The Larry Kane Report

Ray Nagin, the Mayor of New Orleans, is suffering from foot in mouth disease, which is probably disturbing the thousands of residents of the Big Easy who helped return him to office.

First, he sounded off in a 60 Minutes interview Sunday night, portions of which were broadcast a few days ago. I watched segments of that interview, and his entire interview on Meet The Press, which was partially an answer to the 60 Minutes controversy.

Nagin is perhaps the most defensive politician currently serving in this country. The glare of the limelight seems to motivate and excite him and that’s why he has to constantly make amends for his words.

In this most recent example, the Mayor chided New York City for taking so long to fill the “hole in the ground,” referring to the what’s left of the World Trade Center. This is part of the Nagin pattern. First he turns the spotlight off of his own administration’s many failures, including the inability to at least provide decent drinking water to New Orleans’s citizens a year after the tragedy.

During the Meet the Press interview, the Mayor said he was sorry for calling it a “hole in the ground” and should have called it an “undeveloped site.” He never fully apologized for insulting New Yorkers, but he did say he was sorry for the victims there.

In all the interviews. Mayor Nagin is a classic buck passer, referring to failures of the state and federal governments. His statement of failures is right on target. But he spends little time explaining how 45 percent of his city’s population is still displaced, or how things have moved quickly for hotels and casinos when so many people are still in the same condition they were a year ago.

If there is one thing we have learned from Katrina a year later it is that big government doesn’t do a good job serving the people. Big government in Washington, Baton Rouge and the city of New Orleans has failed. While big government falters, big mouths have hardly contributed to the suffering of the poor in Louisiana and the rest of the Gulf Coast. Officials like Mayor Nagin, the fired FEMA boss Michael Brown, some officials of the Bush administration and the Democratic Governor of Louisiana have spent almost an entire year playing the blame game. There is plenty of blame to go around, but I think we have heard enough.

If the Mayor speaks for his citizens, then the people of New Orleans, already battered by the force of nature, must feel betrayed.

A year later, the rhetoric seems hollow.

I can’t imagine the suffering. But I feel for the thousands who are still waiting for direct action that will improve the quality of their lives.

With the needs of those people in mind, Mayor Nagin needs all the friends he can get as he represents New Orleans during a troubled future.

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A group of Washington pundits have been giving President George W. Bush published admonishment over taking vacation time while world crises continue to flourish.

I disagree. Of all people, the President of the United States needs time to reflect and get the batteries charged. But imagery is very important and HOW a President allows himself to be seen on vacation is a critical element. So far, George W. has been smart about it, doing most of his recreation in private and also doing a fair amount of work at his retreats.

There is a political lesson to be learned from his father, the first President Bush, and it was a costly one.

I remember it well. It was August 1990 and the President, responding to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, had sent thousands of troops to the desert to prepare for the first war in the Persian Gulf. Since Kuwait had been invaded, and Saudi Arabia was threatened, the President’s firm response was welcomed by the American people.

The troops were living in excruciating heat in the Gulf region , and the television reports showed how difficult life was for them.

During a 6 o clock newscast in late August, I watched from the anchor desk as the President held an interview session at an unfortunate setting, sitting on a golf cart while vacationing in Maine.

I knew this would be big trouble for him. Watching him hold forth in the comfort of a golf cart while several hundred thousand troops were maneuvering in the desert and preparing for war, was a startling contrast. Whoever allowed him to be interviewed in that setting should have been reassigned to put it nicely.

I will never forget that imagery, and what a message it sent. I’m positive that the first President Bush didn’t intend it that way. But it was not good.
President George H.W. Bush has always been a likeable man. He has done great things in his post-Presidency, but on that day, in the middle of a crisis of war, witnessing that imagery of comfort versus combat, was a vital lesson to all politicians.

It is unfair to attack the current President Bush for seeking rest. But it is also important for poltical leaders to understand the images they project. I think that the current President comprehends that as he takes a private long weekend in Maine.

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In terms of diplomacy and the world wide terror war, world leaders are hesitate to describe enemies with labels. But that is changing. In the last few weeks the President has used the terms Islamo-Fascism or Islamic-Fascism several times. More and more Senators and members of Congress are using that term as a description of the enemy.

The truth is that Fascist elements of Islam are responsible for most all of the terror acts or terror threats in the world. But the hesitancy on the part of key world figures in using those two words was a direct result of a sensitivity toward peace loving Muslims who certainly don’t wanted to be branded. Can you blame them?

The good news about all of this is that responsible leaders have come to the point where they are not afraid to call the enemy the enemy. That may contribute to profiling, but the truth is the truth even if it is painful to some.
For those of you who may be alarmed about the term Islamic-Fascism just remember that from the streets of Iraq, to the rhetoric coming from Iran, in the war in Lebanon, during the planned jet bombing threat in England, and before 9/11 and after that fateful day. Islamic terrorists from Malaysia to Manhattan have been responsible for almost all of the violence in the last twenty years.

Frankly, this reporter feels that there has been too much tip-toeing around this issue and that’s about time leaders called it what is is.

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I want to tell you about a book that is one of the most unusual I’ve read in many years….

It comes to us from the grave as a poignant literary reminder of a time of yesterday that is relevant to the news of today

Irene Nemirovsky is the author. In the 1930’s this captivating young russian emigrant to france became a best selling novelist, but her masterpiece was hidden away for over 50 years. Irene, who had two daughters, was murdered by the Germans in a concentration camp in 1942, the year I was born.

Her daughters survived with the help of a good and righteous family. Years ago.. They found a manuscript… Much of it handwritten that is fiction based on reality, her insightful account of how the french reacted to the German occupation of their country. The stories are of love, hate, understanding and ignorance during a time of national and personal humiliation.

I have rarely been drawn to fiction like this but suite francaise is a study of human nature under duress that could well be situated in areas of our world today that are filled with genocide, homocide and episodes of human courage in the midst of it all.

It is highly recommended…

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Happy days are here again. The City of Philadelphia, taxed to the limit, finds itself with a 200 million dollar surplus. This is good news, and with it comes a fantastic idea from the always energetic city councilman Jim Kenney. With the Mayor’s support, Kenney has proposed a rainy day fund. The Mayor supporting Jim Kenney is an amazing feat in itself.

Without question it is the best idea around.

But here are a few more to kick around.

Provide rebates to ticket holders for the Eagles who were forced to pay hefty ticket licenses for a new stadium that was paid for partially with taxpayer’s money.

Buy some more books for the cash strapped Free Library of Philadelphia . Get the library hours extended in the neighborhoods where those extra hours are needed.

Spend a few dollars to spruce up the airport. Perhaps some training on how to deal with travelers might be appropriate for grumpy airport employees.

Hire some more police officers and firefighters. The forces are underwhelmed with personnel and the murder rate is too high.

Put a little aside for Septa. Septa always comes asking for money.

Finance a study to see how many services can be shared with surrounding communities. ISN’T IT TIME FOR SOME REGIONAL COST SAVING AROUND HERE?

Provide free admission for a few days to all the major cultural attractions so that many people who can’t afford them get a chance to finally see what is there.

Just some ideas on what to do with 200 million dollars.

Of course, Jim Kenney’s idea for a rainy day fund is still the best. The way city government spends money, having a few bucks in the bank is a good thing.

But if that fails, what would you do with 200 million?

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