New Orleans campaign trail stops in Georgia

Candidates vie to be first mayor elected after Katrina

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said Saturday his city has made progress in rebuilding since Hurricane Katrina, while other mayoral hopefuls questioned the advances and stressed that their hometown's pre existing troubles need to be confronted.
Seven of the 24 mayoral candidates attended the Atlanta forum meant to give displaced residents an opportunity to hear from them before the April 22 election. More than half of New Orleans' pre Katrina population of 500,000 has been dispersed to other states, meaning candidates must campaign nationally.
Nagin, who alienated many voters after his "chocolate city" speech, in which he said God intended New Orleans to be a black majority city, discussed levee rebuilding and evacuation procedures if another powerful storm threatened the city.....Click title for link