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Audacity of Truth
Whiner-in-Chief:
"[W]hether the grumbling is about Republicans on Fox or bloggers in pajamas, there's a word for what the president and his aides are doing. That word is "whining." And nothing [...] does more damage to Obama's credibility or authority than the sense that a popular president is becoming the whiner-in-chief."
- John Nichols, Nation Magazine - 10/12/09
The best article on the Katrina response yet
This guy nails home some great points:
RALEIGH — There is a fetid stink in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and it’s not coming just from the fouled waters flooding New Orleans. It also wafts from the putrid reporting of the disaster by the mainstream media.
From the moment Katrina made landfall the media focused on anything that could redound to the detriment of President Bush or inflame race and class tensions. Reporters and commentators ignored the dismal performance of New Orleans’ Democratic mayor and Louisiana’s Democratic governor, blaming every problem that arose on the Bush administration.
Racial demagogues accused Bush and his administration of reacting slowly because most of the victims were black. Environmental activists said Bush’s refusal to sign the Kyoto Treaty caused Katrina’s severity. Democratic operatives said the administration’s decision to cut funding for a long-term study of flood control caused the levees to breach.
All of this is stuff and nonsense. The tragedy is that the media know it too, but they still printed it.
The media know that the first response to natural disasters is always from the local and state governments. They’ve covered enough hurricanes to understand that. They know, or should know, that the response from the federal government, especially the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is always in the second phase of recovery, not the first. They know, or should know, that a state’s National Guard is commanded by the governor, not the president. They know, or should know, that active-duty U.S. military personnel cannot act as law enforcement. But none of this was reported.
As for a president’s role, it has traditionally been in declaring disaster areas so that the victims can get grants and low-interest loans to rebuild, and ordering FEMA into the area. His role also traditionally includes a visit to the stricken area. That’s pretty much it, unless you’re George W. Bush; then that’s not enough. Not reported was that it was Bush himself who, before the storm hit, pleaded with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco to order a mandatory evacuation.
The misreporting of the tragedy, and the false impression it has left with some, is even being used now for other political advantage. On Monday, NBC’s Matt Lauer interviewed “Meet the Press” anchor Tim Russert about Bush’s Supreme Court appointments. Russert said “there was a perception created of incompetence, some even said callousness and he needs to replace it with compassion” by appointing a moderate, a liberal or even a minority to the high court.
At least Russert was correct on one point. There was a “perception created.” The incessant drone of the media story line that Bush was to blame is what created that impression, and one that is entirely false. As with the run-up to the military operation in Afghanistan and Iraq, the media display a convenient amnesia about what they wrote in the past.
Please read the whole thing.
BTW, he referred to an AP headline about Bush "finally" spending time on hurricane relief. I found what I think he was talking about this morning:
"Now" spending time on hurricane relief? What was he doing before "now" when he was out there touring the affected areas? Sheesh. Thank you, AP, for making it so easy for us to spot liberal media bias. BTW, that headline in some papers appears to have changed to "Bush to Seek $40B for Next Katrina Phase" but if you do a Google search using the first headline I posted, you’ll see how many papers had it. The Guardian is one who kept the original AP headline.
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18 Responses to “The best article on the Katrina response yet”
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Granted the MSM has been after Bush since…well, since 1999. Maybe now they are also trying to deflect blame from themselves. The TV portion of the MSM, particularly, might want to take a look at itself and its weather reporting. They have about run out of adjectives when it comes to hyping the weather coverage of their latest “big storm.” This doesn’t help people take evacuation orders seriously.
If the state and local governments are not able to handle a crisis, it is the responsibility of the federal government to provide assistance. The governor of Louisiana sent a letter to President Bush BEFORE the hurricane struck stating, “this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives”.
LINK
Instead of sending federal help immediately, help from the federal governor did not arrive until several days after New Orleans was hit by the hurricane.
It is NOT true that active-duty U.S. military personnel cannot act as law enforcement. In 1992, President Bush sent 4,000 Army and Marine troops to Los Angeles to help stop the rioting there.
President Bush’s response to the crisis was inexcusable. People died waiting for help to arrive.
Brian wrote, “Instead of sending federal help immediately”.
Incorrect. There are numerous organizations including federal government agencies that were trying to help immediately. FEMA has no law enforcement capabilities or emergency capabilities. So due to:
1) fear (because of lawlessness – caused by individuals) they’ve stated they could not go into certain areas.
