Silas Lee Quotations

That exponentially increases the budget for this mayor's race.

What Katrina did was unmask many of the deep social, economic and racial divisions we have in this city. Now the issue of race is not just a political issue but an issue of which neighborhood is going to be rebuilt.

You have two plans on the same track. And apparently they might collide, or will collide, at some point.

Everything reflects the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the demographics of the city. That impacted how many white candidates perceive their political fortunes.

Any time people are displaced, you lose a lot of institutional history and institutional leadership and we hear that many of those people may not return because they fear they will not be able to experience the same level of life. Once you lose that level of institutional leadership and institutional knowledge, it's not going to be replaced immediately and especially when you look at the fact that Katrina altered the demographics of New Orleans overnight.

This is an unprecedented election. That's why there is so much of it we can't speculate on.

Thirty-eight percent is not a lot, but he's not dead.

There's a lot of frustration. Whether or not all the incumbents get defeated, that is to be seen.

They're competing for a job that's essentially monumental rebuilding a destroyed city in an economically constricted environment.

It's all between the ears of the listener. Those who are looking to use this as an opportunity to say, 'look, we should not support him,' they're going to use it. Those who are going to say, 'yes, he was speaking what needs to be said,' they're going to look at this as maybe a one time occurrence and sweep it under the rug.

It looks like this has some traction. Candidates are like sharks: When they smell blood, they will strike. And the sharks are definitely in the water now.

Does he have the capacity to lead? Don't count me out of this mayor's race yet.

It will be a whole new campaign for the runoff.

They both need to enhance the momentum to increase the turnout.

He's someone respected for doing his homework on issues. He's viewed as a very serious, very studious person.

The dialogue has shifted from being about his insensitive and inappropriate statement to questions about his competency.