Obama’s New Orleans TLC
Has President Obama been paying enough attention to the recovery of New Orleans?
President Obama promises to work hard on Katrina recovery (epa/Corbis/Cheryl Gerber)
As a candidate and senator, President Obama visited New Orleans five times, said Peter Baker and Campbell Robertson in The New York Times. So there was some “frustration and impatience” in the city that it took him nine months to visit as president. Thursday’s four-hour stop was meant to assure locals that, despite the “backlog of problems” he inherited, he “would not forget about New Orleans.”
We’re “sympathetic” to residents’ “desire for substantial presidential face time,” said The Washington Post in an editorial, but Obama hasn’t been ignoring “the devastation of the Gulf Coast or the frustrations” with the recovery pace. And four years after Hurricane Katrina, there are some bright spots: four big mixed-income public-housing projects are under construction, education is better than pre-Katrina, and a new city master plan is in the works.
If that’s Obama’s pitch that he’s “not as clueless about the situation as the last president was,” said Harry Shearer in The Huffington Post, “frankly, he could have saved the jet fuel.” New Orleans needs solutions and money, not some vague and “vaporous ‘build stronger’” pledge. But hey, “hope he enjoyed his gumbo.”
There was a little spice to his town hall, said Andrew Malcolm in the Los Angeles Times. Obama defended Gov. Bobby Jindal when the crowd “began booing”—he “almost said he liked the Republican” governor, before thinking about the 2012 YouTube clips—and ably fielded a question on “why do people hate you?” from fourth-grader Terrence Scott. (watch Obama's response)
We’re thankful Obama visited, said the New Orleans Times-Picayune in an editorial. He vowed to keep our recovery a “top priority,” and “it was a comfort to hear him say so.” But it was also important for him to see the state of our recovery first-hand. His visit to a rebuilt Lower Ninth Ward grade school gave him “a hint of the education renaissance” here, but he also saw the “government’s failures in Katrina.” Now, some “urgency” would be nice.
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16 Comments
Posted by Tom, Friday, October 16, 2009, 2:30 pm Stop making excuses and get to work. Why aren't these people doing more to help themselves. I know of what i speak, as I have been through major disasters, too. Stop whining, pointing fingers and get this done, and get on with your lives.
Posted by Erika, Friday, October 16, 2009, 2:33 pm Good answer to the kid who asked, Why does everyone hate you?
Posted by Jackson, Friday, October 16, 2009, 2:39 pm Come on, time to stop the blame game. Bush has been gone for 9 months now, and this is your first visit. Take some responsibility. You said HOPE and CHANGE. I see unemployment, higher taxes on the horizon and NO CHANGE. You are still blaming Bush. YOU are the president now, act like it. I voted for change, and we're getting the same old crap.
Posted by Gut Shot, Friday, October 16, 2009, 3:06 pm Hey Obummerremember Biloxi? Oh thats right, there are no black voters in Biloxi. While many in N.O. looted, raped, and watched their police quit in the middle of a crisis Mississippi took care of getting back to the business at hand. Did ACORN sponsor this campaign trip? Rumour has it that Bush kept you from getting the Olympics in C'town. Stop blaming others and do the job we elected you to do. Bozo.
Posted by AnnieH, Friday, October 16, 2009, 3:23 pm Promises. BHO promises. Again, and again, and again. When do we get to the action part? All talk, smiles and feel good pats on the back. When does he start doing what he promised?
Posted by Keyshaun, Friday, October 16, 2009, 3:34 pm Did the little kids sing songs of praise to Obama. mmm..mmm.mm Barak Hussien Obama. That just cracks me up. It is just so bad and distrubing. They cannot read and write, but they can learn little ditties. That does not pay the bills or get you into college, kids. I know. You are given an education, don't waste it on false adoration.
Posted by huh, Friday, October 16, 2009, 3:55 pm The Week posted this story yesterday. Same story, different spin. Or maybe they just didn't like the comments.
Posted by Gut Shot, Friday, October 16, 2009, 7:57 pm Where is BO? Latest report says he will be in Virginia campaigning for Creigh Deeds . Democratic gov candidate. Clinton will be here also. that is just what you need Creigh. A whoremongering has been and a socialist yet to be. My prediction is a sweep by the repubs next month. Wait and see. governor, lt. governor, and attorney general.We are not weak minded and ACORN dependent in Ole Va. Unlike New Orleans.
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