Ray Nagin Quarantine In China Over

NEW ORLEANS — After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin figured he could get through just about anything. But being held in quarantine in China amid swine flu concerns on what was supposed to be a simple economic development trip?

"It's pretty surreal," Nagin told The Associated Press Wednesday night, speaking from Australia hours after he, his wife, Seletha, and a security guard were released from the hotel they were taken to Sunday after a passenger on their flight from the U.S. exhibited flu-like symptoms.

"To be quarantined in China is just mind-boggling to me."

The ordeal began Friday with coach seats on a 14-hour flight from Newark, N.J., to Shanghai. After meeting with government officials and a manufacturing company the city is courting, Nagin said he got a knock on his hotel room door from a "quarantine specialist" and others traveling with him, saying he had to go; a passenger in the row ahead of him had flu-like symptoms. He needed to be quarantined.

Nagin said he was taken by ambulance to an isolated and quiet hotel.

"When you see people coming toward you with full hazmat gear on, it's pretty interesting," he said. He described the people he dealt with as professional and nice, "but for the most part, you knew you really didn't have an option."

Someone would come to the room he and his wife shared every three to four hours to take their temperature. There weren't many options for filling their hours _ there was only one English-language TV station, for example, But he kept up with city business, including, he said, closing a deal to buy a downtown high-rise that could become the new City Hall.

He also read a lot, he and his wife talked a lot, and, if there was an upside, he said he probably slept the most he has during his seven years in office.

Nagin is set to return to New Orleans Monday, after the second half of an overseas trip that includes scheduled speeches in Sydney on climate change and sustainable building.

Comments

[PoliSci2008]

The selling of New Orleans!!! Next year, Mardi Gras and Chinese New Year for the price of one!

[scorpioleidy]

D @ m n - how much can the US pay China to keep him there?

[chedar]

I guess he is going to head back to the "Chocolate City" now.

[oldgeek1]

They should have kept him in China.

Glad New Orleans is in such good shape that he can travel like this.

[JimR]

This sound premature, Chinese officials. Maybe you should keep him there a bit long, say... another couple of years or so.

[lbrty 2112]

Nagin Proverbs:

“And I don't care what people are saying in Uptown or wherever they are. This city will be chocolate at the end of the day.”

“It's a good time to run for mayor because it'll be less poor, less black, less democratic.”

“Yeah, I don't know what to say, ... I got to go.”

[marignymitch]

Hats in New Orleans were off to the Chinese when they accomplished what we have failed to do since Katrina, when Nagin lost his mind and moved to Dallas. We were hoping for a lengthy 'quantine', perhaps for the duration of his remaining second term. I assume his release was secured after he convinced Chinese authorities that he is indeed 'The Man'.

We enjoyed the vacation; too bad it's over.

[Academic]

Now this is one guy the Chinese should have held on to, spirited him over the border into North Korea and let them deal with him. The people of New Orleans alas haven't got the bottle to do what needs to be done to this odious misrepresentation of a human being.

Professor Dr. Stanley Collymore.

[KLordsha]

Did they release him from his mayoral duties as well?

[TheDude2008]

He did that himself years ago.

[mollyjackson]

Please keep him.

[CR46]

Sorry New Orleans. Too bad it wasn't longer.


Hope his "body guard" got overtime.

[Mondayboy]

Darn, I wish they had sent him to Mars.

[TremoluxMan]

Cr@p. I was hoping they'd keep him for another 8 or 10 years.

[atlantajoe]

is Nagin over there to help put together an evacuation plan ?