[StBernard] Officials Unhappy With Bush's State of the Union Speech

[Westley Annis]

Officials Unhappy With Bush's State of the Union Speech 

February 1 , 2006

By: Steve Cannizaro


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St. Bernard's Rodriguez, Taffaro and DiFatta unhappy with Bush's State of
Union address; seek more help for St. Bernard; DiFatta calls for march on
Washington, D.C., to bring case to the public.


St. Bernard Parish President Henry "Junior'' Rodriguez and Council member
Craig Taffaro Jr, both of whom were in Washington, D.C., said they were
disappointed with President Bush's lack of enthusiasm about Louisiana's
problems in his State of the Union address Tuesday night but said they will
continue meeting with congressional members to try to seek more help for St.
Bernard Parish.

"I'm disappointed. I didn't see where we were given any hope for St.
Bernard'' or other parishes, said Rodriguez. Who attended the State of the
Union address. He added he supports a proposal by Gov. Blanco who warned
this week the state would not support future offshore lease sales in the
Gulf of Mexico unless Louisiana gets a share of the federal royalties
generated by oil production there.

"We have to get a plan together'' with the state and regional officials,
Rodriguez said.

Taffaro said the lack of time on the subject of Hurricane Katrina by Bush in
the State of the Union address probably reflects "where the issue is on the
nation's radar,'' but he holds out hope of getting some support through
meetings with Washington officials. After meetng with legislators this week,
Taffaro said, "Let's say I have a better grasp of what Congress is
deliberating about.''

But Council Vice Chairman Joseph DiFatta Jr. said he was "outraged that
(Bush) spent 35 minutes on Iraq and terrorism and 56 seconds,'' on Katrina,
the "largest single devastation ever in the continental USA."

DiFatta called for organizing a trip to Washington by regional officials "to
come together and bring our plea to the American public.'' The move will
start with a meeting next week in St. Bernard to organize, he said.

"We've been pumping oil to rest of the country for 100 years. It's time for
them to help us,'' DiFatta said. "I thought he would work with us and get us
whole. But that doesn't appear to be a high priority on his agenda,''
DiFatta said of Bush.

Hurricane Katrina played only a small part in Bush's fifth State of the
Union address, commanding 163 words in a speech that stretched to more than
5,300. He never mentioned the word Katrina.