Popularity of New Orleans' Mayor and City Council is likely at an all time low. But they won't have to worry about being voted out of office, at least not until late next year. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has agreed to delay the February 4th elections for up to 8 months. Of course the delay doesn't come in the name of incumbency protection. No, it's all the fault of George W. Bush and his cronies at FEMA.

[Secretary of State Al Ater] laid much of the blame for the delay on the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which he said has not provided any of the $2 million his office requested to repair voting machines damaged in the Aug. 29 storm and to upgrade New Orleans' absentee voting system.

Ater also said FEMA took until this week to respond to his October request for a list of addresses of Louisiana residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina, so they can be informed of how to vote from out of state.

"Our job would have been a lot easier if FEMA had been more forthright and more forthcoming," Ater said.