Edwards' poverty tour: New Orleans

Posted: Monday, July 16, 2007 4:23 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Democrats

From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum and Andy Merten

On the first day of his "Road to One America Tour," Edwards spent the morning in New Orleans, visiting pre-schoolers in a Head Start program at Kingsley House, as well as patrons and employees at Cafe Reconcile. He took advantage of the opportunity to call out President Bush for the lack of progress in rebuilding the city. "I will say that I think what's happened in New Orleans is a complete failure of presidential leadership. This President is responsible. He came here. He promised the city of New Orleans would be rebuilt. If he demanded action, action would be taken. Unfortunately, that has not happened."

Edwards called for a three-step solution for New Orleans: rebuild the infrastructure, ensure the people's safety (in terms of both the levees and crime), and create jobs.

The presidential hopeful announced his candidacy for the presidency in New Orleans back in December, and he returned to the Lower 9th Ward last night. During a town hall, he called for the people there to rebuild their own city -- instead of having outside contractors do the job for them. He sincerely told a man in the audience, "When I'm President, you'll have a job." Later that evening, Edwards and his wife continued to connect to people one-on-one during a tour of the area. They listened to a man describe his plight of living in a FEMA trailer since 2005 without any electricity.

When asked about the purpose of his multi-day tour through impoverished cities and towns, Edwards made it crystal clear his goal is not to simply court votes from the people he is visiting. "Whoever they end up voting for, if, through this effort, we can shine a light on the problems and the challenges that they face and get people focused on what can be done to make it better, I'll be very happy."

Edwards will spend the rest of his day in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Tomorrow, he will be in Ohio and Pennsylvania. And he will wrap up his tour on Wednesday with trips to Virginia and Kentucky.

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Comments

Finally!!!! A positive report about Edwards.

David, Chattanooga, Tn (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 4:33 PM)

Bout time the media started covering Edwards on the issues. He's by far the strongest, most specific Dem in the bunch when it comes to looking at the substance of his proposals and priorities.

Will, Philadelphia (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 4:45 PM)

Kudos to a first-rate, detailed, informative post on Edwards' stop in New Orleans! All candidates' visits to that city should be covered as well as this one.

Edwards is right in saying that what happened in New Orleans, where Bush's promises have not been kept to help her rebuild, is a "complete failure of presidential leadership."

I hope Edwards succeeds in refocusing attention on the problems faced by people in New Orleans--which much of the mainstream media seem to have shrugged off as "yesterday's news" when Katrina is not yesterday's news for such people as the man mentioned in the post, whose FEMA trailer has been without electricity since 2005.

It's time for the mainstream media to wake up and smell the coffee and start treating Katrina's aftermath and Bush's unkept promises as the major campaign issue they need to be treated as. It is unconscionable that much of the media has slavishly kowtowed to the Bush Administration by writing off New Orleans.

Olivia (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 4:47 PM)

Yeah it's all Bush's fault that Utopian Democrat society is a basket case. Has the Democrat run State made it past the 2% mark for handing out federal money?

Dave, Tn (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 4:59 PM)

LOL! Positive!!!! The way the people have been going at it and complaining, you would think that they are rebuilding their own city without help. Edwards basically told them to get off their lazy butts and get to work. the same thing I have been saying for months on end. Don't rely on your goverment to hold your hand, blow your nose and tell you it's going to be all better, get with the program yourself. The goverment from 2001-2005 has spent more then $1.9 billion dollars down there (Washington Post). How much of that went to fixing the levees and other flood control devices? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Sounds like under a democratic administration, all the money in the world is going to flow like honey from heaven. But, none of it is going to matter if you don't fix the levees and flood control first. Mary Landrieu has gotten money to fix things that have nothing to do with flood control. The next hurricane that comes for a visit, there may be no more new orleans to talk about. All the sweetness and honey that John Edwards can talk about doesn't amount to a hill of beans if people don't get off their butts and get with the program. Ray nagin is a typical liberal hack, just complains and complains because his chocolate city is sinking into the mississippi swamp. He didn't do anything to help the city before or during the storm and he still is waiting for somewone to lead him. Time to man up Ray, lead your people.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 5:11 PM)

"Edwards basically told them to get off their lazy butts and get to work. the same thing I have been saying for months on end. Don't rely on your goverment to hold your hand, blow your nose and tell you it's going to be all better, get with the program yourself."

