WUSA

A drifting, wary man who arrives in New Orleans seeking money and meaning. He becomes entangled with Geraldine after meeting her, and takes a job at the provocative WUSA radio station, where his skepticism clashes with the station’s propaganda. Throughout, he remains a critical observer of the forces around him, moving through the city’s counterculture and political machinations.

Owner of the conservative WUSA station and a white supremacist figure who weaponizes propaganda to stoke fear and nostalgia. He uses editorials and orchestrated events to shape public opinion and expand his influence. His manipulation sets the events of the rally and the surrounding political theater in motion.

A woman who becomes Rheinhardt’s partner and a focal point in the story’s danger and vulnerability. Threatened by a pimp, she and Rheinhardt inhabit a harsh social landscape and confront the consequences of the rally’s chaos. Her arrest for marijuana and subsequent death reflect the personal tragedies entwined with political schemes.

An old acquaintance running a scam as a preacher, he owes Rheinhardt money and emerges as a conniving figure within the city’s underbelly. Farley’s duplicity highlights the theme of opportunistic manipulation within a landscape of political rhetoric and social unrest.

An earnest welfare surveyor who initially believes in reform yet discovers the depth of fraud and manipulation surrounding the beneficiaries. His growing horror at Bingamon’s machinations leads to a desperate attempt to act, which ends in tragedy as the crowd turns violent.

A wealthy facilitator who guides Rainey toward beneficiaries and, behind the scenes, coordinates with Bingamon to steer the welfare narrative. Clotho embodies the role of a gatekeeper who enables systemic fraud through financial and social influence.