W and decision to open NY streets post 9/11

This article was past along to me by the blogger, Nan. Thanks, Nan!

Here is an excerpt from a recent Democracy Now interview with Juan Gonzalez of the NY Daily News:


AMY GOODMAN: And I just want to say, I mean, now your paper, the New York Daily News, has been spearheading a campaign of concern around the rescue workers, around those who cleaned up September 11th. But you, Juan, very early on, when your paper wasn't doing that, but you were as a columnist in the paper, were continually going after this issue at a time when the establishment didn't want to talk about this, because it meant disrupting not only New York business, but because the New York Stock Exchange is based here, it meant disrupting business in the world.

JUAN GONZALEZ: Right. Well, and, of course, as Richard Clarke has made clear, the order to reopen Lower Manhattan came directly from President Bush. And in his book, Against All Enemies, Richard Clarke says he was in the White House Situation Room when the President gave the order to the Treasury-Secretary that he wanted Wall Street up and running within a week. And it was up and running within a week. And now, all of us are facing the consequences of that decision.

AMY GOODMAN: And, unfortunately, a lot of people, as they try to run, are gasping for air.

We can see how finance played on a role on why Wall Street needed to be open so quickly yet, at the time, planes werebeing diverted and flights were being cancelled.