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New Orleans Marks Trump Visit With Local Flavor

Eileen Fleming
/
WWNO
Brent Barnidge made this float for Mardi Gras in mind, but decided to use it on the day President Trump came to New Orleans for the Farm Bureau convention.

As President Trump touched down in New Orleans Monday to address the Farm Bureau at the Convention Center, about 200 people rallied in protest at the foot of Canal Street.
As the partial federal shutdown drags on, protesters made it clear they want to it to end.

One was John Beaulieu, a researcher for the Department of Agriculture in New Orleans.  He rejects the president’s argument that a border wall is needed for national security – and he wants  to go back to work

“There is no crisis on the border.  I want to go work. Stop playing me as your pawn," he said.

Mark Childress held up a distinctly New Orleans sign, that said “Impeach Dat.”

“I just wanted to welcome the president to town and to let him know that not everybody wants to build walls. Some of us would rather build bridges," he said

Artist Brent Barnidge brought a Mardi Gras float he’s been working on -  gold Trump in a Napoleon hat sitting on a nuclear bomb, a la Dr. Strangelove.

“I made this knowing that there was going to be ample opportunity to bring it out," says Barnidge, "but this, this is just perfect. The stars were in alignment. He was going to be in town. So this is his inaugural run.”

A few more protesters joined in as the march down Canal Street turn left on St.  Charles Avenue – keeping with a New Orleans sound.

“Who dat say we’re going to stop that Trump? We do” ….

Eileen is a news reporter and producer for WWNO. She researches, reports and produces the local daily news items. Eileen relocated to New Orleans in 2008 after working as a writer and producer with the Associated Press in Washington, D.C. for seven years.

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