2) ongoing tragedy (flooding) could not reach people to provide assistance.
Additionally in Louisiana, Bush could not order National Guard into the area without Governor Blanco’s decision which is well documented she couldn’t decide and stated that she needs over 24 hours. That statement was made on Tuesday or Wed.
“response to the crisis was inexcusable”
Brian,
That line needs to be attributed to the responsible parties – or the Democratic Party, who have been in control of Louisiana and New Orleans politics for sixty years. In that time, with all their social engineering, they should have generated a utopian society where everyone was a productive, happy, well-adjusted member contributing to the good of all. (These are the things they claim their social programs will produce.) Your beloved governor and mayor couldn’t get past trying to control one another to start a school bus and evacuate their indigent charges. Who will be left to vote for these goofballs with you next election? They plus Katrina gave us is an amalgam of thugs and ne’er-do-wells who trying to speed up the process they’ve become accustomed to; taking from those who’ve earned. Instead of waiting for the welfare check, now they’re looting and shooting at their would-be saviors. I suppose you think their “getting back at society” is fair. You save ‘em. Your response to this crisis is inexcusable.
David,
Your comments are both ignorant and racist. Not everyone stranded in New Orleans was “looting and shooting” and on welfare as you are suggesting. Many of the people were not.
The mayor of New Orleans and the governor of Louisiana are NOT my “beloved governor and mayor”. It’s very ignorant of you to make that assumption.
This article states:
The media know that the first response to natural disasters is always from the local and state governments.
The Dept. of Homeland Security National Response plan calls for “Proactive Federal Response to Catastrophic Events”.
Guiding Principles for proactive Federal response include the following:
* The primary mission is to save lives; protect critical infrastructure, property, and the environment; contain the event; and preserve national security.
* Standard procedures regarding requests for assistance may be expedited or, under extreme circumstances, suspended in the immediate aftermath of an event of catastrophic magnitude.
* Identified Federal response resources will deploy and begin necessary operations as required to commence life-safety activities.
* Notification and full coordination with States will occur, but the coordination process must not delay or impede the rapid deployment and use of critical resources. States are urged to notify and coordinate with local governments regarding a proactive Federal response.
Many of the points made in this article are turning out to be lies.
No they’re not.
Juan Williams just got hammered by Brit on FoxNews Sunday. It was a verbal slapping because Juan thought it was FEMA’s fault that people in the Superdome didn’t get supplies even though there is no dispute that LA DHS kept American Red Cross (managed by FEMA) out of the Superdome.
So did Mary Landrieu by Chris Wallace. Chris showed the bus pictures and also showed the Washington Post article concerning more spending on the flood control projects in LA during Bush’s last five years than the last 5 years of Clinton.
Sister Toldjah,
If the first response to natural disasters is always the state and local government as the article says, how do you interpret what is written in The Dept. of Homeland Security National Response plan regarding, “Proactive Federal Response to Catastrophic Events”? (see my previous post)
You can keep quoting DHS all you want to Brian, but it’s a fact (I thought unquestionably so) that local and state officials are the “first responders” in the event of natural disasters. It was like that last year after the wave of hurricanes that hit Florida and every other hurricane that has hit the Southeastern US. The Feds CAN’T step in first and overstep the state’s authority until ASKED to step in and help. Period.
If the Feds would have flown in with the cavalry first before giving the local and state a chance to respond, that would be a serious states rights issue violation, and those newfound states rights folks on the left (who found a love of states rights during the Terri Schiavo saga) would have hit the roof – and this time, rightfully so.
Again, you can keep attempting to challenge me on this, but those are the facts. And if you’re not a believer in those facts, check on how the wave of hurricanes last year in Florida were handled and then you’ll understand how the system works. I don’t recall the feds stepping in on Florida territory until asked by the state. That is how it works, and how it should always be.
Sister Toldjah,
First of all, the Governor of Louisiana did ask for assistance before New Orleans was flooded.
LINK
I also recall seeing the Mayor of New Orleans appealing for federal assistance on television, after New Orleans was flooded, yet there was no significant help from the federal government for several more days.
When the state of Florida was hit by hurricanes in 2004, the Federal government did not hesitate to send assistance.
LINK
Second, if state and local officials must always respond first to natural disasters and Fed’s can’t step in and overstep state’s authority, why was it written in the DHS National Response Plan that they can? The document was written by government officials. The plan specifically states:
Notification and full coordination with States will occur, but the coordination process must not delay or impede the rapid deployment and use of critical resources. States are urged to notify and coordinate with local governments regarding a proactive Federal response.
