KELSEY: WELCOME TO THE WDSU NEWS
HOT SEAT AND AN IN-DEPTH, FRANK
DISCUSSION WITH THE MAN WHO WHO
LED THE EFFORT TO TAKE DOWN THE
CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS NEW
ORLEANS MAYOR MITCH LANDRIEU.
ALL 4 OF THE MONUMENTS THE CITY
OF NEW ORLEANS WAS TASKED WITH
REMOVING, HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN
AND MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
ON FRIDAY EVENING, THE ROBERT E.
LEE STATUE WAS UPROOTED FROM
IT'S COLUMN IN LEE CIRCLE, IT IS
NOW BEING STORED WITH THE PGT
BEAUREGARD, JEFFERSON DAVIS, AND
LIBERTY PLACE MONUMENTS.
WDSU'S TRAVERS MACKEL SAT DOWN
FOR EXCLUSIVE ONE ON ONE
INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR MITCH
LANDRIEU ABOUT THEIR REMOVAL.
HERE'S THAT INTERVIEW IN
TONIGHT'S HOT SEAT
TRAVERS: THE REMOVAL OF THE FOUR
CONFEDERATE ERA MONUMENT, OUR
ABILITY -- ARGUABLY THE MOST HOT
BUTTON ISSUE YOU'VE DEALT WITH
AS MAYOR, DO YOU REGRET THIS
DECISION?
>> NO, IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS
I'M MOST PROUD OF.
I GOT ELECTED TO KEEP OUR CITY
FROM FALLING OFF A CLIFF AND TO
GET IT READY FOR THE FUTURE.
WE HAD BEEN THROUGH KATRINA,
RITA, IKE, GUSTAV, THE BP OIL
SPILL AND MOST RECENTLY THE
TORNADO.
ONE OF THE MOST MIRACULOUS
THINGS ABOUT THE RECOVERY OF THE
CITY IS THAT THE PEOPLE SAID WE
DON'T WANT THE CITY BACK THE WAY
WE WORK.
WE WANT TO BUILD THE CITY THE
WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE
FIRST TIME.
IT IS AN OFFICIAL -- IT IS AN
ESSENTIAL DISCUSSION WE HAVE TO
HAVE IN ORDER FOR THE CITY OF
NEW ORLEANS TO BECOME THE CITY
SHE IS CAPABLE OF BECOMING.
THOSE MONUMENTS HAVE BEEN HERE
FOR MANY YEARS, I'M NOT THE
FIRST PERSON TO HAVE RAISED THIS
ISSUE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY
IMPORTANT DISCUSSION FOR THE
CITY TO HAVE AND WHEN I BEGAN
THE DISCUSSION IT WAS A DONE
DURING THE MIDDLE OF A RACIAL
RECONCILIATION MOMENT WE ARE
HAVING IN THE CITY WHICH WAS
WITH THE WELCOME TABLE WHICH HAD
BLACKS AND WHITES MEETING ABOUT
WAYS WE COULD RECONCILE AND THE
MONUMENTS CAME UP AGAIN.
SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE GONE
THROUGH A ROBUST DEMOCRATIC
PROCESS, THAT MATTER WHICH IS
PRESCRIBED BY LAW ABOUT HOW YOU
TAKE A MONUMENT DOWN WENT
THROUGH A CITIZEN LED COMMITTEE
WHICH DEALT WITH HU WMAN RIGHTS, A
DEALT WITH TWO HEARINGS AT THE
CITY COUNCIL AND HAS BEEN
REVIEWED BY SEVEN DIFFERENT
COURTS ON THE FEDERAL AND STATE
LEVEL.
THAT IS ABOUT AS ROBUST A
PROCESS AS YOU CAN HAVE BUT
UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THE WOUNDS
OF THE CIVIL WAR ARE WITH US
TODAY AND I THINK THAT IS
UNFORTUNATE.
TRAVERS: WHEN THIS IDEA CAME BY,
IT WAS 2015 AND YOU ARE BEING
MENTIONED FOR POSSIBLE JOHNSON
D.C. -- POSSIBLE JOBS IN D.C. --
>> THAT IS WRONG.
THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE HAD NOT
EVEN STARTED.
NOBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE
PRESIDENTIAL RACE, IT WAS NOT IN
SOMEBODY'S MIND AND NO ONE KNEW
WHO DONALD TRUMP WAS.
