Touche. 'Not in my backyard' and 'It's not my fault.'

And those are the starting points.
Sigmund, Carl and Alfred | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 8:42 am | #

That explains the puzzling events I witnessed: Bush's declaration before the storm and before the locals did it; then a weak evacuation order; the stalling afterwards.

Seems that NO was under investigation for misappropriating some $30 million from FEMA before this event.
Patricia | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 11:03 am | #

I've been trying to contact Mayfield to confirm this piece, it's been floating around the internet for a few days. If I get thru I'll let you know.
the anchoress | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 11:03 am | #

Yes, another dubious rationalization of events...Presidential leadership or lack thereof could have *nothing* to do with the tsunami-sized fiasco in NO to die-hard Bush supporters. As for the rest of us, to the extent I can speak for the non-partisan center, we are frankly tired of excuses from our pass-the-buck 'commander' in chief.
wheeler | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 12:23 pm | #

The Washington Post is saying this took place on Sept 2. Can you provide the name of the source?
Jeff G | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 3:30 pm | #

No matter where you are on the political spectrum, Wheeler, you automatically see yourself as the non-partisan center. It's everyone ELSE who's got their heads up their rectal cavities, and if they'd just pull them out they'd see the same thing YOU do!

According to polls, 13% think it's all Bush's fault. 38% think no one's to blame, 18% say federal agencies, 25% state and local.

And every single one of them is right.

J.
JLawson | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 3:33 pm | #

Lawson... yes, I am right over 90% of the time. Thanks for noticing.

So what is your point...everyone has a favorite target for finger pointing? Obviously.

Plenty of blame to go around. My point was that the commander in chief isn't accepting his share.
wheeler | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 4:52 pm | #

More poll numbers for you (btw, the poll question a previous commentator cited was who should take MOST of the blame, not ALL of it.)

The poll matters little in reckoning the facts of the situation but it should matter for the Limbaughs and Hannitys of the world that are fully engaged in a Presidential disaster recovery operation while the rest of us are concerned with hurricane recovery.

"How much blame, if any, do you think Bush should get for problems in the federal response to the situation: a great deal, a good amount, only some or none?"

A Great Deal 23%
A Good Amount 20%
Only Some 33%
None 22%
Unsure 1%
wheeler | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 7:19 pm | #

Doc:

This link from BBC talks about the Mayfield call to Nagin at his home on Saturday night pleading with him to have a mandatory evacuation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/ameri...cas/ 4216508.stm

CNN has a more detailed story of the call but I can't find it.
Rick Moran | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 9:20 pm | #

It is so SIMPLE, too CYNICAL for we
Greys to immediately consider. We are
not into that "cut off our noses to
spite our faces" mentality.

Bush made a lot of political hay in
Florida during the relief efforts
after each of the four hurricanes
that struck this important state in
2004.

Kerry lost Fla, Praise God! Bush won
Louisiana and Dems are worried about
holding Governorship in future. They
could not allow Bush/Republicans to
be heros. FEMA did great in Fla because Jeb had all local and state
first responders organized.

THEY HAD TO KEEP THEM ALL OUT.
Had the levees not breached, the
Governor could have been made a star
by the LSM. THEY HAD TO KEEP BUSH
OUT!

The Dems had to keep him out. And now
I will go one step further - perhaps
too far - but wonder what would be revealed if we had the phone records
of James Lee Witt, Blanco, Landrieu
brother and sister,Clintons (or close
minion) from August 23rd thru today.

And speaking of Mr. Witt, who was all
over the news nets and was given extra long segments with softball and leading questions to guarantee he
expressed all his concern and how he and Bill would have done it all so much better.

I have not seen him for past two days.
You see, I am disabled and have the time to make my remote circuit of CNN FNC CNBC MSNBE CSPAN CSPAN2 CNN HL
often enough that I only hear commercials when I am reading or
responding to Blogs.

The Louisiana FEMA director is AWOL,
Blanco is now dead meat.

Nagin has ratted Blanco out, do you think she'll try to finger her
"advisers"? Her appointed LA FEMA
DIRECTOR?
larwyn | Email | Homepage | 09.07.05 - 11:11 pm | #

Wheeler:

The "Commander in Chief" has NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH EVACUATING A CITY BEFORE A HURRICANE. Sheesh.
rickl | Email | Homepage | 09.08.05 - 2:54 am | #

Well, in the mind of a child, "Daddy" is responsible for everything. This is the entire problem with the Left. They want mommy and daddy to do everything for them. Like Peter Pan, they won't grow up and take responsibility for themselves (even at the state, let alone at the local level). Of course, when daddy does take control they scream "fascist pig!" "hitler!" etc. etc. and go sulk in their rooms.
anon2 | Email | Homepage | 09.08.05 - 8:42 am | #

"Lawson... yes, I am right over 90% of the time. Thanks for noticing."

Oh, I noticed, Wheeler. I noticed all right. (And also noticed you missed the point completely.)

J.
JLawson | Email | Homepage | 09.08.05 - 2:48 pm | #

And what was the point Lawson? I just mainly notice you seem to enjoy an ad hominem argument instead of answering a simple question: should Bush be held accountable for FEMA mismanagement?
wheeler | Email | Homepage | 09.08.05 - 6:15 pm | #

Well, anon2 managed to hit the problem with one element of the Right of course in otherwise shallow psychobabble: they think they are 'Daddy'. We can't afford another one, thank you very much. Daddy wastes too much money on making sure the neighbors are safe and fed and not enough on educating his kids.

Small government conservatives, remember those?
wheeler | Email | Homepage | 09.08.05 - 6:22 pm | #

This posting has been debunked as a lie by snopes.com Of course my comment will go ingnored and a correction/retraction/apology will not be posted because Pat doesn't have the guts to admit when she is wrong. Cheers!
Lenny | Email | Homepage | 09.09.05 - 8:09 pm | #

Uh, maybe you should check this out on Snopes
http://www.snopes.com/politics/k...trina/ nagin.asp

False
Red | Email | Homepage | 09.12.05 - 9:39 am | #