Jerry, don't be too hard on them. Old habits die hard.

Texas Ranger (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 5:36 PM)

Where is the plan from city hall? Business as usual. When John Edwards gets an ordinary haircut like everyone else and not his $400 specials, I might listen to him.

John, York, Penn. (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 5:54 PM)

Dave, Tn -
You think if we could spend a half a trillion dollars in Iraq (including a billion dollar embassy that will never operate adequately), we could spend at least that much rebuilding one of the major cities and trade ports here at home. Don't pass the buck to the "Democrat run state." Leadership handles adversity, it appears FEMA can do it job (with or without Brownie).

Nick A., Deerfield, IL (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 5:55 PM)

To the First read editors.

I am surprised you would post the racist remarks of Jerry in Corpus Christi. A remark like "Chocolate City" doesn't belong on this board. I know jerry is a frequent commmenter but come on.

Nick A., Deerfield, IL (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 5:57 PM)

If you have levees and roads and waterways built by Federal tax dollars, it becomes the responsibility of the Federal government to make sure they work , are repaired and up to date. If the systems break, it then becmes the responsibility of the Federal government to insure that all citizens harmed by the failure of these federal systems are compensated.And those levees are under control of the Army Corps of Engineers, a division of the Federal government not the state of anywhere U.S.A.

Desmond (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 5:59 PM)

No offense to Edwards supporters, but if you really want to help your candidate, relying on "positive" pieces by the Media in hopes that it restarts the campaign, is not an effective tool. Instead of stuffing online polls at MyDD and Daily Kos, in an effort to make Edwards appear as is he is " Americas Real Choice", why don't you get out and canvass? Why don't you send in donations so that Edwards can do ads and open offices in key states? Instead of put all of your eggs in one basket (Iowa) why don't you start grassroots Edwards Groups that will go out into their communities all over the country and canvass for Edwards? Why don't you actually go to work for your candidate? Why don't you seek out those unregistered voters and get them registered and educated about the Primaries and Caucus ? Why don't you stop writing off the Youth and actually work with the College Democrats ? If you continue to just rely on others to do the work for you, then John Edwards will continue to be in the position he is in and Barack Obama will not be able to pick him for VP. So, get it together or we will have to pick someone else.

Obama/Edwards 2008

BlueDiamond (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 6:12 PM)

This man deserves to be president. Instead of a campaign built on empty "hope" or "experience" he continues to show a concern for average Americans & substantive issues.

Lawrence Robinson (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 6:35 PM)

Sorry to (half) defend jerry, but Chocolate City has been used by Mayor Marion Barry in DC and Mayor Roy Nagin in New Orleans. The term has been used with affection for many years by blacks. It may be that it is one of those terms that it is best for whites not use especially if the intent is derogatory. The use may not be racist if the intent is to highlight the predominant skin coloration of the city in a context where it is relevant. I believe in jerry's case he was implying that Mayor Nagin was worked up (but not doing enough) about the plight of New Orleans because he shared the coloration of the majority of residents, the clue being the "lead your people" comment. jerry apparently has a soft spot for the people of New Orleans who haven't been helped sufficiently by their leaders.

Russell in Maryland (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 6:43 PM)

Racist remarks? Ray nagin says the words and he gets a free pass. I say it (being a conservative) and I am taken to the wood shed. I was quoting the mayor of New Orleans and what he said last year! You should have heard what he said about the hispanics!

jerry/corpus christit texas (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 6:44 PM)

I really admire Mr. Edward's work on behalf of impoverished people. While combating domestic poverty is certainly important, we must also look beyond our lives as Americans. We--as members of the global community--face common problems and must work together as a world community to fight them. The United Nation's Millennium Development Goals, which call for cutting world hunger in half by 2015 and eliminating it altogether by 2025, are a good place to start thinking and acting with a global mindset. According to the Borgen Project, whose goal is to flight global poverty, it is estimated that the expenditure of a mere $19 billion would eliminate starvation and malnutrition worldwide. In a time when the United States' current defense budget is $522 billion, the goal of eradicating world hunger is clearly well within reach if we act together as one world.