THAT IS A FALSE STORY THAT DOES
NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH
THIS.
WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT RACIAL
RECONCILIATION FOR A LONG TIME.
IN MY INAUGURAL SPEECH I GAVE
FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, I
TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
DIVERSITY AS A STRING AND NOT A
WEAKNESS.
I SAID WE HAVE TO PUT DOWN THE
OPPRESSIVE ISSUE OF RACE.
I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR
A LONG TIME.
NOT SOMETHING NEW, IT IS NOT
RELATED TO ANY NATIONAL AMBITION
OR DESIRE, THOSE ARE ALL RED
HERRINGS.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS YEARS
BEFORE WHAT HAPPENED IN SOUTH
CAROLINA BUT WHAT HAPPENED ON
THAT NIGHT IN SOUTH CAROLINA
SHOULDN'T WITH THIS ISSUE TO
REST FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THE
THING I MOST SURPRISED ABOUT AND
THIS DISAPPOINTED IN IS THE CITY
AND CERTAIN LEADERS IN THE CITY
HAVE NOT SAID NOW IS THE TIME
FOR US TO LEAD TO A NEW PLACE
AND LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN OFFENDED BY THE STATUES FOR
A LONG TIME.
TO UNDERSTAND THEM IN.
THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING FOR ME.
-- TO UNDERSTAND THEM IN
CONTEXT.
TRAVERS: BOTTOM LINE, IT IS
UNFAIR IF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS
IS MOTIVATED BY POLITICS --
>> I THINK WHEN PEOPLE ARE
AGAINST YOU, THEY WILL USE ANY
EXCUSE.
THEY WILL ACCUSE YOU OF THINGS
YOU NEVER DID AND DO ANYTHING
THEY CAN TO STOP THE AS THEY ARE
ALL RED HERRINGS.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE LIKE
YOU WHO IS A SERIOUS JOURNALIST
TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE
HISTORICAL RECORD.
THEY ARE IMPORTANT AND CLEAR.
WHEN PEOPLE SAY MITCH LANDRIEU
DICTATED THIS ON HIS OWN, NO, I
DID NOT.
I SAID AT A RACIAL
RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE WE
SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THIS.
WE HAD A MASSIVE PUBLIC HEARING.
I FIND AN ORDINANCE, IT WAS
APPEALED TO COURT.
WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL -- WE'VE HAD
SEVEN COURTS APPEAL THIS.
-- SEVEN COURTS APPROVE THIS.
PEOPLE SAID WHY DID IT TAKE SO
LONG, 2.5 YEARS.
PEOPLE TODAY ARE IN COURT TRYING
TO STOP US FROM DOING IT.
IT IS BEING DONE THE ONLY WAY HE
CAN BE DONE.
WE ARE TRYING TO DO IT IN AN
APPROPRIATE WAY AND IN A WAY
THAT PROTECTS PEOPLE SAFETY AND
SECURITY.
I THINK NOW EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT
I WAS TELLING THE PUBLIC ABOUT
POTENTIAL THREATS, THEY ARE REAL
AND IMMINENT AND WE HAVE TO STAY
SAFE.
TRAVERS: 2001 IN MISSISSIPPI
THEY HAVE A CONFEDERATE FLAG
THAT HANGS OVER THE CAPITAL.
THE VOTE IN 2001 WENT DOWN
RACIAL LINES, VOTERS CHOSE TO
KEEP THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG
OVER THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.
WE ARE A PREDOMINANTLY
AFRICAN-AMERICAN, PREDOMINANTLY
DEMOCRATIC VOTING BLOCK CITY, A
LOT OF PEOPLE SAID IT WILL GO
DOWN RACIAL LINES AND PARTY
LINES AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
OVERWHELMING TO REMOVE THE
MONUMENT.
THE QUESTION IS, WHY NOT PUT
THIS TO A VOTE IN 2015?
>> THE LEGISLATURE IS IN
SESSION, THEY ARE CONSIDERING
2000-3000 BILLS AND NONE OF
THOSE GO TO THE PEOPLE.
NOT UNLESS IT IS A
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
THERE IS AN ACTUAL PROCESS THAT
IS SET OUT IN OUR LAW ABOUT HOW
YOU DO THIS, WE FOLLOWED IT.
