As a Senator, Obama went to New Orleans five times to criticize then-President Bush for failing to rebuild the city or protect it from future flooding. He campaigned on the claim that George W. Bush had failed to rebuild New Orleans after Katrina or to invest enough in future protection. Now, with 65,000 homes still abandoned, no public hospital and levees that remain vulnerable to flooding, Obama’s being criticized for not doing enough. Today, he made his first visit as President, with only enough time for a box lunch, before going on to a fundraiser in San Francisco. Has his administration been good for New Orleans? Can the Army Corps of Engineers prevent another disaster? What about politics in a city focused on race in a state focused on partisanship?
Obama's Quick Trip to The Big Easy
Credits
Guests:
- Jonathan Tilove - Washington Reporter, New Orleans Times-Picayune
- Harry Shearer - Political satirist - @theharryshearer
- Ivor van Heerden - Center for the Study of Public Health Impact of Hurricanes
- Elliott Stonecipher - independent demographic analyst
- Barbara Major - Vice President, Citizens United for Economic Equity