notes from across the pond

John Edwards was clearly the crowd favorite and delivered a robust and populist message.

Mary Landrieu:
Today is not about revisiting mistakes that have been made.
Today is about looking forward.
What will you do as President to protect other cities?
How will you work with our state and local leaders?

Soledad O’Brien - Journo
What is your Gulf Coast Recovery Plan?

John Edwards:
The President has a responsibility to ensure there is a high level person in the White House.
I’ve seen the problems that exist here.
First, we have to make NOLA a safe place again.
500 fewer police officers than b4 Katrina
Feds should fund extra police officers

Build levees so people NOLA feel and are secure
I think beyond 100 year target

Create jobs here in city NOLA
Not jobs done by people being shipped into NOLA
50,000 stepping stone jobs
Rebuilding their own city and not by someone else
Make sure they pay prevailing wages, decent benefits

Rebuild infrastructure
Called for VA hospital to be in NOLA
Pleased they did that
Priority of mine

Enact sth called ‘Brownies Law’
= anyone who takes Fed government job should actually be qualified to do job
Tragedy to have political hacks in important positions

Soledad O’Brien:
What’s the no.1 things that needs to be tackled?

John Edwards:
Make sure people NOLA feel safe and secure. 1st thing to do.

Soledad O’Brien:
A lot of people say fixing of levees need to be at top list. $40-50bn cost. Would you be willing to commit that?

John Edwards:
Absolutely. It makes no sense to do other things otherwise. Cat 5 protection.

Soledad O’Brien:
Talk to St Bernard Sherif. I can’t bring people here. There are no shops, no hospitals, etc.

John Edwards:
If people don’t have job, won’t come back.
Don’t have home, won’t come back.
Don’t have hospital, won’t come back.
The idea these things operate independtly is fantasy.
All interdependent.

Soledad O’Brien:
Mayor Nagin said in past the crime here is gang on gang crime. This appears to be changing. Does NOLA need a Fed presence?

John Edwards:
Immediately after Katrina, policing contracted out to Blackwater. Paid $950 a day! Don’t need that.

Soledad O’Brien:

John Edwards:
I agree man certainly contributed because NOLA had not been protected the way it should have been protected when government didn’t provide help it should have.
What has Bush done since? No change. Only work being done is that by charities, faith based groups.
Go to these parts of NOLA and the money isn’t getting to the ground.
People have no idea where to turn.
Where is it?

Soledad O’Brien:
What would you do to change things on the ground? My church group came down here and they said similar things.

John Edwards:
First, we need someone at highest level in White House reporting exactly what is happening on the ground in New Orleans, not what’s being planned.
This is a complete failure of presidential leadership.
Responsible for demanding action
Needs someone telling him what’s going on daily, not every 6 months.

Soledad O’Brien:
Should levees be removed from policial process? Should they be privatized?

John Edwards:
Protection NOLA and rebuilding is national issue.
Will America be there for one of the great cities in America?

Soledad:
Many in NOLA will say they are hearing unqualified maybe.
There’s a disconnect between what Americans think is being done and what actually is happening.

John Edwards:
Having been through hurricanes on smaller scale in NC.
Over time, attention lapses.
That’s when presidential leadership is crucial.
If President continues to come to NOLA, American people will continue to respond.
President needs to ask them to respond.
What we do as a nation in NOLA means something
It says something about our character, about our own people struggling, if the President wants to be there.

Soledad:
Is there the will in Congress to do that?

John Edwards:
If the President calls on the American people they will respond. He must ask for the sacrifice of the American people.

Soledad:
What do you think of the work FEMA’s done.

John Edwards:
(Laughs) It has been less than adequate.
Feds response was a mess.

Soledad:
Law enforcement said they’ve been waiting 2 years now. They’ve been waiting for the overtime reports. Bogged down in bureaucracy.
What changes would you like to see in FEMA?

John Edwards
President should immediately go to heads agencies and Congress and bypass bureaucracies.
Instead of surge in Baghdad, need surge in New Orleans.
People NOLA just not gotten attention they deserve.

Soledad O’Brien:
Politics is zero sum game. What are you willing to shortchange to speed NOLA recovery.

John Edwards:
People of NOLA did nothing wrong. Cat 5 wiped out homes, lives, jobs.
If government and America can’t be there for them what’s the point?
Ensure resources appropriated, money gets to NOLA.
One place to get money from, get rid of Bush’s tax cuts.

Soledad O’Brien:
How specifically would you streamline processes, eg. Road Home?

John Edwards:
Put people on ground in NOLa to go from home to home to home and make sure people getting money they’re entitled.
No good without that.
These people have never seen government employee.
Money appropriated is not getting to people.
No idea what to do.

The people of NOLA should decide what’s rebuilt.
I think it should be

Soledad O’Brien:
Some say there’s this policy of benign neglect?
Do you think that’s a fair assessment?

John Edwards:
That would mean getting inside the mind of Bush and I long ago gave that up.

Soledad O’Brien:
Give me a look forward. Some have said NOLA could be a model. Look forward for me.

John Edwards:
If this were to happen elsewhere, first thing I would do is put someone in place whose job it is to rebuild city.
Bring people together from state and local community.
Go to government agencies and tell them money will not be stuck in red tape.
Go to Congress and ensure money available.
Priorities would be health, safety and housing.

What’s happened in NOLA is a national embarrassment.
It’s the reason I announced my presidential campaign from 9th award.
There was an extraordinary opportunity to respond and rebuild NOLA as model, break down racial and economic barriers.
Try to make it a model for what’s possible.
Survival has been the focus, but so much more was possible and still is.
Rebuild NOLA in way that breaks down barriers, that is green city and so people are proud.
People I have met here are strong, couragous and proud.
Deserve President who understands what is happening.
I don’t have to guess. I’ve been here, over and over.
We had 700 college kids here working.
During time we were here, I didn’t see a single government employee.
It’s no wonder NOLA feels abandoned.
With right leadership we can make the people of NOLA proud again.
I am committed to rebuilding the city in that way.