Tess, Seattle, Washington (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 7:17 PM)

With all respect to the author, let me swing a song about New Orleans-"Ain't That A Shame"-Fats Domino

Still Crazy After All These Years (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 7:22 PM)

BlueDiamond your arrogance and misplaced outrage just convinced me to give $50 more to Edwards. I'd imagine many of us do those things. I know I do.

Thanks for the Edwards report, FirstRead.

Gary, Des Moines, IA (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 7:47 PM)

With Edwards making so much money, why doesn't he give some of it to the poor. That should make a big impression other than just talking about it.

Richard Tovson (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 7:48 PM)

Jerry, only conservatives can make racist remarks. Even when they are just quoting a liberal.

You should know that by now.

Texas Ranger (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 7:51 PM)

Allow me to go one step further....For years, New Orleans has been known for the french quarter and the Mardi gras, the occasional super bowl and the sugar bowl. For years, there have been problems with crime, poverty, drugs, and god knows what else. has anybody ever once stood up there and done anything about it? Has Ray Nagin ever taken the bull by the horns and led his city to rid the gangs and the trouble makers and make the ninth ward a better place to raise a family and let good honest citizens be productive? not no but HELL NO! Nobody, white or black or brown or any politician ever gave a dog about the ninth ward until Katrina paid the city a visit. All that money that was supposed to take care of the levees and flood control, a lot of good that did. Republicans and democrats are equal to blame for the fiasco in New Orleans. But to sit here and listen to people gripe and moan and complain that nothing is being done for them, they are the one's I am addressing to. Some of these people relied on the moms and dads to take care of them. But now it is time to stand up and be adults and take back the city. From all the news out there, there is plenty of money to go around and if the democrats win the white house, there may be more coming. But, and I say again, Until they get their heads out of the sand and realize that unless they fix the damn levees and the flood control gates, then pouring money into a sinkhole like New Orleans is not only insanely dumb, but criminally negligent. One of the few times I have agreed with John Edwards on anything (and I'll take a free pass on not mentioning his hair for now), but what he said makes sense. it is time for all the people black, white brown, whatever, to get off their butts and get to work. Only then can you say you brought a great city back to life. Until you fix what needs to be fixed, you are only digging your own grave.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 8:27 PM)

"What good is melody
What good is music
If it ain't possessing something sweet

It ain't the melody
It aint the music
There's something else that makes this song complete
(Bo dolled dolled do da...)

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing
(doDo a Do ap...)
Well it don't mean a thing all you got to do is sing

It makes no difference if it's sweet or hot
Just give that rythym ev-ry thing you got YES

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing

It don't mean a thing It don't mean a thing if if ain't got that swing boy
(Bo bo doo dah doo...)

I said it don't mean a thing and all you got to do is sing

(La lo la...)

Now it makes no difference if it's sweet or hot
Just give that rythym eve-ry-thing you got OHH
It don't mean a thing boy, if it ain't got-athat-a swings

Doo Wap

Show Me"

"It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got that Swing)"-Duke Ellington bring it home Ella Fitzgerald

Still Crazy After All These Years (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 8:50 PM)

Jerry,
Don't use another person's poor judgement to excuse your own. Ray Nagin's use of the term is just as bad.

Nick A., Deerfield, IL (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 9:19 PM)

Hey! This is a guy with a multimillion dollar mansion traveling arounf Orleans for a photo opp. He is totally out of touch. Hillwards Bamadoddson are establishment stooge flip flopping backpeddling carpetbaggers!

Ward Ciac, New York, NY (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 9:25 PM)

Hey! This is a guy with a multimillion dollar mansion traveling aroung Orleans for a photo opp. He is totally out of touch. Hillwards Bamadoddson are establishment stooge flip flopping backpeddling carpetbaggers!