IF THE NEXT MAYOR OR NEXT CITY
COUNCIL WANTS TO PUT THIS TO A
VOTE, WE CAN BUT IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WE HAVE,
REMEMBER, WE HAD FOR PUBLIC
HEARING WITH CITIZEN LED BOARDS
THAT WOULD THIS AND THAT IT -- A
ND VETTED IT.
THE MATTER GOT CHALLENGED IN
COURT.
WE'VE BEEN THROUGH AN AGGRESSIVE
DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
THERE IS PROBABLY NOT ANOTHER
JURISDICTION IN THE COUNTRY THAT
IS HAD AS ROBUST A PROCESS THAT
WE'VE HAD THAT WAS PRESCRIBED BY
LAW.
TRAVERS: AFTER THE JEFFERSON
DAVIS MONUMENT RESERVATIONS, YOU
SAID ON TWITTER WE CONTINUE OUR
MARCH TO RECONCILIATION BUT AT
TIMES PERCEPTION IS REALITY,
EVEN IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS
AND IT APPEARS THIS HAS BEEN AN
ISSUE THAT IS RACIALLY DIVISIVE.
ARE WE ON THE RIGHT MARCH 2
RECONCILIATION GIVEN HOW
DIVISIVE THIS ISSUE?
>> I THINK IF YOU THINK BACK TO
WHERE WE WERE IN THE LATE 1800S
AND WHERE WE WERE IN 1930 AND
1920 AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT, THE ISSUE OF RACE IS
DIVISIVE.
I DID NOT CREATE THIS ISSUE.
WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AND I SAID
THIS MANY TIMES ON ISSUES OF
RACE YOU CANNOT GO AROUND IT,
OVER IT, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH
IT.
IT IS A PAINFUL PROCESS TO GO
THROUGH.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IN THE
SECOND DECADE OF THE 21ST
CENTURY WHY IT IS SO HARD FOR
PEOPLE TO LOOK BACK AND SAY THE
CONFEDERACY WAS ON THE WRONG
SIDE OF HISTORY.
THAT IS NOT THAT HARD TO DO.
WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE
IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ASK THEM
DOES THAT SET YOU THINK YOU,
THEY SAY I CANNOT BELIEVE IT IS
UP THERE.
BACK IN THE 1800S THEY PUT THIS
UP AND PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE THE
POWER TO TALK ABOUT IT O
--PEOPLE SAY THIS IS NOT MEAN
ANYTHING, WHY ARE YOU BOTHERING,
BUT WHY ARE THEY UPSET THEN?
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO DO
IT AN EASIER WAY AND IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN BETTER IF THE LEADERS
OF THIS COMMUNITY RALLIED AROUND
US AND CAME UP WITH
ALTERNATIVES.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE MONUMENT
DOWN BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN
THREATS, THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE
WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE TO HIRE
EQUIPMENT.
THEY THREATENED THE WORKERS.
LIFE HAS BEEN THREATENED.
THAT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THAT IS
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW BUT I DO
NOT THINK THAT REFLECTS THE
SOCIETY OF NEW ORLEANS AND I
DON'T THINK IT REFLECTS WHAT
THOSE PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA ARE
THINKING ABOUT LONG-TERM.
TRAVERS: YOU'VE MADE MAJOR
REPAIRS TO THE BUDGET, MAJOR
INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS, GROWTH
WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUSINESS
SECTOR AT A ALMOST UNPRECEDENTED
LEVEL, DO YOU THINK THIS ISSUE,
THE REMOVAL OF THE MONUMENT
OVERSHADOWS THAT AND IS THIS
GOING TO BE YOUR LEGACY?
>> I WAS HIRED TO DO A VERY
SPECIFIC JOB OR IF WE NEEDED A
LEADER --HIRED TO DO A VERY
SPECIFIC JOB.
WE NEEDED A LEADER IN THE CITY.
IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS WE HAVE
COMPLETELY RECONSTRUCTED EVERY
MAJOR INSTITUTION THAT WAS NOT
WORKING BEFORE.
THE CITY GOVERNMENT, THE
AVIATION BOARD, THE CITY AND
WATERBOARD, THE RECREATION
DEPARTMENT, ALL OF THAT IS
WORKING BETTER.
WE HAVE CREATED 15,000 JOBS,
WE'VE BILLIONS ON A REBUILDING
OUR LEVEES, OUR SCHOOLS,
EVERYTHING IN THE CITY BUT THIS
IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT THESE
MONUMENTS, THE ESSENCE OF THE
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, WHO WE ARE
AS A PEOPLE, THE CITY THAT THE
WORLD GASPED AT THE THOUGHT OF
LOSING AFTER KATRINA IS A CITY
THAT RELIES ON ITS DIVERSITY AS
ITS STRENGTH.