You said:
“I don’t recall the feds stepping in on Florida territory until asked by the state. That is how it works, and how it should always be.”
Can you explain what harm would have been done if the Federal government would have sent helicopters into New Orleans to rescue people trapped in the Superdome right away, regardless of whether or not there had been requests from state officials for assistance?
My impression of why it took so long for the Federal government to provide significant assistance was more due to indifference or incompetence of government officials rather than anyone waiting for requests for assistance from state or local officials. If you know of any references showing where Federal government assistance was held up because they were waiting for requests for assistance from state or local officials, I would be interested in seeing them.
English is not really that hard Brian.
There is a process and there is law.
Your posting of points concerning “Proactive Federal Response to Catastrophic Events” never said “First Responders” nor did it say military control or federal control of national guard nor did it even speak to the Insurrection Act that would’ve had to have been invoked due to Gov Blanco’s prohibiting federal control of the relief effort or even not letting the Red Cross (managed by FEMA) to bring supplies that they were ready to bring to the convention center and Superdome
There is no federal agency or organization responsible for Superdome or Convention center suffering and dying. They tried and were denied.
Hey hey if the glove don’t fit….
“First of all, the Governor of Louisiana did ask for assistance before New Orleans was flooded.
LINK”
That wasn’t in dispute. What was in dispute was your claim that the “first responders” to natural disasters are supposed to be the feds. It’s not.
Your own link proves it.
“I also recall seeing the Mayor of New Orleans appealing for federal assistance on television, after New Orleans was flooded, yet there was no significant help from the federal government for several more days.”
‘Several’ more days? That’s not so. Have you not read up on the history of the attempts by groups like the Red Cross trying to gain access to the Superdome but being denied by the STATE DHS? Let’s also not forget that the Gov. didn’t request a massive amount of National Guard assistance until *Wednesdsay.* Let’s also not forget the response time to disasters from the feds is typically 72-96 hours:
“When the state of Florida was hit by hurricanes in 2004, the Federal government did not hesitate to send assistance.
LINK”
The federal gov’t didn’t hesitate here, either. You had a city that was flooded, roads and highways that were near impossible to travel on. The feds didn’t just sit on their behinds while this was happening, Brian.
“Second, if state and local officials must always respond first to natural disasters and Fed’s can’t step in and overstep state’s authority, why was it written in the DHS National Response Plan that they can? The document was written by government officials. The plan specifically states:
Notification and full coordination with States will occur, but the coordination process must not delay or impede the rapid deployment and use of critical resources. States are urged to notify and coordinate with local governments regarding a proactive Federal response.”
Why don’t you ask them? Better yet, ask Gov. Blanco, who at least knew enough to write the letter asking for federal help in the first place.
“Can you explain what harm would have been done if the Federal government would have sent helicopters into New Orleans to rescue people trapped in the Superdome right away, regardless of whether or not there had been requests from state officials for assistance?”
Try a possible violation of the states rights, Brian:
“My impression of why it took so long for the Federal government to provide significant assistance was more due to indifference or incompetence of government officials rather than anyone waiting for requests for assistance from state or local officials. If you know of any references showing where Federal government assistance was held up because they were waiting for requests for assistance from state or local officials, I would be interested in seeing them.”
For starters, how about the state DHS denying access for the Red Cross into the Superdome and the NO Convention Center? See this as well:
Brian, you ignorant race-baiter. I’m impressed with the rest of the folks here who just allowed that disgusting shrill “racist” jab fall unimpeded to the bit bucket. Get over yourself and whatever color you are and see if you can hire Johnny Cochrane to push your charge. (Don’t get caught up in the fact that he was one of the worst of racists.) That charge, like all your argumentation, lacks cohesion and/or foundations this side of reality. Wake up and smell the decay in New Orleans – and know its source is the liberal establishment that failed the people there – even the purple, green, or blue ones. You perpetuate a problem we are mostly over by presupposing color-coded ulterior motives.
Baklava,
The reason the Red Cross was not allowed into New Orleans was because it was not safe for them to go there. When asked by Larry King why the Red Cross was not in New Orleans, Red Cross President and CEO, Marty Evans responded, “Well, Larry, when the storm came our goal was prior to landfall to support the evacuation. It was unsafe to be in the city. We were asked by the city not to be there and the Superdome was made a shelter of last resorts and, quite frankly in retrospect, it was a good idea because otherwise those people would have had no shelter at all.”
