The New Orleans Saints took on the Atlanta Falcons at the refurbished New Orleans Superdome last night. The Superdome sucked up $165 million in its reconstruction made necessary by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Some may argue that the cash could have been better used on dwellings and basic infrastructure that remain unusable in that crippled area, but at least for one night and possibly for the rest of the football season, that investment appeared to mean a lot to the people of New Orleans. The game was preceded by a concert by Green Day and U2. It was actually moving – in an NFL pro-football kind of way. After the concert came the traditional coin toss and who should appear but the President’s Pappy – ol’ 41 himself. Now, George the First and Bill Clinton have together raised millions of dollars for important humanitarian causes and Pappy certainly had a right to be there last night. But I kept asking myself, Where is George the Younger?
Just as presidents have thrown out the first ball at the first baseball game of the new season, couldn’t – shouldn’t – George the Younger have been in New Orleans to toss that coin last night? We’re not talking about any ol’ game here – we’re talking about a symbolic rebirth of a nearly destroyed city.
The answer to my “Where’s George” question is obvious and his absence was predictable. George the Younger would have been booed off the playing field last night had he the balls to show. It was his Administration’s failure, his incompetent FEMA, his “you’re-doing-a-hell-of-a-job-Brownie” nonsense, his total lack of response in the face of one of the most serious natural disasters this Nation has ever faced that is indelibly etched in our brains. His presence would have been a downer unless you get a kick out of laughing at the man. Certainly the Younger’s handlers must have understood and advised him accordingly. This President, who has been such an abysmal failure in virtually all respects, had no place in a celebration of recovery.
John