New Book on Katrina to be released

[TSmith274]

Yeah there is a flaw in Mr. Brinkley's assertion that Nagin should have had a "bullhorn moment". He keeps repeating this idea in interviews over and over. He didn't see help coming, people were dying of thirst, heat stroke, etc. all over the place. What was he supposed to do, go down to the Superdome and Convention Center and lie to these people? I know I couldn't have done that if I were mayor. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself afterward knowing that many more would have died waiting for my hollow promises to come through... promises that he had no authority or means to carry out. It was best to be realistic about the situation IMO.

[mempho]

Nagin took the brunt of the consequences for years of corruption down there and that's unfortunate. I don't really think we'd be talking about this if the corruption hadn't occurred...Katrina still would have occurred but Lousiana would have its levee protection. Years of corruption took their toll on Louisiana politics and they were never able to get the seniority at the federal levels to accomplish what needed to be done with the levee system. Add to that the millions of dollars that disappeared.

[gtalum]

I just finished this book. I thought it was quite good, and pretty fair in its assessment of blame and responsibility for the shamefully slow response to a huge national disaster.

Contrary to the TSmith274, I think brinkley is right that Nagin should have been at the Dome and the CC in a "bullhorn moment" to help keep up morale.

Regardless, the horrors suffered by those in New Orleans and the MGC are incredible, especially considering that much of the horror of the immediate aftermath could have been eliminated or at least handled so much more smoothly with just a little foresight by elected leaders.