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/02/lkl.01.html
The Federal government did have helicopters that could have been used to carry supplies in to the Superdome and people out, but they did not do this. Apparently it does not seem to bother you that people were suffering, and in some cases dying, and nothing was done to help them for several days.
Sister Toldjah,
I never said that first responders to natural disasters are supposed to be feds, only there may circumstances when this happens, as stated in the DHS document. Since we’re both in agreement that the governor of Louisiana requested assistance from the Federal government, this issue is not relevant here.
You said:
“‘Several’ more days? That’s not so. Have you not read up on the history of the attempts by groups like the Red Cross trying to gain access to the Superdome but being denied by the STATE DHS? Let’s also not forget that the Gov. didn’t request a massive amount of National Guard assistance until *Wednesdsay.* Let’s also not forget the response time to disasters from the feds is typically 72-96 hours:”
As I said before in my previous post, the Red Cross was not allowed in New Orleans because it was considered unsafe for them. The Federal government could have used helicopters to fly supplies in and carry people out, but they did not do this. The Federal government did have advance warning that the hurricane was coming so they did have time to prepare. A 1993 report by the General Accounting office, the investigative arm of Congress, concluded that “the Department of Defense is the only organization capable of providing, transporting and distributing sufficient quantities of items need” in a catastrophe such as Katrina. For the first 2-3 days of the crisis, I did not see any sense of urgency by the President or the Federal government. Last Sunday, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson offered Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco help from his state’s national guard and Governor Blanco accepted. In order for the national guard of one state to be used in another state, federal approval is required. In this case, the paperwork from Washington did not arrive until late Thursday. The federal Department of Homeland Security waited until 36 hours after Katrina struck to declare it an “incident of national significance”. This designation is used to mobilize the full strength of the federal government, including the military to deal with a catastrophe. The same day the levee was breached in New Orleans, President Bush travel to an Arizona resort to promote Medicare drug benefit and the day after flew to California to give a speech on World War II.
“I never said that first responders to natural disasters are supposed to be feds, only there may circumstances when this happens, as stated in the DHS document. Since we’re both in agreement that the governor of Louisiana requested assistance from the Federal government, this issue is not relevant here.”
The issue is relevant, because you’ve continued to push the idea that it is up to the feds to respond first, and you used the DHS document to try and prove it. The state HAS to ask for help first, I asserted that and now you seem to agree with it.
“The Federal government could have used helicopters to fly supplies in and carry people out, but they did not do this.”
The feds started dropping supplies in on Thursday.
“The Federal government did have advance warning that the hurricane was coming so they did have time to prepare”
As did local officials, who failed to act in a timely manner.
As for the rest, save the talking points. I’ve heard them before. The President called Gov. Blanco on Saturday and asked her to issue a mandatory evacuation. Where the problem came in on the “slow response” was the confusion over who was supposed to do what: local, state, or federal. The feds didn’t sit on their hands through this whole affair Brian, and nothing you’ve posted proves that. Nothing. You just, for whatever reason, want to assume that the President (nor the feds in general) gave a crap about what was happening in NO. If you do some digging you’ll see that wasn’t the case. The local and state officials were doing such a bad job handling it that the feds were trying to take over handling it from the state on Friday after the hurricane hit. I’ve already provided the link.
You’ve already made up your mind though that the President and feds didn’t care and bungled this from the get go, and that’s certainly your right to do so but the facts are contrary to that. Believe whatever you want to, though. It makes no difference to me. People will believe what they want to believe.
Brian,
Open your mind. (Have we come full circle, or what? Conservatives now have to encourage liberals to let go of the groupthink mentality and think freely…)Truth is all around you. Like busses drowned in floodwaters due to the inability or lack of desire of local officials to get the populace out, the truth is waiting to get in. (Did they do that because the populace was mostly what they considered an undesireable demographic? Was it the people stuck there – like the ones shooting at aid workers – that made New Orleans too dangerous a place for rescue workers? Were they not worth the risk of guardsmen and Red Cross volunteers lives and well-being? The federal government was ready, willing, and able to help, but the governor and mayor couldn’t or wouldn’t execute their proper roles in getting that help turned on. Either way, its a pretty ugly thing for them to wear around. And you choose to point your racist finger at me!) The truth is out there, and we are trying to help you see it. Until you let go of your Bush bashing race baiting mindset, it will evade you.
David