Mayoral Debate on MSNBC
I watched the mayoral debate tonight, even though Mitch Landrieu would have to rape Norman Robinson on live television before I would vote for Nagin at this point. I am happy to say that neither of the candidates completely embarassed New Orleans in front of the entire world. I can also confidently say that Chris Matthews is a huge windbag. At the end, he put in a plug for New Orleans, which I appreciate, but his approach is shallow sentimentality over substance, which I object to on principle. I think the case for New Orleans can be made on principled as well as practical grounds, and if it makes people feel good, then that’s nice, too.
Landrieu was definitely on the attack. Norman Robinson seemed kind of like he was on Sugar Ray’s ass. Chris Matthews was on Landrieu’s ass, but Landrieu was all over that. Landrieu defended his integrity against Nagin’s vague charge that “he sure has a lot of money.” Landrieu went all into how his family’s integrity has never been challenged, but all he really had to say was, “Ray. You don’t think maybe people are supporting me because they don’t want you to be the mayor any more?”
Nagin was best when he was acting cool about how there were on-going processes bringing in funds, and things were getting better incrementally. No one can argue with that. But then he gave a convoluted answer to the question of why all these dead cars ARE STILL HERE. He was blah blah blah and he lost me and then Landrieu nailed him. Basically, Mitch kept nailing him over and over and Mitch and Norman were very chummy. Landrieu had such confidence that he actually shut up Matthews a couple of times. I DEFINITELY think MItch could take Bobby Jindal.
Sugar Ray has a very annoying habit of saying, “I don’t know,” when you know he has something on his mind and he won’t say it. He is very cute. I used to like it. But this is getting to be like the part of the disaster movie where the hero tells the blond, “You wait here, I’ll handle it.” Well, I’ve seen this movie. You can handle it, big guy, but I am not waiting here. I am right behind you, watching everything you are doing, and going over a checklist to make sure you don’t fuck up.
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I only caught a little bit of the debate tonight, but you pretty much summed up exactly what I thought of the little bit I did see. The most important thing to me was that neither one of the candidates make New Orleans look stupid on a nationally telivised debate, and I didn’t see that happen in the 15 minutes I watched. Does anybody know if there is a copy of the debate out on the internet anywhere?
I love these debates. I’ve never liked televisted debates but these are so engaging. I hate to see the election be overwith because there wont be any more televisted debates!
Nagin comes off so smug and cocky…the more I see of him the more it shows he hasnt a clue…
First I would like to say, I’m not from New Orleans. I watched the debate? and I read your article and I could not agree more. Last night was the Chris Matthews show with guests. The one thing you missed and I was left speechless was Chris Matthews bringing up Karl Rove in the debate.
Chris’s suggestion that Karl has this plan not to rebuild so that he can keep black people out and turn N.O. into a red district floored me. I really don’t think that these people who are homeless and trying to rebuild are thinking about Karl Rove. If I lived there, this debate? showed me nothing about the candidates. I use the question mark with debate because I don’t know what last night was except the Chris Matthew’s show. What came across last night is a D.C. pundit not realizing that there is a world outside of D.C. Keep the debates local and moderated by locals.
Ron Olivier
Boca Raton, FL
“Chocolateville” against “New World Order.”
“New World Order” was Bush 41’s phrase. I think Mitch will confine his ambitions to bringing some kind of order back to New Orleans.
From one blond to another, I hope you’re right.