Brad Pitt Joined By Bill Clinton In New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS — Former President Clinton and Brad Pitt met with hundreds of volunteers in the Lower 9th Ward at the site where a foundation headed by Pitt plans to begin building affordable homes for Hurricane Katrina victims.

"We hope to see a huge change here in the next six months," Pitt told a group of residents as he posed for pictures Sunday and signed autographs.

The 44-year-old actor and Clinton walked a street as hundreds of volunteers on either side, wielding shovels and rakes, prepared the land for homes. For hours, they cleared overgrown grass and weeds that were covering street drains and sidewalks.

The Lower 9th Ward was one of the hardest-hit neighborhoods in New Orleans when Katrina struck on Aug. 29, 2005, causing the city's levee system to fail with devastating flooding.

"We're working to get the grounds ready so construction can begin," said Anne Bouthilette, a 20-year-old sophomore history major at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.

"It is only fitting that we culminate a weekend focused on youth service by turning words into action," Clinton said in a prepared statement.

A brass band played in the background as Clinton and Pitt shook hands and chatted with volunteers.

Bouthilette said this was her first visit to New Orleans and she was enjoying the opportunity to help with the city's recovery.

Story continues below

advertisement

"There's a pressing need for people to come down here and do work," she said. "There are still so many things that need to be done. Everybody can do something."

Bouthilette was among some 600 college students in New Orleans for the Clinton Global Initiative University, a three-day program that began Friday and was designed to challenge college students and universities to tackle global problems with practical, innovative solutions.

The event wrapped Sunday with the volunteer effort in the Lower 9th Ward, at the site where Pitt and his Make It Right Foundation are building homes using environmentally friendly materials such as cisterns and solar panels for residents who lost their homes in the storm.

Pitt and Clinton broke ground with shovels after their mingling with the volunteers.

___

On the Net:

Make It Right:

http://www.makeitrightnola.org

CGIU:

http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid1853

Comments

[ryanjones2006]

Look, Clinton still cares about America 7 years after leaving the white house. Too bad we can't say the same about BUSH!

[grisgris]

Testing.

[OS2Guy]

Hanging out with Brad Pitt certainly doesn't help the image of one of our best Presidents, Bill Clinton. If I were Bill I'd distance myself from Pitt as far as possible. Pitt's only purpose down there in New Orleans is to promote himself, to generate good publicity for himself and that fool he is shacked up with.

[grisgris]

We New Orleanians would disagree. Pitt has been working hard to draw attention to the plight of New Orleanians left homeless as a result of the levee failures. He has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money as well as raised hundreds of thousands more for housing and other desperately needed social services. Any "good publicity" that comes Pitt's or Clinton's way is well deserved.

[livingabroad]

Wow, you took the words right out of my mouth, except for one thing; you got the names backwards.

[steamboat]

YOU ARE SO WRONG ! ..Unlike the Edwards, Jackson's, and Obama's, who made their cameo appearances in New Orleans, as they say, President Clinton keeps going back to New Orleans often to help anyway he can with the recovery.

[Mattatat]

Hey wait a minute, I was told on this very blog that Bill Clinton was a horrible person, that never cared about anyone, and was really a Republican.

You're confusing me. WHAT'S GOING ON??? You told me he was the devil. What the hell?

[joeythetrollslayer]

Nobody really knows whose going to be the next nominee. He's keeping the bridges open for his project, that's all. One wins, One loses. Hedge your bets. Bill will gobble up at the attention he can get, and Brad gets free press coverage for his green homes, which are actually a really smart idea. I've been in one, and no mater what you believe, it's like wow, this is so much nicer-drafts are gone, fresh air all the time. I think green homes are just the same as the elcheapo, they just think about the details more-plan everything out better. What happens when the kids leave? This wall permanent? or only semi-permanent (make larger room easily). Closets with swing down shelves. Have a garden roof instead of traditional. Put the houses behind bushes or hills-less noise pollution.

[takingbkourcountry]

THIS is where the former president is more effective-and yes I voted for him, twice. Let him contribute where he can in a a very positive manner. We'll NEVER see the Lil Bush doing it once he gets drop kicked out. As for Brad Pitt, he is using his fame in a positive manner as well. The only ones I hear bitch are the ones being a negative drag on society.

[chaz]

Nice childish comments. I wish I could be so simple but since I am an adult I feel it's my responsibility to ask if the levees in New Orleans have been properly repaired or has all the surplus money President Clinton left behind (after the first President Bush and Ronald Reagan left behind huge deficits) been spent on tax breaks for the wealthy,corporate America and the unwarranted illegal war in Iraq?

[usefulidiots]

What a couple'a saints.Fecken liberal saints.

[grisgris]

Yeah, God knows, they MUST be liberals. You'd never catch a neocon helping the less fortunate.

[Rachel36]

If being Liberal means being human then sign me up!

[AurigaRa]

That Bill! He sures knows how to promote himself.
But I don't care if Angelina gets an HRC forever tatto I am not supporting Hillary.

[ladygreenslippers]

Pitt is an Obama supporter.

[Tator]

Brad, a warning....Slick Willy only hangs out with you so he can bag your wife.

[Mattatat]

Thanks Rush, but if we cared about your opinion, we'd listen to your radio show.

[grisgris]

Newsflash: Jolie, like most adult women, is capable of making her own decisions about who she will or will not sleep with.

[dawlishgal]

What did Clinton and Pitt talk about...how much fun it is to cheat on one's wife?

[expat2006]

this is the kind of trash talk that is desperate to berate others who are contributing positively to the country. Come on, fes up to all you've been doing to uplift this country besides trashing others

[xAnotherReaderx]

Agreed, Expat. How dare an actor and former president try to help people rebuild their communities after a disaster! They should be fashionable like other celebrities by enterring rehab, creating a fashion line, joining a celebrity cult, vacationing in Mexico or Bora Bora, or attending a fashion week somewhere. It's shameful that Brad Pitt donated $5 million from his pocket. What's with all that "green" construction stuff anyhow? Poor and working class people should be paying top dollar for their heating and cooling bills just like everyone else!

[CatsPajamas]

If you want to avoid this "high level" of conversation, you may want to join me and delete huffpo from your Favorites list. I'm outta here. I feel dirty just visiting this site.