Mary Landrieu hits bottom, keeps digging

Louisiana Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu had harsh words for the federal government on the eve of hearings into the progress of rebuilding the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Landrieu blamed the government for much of the devastation caused by Katrina and for the slow pace of recovery in Louisiana.

“I often think we would have been better off if the terrorists had blown up our levees,” she said. “Maybe we’d have gotten more attention.”

Landrieu also had strong words for many people in Washington who, she says, unfairly portrays Louisiana as the nation’s most corrupt state.

“Mississippi is actually the most corrupt state in the Union, but you never hear that, because there’s some political undertones about having Mississippi look so good and having Louisiana not look so good at the national level,” she said, echoing a theme put forth the past week by Governor Kathleen Blanco, who said that Mississippi received more aid because its governor is a Republican