Ward Ciac, New York, NY (Sent Monday, July 16, 2007 9:27 PM)

Hey First Read - here's a headline for you! and of course we know it will receive the same amount of attention that Edwards has received. ha!

>>>> "communications consulting" is how presidential candidate Mitt Romney recorded $300 in payments to a California company that describes itself as "a mobile beauty team for hair, makeup and men's grooming and spa services."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0707/4982.html#threadform

Lisa, Douglas, GA (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 8:16 AM)

Damn, Nick- I hate to say it, but I have to throw in with Russell in Maryland and say something in defense of Jerry. Jerry didn't invent that phrase, and is not the one to proudly toss it around in describing NOLA- I believe that was Nagin himself. I'm not a believer in racisim at all, but then again, I'm not a big fan of double standards, either.

Buzz (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 8:42 AM)

I (for one) am tired of hearing about how the federal government has "let New Orleans down."

The Federal government did NOT tell New Orleans to build half of the city in a swamp that is below sea level. Yes, it built levees, canals and pumps to drain the area, but that was because people were already building in it. Those levees, I understand, have been rebuilt.

The City of New Orleans, the Parish of Orleans, and the State of Louisiana are all but exclusively responsible for protecting that area. Any Federal role is limited and derivative. Those three levels of government failed the residents of New Orleans. There was ample warning of the storm, and more than enough time to evacuate the city. The local and State authorities didn't act in a timely manner. Even as the mess was unfolding they didn't act promptly. As a result, the problem was compounded. The principal failure was with the State, Parish and City, yet the Federal government gets all the blame.

The parts of New Orleans that flooded should NOT be rebuilt. They will inevitably flood again, with more loss of life and greater expense. If people want to build again in that flood area, it should be at their own cost and expense. If the City, Parish and State want to rebuild those areas, fine, that's their decision, but they cannot then complain if there's another flood. And they cannot expect the rest of the country to bail them out of their folly in building in an area that inevitably will flood.

It will, I know, sound cruel, but I don't want any of my tax money spent rebuilding New Orleans. Rebuilding it is NOT a national responsibility. It manifestly is NOT a Federal responsibility (beyond what has already been done, which is probably more than should have been done, given the lack of effort put in by the State and local authorities and the waste, fraud and mismanagement of what aid was provided).

Richard Fifield, Easton, PA (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 8:45 AM)

Rich Tovson - he has been.

He has millions of dollars because he's a successful trial attorney, but I think he still gets room to talk about poverty because he spent 2005-2006 using his money to build schools in Uganda.

Yes he got an expensive haircut, but he says he regrets it now and I agree with him when he says he's shocked it got so much attention.

Given everything he is doing and has done for the underprivelidged and disenfranchised I think I trust his mission despite the "$400 specials".

Nick M, Ann Arbor, MI (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 8:55 AM)

Listen, Edwards seems like a nice guy, and the haircut thing is what the media has tagged the guy with. He's going to have to deal with it.

Of the Big Three Dems, I like[d] Edwards the best. The thing that bothers me is that he seems to have the tendancy to send his wife out to run interference when things get tough (ala Coulter). Edwards has got to be a man and take things on head-on by himself.

The other two of the Big Three I can do without. Clinton is scripted to the hilt, it feels like you are dealing with a robot. Obama talks well in the abstract about Hope and the Future, but he is just another far left wing liberal that is unelectable to the Presidency.

Edwards seems to be the only one left that has an upside.

Dem For Life (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 9:37 AM)

Richard Fifield--You say in effect that you don't want your tax dollars being used to rebuild New Orleans. I suppose you'll love this--Bush (the neglecter of New Orleans) has promised aid to the Palestinians. And let me add that last year he promised $235 million in aid to Lebanon (though I don't know if this has made it through Congress) Not to mention the billions being spent every month in Iraq.

Do you realize that New Orleans, Louisiana, and the rest of the area impacted by Katrina and Rita are a valuable part of this country? Not only is Louisiana home to oil installations, her port of New Orleans is the gateway to the Midwest through which imports go upriver to destinations in America's heartland and foodstuffs including corn and wheat produced by Midwestern farmers leave for other countries. I don't know how much you'd like it if New Orleans' port died and Louisiana's oil installations vanished and you ended up paying $10/gallon for gas and much higher prices for everything else you get from overseas.

