Mayor Nagin Calls Us to Action!

CNN just aired an extended radio interview with Mayor Nagin, who was pulling no punches.

Torrent of Interview

 As he put it, "I'm pissed!"  He asked for Federal troops 2 days ago.  He wants (a) a moratorium on press conferences from ANYONE until he sees some boots on the ground.  (b)  For the citizens of this country to call and write and harrass our politicians until they produce some action.  

The call to action is here - to paraphrase:  he needs troops, people are dying as we speak, we didn't ask for permission before going into Iraq, we didn't hesitate to send troops into NY on 9/11, so why do we not have troops in NO NOW?  Don't tell me they're on the way, they should be here.  Don't think too small.  CALL, WRITE, EMAIL.... flood the federal and state officials demanding immediate action.  

Update [2005-9-2 7:2:44 by Truth or Dare]:"This is a national disaster. Get every goddmaned Greyhound bus in the country and get their asses down here!"

Update [2005-9-2 7:9:11 by Truth or Dare]: Congressional Contacts

•  The Mayor is Angry

  And he's not sparing anyone.  This was a long interview which ended as both he and the interviewer broke down.  I'm sure CNN will replay it during the day.  Hopefully they will put up a link or partial transcript.

  by Truth or Dare on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 03:55:15 AM PDT

  •  don't blame him...

    for days we have heard 'help is on the way'  buses are coming...  troops 'will be there'...  and they are trying to say national guard are there... we just can't see them?  wtf!  are they hiding?  are they invisible?  there are people DYING!  how many have died since tuesday?  due to no food and water?  it is kind of funny, a diary or post yesterday correlating schiavo with this... congress came back in the middle of the night to get a tube reinserted...  lets play all the spewing about dehydration...  dying of thirst!  maybe we ought to walk around with tape on our mouths... then maybe someone would do something!

    what's worse...  i can't help but wonder if the media wasn't being so blunt right now if these people would have even had ANY help by now at all!

    by ejpoeta on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 03:59:52 AM PDT

    •  Mayor Nagin Is a Hero

      If nothing else for telling it like it is.  He talked about the problem NO has had with drug addicts - these people are looking for anything to take the edge off, that's why they're breaking into drug stores and hospitals.  So there is a genuine security problem, but its not the majority of the people stranded in the city.

      by Truth or Dare on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:25:59 AM PDT

•  add this link to your diary

  http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/

  This will give people the information they need to quickly contact their representatives.

  by TeresaInPa on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 03:56:19 AM PDT

  •  Thanks!

    Done.

    by Truth or Dare on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:09:29 AM PDT

•  torrent of interview

  http://www.torrentspy.com/directory.asp?mode=torrentdetails&id=398626

  by furiousxxgeorge on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:01:18 AM PDT

  •  Thanks!

    And CNN is replaying snippets of it.  He's so eloquent, he's clear.  "I don't know who's problem it is...but somebody needs to get their asses on a plane and get down here."

    by Truth or Dare on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:05:13 AM PDT

•  Ray Nagin for President

   If anyone gets a medal of freedom before this man, this country is doomed.

  by Thirsty on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:05:21 AM PDT

•  the whole federal government

  is in the hands of these republican haters. and it is criminal.

  by titotitotito on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:10:31 AM PDT

•  My mission today:

  Call all my representatives - including mayor bloomberg - and tell them that they better make it happen - that they take control - and that they know how ANGRY we are.

  by joojooluv on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:15:39 AM PDT

•  MAKE THIS CALL TO ACTION LAST!

  recommend the diary

  by joojooluv on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:24:09 AM PDT

•  Matt Lauer jsut went off!

  He called BROWN(FEMA) out on the carpet!
  ABC did the same!
  Matt said he wasn't finished with the questions and he was angry!
  For a change!

  Matt was asking about the 'poor' people being ignored.
  The 'poor' people were asking why they police were just driving by them....

  IMPEACH BUSH....NOW!!

  I'm not just going to contact MY reps...
  I'm going to contact ALL THE REPS!!

  Don't STOP!

  They ALL represent you!!

  YES THEY DO!!

  MARCH ON WASHINGTON NOW!

  This is outrageous!

  and the asshats on FAUX SUCKS are worried about the gas prices and the cost of shrimp dinners!

  OMG!

  Fuck this!!

  "NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD WOMEN AND MEN,
  TO COME TO THE AID OF THEIR COUNTRY!"
  

  by Breeze54 on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:31:09 AM PDT

  •  Yesterday they and we kept being told

    in interview after interview after press conference with "authorities," as media and we were told for days before, that troops had to be requested by local officials.

    That's why the media anger, too.

    Local officials did request troops, two days ago.

    Lie after lie after lie is being exposed.  These political hacks heading FEMA and Homeland Security, and this country, can't even cover their posteriors well.  Too busy covering their ears so they don't hear the local officials.

    by Cream City on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 06:04:15 AM PDT

•  Greyhound

  Mayor Nagin suggested we send a bunch of Greyhound buses down there ASAP and I couldn't agree more. Here is their contact info:

  Corporate office
  972-789-7000

  Greyhound Lines, Inc.
  P.O. Box 660362
  Dallas, TX 75266-0362

  Web site support
  [e-mail]

  Customer Assistance
  214-849-8966
  7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Central time zone, Monday through Friday

  Apparently they are in Dallas maybe with a push they will donate their buses to get people OUT!
  

  by teritaki on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:37:00 AM PDT

  •  Good Info

    Maybe GReyhound is waiting for a guarantee of payment from FEMA?

    We've been trained to refrain from rushing to a disaster as individuals, possibly making the situation worse.  But here it seems that the citizens with their boats are the ones who are getting things done.

    by Truth or Dare on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 04:43:28 AM PDT

•  I have sent a letter to my Democratic Senator....

  who is known as being pretty much Repub-lite, but he's all I've got as every other elected official from here is Republican.  It's time to stop 'standing with the president' and time to start standing-up for the people.  I also suggested that it's time for the Democratic officials to show some backbone....sounded better than cojones, though that's definitely how I feel.

  I'm sure I'll get a polite response, but maybe if he gets enough of these letters, he'll get the idea that his constituents give a damn.

  by Sasha Bear on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 05:02:42 AM PDT

  •  Don't Just Talk to Dems

    Thanks.  But don't stop there.  I've thought all along that we make a mistake in only appealing to Democratic officials - the Republicans need to know how we feel as well.  If they only hear from the sheeple, they continue thinking they've got a "majority" supporting them.

    by Truth or Dare on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 05:24:19 AM PDT

•  This Diary has a Link to the Interview

  Diary

  The link to the tape is here Intense Nagin Cuts the Bull

  by dbratl on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 05:23:22 AM PDT

•  Gotta say...

  I love this mayor...

  I feel for him, as helpless as he is right now...

  But I'm so seriously channeling his anger right now...I almost can't function, this response is so hack-job

  by floundericiousMI on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 06:10:11 AM PDT