I heard the interview on TV and I started crying by the end - the may did an awesome job of explaining the pain, frustration, devastation. New Orleans is one of my favorite cities - so I can only imagine how painful this is for the residents - just knowing that it will be a long time before it's returned to a "normal" state.

You bet the response to disaster was a disgrace, Mayor Nagin. Where on earth was YOUR plan in action?? Although New Orleans had been spared in the past, Katrina and its effects were highly predictable, more so than any possible disaster in the country. Don't you dare criticize the President and the wider circle of support until you've examined your own culpability!

Firstly, my heart is with you guys at the devestation and loss of life from Katrina. I'm not political at all, and I also despise TV, but there's something seriously wrong when people are dying while politicians/ 'leaders' are f*cking about with rubbish!

I'm down in South Africa, and for the first time in a looong time I heard some sense, honesty and real emotion come out of a politician's mouth (here and over there) - Well done, Mayor Nagin, for the balls to call it like it is. In this politically correct world it's about time someone spoke from the heart and had the guts to vent his frustration!! Bet he gets sidelined shortly - watch that space! Watching from over here (granted, it's CNN and BBC's version of the truth), I'm ASTOUNDED at how slow the response was to the event - people are dying and everybody's waiting for everybody else to make a decision??? wothefuck? It's not about blameshifting, but c'mon! If the poor, starving Tsunami nations can respond almost immediately, how on earth is it possible that the USA with it's ten gazillion helicopters can't get there and help? stunned...

A Storm�s Wake

A Hurricane�s rage ravaged a coast
The Government has nothing to boast
Thousands left to die in squalor
You see it�s all about the dollar
These poor folks had no way out
They could have been rescued no doubt
Yet a monstrous bureaucracy sealed their fate
Not a soul can deny the help came much too late
W.N.A

Mr. Nagin,
First, I want to say how sorry I am for the loss and suffering of the great city of New Orleans. I also encourage you to acknowledge that we as humans, myself included are not infallible. I feel for you and the emotional weight you must be carrying at this time.
This second point is not to condemn you, just to ask you to evaluate and honestly take ownership of your actions. I was watching your interview on Nightline 9/14. Mr. Koppel asked you about your cities current disaster plan and your failure to implement it. Your justification to the question, as I heard it, was the model disaster plan was not designed for a hurricane greater than a category three, nor was the infrastructure. Therefore, there were no pre-storm preparation or evacuation actions that could be implemented beyond what you exercised or were able to do because "this was a category five when it reached land." Are you saying that there wasn't a plan in place for a levee break, storm or no storm, and that you didn't consider that a levee breach was a possibility due to the intensity of this category five hurricane?
I can live with the mistakes that were made and move forward. What I won't accept is the truth masked by deceitfulness. Either you’re blind with denial regarding your culpability or you think that we are all unintelligent. Do you even realize how insulting you appear to the viewers, minimizing and justifying your actions? I implore you to reevaluate your actions, for yourself and for great American people, to be a man of integrity, honesty, to take ownership of those actions, and communicate the truth, good or bad.

Respectfully submitted,
Eric Zoellner