By CAIN BURDEAU (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated Press
January 24, 2007 8:01 PM EST
NEW ORLEANS - Gov. Kathleen Blanco angrily criticized President Bush on Wednesday for not mentioning 2005's destructive hurricanes in his State of the Union speech, and said Louisiana is being shortchanged in federal recovery funding for political reasons.
"I guess the pains of the hurricane are yesterday's news in Washington," Blanco said.
"But for us it's still very real, very real, and it's something that we live every single day," the governor said. "But we will continue to fight, and we will continue to come on, and we will effect a recovery."
Mayor Ray Nagin echoed Blanco's disappointment at Bush's omission of New Orleans' recovery from Hurricane Katrina, but he cautioned against reopening political rifts that developed after the storm.
"We're 18 months into this thing. I'm tired of complaining and bellyaching," the mayor said. "We're going to take whatever nickels we have, whatever pennies we have, whatever dollars we have, and we're going to stretch it, and we're going to make this recovery work."
White House spokesman Blair C. Jones said Wednesday that Bush wants the Gulf Coast region rebuilt as quickly as possible and that he was committed to helping New Orleans' recovery.
"This year's State of the Union was not a list of every ongoing and important issue before the President," Jones said.
Blanco accused the White House of repeatedly delivering less money than Louisiana has needed to repair the damage to housing, schools and hospitals. She said Mississippi has received much more help.
"I just want an end to the disparities, once and for all," the governor said.
She said Louisiana's unfair treatment set the state's recovery back by six months.
Blanco sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday requesting an investigation to probe the role of "White House political operatives throughout the Katrina tragedy and its aftermath." It was unclear Wednesday night whether Pelosi's office had received the request.
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Associated Press reporters Becky Bohrer in New Orleans and Ben Evans in Washington contributed to this report.
Mayor Ray Nagin echoed Blanco's disappointment at Bush's omission of New Orleans' recovery from Hurricane Katrina, but he cautioned against reopening political rifts that developed after the storm.
"We're 18 months into this thing. I'm tired of complaining and bellyaching," the mayor said. "We're going to take whatever nickels we have, whatever pennies we have, whatever dollars we have, and we're going to stretch it, and we're going to make this recovery work."
Nagin tired of bellyaching ... thats a strech!
once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest places if you look at it right ...
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"I guess the pains of the hurricane are yesterday's news in Washington," Blanco said.
As a matter of fact, Hurricane Katrina IS yesterday's news...it happened in 2005. Now that doesn't mean our government should forget about our responsibilities & financial help for New Orleans & Louisiana, but I don't feel is was necessary for the 2007 State of the Union address.
Here's to it and here's to it again...if you get to it and don't do it...may you never get to it again!
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Believe it or not Nagin does have a little more brain power than that crazy @ss Blanco!!
They should elect the Sheriff of Louisiana, Henry Lee!! That man doesn't play around! He means what he says and doesn't give a rat's @ss about Nagin or Blanco for that matter!!
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Location: SWEET HOME ALABAMA... 2008 SEC WEST CHAMPS... ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!
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Re: La. Gov.: Bush Forgetting Katrina
Blank-O's popularity poll's are falling worse than Bushes... She, nor Nagin have a CLUE to whats going on. They both are pathetic. She better enjoy her time in Baton Rouge, because IT is limited.
'your Dixie's Football Pride, Crimson Tide... ROLL TIDE, ROLL TIDE!!!
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One report I heard was that Blanco and Nagin is sitting on almost a billion dollars of aid money just to build up the interest. I believe they both have no idea on how or what to do with the 9th ward area. Most of these people are scattered all over the country and the N.O. officials do not want to go in and trample on their rights. There is a long drawn out procedure to comdem the property. We all know how it is in Demopolis when the city tries to clean up some properties here.
Blank-O's popularity poll's are falling worse than Bushes... She, nor Nagin have a CLUE to whats going on. They both are pathetic. She better enjoy her time in Baton Rouge, because IT is limited.
believe it or not they REelected nagin since the hurricane
once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest places if you look at it right ...
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If they would stop complaining so much and start doing maybe more would get done in there area of the state its easy to point fingers. The finger pointing shoud have been long over by now and they should be in the work trenches like everyone else.We all know where the blame lyes but thats not fixing the problem only a good drive and work ethic will do that.So I say shut up and get to work. JMO
They call me TAZ cause they do.
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"Gov." Blanco says her state has been shortchanged...that's bullcrap. They have gotten a whole lot more attention than any other area affected by Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans is all the time on the news. Why not take a long hard look at the whole Mississippi coast line...that seems to be the overlooked area of the whole thing...These people seem to think that New Orleans is THE most important area of the Gulf Coast. There is more to the Gulf Coast than New Orleans. "Gov." Blanco and "Mayor" Nagin had better pull their heads out of their butts and get cracking on the reconstruction or people will never move back there.
Just my humble opinion....
Mike Grayson for Mayor!!
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They call me TAZ cause they do.
