to revive this city. Read more about that on the front page of the Times Picayune." Maybe a recall petition should be started against the Mayor. Written by RhettsWife
on 9/15/2008
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And it is fitting to have a moment of silence...... LONDON - Richard Wright, a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, died Monday. He was 65. Shine on you crazy diamond............ Written by
on 9/15/2008
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Nagin's hotel rate comment reminded me of the furniture store ad, where some poor schlub laments that he can't afford a new bedroom set, after which he is referred to the "Special Man."
"Lettimavit!" growls the cigar chomping, hat wearing "Special Man."
That's what Nagin has become: a caricature of a cartoon. Written by David (neither Vitter nor Duke)
on 9/15/2008
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As usual, Jeff, you are right on. Ray Nagin should not ever under any circumstances, be allowed to speak without a script. He is too incompetent and self serving to do so. The only reason he had high marks after Gustav is because Gov. Bobby Jindal made sure that Nagin did something this time. Written by Louisiana Lou
on 9/15/2008
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Once again, we have a controversy caused by the Mayor of New Orleans Ray Nagin. After getting through Hurricane Gustav with relatively high marks, Nagin has once again put his foot in his mouth. Last week, he offered 
