Poor, poor Mr. Mayor of New Orleans, who has been claiming that the lack of federal assistance was responsible for the days of despair, death and flooding his citizens have experienced. The New York Times is reporting that this time his pleadings for Washington’s largesse have been rejected by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). It’s not like he is asking the federales to send in troops, as they are already there. No, all he wants now is all expense paid vacations for his police, firefighters and emergency workers and their families, including trips to Las Vegas and Atlanta. Those who didn’t immediately go AWOL have been working hard through the hurricane and flood disaster and now that the federal forces have arrived, he wants to give his own employees relief. For whatever reason, Mr. Meany of the mean-spirited FEMA turned the mayor down flat. Because of that, the beleagured taxpayers of the City of New Orleans, if there are any left, are going to be paying for the vacations. The Mayor did not ask for any paid time off for the National Guardsmen who have been doing rescues by hanging by cables out of helicopters. They are federal employees and not his responsibity. Let them ask FEMA or the president themselves if they need a break. When asked if the holidays for his city employees might look like a dereliction of duty, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin replied “I’ll take the heat on that” duty thingy.

Linked at Wizbang Blog and Michelle Malkin. Michelle has video of the mayor dissing the governor..