Ex-FEMA Chief Tells of Frustration and Chaos

[Rose Siding]

snip>
...Mr. Brown's account, in which he described making "a blur of calls" all week to Mr. Chertoff, Mr. Card and Mr. Hagin, suggested that Mr. Bush, or at least his top aides, were informed early and repeatedly by the top federal official at the scene that state and local authorities were overwhelmed and that the overall response was going badly.

A senior administration official said Wednesday night that White House officials recalled the conversations with Mr. Brown but did not believe they had the urgency or desperation he described in the interview.

"There's a general recollection of him saying, 'They're going to need more help,' " said the official, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of internal White House discussions.

Mr. Brown's version of events raises questions about whether the White House and Mr. Chertoff acted aggressively enough in ratcheting up the response. New Orleans convulsed in looting and violence after the hurricane, and troops did not arrive in force to restore order until five days later.

.....MORE.....

http://nytimes.com/2005/09/15/national/nationalspecial/15brown.html?hp&ex=1126756800&en=3ed47cd05f3bdbec&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Pirate Smile]

1. There is so much BS at the beginning - it was Blanco and La, Miss and

Alabama were fine. Bullshit, plus they were very different situations. However, the more he talks, the more likely he is going to hurt BushCo.

Keep yapping.

[Rose Siding]

5. I know- except some *people* in MS say the still haven't seen FEMA

The MS gov (R) says everything's swell, but people talking to reporters told a different story.

Think ANYONE will connect those dots? :(

But you're right, as Brown yammers on, it DOES look worse for bush!

[Pirate Smile]

7. More:

"Governor Blanco's communications director, Mr. Mann, said that she was frustrated that Mr. Brown and others at FEMA wanted itemized requests before acting. "It was like walking into an emergency room bleeding profusely and being expected to instruct the doctors how to treat you," he said.

On Monday night, Mr. Brown said, he reported his growing worries to Mr. Chertoff and the White House. He said he did not ask for federal active-duty troops to be deployed because he assumed his superiors in Washington were doing all they could. Instead, he said, he repeated a dozen times, "I cannot get a unified command established."

-snip-
Mr. Brown passed the list on to the state emergency operations center in Baton Rouge, but when he returned that evening he was surprised to find that nothing had been done.

"I am just screaming at my F.C.O., 'Where are the helicopters?' " he recalled. " 'Where is the National Guard? Where is all the stuff that the mayor wanted?' "

Who is the F.C.O.?

There are lots of things in here where others need to be asked to confirm or deny.

[KoKo]

2. Good...let Brown sing and sing. His reputation is shot til they "pay him

off" but for now let's hear it all!

[Pirate Smile]

3. What an idiot!

"A senior administration official said Wednesday night that White House officials recalled the conversations with Mr. Brown but did not believe they had the urgency or desperation he described in the interview.

"There's a general recollection of him saying, 'They're going to need more help,' " said the official, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of internal White House discussions.

Mr. Brown's version of events raises questions about whether the White House and Mr. Chertoff acted aggressively enough in ratcheting up the response. New Orleans convulsed in looting and violence after the hurricane, and troops did not arrive in force to restore order until five days later.

The account also suggests that responsibility for the failure may go well beyond Mr. Brown, who has been widely pilloried as an inexperienced manager who previously oversaw horse show judges.

[kskiska]

4. Maybe he was AFRAID of sounding too desperate

and infuriating Mr. Snippy, who might have to give up an exercise session or two to respond.

[rodeodance]

6. He focused much of his criticism on Governor Blanco, ......

.......He focused much of his criticism on Governor Blanco, contrasting what he described as her confused response with far more agile mobilizations in Mississippi and Alabama, as well as in Florida during last year's hurricanes.

[Rose Siding]

8. That could have been part of it

At first, no one even wanted to suggest that vacation might be over.

[Tight_rope]

9. Brown better be careful...(You know dead man walking)..

If I were Brown...I would stay off planes, trains and automobiles Brown...I'm sure Bushco has enough trouble on their hands without having someone leaks anymore secrets about the big coverup about who's at fault.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. So he knew more help was needed

but he didn't know about the starving thirsty people at the convention center. hmmmm

Yep, Brownie sure did a heck of a job.

[newscott]

11. Ha!!! If this gets more media play

I think Bush will be looking to outfit Mr. Brown for some cement shoes.