THE CITY IS COMFORTABLE ABOUT
WHO THEY ARE AND I FEEL
COMFORTABLE ABOUT THESE
MONUMENTS COMING DOWN.
IT IS IN A HARD PROCESS.
I THINK WHEN THE MONUMENTS ARE
DOWN, THIS LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE
WILL PASS AND THE CITY WILL BE
IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE THAN IT
HAS.
IT CERTAINLY IS TODAY AND IN A
MUCH BETTER PLACE WHEN I GOT IT
AND I HOPE THE MAYOR AND THE
NEXT CITY COUNCIL ARE GOING TO
HAVE A BETTER CHANCE.
TRAVERS: DO YOU THINK THIS ISSUE
HAS OVERSHADOWED OTHER PRESSING
NEEDS IN THE CITY?
WE ARE DEALING WITH AN ISSUE OF
UNSOLVED HOMICIDES IN THE CITY
OF NEW ORLEANS.
IS IT FAIR OR UNFAIR THAT THIS
ISSUE OVERSHADOWS OTHER MORE
PRESSING ISSUES?
>> EVERY ISSUE WE DEAL WITH IS
PRESSING.
ON THE ISSUE OF VIOLENCE, YOU'RE
GOING TO FIND IT HARD TO FIND
ANYONE WHO IS SPOKEN MORE ON
THIS ISSUE AND REORGANIZE THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, SPEND MORE
MONEY ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND SPOKE
ON THE VERY CRITICAL ISSUE OF
VIOLENCE IN NEW ORLEANS AND THE
STATE OF LOUISIANA.
WE HAVE HAD ONE OF THE MOST
VIOLENT STATES IN AMERICA SINCE
THE BEGINNING OF OUR TIME.
IT IS A SHAMEFUL LEGACY FOR ALL
OF US.
THE MONUMENTS IS ONE OF A
THOUSAND ISSUE WE DEAL WITH.
YOU CAN'T JUST TO DO ONE THING.
YOU HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING AND BY
THE WAY JUST BACK IN THE DAY, IN
1960 WE HAVE THE SAME EXACT
ISSUES WHEN WE WERE DEALING WITH
SEGREGATION AND THE INTEGRATION
OF THE SCHOOLS.
THIS IS A MARCH TO A MORE PUBLIC
UNION AND WIH HISTORY LOOKS
BACK ON IT, THEY WILL RECORD
THAT WE DID THE RIGHT THING AND
SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING BOLD
ENOUGH TO SAY THE CONFEDERACY
WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY
AND THESE MONUMENTS, WHILE WE
SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER THEM,
THEY SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN PLACE
IS OF REVERENCE BUT IN PROPER
CONTEXT.
TRAVERS: YOU TALKED ABOUT
LEGACY, ALL OF THE THINGS YOU
HAVE DONE.
YOU HAVE ONE YEAR LEFT IN YOUR
TERM IS THERE, WHAT IS NEXT --
TERM AS MAYOR, WHERE DO YOU GO
FROM THERE?
WHAT IS THE NEXT?
>> I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT
KEEPING MY HEAD DOWN AND I MADE
AN EIGHT-YEAR COMMITMENT TO THE
PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF NEW
ORLEANS TO GIVE THEM 20 47 365.
WE HAVE TO FINISH WHAT WE
STARTED.
WE HAVE TO FINISH THE AIRPORT,
ALL THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
WE HAVE DONE 405 OF THEM, WE OF
BUILD 375,000 POTHOLES.
ALL THAT STUFF HAS TO GET DONE
AND WE HAVE TO CELEBRATE OUR 300
ANNIVERSARY TO CELEBRATE WITH
THE REST OF THE WORLD THE CITY
OF NEW ORLEANS.
THESE MONUMENTS --I WOULD SAY TO
THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT US TO
TAKE THEM DOWN, IF YOU WANT
THEM, COMING GET THEM.
-- COME GET THEM.
THE PEOPLE OF NEW ORLEANS HAVE A
RIGHT TO CONTROL THEIR PROPERTY
AND HAVE ALMOST PROPERTIES
THINGS THAT REFLECTED THE CITY