Opinion: New Orleans’ Mayor Nagin: Free from Chinese quarantine

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

As Ticket reported the other day, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, along with his wife Seletha and their security guard, were quarantined by Chinese officials on their arrival in Shanghai on Sunday because one of the passengers on their plane -- a French student seated a few rows from them -- had the swine flu.

In China on a trade mission, Nagin was also in danger of missing a global warming conference in Sydney, Australia, where he was to be the keynote speaker. Meanwhile Fox News reported that Chinese officials were screening the mayor’s calls, ‘to keep him safe.’

The news that Nagin was waylaid in Shanghai occasioned great mischief on the part of the mayor’s political foes. One radio talk show host, Jeff Crouere, suggested that the Chinese keep the controversial Nagin -- who after Hurricane Katrina urged African Americans to rebuild New Orleans as a ‘chocolate’ city -- for the remaining 11 months of his term.

So, in the interest of keeping faith with all those Nagin fans and foes, the Ticket can now report that the Nagins have been released from quarantine and are heading to Australia. Nagin spokeswoman Ceeon Quiett said this morning that the mayor will now complete the second leg of his trip, out of China.

--Johanna Neuman

Click here to get Twitter alerts of each new item. Or follow us at latimesneuman or latimestot