Thread: Obama: 'We Will Never Forget About New Orleans'

Obama: 'We Will Never Forget About New Orleans'
President Holds Town Hall Meeting During First Trip Here Since Taking Office

POSTED: 11:24 am CDT October 15, 2009
UPDATED: 5:19 pm CDT October 15, 2009

NEW ORLEANS -- President Barack Obama promised to continue the work of Gulf Coast rebuilding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina on Thursday, saying 100-year flood protection is on the way, while also citing the many challenges the region still faces.

Obama spoke at a town hall at the University of New Orleans on Thursday in his first visit to the area since taking office. Residents and local leaders had criticized the president for not visiting the area recently. But Obama said his administration's commitment to the region remains strong, saying his cabinet members had made more trips to this area than almost any other in the country. Watch: Obama Says He's Committed To Gulf Coast Rebuilding

"And so I promise you this -- whether it's me coming down here or my Cabinet or other members of my Administration -- we will never forget about New Orleans," Obama said. "We will never forget about the Gulf Coast. Together, we will rebuild this region and we will build it stronger than before."

President Barack Obama Visits New Orleans
President Barack Obama speaks during a town hall meeting at UNO.

The president's visit lasted just a few hours; he landed at Armstrong International Airport at 11:25 a.m. and did a brief tour of the Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School in the Lower Ninth Ward before appearing at the 1:15 p.m. town hall. After the event, he departed for the airport. Watch Raw Video: Obama Greets Students At MLK Charter School

Obama cited recovery progress on several levels, including the release of $1.5 billion in federal funds that had been caught up in "red tape." He also cited progress in housing, education and infrastructure.

Audience questions for the president focused less on Gulf Coast rebuilding and more on issues of general concern, including health care, education and the environment. One man asked about struggling to get FEMA to reimburse local agencies for storm damage, citing problems at Delgado Community College and Charity Hospital. Watch: President Answers Question About FEMA Payments

"Why is it four years after Katrina, we're still fighting with the federal government for money to repair our institutions?" he asked. "Why are we still being nickeled and dimed in our recovery?"

Obama said his administration, including new FEMA Director Craig Fugate, is working as quickly as possible to clear up red tape.

[The UNO fitness center quickly filled with people Thursday before President Obama's town hall meeting.]
City Business
The UNO fitness center quickly filled with people Thursday before President Obama's town hall meeting.

"You could not have a better FEMA director than you have right now," Obama said. He cited a new arbitration process that Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, helped set up, designed to resolve FEMA reimbursement disputes.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said 76 disputes have been resolved, resulting in more than $1 billion being "sprung loose," Obama said.

A young woman asked a question about environmental issues, saying she recently lived in California, where there is a big push to "go green," but she returned to New Orleans, where there isn't even a free recycling program. Watch: Woman Asks About Green Energy

Her comment elicited huge applause, and Obama appeared to gesture to local leaders in response. He said he's not familiar with what is specifically being done in Louisiana.

"All these folks here have been taking notes, and I'm sure they're going to want to report back to you," Obama said of local leaders.

In his speech, the president acknowledged that the region still faces many hurdles, but he sees encouraging signs.

"Of all the signs of progress I've mentioned today, this is perhaps the most powerful -- the idea that there are still people coming to this city -- especially young people -- who are committed to its future," Obama said. "Who are ready and willing to withstand what storms may come; and eager to rebuild something better in place of what was. That's the kind of commitment and determination we need at this moment -- not only in New Orleans, but all across America."

Editor's note: Below is a live blog of the events surrounding President Barack Obama's visit to New Orleans.

2:18 p.m. -- Obama wraps up his town hall meeting and shakes hands in the crowd.

2:07 p.m. -- A young woman says she recently lived in California, where there is a big push to "go green," but she returned to New Orleans, where there isn't even a free recycling program. Her comment elicits huge applause, and Obama appears to gesture to local leaders in response. He goes on to discuss is various green energy programs. Obama says he's not familiar with what is specifically being done in Louisiana. "All these folks here have been taking notes, and I'm sure they're going to want to report back to you," Obama says of local leaders.

1:54 p.m. -- A woman asks immigrant families being split up because of deportation. Obama says we are a nation of immigrants, but we are also a nation of laws. He talks about the millions of undocumented workers, many of whom have children. He says the notion of sending them all back is not feasible. Let's acknowledge they've broken the law, make them pay a fine, but give them a pathway to get legal, that way you don't have situations where families are being pulled apart.

1:47 p.m. -- "Why is it four years after Katrina, we're still fighting with the federal government for money to repair our institutions?" one man asks. "Why are we still being nickeled and dimed in our recovery?" The questioner mentions lack of repair money for Delgado Community College, and Charity Hospital, which has yet to be repaired or rebuilt.

"You could not have a better FEMA director than you have right now," Obama says. They're working around the clock to clear up red tape. We are working as hard as we can, as quickly as we can, the president says. We are working with the state to make sure we have world-class health facilities here in New Orleans, he says. He cites conflicts between the city, state and federal government.

