Nagin apologizes for ‘chocolate’ remark

[sabra]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10880589/

Nagin apologizes for ‘chocolate’ remark
Mayor says he was referring to blacks and whites rebuilding New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS - A day after promising New Orleans would return to being a “chocolate” city, Mayor Ray Nagin apologized and said he was referring to blacks and whites working together to rebuild the city.

In an interview with local NBC affiliate WDSU, Nagin said he was “trying to communicate one thing and missed the mark. if I offended anyone with my comments, I sincerely apologize.”

On Monday, the mayor had said, “It’s time for us to rebuild New Orleans — the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans.”

“This city will be a majority African American city,” he said. “It’s the way God wants it to be. You can’t have New Orleans no other way. It wouldn’t be New Orleans.”

[swag]

1. Sounds like somebody needs to get some sleep..

[marmar]

2. Nagin needs to shut the hell up...

First, he's saying God is angry with New Orleans and with black people, now the chocolate remark. :shrug:
But then again, what do expect from a Repug in Democratic clothing? :yoiks:

[Bridget Burke]

3. The "remarks" came from the same speech.

Not that the media reported on more than the most controversial parts of the speech.

He should have pointed out that he meant "milk chocolate"--or perhaps cafe au lait?

[Shakespeare]

6. He did point that out.

But few networks played that sound byte.

[Carni]

35. That white milk thing wasn't exactly a compliment

He should have just cut his losses and said I wanted to reassure constituents that the city will remain a black city when I made that remark (that would be statement of fact and would have been totally appropriate IMO)

The *white milk* thing was an unnecessary smart assed slam IMO and it didn't engage me at all.

When I found out he was a repuke prior to running as Mayor of NOLA that pretty much told me all I needed to know about him.

[Stand and Fight]

4. What are you talking about?

They were in the SAME speech. Have you read the news stories, marmar? :evilgrin:

[marmar]

8. For whatever reason, I thought they were two separate speeches...

I guess he was going for the nutjob gusto in one speech. I had respect and empathy for Nagin immediately after Katrina, but everything he's done since then has rubbed me the wrong way.

[Stand and Fight]

13. You ain't the only one....

However, I'm not surprised considered the rumor that he changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in order to get elected.

[MGKrebs]

5. The "chocolate" part doesn't bother me nearly as much

as the "God wants it that way" part.
Every-frickin-body thinks they have a direct hotline to the MIND OF GOD. Every little thing that pops into their heads is GOD'S WILL.

Spare me.

[marmar]

11. Amen...

God could easily file hundreds of libel lawsuits right now.

[Xipe Totec]

32. Yea, I Cringed when I heard that this morning.

He did not help anybody with that remark.

[Strawman]

43. My sentiments exactly

The God part is dumb. But he damn well should stick up for African Americans in the rebuilding of the city.

[Matariki]

7. give the guy a break, it would be hell to be in his position

i think what he meant was that new orleans shouldn't be rebuilt into a gentrified yuppie paradise, un-affordable to the city's former citizens. i sympathize with him.

[Inland]

9. I agree with Post no. 1. The guy probably needs some rest and

to shake his mind clear.

Every step is fraught with peril and the actual future of NO hangs in the balance. He has to be careful.

[quiet.american]

12. He has to get used to speaking on the national stage.

I agree with another poster, too, that he also seems to need some sleep, so that he can think clearly and remember what role Bushco played in this, with incompetence, and perhaps worse, at every step.

[951-Riverside]

14. Give ME a break!

This self-hating racist had plenty of time to rest and hopefully he will have a lot longer rest when he's booted out of office.

[nodehopper]

27. why is he self-hating?

I thought he meant that God was angry at the African-American community for not taking better care of itself, i.e. organizing and being a powerful presence

[951-Riverside]

28. He's obviously hiding behind "God"... the coward

[BlueManDude]

46. he's been pretty unimpressive from the get go n/t

[phantom power]

10. Interesting, according to this, he's a DINO...

who ran as a Democrat because New Orleans doesn't elect republicans.
http://gadflyer.com/flytrap/index.php?Week=200603#2484

[Mike Daniels]

42. On top of that he pulled 90% of the white vote while very few blacks voted

for him in the election.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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[CottonBear]

17. He really couldn't resign right now.

The citizens are so dispersed that no elections can be held now.

Let's wait and see how he recovers from the unfortunate God comments. Perhaps, he'll come out on the other side a changed man and a true Democrat rather than a DINO.

[henslee]

16. I'm with Nagin (though he put it stupidly). I want my NOLA "black".

Black music is one the greatest cultural gifts this country ever gave this world and NOLA is its capital. I dont wantNola to be a big fucking whilte mall filled whities. In any case, I suspect if blacks dont come back to NOLA soon, Nagin is history.

[kevinam]

26. Black Music??

I don't get that. What is black music?? What do you mean a big fucking white mall filled with whites?? I don't understand why Nagin or anyone else would make it a race issue.

Kevin.

