Thursday, February 21, 2008
A strong legislative team
I almost did a spit take at one point listening to Lee Zurik's report on the mayor's schedule tonight. The report basically consisted of Clancy DuBos criticizing the mayor, and (Dillard political scientist) Gary Clark defending the mayor. At one point, Clark said:
The problem with that defense is that Nagin doesn't even bother to communicate with his legislative team:
Also, I know that Zurik's report was on Nagin's 2007 work schedule, but when he mentioned both Dallas and Jamaica, I thought of 2005. The mayor first lit out for Dallas less than two weeks after Katrina, and first went south to Jamaica within about ninety days of Katrina. The second trip is why I give Nagin the lion's share of the blame for the NIMBY/FEMA trailer mess of December 2005, perhaps historians will explore that aspect of the story since journalists and bloggers missed it.
“That becomes a question of style,” he said. “In the past we've had individuals who are mayors who came out of the Baton Rouge environment. This mayor's approach is if you put together a strong legislative team that may not be necessary.”
The problem with that defense is that Nagin doesn't even bother to communicate with his legislative team:
"I'm not sure where this came from," said state Sen. Ed Murray, D-New Orleans, a Nagin legislative floor leader who said he learned of the casino initiative only hours before the mayor's announcement.
Also, I know that Zurik's report was on Nagin's 2007 work schedule, but when he mentioned both Dallas and Jamaica, I thought of 2005. The mayor first lit out for Dallas less than two weeks after Katrina, and first went south to Jamaica within about ninety days of Katrina. The second trip is why I give Nagin the lion's share of the blame for the NIMBY/FEMA trailer mess of December 2005, perhaps historians will explore that aspect of the story since journalists and bloggers missed it.