An arbitration process that Sen. Mary Landrieu helped set up is designed to clear red tape and resolve FEMA reimbursement disputes. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says 76 disputes have been resolved. About $1.4 billion that has been held up for years has been "sprung loose," Obama says.

1:44 p.m. -- A single mother of three kids asks the president about domestic violence, saying that rates of domestic violence rose dramatically after Hurricane Katrina. She says there aren't enough legal aid resources for victims. President Obama talks about a range of tactics to address crime in the area, including improvements in the justice system. He says he would like to learn more about the situation here in New Orleans.

1:38 p.m. -- The president wraps up his speech and begins taking questions from the audience. First question is from a reverend from Rayville, about school drop-out rate. Obama says New Orleans has used the crisis as an opportunity to look at new ways of learning and education.

1:33 p.m. -- The government needs to be "right and ready" to help NOLA move forward.

"You deserve leaders in Washington working as hard as you do," Obama said.

The president speaks of Housing Authority corruption and rebuilding housing. He says MLK Charter School an "inspiration."

The president says MLK Charter School is an "inspiration."

The president said his administration is committed to building a new VA Medical Center in downtown New Orleans. "We're working on 100-year protection for Gulf Coast," he said.

1:16 p.m. -- Obama's introduction of Gov. Bobby Jindal is met with boos. The president says, "If it makes you feel any better, I get that all the time." He went on to say that though they may differ politically, they can agree that Jindal is working hard for Louisiana.

1:14 p.m. -- President Barack Obama enters the fitness center as "Hail To The Chief" plays. He is greeted by a screaming crowd.

1:07 p.m. -- Local trumpeter Shamarr Allen plays the national anthem for a packed house at the UNO fitness center before the president begins the town hall.

12:50 p.m. -- From AP: Even before Air Force One landed in New Orleans, hundreds were lined up outside a University of New Orleans building for an afternoon town hall meeting with President Barack Obama.

Most of those lined up Thursday appeared to be supporters of the president. About 150 demonstrators had gathered nearby by midday. Some were Obama supporters, others were there to protest the president's health care proposals.

Obama was making his first trip to the city since becoming president. He was to visit a charter school, then go to the town hall.

Even some of his supporters said his visit should be a longer. For instance, Linda Morstein of New Orleans, who said she is a Democrat and Obama supporter, said his itinerary should have included a view of the state's eroding coast.

12:16 a.m. -- Our partners at City Business report that the assembly room at UNO is nearly full, an hour before the president's town hall meeting is set to begin.

11:29 a.m. -- President Obama exits Air Force One and greets local officials. Though there's no official word on where the president will have lunch, but there is speculation that he will eat at Dooky Chase. He ate there once during the campaign.

11:25 a.m. -- Mayor Ray Nagin, Sen. Mary Landrieu, Gov. Bobby Jindal and Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu are among the politicians at the airport to greet Obama.

11: 22 a.m. -- Air Force One has landed at the Armstrong International Airport.

http://www.wdsu.com/news/21305691/detail.html

A woman asks about immigrant ( doesn't she mean illegal) families being split up because of deportation. Obama says we are a nation of immigrants ( but now it seems we are a country of illegals) but we are also a nation of laws ( that the American people are forced to abide by but not obama's elites and/or illegals) . He talks about the millions of undocumented workers, many of whom have children. ( too bad obama forgot to mention all the American people that have children that are suffering because their parents lost their jobs to illegals). He says the notion of sending them all back is not feasible ( and making the American people pay for illegals, is feasible?). Let's acknowledge they've broken the law, make them pay a fine ( the fines the go'vt is talking about can't begin to cover the cost illegals/anchors have dumped on the American tax payers. I have a better idea let illegals use the money they would pay for fines for bus fair back to their own country.) but give them a pathway to get legal ( why? what have they done to deserve it?) that way you don't have situations where families are being pulled apart. ( Better idea, send their entire familes back to their country of origin so they aren't pulled apart).

A young woman says she recently lived in California, where there is a big push to "go green," but she returned to New Orleans, where there isn't even a free recycling program. Her comment elicits huge applause, and Obama appears to gesture to local leaders in response. He goes on to discuss is various green energy programs.


Stupid people pushing Cap and Trade taxes that will take away the remaining jobs in our country.

PS
Global Warming is a scam.

Originally Posted by jean

Obama: 'We Will Never Forget About New Orleans'

What a racists jerk. Why don't we remember all of those in Galveston that lost lives and everything they own when hurricane IKE hit last year. The entire city was virtually 75% wiped out, not to mention all of the damage in Houston and surrounding areas. FEMA did little and all of us in this area were left to take care of our problems on our own. The biggest difference is we never got on the media demanding anyone help, nor did we tell the government is was their duty to help us. Most of us even declined assistance from FEMA because we all have insurance.