Give Credit Where Credit is Due

Over the last couple of days, I've heard numerous complaints from leftist activists about the insensitivity of President Bush to the problems of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. However, this bit of information about the evacuation order that was issued last Sunday by Mayor Nagin is news to me:

The mayor called the order unprecedented and said anyone who could leave the city should. He exempted hotels from the evacuation order because airlines had already cancelled all flights.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding.

(Emphasis mine)

One wonders what might have happened if Nagin had kept with tradition and made the order voluntary.

Hat Tip: Powerline