[henslee]

30. Hate to wake you up but it is a race issue. And I have no time to

explain to you what black music is or where it came from but being that it is black history month... why dont you do a little "googling". Try starting with Jazz, Ragtime, Delta Blues and Zydeco. New Orleans and its music are a great gift to the world.

[kevinam]

31. Absolutely they are...

great gifts to the world. Those forms of music aren't exclusive to one race vs another. I thought black history month was next month, silly me. If the Mayor of Mobile said the same thing except said white instead of black (or chocolate) this board would light up with outrage. If non-black races are not welcomed to New Orleans it would be an insult to many people that have spent their lives in New Orleans.

Kevin.

[goclark]

45. Thank you sooo much for making this issue

clear.


Seems some just don't want to get it.

[neverevergivein]

37. Black is Beautiful n/t

[CottonBear]

18. Well, there's dark, milk and white chocolate, so the chocolate remark

really doesn't bother me at all. I knew what he meant and it didn't offend me.

[uppityperson]

25. Me too. I get offended often, but not by this.

I thought also that there are all kinds of chocolate and took it to mean he wanted a mixture.

[CottonBear]

39. Mr. CB is a French-German NOLA native, born & raised there.

His family is down there in St.Tammany Parish enduring the awful aftermath of the storm. The 9th Ward is the worse off though, because they're black and mostly poor. We love NOLA . Both of our families lived there, mine long gone and deceased since the 1970s, and we are both heartsick. :cry:

Goddamn Bush to hell. :(

[Bridget Burke]

44. I thought he was referring to Milk Chocolate.

Although Cafe au Lait might have been better.

[TroglodyteScholar]

19. Has nobody out there ever listenend to Parliament?

It was a reference to a FUNK song written by George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell in the early 70's. New Orleans is & will always be a chocolate city. It couldn't exist any other way. Nagin didn't offend me by talking about a "Chocolate City" -- more like he winked at me.

And when they come to march on ya
Tell 'em to make sure they got their James Brown pass
And don't be surprised if Ali is in the White House
Reverend Ike, Secretary of the Treasure
Richard Pryor, Minister of Education
Stevie Wonder, Secretary of FINE arts
And Miss Aretha Franklin, the First Lady
Are you out there, CC?
A chocolate city is no dream
It's my piece of the rock and I dig you, CC
God bless Chocolate City and its vanilla suburbs
Can y'all get to that?

[frylock]

20. first thing i thought too.

Nagin is down with the P-funk.

[Karenina]

22. The chocolate stuff was fine

as I understood his reference immediately. The "God" stuff makes me wonder if he's jumped the levee. :silly:

[Moochy]

34. Mmm chocolate

It's a Melting pot, currently it's got alot of white chocolate! :) so maybe it's fondue!!! runs off to grab a strawberry on a stick.

[ariesgem]

21. I was just about to post a reference to that.

As a black woman, I took no offense to what the Mayor said. That's what we (black people) called cities back in the day that were predominately black. George Clinton wrote a song about it.

[PBass]

23. I hope NOLA will retain it's flavor

and not turn into a Disneyland for white yuppies on vacation. I really worry that is the Bush plan. Everything revolves around fixing things so already-wealthy people can get even wealthier.

I think Nagin must be stressed half out of his mind, but I'm not convinced he was ever ready for Prime Time (a national spotlight in a disaster situation) to begin with.

[minkyboodle]

24. Gainin' on yah!!!

"They still call it the white house but thats a temporary condition too. Dig?"

I've had this conversation with co-workers three times and no one has apparently
journeyed on the mothership connection... and I live in DC the city that the song
is about..... glad to see some poeple got it :)

[Patiod]

40. That was my first thought, too

A P-Funk reference.

But on further thought, it reminded me too much of something Philadelphia's mayor said a few years ago: "Let me tell you: The brothers and sisters are running this city! Oh yes, running it! Don't let nobody fool you; we are in charge of the City of Brotherly Love. We are in charge!"

And the God stuff was nutty.

[Orrin_73]

29. Nagin is a closet republican

he refused to endorse democratic candidates.

[The Stranger]

33. Well, his apology sure pegs him in cement as a Democrat, I think.

In the wonderful tradition of The Dick Durbin, Democrats are always running to make asses of themselves with apologies. They will never learn.

Republicans will murder their mothers and then tell you that it was a mistake, their mother was not murdered, and that they don't have a mother, but were hatched from an egg.

[LiberalFighter]

38. He was a former Repug who changed party affiliation...

the question is why he changed

[Triana]

36. Ummm...Nagin has lost his sanity. Time to zip it...(n/t)

[baby_mouse]

41. Silly bugger.

Saying it was mildly silly but apologising for it was REALLY silly...

Politicians... :eyes:

[wild potato]

47. The Mayor needs to concentrate on N.O.

To me, the worst part of his remarks was saying that God was mad at America for going into Iraq based on false premises. Why bring that into it? N.O. needs a lot of help and money and good will from the rest of the country, and will for a long time. Nagin should concentrate on rebuilding N.O. and leave the foreign policy and partisan knife fighting to others.