Mac Rahman: The Riverbend’s Restaurateur Playboy
by Amanda Anderson

I’ve known Mac Rahman since 2001, when I waited tables at Sara’s, his Riverbend restaurant. I finally left his employ when, after originally accepting his offer to take me to Jazzfest, I changed my mind and turned him down. He insisted that if I wasn’t going to go with him, then I had to work instead. I blew him off and went to the Fest with friends. He fired me, although I maintain that I quit. Two days later, he came to my house with a bottle of wine, begging me to come back to work.

So when I heard Mac was running for mayor, I was curious to see how he was planning to seduce New Orleans into electing him. Would he use free drinks and lots of weed, as he had with me?

We met at Refuel, a new restaurant in the Riverbend. Naively, I thought the name symbolic—what our city needs is a leader who can refuel our spirits. Maybe Mac was that leader. Or maybe not.

A: What issues are you interested in bringing up that other politicians won’t?
M: Well, the same issues that they keep talking about but nobody does anything about it. The education, health, the security of the police department, city hall, you know. Basically, they all suck.

A: Now if you became mayor, you’d probably have to work with Mr. Bush. How would that be for you?
M: I hope not. He’s the cause of everything that happens in Washington, down to the state and the city….We’re the best country in the world. I had a friend, she was on her roof for six days. She had to swim to get out. That doesn’t happen in the third world. That doesn’t happen in Africa. There, it would be hours, maybe 24 hours. And Mr. Bush is responsible for that. He’s responsible for many lives lost. He’s responsible for many lives turned around. He did it for his own benefit. He goes to his ranch and puts his buddies in power, and that’s exactly what happened…Man, I think he’s the worst president ever.

A: You’ve been dissatisfied with Mayor Nagin?
M: I don’t know him that well. I’ve met him a few times for the last debates together. He looks like a nice guy, you know…It’s the whole political system in this city. Every mayor candidate is spending $1 million, $2 million dollars on the race to keep a position that pays $160,000 a year. Why? The system is corrupt.…
So what are we going to do about it? Look what happened in Bolivia. They were out in the streets. Look what’s happening in France. We’re lazy. Before the war, the whole country should have been on the street against the war. Again, ignorance. That’s why you really really have to emphasize the educational system, which sucks.

A: Would you support charter schools, or—
M: We all want good streets, we all want good schools, we want good police protection, we want all that, but we’re not willing to pay for any in for it. Look at Europe—30% of their income goes to taxes, social programs. We’re the richest country in the world, and we’ve got the worst health care system. Even go to Cuba, ninety miles away, and they’ve got a better health care system. Go to Canada.

A: You’re a generous guy. We’ve been talking about ridiculous promises—have you been promising free drinks for people if they vote you in?
M: (Chuckles.) They can have free drinks without that. I’m not a politician, you know. When you have politics, you have politicians, and that’s just how it is. But you also have good politicians, but you have more bad politicians, and that’s why it affects a city like New Orleans, such a beautiful city, adversely. That we don’t choose the right mayor, the right officials, and the city suffers.

A: Who are you going to be voting for, Mac?
M: I suppose I have to vote for myself.

A: You don’t have to vote for yourself.
M: Well, I only get one vote. (Pauses.) Actually, all three front-runners are good candidates.

A: Landrieu, Nagin and Forman?
M: They’re all good guys. I think they all will do a good job…I think either one of them will do a good job….It will be very difficult for me to choose between the three. I like Forman, businessman, you know. Mitch, I’ve met him many times. I like his sister—she’s doing a great job. Nagin, I don’t know much.

A: What did you think of his Chocolate City remark?
M: I don’t think we should take it seriously, you know? I think it was out of context. Nothing personal.

A: So you’ve met all three of the top ones personally?
M: I’ve met Nagin, the first time I met him at the restaurant. The other ones, I’ve met many times. They’re nice guys…. Mitch has a lot of experience with the legislature, a political family…

A: He seems too much like a politician to me.
M: He is. He is too much of a politician. He’s a little too—too much of a politician. I wouldn’t say slick, but—too much of a politician, yeah. And Nagin, you know, he is…(pauses) I like him, but, you know…

A: What?
M: (Covers the mike) He’s kind of a little street. He’s got a little street in him, you know?

A: Have you tried to reach out to the black community at all? Have you gone to Houston or Atlanta?
M: Been to Houston in the last two months. I didn’t even try with them too much. I’m an Indian with the last name Rahman, and I don’t think they’ll listen to me. And I think it’s a waste of time for an Indian to go up against Nagin because blacks will vote for Nagin. Which is sad, but that’s how divided the city is right now. Like the presidential election, the whole country was divided. So that’s sad.

A: How do you think we can get over that division, especially between blacks and whites?
M: If I had the answer, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you. (Chuckles) Nobody has the answers. It’s just the views people have. I think the blacks have to reach out and accept the fact that…(trails off) I think the black leaders, instead of telling the people to educate themselves and succeed, are giving them the wrong reasons to… (pauses) I personally think that Clinton did more for the blacks than all the black leaders put together. Really.

After the interview, I asked Mac what would happen if he actually got elected mayor. “Are you kidding?” he shouted. “I don’t want to be mayor! That’s a lot of work! I don’t want to work!”

Mac’s reluctance to be mayor might make him the perfect candidate for those voters opposed to the timing of this election. It’s one thing to have an “I.Q.” assessor who leaves his post with six others ready to do their jobs, and quite another to have the elected mayor do the same thing. If you’re really pissed off at the system, why not throw it a monkey wrench? Vote for Mac--Confuse the System.

Or, for the more pragmatic voter, swing by Sara’s for your free drink.

Amanda Anderson lives, writes, and haberdashes in New Orleans.