Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Post scoop: Bush heard about Katrina
The Washington Post has just breathlessly put on their site yet more evidence that the George Bush is probably to blame for all the wrongs that followed Katrina: Tape: Bush, Chertoff Warned Before Katrina.
“Linked by secure video, Bush's confidence on Aug. 28 starkly contrasts with the dire warnings his disaster chief and a cacophony of federal, state and local officials provided during the four days before the storm.”
Let’s see: “his disaster chief and a cacophony of federal, state and local officials” were preaching “dire warnings” leading up to the storm. So they knew about it. And somehow this sheds light on why the state and local officials were so ineffective and why Michael Brown has been universally derided for his efforts: because George Bush was briefed by all these people before Katrina hit.
“In dramatic and sometimes agonizing terms, federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees, put lives at risk in New Orleans' Superdome and overwhelm rescuers, according to confidential video footage.”
If I’m the president and all these people (including state & local) are telling me that things could be bad…well, it sounds to me like they’re preparing for it because that’s kind of their jobs. Left out of this article is any sense of exactly what the President was supposed to do? Put in stronger levees? Move the Superdome? This strikes me as just another instance of much ado about nothing new.
[Update: After further review, my original comment specifically about Governor Blanco was unfair and has been deleted. HT - MK]
“Linked by secure video, Bush's confidence on Aug. 28 starkly contrasts with the dire warnings his disaster chief and a cacophony of federal, state and local officials provided during the four days before the storm.”
Let’s see: “his disaster chief and a cacophony of federal, state and local officials” were preaching “dire warnings” leading up to the storm. So they knew about it. And somehow this sheds light on why the state and local officials were so ineffective and why Michael Brown has been universally derided for his efforts: because George Bush was briefed by all these people before Katrina hit.
“In dramatic and sometimes agonizing terms, federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees, put lives at risk in New Orleans' Superdome and overwhelm rescuers, according to confidential video footage.”
If I’m the president and all these people (including state & local) are telling me that things could be bad…well, it sounds to me like they’re preparing for it because that’s kind of their jobs. Left out of this article is any sense of exactly what the President was supposed to do? Put in stronger levees? Move the Superdome? This strikes me as just another instance of much ado about nothing new.
[Update: After further review, my original comment specifically about Governor Blanco was unfair and has been deleted. HT - MK]
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so do you still believe bush when he said, "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees" despite evidence to the contrary in this video?
do you enjoy being lied to?
what was bush to do? i don't know. but eating cake with john mccain and playing guitar certainly aren't it.
keep drinking the kool-aid, pal. history won't be kind to bush or his followers.
do you enjoy being lied to?
what was bush to do? i don't know. but eating cake with john mccain and playing guitar certainly aren't it.
keep drinking the kool-aid, pal. history won't be kind to bush or his followers.
# posted by 
: Thursday, March 02, 2006 12:05:00 AM
: Thursday, March 02, 2006 12:05:00 AM
Can you clarify what you mean by this statement: "why it took the Governor of Louisiana so long to officially ask the federal government for help". Louisiana had declared a state of emergency eight days (Aug 26) before Katrina struck. (link)
Gov. Blanco asked Bush to declare a state o emergency the next day (Aug 27), which was granted the same day. (link)
Gov. Blanco asked Bush to declare a state o emergency the next day (Aug 27), which was granted the same day. (link)
# posted by : Thursday, March 02, 2006 12:41:00 AM
: Thursday, March 02, 2006 12:41:00 AM
Matt - you're right I should have been more clear (and probably fairer to Gov. Blanco)...stuck in my mind was the timeline of requesting National Guard help (and not just the return of LA NGers from Iraq)which still was not dispositive in the end result. I will correct.
I'm a big believer in free speech because it does identify the.......Aloysius & Thomas - thanks for the comments
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