[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 45 (Monday, November 14, 2005)]
[Page 1696]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks During a Meeting With Louisiana Local Officials

November 10, 2005

    The President. Mayor, thanks for coming.
    Mayor C. Ray Nagin. Glad to be here.
    The President. And I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and ideas 
with Don Powell and myself. I appreciate the Commission Chairman for 
coming and setting out a vision for New Orleans. And I know you've been 
through an awful lot of tough times, and I really appreciate your 
working with us to help get this city up and running so the great city 
of New Orleans will rise once again. As I said in my speech, Mr. Mayor, 
we can't imagine an America without a New Orleans.
    And we've got a lot of work to do, but you're making good progress, 
and you're showing strong leadership. I appreciate that.
    Mayor Nagin. Thank you, Mr. President.
    The President. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 3:40 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Donald E. Powell, chairman, 
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, who is coordinating Federal gulf 
coast relief efforts. A tape was not available for verification of the 
content of these remarks.