Nagin on rebuilding: New Orleanians should take the lead

"I'll lead that effort come heck or high water," he said on the television show "Meet the Press".

Nagin declined to grade the actions and response of President George W. Bush, but did repeat earlier comments that initial response from the federal government was not what it should have been.

"I think for some reason he did not understand the full magnitude of this on the front end," Nagin said.

But Nagin said the response from the president was much better after any personal meetings between the two.

When asked about the actions of Gov. Kathleen Blanco, Nagin paused before offering an answer: "I don't know about that," he said.

Nagin said he had only 200 National Guardsmen in the city in the early days. "We didn't get a lot of help for three or four days of pure hell," he said. "I don't have much else to say about (Blanco)."

The mayor also said there seemed to be confusion between Blanco and federal officials about just who had ultimate authority in the disaster area.

"I just don't appreciate that stuff when people are dying in my city."