White House, Dems wrangle on Katrina video(WH: Dems Falsely Attacking *)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11640594/

The public release of confidential video shot during high-level government briefings about Hurricane Katrina touched off a new partisan skirmish Thursday.

As some Democrats called for a new probe into the federal response to the massive August storm, the White House issued a point-by-point press release defending the Bush administration's actions during Katrina.

<snip>

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said the video “confirms what we have suspected all along, that this Administration did anything they can to hide what really happened.” He said the administration “systematically misled the American people.”

The White House promptly issued a detailed press release headlined "Setting The Record Straight," which began: “The President’s participation in the August 28 videoconference was open to the press, and the full transcript of this videoconference was released to Congress and the public in the fall of 2005. President Bush participated in briefings, phone calls and conversations throughout this process, and his Administration was focused on making sure that the Federal assets were in place to help the people of New Orleans. The President has made clear — as recently as this Tuesday — that he was not satisfied with the Federal response. That is why he ordered a comprehensive ‘lessons learned’ report and plans to work aggressively to implement improvements to our disaster response plans by the start of hurricane season.”

The balance of the press release cited more than a dozen official statements and media reports that it said countered the Democrats' use of the newly released video "to falsely attack the White House’s Hurricane Katrina response."

[atommom]

1. Nothing false about this attack. His failure couldn't be any more

obvious. I'd go a step farther and say that his "dissatisfaction" after the fact had nothing to do with the suffering and death, and everything to do with the political fallout he was facing.

[fooj]

2. I say "Nail that rat bastard to the wall"!!!

Peace.

[MadMaddie]

3. They have yet to head the lessons learned form 9/11

"Lessons learned reports" imply that a manager or an organization will take those lessons and implement lessons and improve the process.

The * cabal has no intention to improve anything...their goal is to implement more chaos...

<snip>
That is why he ordered a comprehensive ‘lessons learned’ report and plans to work aggressively to implement improvements to our disaster response plans by the start of hurricane season.”
<snip>

[LaurenG]

4. How long before the rest of the country is as sick

of this administration as we are? ***sigh***:shrug:

[marmar]

6. It seems to be getting there...

The lemmings will continue to follow him, but those with a shred of common sense have got to be fed up.

[Independent_Liberal]

5. Okay Dems! Keep it going! Tell the SOBs you're not going to...

...put up with this crap!

Harry Reid, kick some neocon ass for me!

:)

[xxqqqzme]

7. the rat bastard only bothered 2 'phone it in'.

when raisin brain did chime in with his little statement - I will bet a pile of money he was reading a statement someone typed up for him to read him

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. It's called Dereliction of Duty

For the first four days of the storm Bush refused to interrupt his scheduled events to bother dealing with the ongoing disaster. Instead he ate cake and played guitar. Doing photo ops doesn't count.

[aquart]

9. Meantime, local 5 pm CBS news is showing the tape.

[aden_nak]

10. So, their argument is. . . that video tape hates America?

[stanwyck]

13. or, as Jon Stewart put it months ago

the facts are now biased against George W. Bush.

[pinto]

11. How predictable, in a way.... Bush is now a Katrina "victim".

It's pathetic Republican standard operating procedure.

And it sells to some, which is infuriating.

[DeltaLady]

12. **sh should stand trial for the genocide of New Orleans

and her peoples.

Those of us who call New Orleans home will never be the same; this will never be forgotten nor forgiven.

[President Kerry]

14. Welcome to DU,

and thanks for sharing

:hi:

[deadparrot]

15. Democrats Want Independent Katrina Probe

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers from both parties said Thursday a newly disclosed videotape of a pre-Katrina briefing for President Bush and top administration officials raises new questions about government response to the storm that flooded New Orleans and killed more than 1,300 people.

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said the video "makes it perfectly clear once again that this disaster was not out of the blue or unforeseeable. It was not only predictable, it was actually predicted. That's what made the failures in response — at the local, state and federal level — all the more outrageous."

The video, obtained by The Associated Press, "confirms what we have suspected all along," said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, charging that Bush administration officials have "systematically misled the American people."

Reid and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California renewed their calls for an independent commission to investigate the federal response to the hurricane.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060302/ap_on_go_pr_wh/katrina_video

[babylonsister]

16. They might just have the ammo to do it now; let's hope! nt

[killbotfactory]

17. "independent"

When did that become a partisan word...

oh yeah, when Bush came into office.

[Jackpine Radical]

18. Jackpine wants antigravity, perpetual motion & a free lunch.

I rate my odds on getting what I want as about equal to Pelosi's.

[roseBudd]

19. who are you going to believe me or your lieing eyes?

[Born Free]

20. show us the pre 9/11 tapes!

I would not be surprised if the pre 9/11 tapes are just as damning

[magellan]

21. The truth is anathema to Bush** and his Neocons

Compare the number of times they've shifted blame or accused the Dems of partisan attacks with the number of times they've spoken in sympathetic terms of Katrina's victims. Therein lies the truth for all to see!

[truthisfreedom]

22. dead-eyed president mumbles way through conference call placating every

person involved.

priceless.