Houston Opens Doors, Hearts to Evacuees

By MICHAEL GRACZYK

HOUSTON (AP) - As the tragedy unfolded in New Orleans, Houston's mayor threw open the Astrodome and the convention center to tens of thousands of Katrina's refugees. Then he did something more remarkable: He essentially told convention groups whose plans were spoiled by the move, "Tough luck."
The decision could ultimately cost Houston a bundle in lost business and burden its social service agencies for many years to come. But so far, this city of swashbuckling capitalism - of self-made oil men, engineering magnates and real estate tycoons - is backing Bill White in his act of municipal compassion toward the mostly poor, mostly black victims of the storm.
For White, an enormously popular first-term Democrat up for re-election in November, this could very well be his "Giuliani moment" - the moment he, like New York's mayor in the aftermath of Sept. 11, distinguished himself in a crisis.

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