Yesterday, we learned that New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin sent a letter to Councilwoman Stacy Head blasting her for “very crude race baiting.” Nagin was referring to the well publicized showdown between Head and Sanitation Department Director Veronica White at the recent budget hearings.
In the verbal confrontation, Head was searching for accurate information about the department’s budget. She never used any racist language. She was just trying to gather relevant facts about why the Orleans Parish sanitation department has such a big budget in comparison to Jefferson Parish. People feel for months, White concealed key information, which infuriated Head and led her to ask for an investigation by the Inspector General.
So, once again, Nagin was all wrong and acted like a complete fool. This incident is just another in a long line of Nagin missteps. In this case, White acted in a very arrogant manner and stormed out of the meeting, hurling insults at Ms. Head. If anyone should apologize, it should be Ms. White, who acted in a very strange and confrontational way. Objective observers are starting to question what is really going on in her department. We really need Inspector General Cerasoli to fully investigate this matter. Unfortunately, the Inspector General does not have several hundred investigators on staff as there are just so many questionable issues in Nagin’s City Hall.
In one respect, we should not be surprised by such shenanigans from the Nagin administration. His technology chief was hired without the proper academic credentials. His crime cameras are still not operating correctly, although millions of dollars have been spent to install them throughout New Orleans. Nagin’s Recovery Director spends half of his time traveling to Australia and other exotic places and has not been able to fulfill his promises of “cranes in the sky.”
As we thankfully near the end of the Nagin administration, everything seems to be falling apart at City Hall. Therefore, it is interesting that there are sources reporting this morning that Ray Nagin is being considered for the position of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the new Obama administration. According to one leading Democrat, Nagin is on the short list for the job because of “his experience leading New Orleans during the post-Katrina period.”
While there has been significant rebuilding in New Orleans including a major revitalization of the public housing developments in the past three year, there is little doubt that the pace of recovery has been slow. There is also little doubt that Nagin has provided very poor leadership and that much more would have been done in New Orleans if someone else had been Mayor.
If Nagin is selected for this cabinet position, he will have to resign his position as Mayor of New Orleans, necessitating an early special election. Therefore, Barack Obama might allow New Orleans to rid itself of Nagin one year earlier and give the city as chance to elect a competent person as Mayor.
For these important reasons, I am imploring everyone to write, call, e-mail, and fax and telegram President-Elect Obama to encourage him to appoint Ray Nagin as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He has such unusual credentials, he should not be overlooked. The future of New Orleans may very well depend on it.
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
Hopefully Obama's election as president will start us down a path where scrutiny of our public officials can be perceived as a needed (and colorblind) enquiry. Written by kpf
on 11/17/2008
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Maybe a diplomatic position for the U.S. inside the Iraqi Red Zone? I think we could all agree to write a letter for that particular appointment.
Written by CWM
on 11/16/2008
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I am afraid I will have to decline your suggestion Jeff. By the way, since you are promoting Stacy Head for Mayor in 2010, does this mean you have given up on Rob Couhig who endorsed Ray Nagin for re-election? Written by David Quidd
on 11/14/2008
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Don't act like Nagan has the exclusive rights on all the crooks. How about Edwards?
Presidnet Obama is not party to the Racism is that's happening in Bogalousa, Jena and other quite places like the majority one race religous schools around here for the elites etc. Seems like the next time these two who made comments and you young man attend a meeting and gathering don't kill the recruits. Written by Winger 2
on 11/14/2008
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Jeff says, " For these important reasons, I am imploring everyone to write, call, e-mail, and fax and telegram President-Elect Obama to encourage him to appoint Ray Nagin as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development." ...........NOOOOOO!!!! Do not taint President Obama's cabinet with Mayor Nagin.... We can wait one more year...C'mon, Jeff.. Obama would NOT choose such a controversial figure- He's too smart for that.... But, he is choosing Hillary Clinton for Sect.of State-- I love it! Written by KjunLady
on 11/14/2008
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heaven help this great country if Nagin is promoted for his racism. It will just lead to more division as people see that Obama's election was a racist thing and that he is more interested in racism than the good of this nation. Of course, maybe Obama wants to make the USA a chocolate nation and then Nagin is just the ideal man for the job Written by noladude
on 11/14/2008
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No one entrusted with the use of public funds should be allowed to hide behind their skin pigmentation to avoid accountability. I cannot see us paying even more property taxes so that a corrupt and inefficient administration can continue to line their pockets. I suspect I will have to move from Orleans Parish if that's the only way I can manage to keep from paying even more taxes merely for the betterment of inept crooks who hide behind their race. Written by prefer honest politicians, any color, but honest
on 11/14/2008
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Yesterday, we learned that New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin sent a letter to Councilwoman Stacy Head blasting her for “very crude race baiting.” Nagin was referring to the well publicized showdown between Head and Sanitation Department Director Veronica White at the recent budget hearings. 
