One of the most special things about the city of New Orleans is how diverse a people we really are. There's been a new generation of individuals that have all grown up together, so I don't really see myself as a White mayor. I've never seen New Orleans as a Black city.

The city of New Orleans showed America what it takes to rebuild a great place. We're all going together, and we're not leaving anybody behind.

Race in America is not a problem you can go over, or around or under. You've got to go through it.

One of the things that's beautiful about New Orleans is how culturally rich we are and how well we have worked together. People call us a gumbo. It's really important that we get focused on the very simple notion that diversity is a strength, it's not a weakness.

We`re heartened that Donald Trump wants to spend more money. I think the mayors of America would agree that we have a massive deficit in the infrastructure plan in America and we need more, but more particularly because they actually get it done. We need to know what the mechanism is going to be, how it`s gonna get to the mayors directly, so how we can get it in the ground more quickly, and we`re hoping to hear from both candidates tomorrow.

The people of New Orleans have gotten to rock bottom. And the only way out in my mind is for them to really understand it, and then to really choose to get better.

You can't hide behind race any more. You can't hide behind class structure any more. You can't hide behind family. You need to produce.