Unease in the Big Easy
Gary Tuchman
AC360° Correspondent
A 44 year old woman from Alaska may soon be the Vice President of the United States; but that is not the main topic of conversation in the city where I am right now. In New Orleans, Louisiana, the name Sarah Palin is not nearly as well known as the name Gustav.
There is this creepy feeling of déjà vu in this city. I spent part of this day rollerblading around town and was struck by how many people asked me if I knew anything more than they did about Gustav's path.
When I was in New Orleans and Gulfport, Mississippi in the days before Katrina, I remember a lot of people saying they did not think they would get hit. Now, it's the opposite. We are still days away from Gustav hitting land in the U.S., but virtually everybody I've talked with today is actively planning for the worst.
At the Walgreen's, they are already sold out of flashlights and batteries. At a souvenir shop, they were sizing up windows so they could start boarding them up. On Bourbon Street, business owners were wondering if they would have to evacuate before the busy Labor Day weekend comes to an end.
On this three year anniversary of a hurricane we will never forget, there is fear and unease in the Big Easy.
|
|
Filed under: Gary Tuchman • Hurricane Gustav |
About this Show:
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°
Subscribe to the podcast
On Twitter
Search the AC360 blog
How horrible for the residents of Louisiana to have to go through this again. Per Tom's comments above it is eerie that this is happening during the RNC.
I must say after listening to the Republican leaders today I did not feel a since of REAL compassion coming from the Republican speakers but rather a tone of "we have no choice but to respond this way in order to secure some political gain from it". I pray this is not the case. My heart is with those who once again have to endure this sufferage.