Add to this Louisiana's cultural value--her distinctive Cajun and zydeco music, jazz, cuisine, etc.--and the historic value of New Orleans with her one-of-a-kind ambience, and America would truly lose a lot were our leaders to allow New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana to go down the tubes as the Bush Administration has been doing.

Olivia (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 9:40 AM)

If New Orleans does not deserve to be rebuilt, then I suppose neither does Beaumont, Port Arthur, or Houston, TX, right? All these cities have one very important thing in common - they have oil wells and refineries non stop, they account for a very large workforce - few who actually reside in those cities.
I am happy for John Edwards if he has worked hard enough to afford a $400.00 haircut, I am still working to be able to afford mine. A good work eithic starts early in life (such a shame no one named Bush ever got that start - then maybe they would feel more kindly to those of us who work for a living), childhood memories of your parents working, working in my early teens, thru college, and all of my adult life was a good example for my children who also work (my one and only husband is a workaholic, at home and at the office). Work keeps you out of trouble and gives you a sense of worth that is not false so when you finally do achieve the American Dream you are responsbile and share your wealth. What a shame so many of the conservative millionairs do understand that or the religious responsibility that goes along with achieving the wealth.

Union Baby, Tennessee (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 9:40 AM)

you guys that continually drone on about edwards hair cut are ridiculous, have any of you bothered checking out what the other candidates spend on personal hygiene? I suspect not cause it is too easy to bitch about edwards, truth be known if the only negative attribute you can dig up on edwards is his hair cut pricing looks like he is a whole lot better person than any of the other candidates can claim to be, but drone on as you must that's exactly what the powers that be want, get hillary nominated then come 08 say hello to you new president "rudy"

MK,MO (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:56 AM)

Olivia, if they don't fix the levees, you can forget about all the good things about New Orleans ever again. Time to call Mary landrieu and ask her "what happened to the money to fix the levees"?

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 12:02 PM)

A song for everybody who brought Nagin's infamous expression up: "Chocolate City"--Parliament

Dorothy (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 12:53 PM)

People in Zurich don't mind being told they live in Chocolate City.

Robert Catalano, Salem, OR (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 5:39 PM)

mmmmm Swiss chocolate good stuff Robert.
jerry has never heard of Zurich.

H P Boston (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 7:47 PM)

I just did some remodeling in my home. Fortunately I have what the Katrina folks don't have; a bank account to cover the cost of the building materials. I do not have the youth or skill to do the construction, however, nor do many of the homeowners who lost everything because the levy failed. Anyway you cut it, those guys need help. Thank God for John and Elizabeth Edwards for the compassion to bring the Katrina victim's plight back to our attention.

BTW for you Elizabeth Edwards doubters, if you have ever seen her in person as I did today in Iowa City, IA, you would never think she is anything but herself. All I can say is, watch out!

On the haircut: drivel. The Edwards have given over $3,000,000 to charity in their lifetime and that doesn't include the time they have spent organizing for poverty relief. I'd rather have a compassionate activist as president than any of the other candidates who, by the way, have neither offered the public the price of their haircuts nor done the work Edwards have done for the poor. See the Solon article from today. Elizabeth Edwards explains the system of communicating to the Media and how the ones who keep the focus on junk like haircuts might very well be the Democratic competitors.

JoAnnCr (Sent Tuesday, July 17, 2007 8:57 PM)

Way to go, John! Can't remember the last time our "esteemed White House resident in charge" was down to the Big Easy; yet he is giving money to straighten out the Middle East. The man never ceases to amaze me.

Susie Hodson, Kansas City, MO (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 6:16 AM)

LOL, Robert--or Hershey, Pennsylvania....

Olivia (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 8:03 AM)

"People in Zurich don't mind being told they live in Chocolate City."

Thanks for the chuckle!

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Wednesday, July 18, 2007 9:35 AM)

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