New Orleans
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued a public apology this week after suggesting in a speech that God had sent hurricanes to his city because he was “mad at America” for invading Iraq. Nagin also said he was determined to see New Orleans rebuilt as a “chocolate” city, echoing the lyrics of a George Clinton funk tune that contrasted black inner cities with “vanilla suburbs.” Some critics called the remarks racist, and several local politicians immediately declared they would run to unseat Nagin in an April election. “The question I keep hearing,” said a local tourism official, “is, ‘What in the world was he thinking?’”
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