What part did "Homeland Security" play in the blackout ?

[kentuck]

Bush said the Homeland Security Dept was monitoring and assisting in getting up the electricity as soon as possible. He said we were much better prepared today than 2 and 1/2 years ago.

Why couldn't he just tell us the truth? The Dept of HS didn't do a damn thing and is a big waste of taxpayer money. Get rid of it and send Ridge back to PA. Don't come on the air and give us a big dose of BS about how great the HS Dept is handling the crisis. They did nothing. Nada.

[SoCalDem]

1. ZERO..in the help department

The first reports were that they did not know ANYTHING..

They apparently did not even hear from Ridge for a long time..

HE AND BUSH should have issued a joint statement IMMEDIATELY..

instead we heard from Card..:eyes:


The news reports said that dept of HS, was "not very helpful"

[Cocoa]

2. it was out of their jurisdiction

DHS is for hunting down rogue state democratic legislators.

[piece sine]

3. not according the Dememocratic mayor of Detroit!

He was on with ABC's Ted Koppel explaining how Homeland Security exercises, drills and briefing made Detroit's multi-faceted mobilization run much and quicker. Fewer glitches in how Detroit responded. This is NOT to pat Bush on the back, but rather to exhibit a little pride in Americans - -citizen and official alike -- pretty much kept their shit together and pulled as one.

[kentuck]

4. Is this why Detroit is in worse shape than any other city, including NYC?

The HS Dept got involved ? Why is Detroit behind the other cities in getting their electricity restored? Just how is HS helping? Other than dishing out BS to the American people.

[SoCalDem]

5. Homeland Security Took 90 Minutes to Assess Blackout

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=a.mNVh8yN90M&refer=us

Homeland Security Took 90 Minutes to Assess Blackout
(Update1) Aug. 15 (Bloomberg) --

The U.S. Homeland Security Department took 90 minutes to announce in a statement that the power failure that affected six northeastern states and Canada wasn't the work of terrorists. The department, created by President George W. Bush in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist strikes, declined to comment initially and took an hour to announce it was investigating the outage that began at 4 p.m. New York time. At 5:30 p.m., the department said initial reports showed system malfunction caused the electricity network to shut down.

``It means they haven't had enough drills,'' said Robert R. Butterworth, a psychologist and head of the Los Angeles-based International Trauma Associates. ``

ssssnip....

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was the first public official to say there was no evidence of terrorism at 5 p.m. A half hour later, New York Governor George Pataki declared a state of emergency. Homeland Security then issued a statement saying initial reports indicated the failure was ``not related to terrorism.''

Too Slow

The federal government's response was too slow for some New Yorkers. ``It would have been nice to know right away it was an electrical problem and not something else,'' said Jack Daley, of Monroe, New York. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge didn't make any public statements about the blackout.

The White House made no comment until after 8 p.m. New York time, when a spokesman for President Bush said there was no indication of terrorism. Bush spoke a half hour later, calling the failure a ``massive national problem'' and saying he is confident the system will be restored. Bush also said he plans an investigation into the failure. Presidents are wary of addressing the nation except in cases of national emergency, said Larry Sabato, director for the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Bush held his first nationwide address about three hours after terrorist strikes in New York City and Washington D.C. By directing the response to the power failure through Homeland Security initially, Bush was attempting to avoid stoking concerns, said Jerry Taylor, director of energy and environmental studies at the Cato Institute.

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http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=a.mNVh8yN90M&refer=us

Homeland Security Took 90 Minutes to Assess Blackout (Update2) Aug. 15 (Bloomberg) --

The U.S. Homeland Security Department took 90 minutes to announce in a statement that the power failure that affected six northeastern states and Canada wasn't the work of terrorists. The department, created by President George W. Bush in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist strikes, declined to comment initially and took an hour to announce it was investigating the outage that began at 4 p.m. New York time. At 5:30 p.m., the department said initial reports showed system malfunction caused the electricity network to shut down.

``It means they haven't had enough drills,'' said Robert R. Butterworth, a psychologist and head of the Los Angeles-based International Trauma Associates. ``The problem is the first time you do something, people don't make decisions quickly.'' The blackout spread through cities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan and Ontario, Canada. Six airports, including all three in New York City, were closed and nine nuclear power plants were shut down.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was the first public official to say there was no evidence of terrorism at 5 p.m. A half hour later, New York Governor George Pataki declared a state of emergency. Homeland Security then issued a statement saying initial reports indicated the failure was ``not related to terrorism.''

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MUCH MORE HERE

Power outage traced to dim bulb in White House
Working for Change, CA - 4 hours ago
Palast is author of the New York Times bestseller, "The Best Democracy Money Can
Buy" (Penguin USA) and the worstseller, "Democracy and Regulation," a guide to ...

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President lauds response as 'quick and thorough'
Boston Globe, MA - 9 hours ago
By Jennifer Loven, Associated Press, 8/15/2003. SAN DIEGO -- President
Bush said yesterday that people affected by the huge power ...

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Bush assures US during blackout
NEWS.com.au, Australia - 18 hours ago
US President George W Bush said today that people affected by the huge power blackout
may not see their lives return to normal right away but "slowly but ...

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Bush to make statement at 8 : 30 pm - White House
Reuters AlertNet, UK - 18 hours ago
SAN DIEGO, Calif., Aug 14 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush will make a statement in San Diego at 5.30 pm PDT (8:30 pm EDT/0030 GMT Friday), a White House ...

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White House preparing to mobilize federal assistance for ...
San Francisco Chronicle, CA - 18 hours ago
The White House quickly mobilized to coordinate federal assistance Thursday after a massive power outage swept from the Northeast to the Midwest and Canadian ...

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WJRT, MI - 16 hours ago
By abc12/Associated Press. Sann Diego — (08/14/03)-- The White House
quickly mobilized to coordinate federal assistance after a ...

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White House Monitoring Blackouts
NBC 17.com, NC - 22 hours ago
SAN DIEGO -- On both sides of the country, White House officials are monitoring the blackout that has struck the New York area and other northeastern cities. ...

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Bush Vows to Investigate Blackout, Fix Problem
Reuters, UK - 13 hours ago
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Reuters) - President Bush on Thursday ruled out
terrorism as the cause of a huge blackout that hit cities across ...
Bush vows to investigate, fix blackout

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The Age, Australia - 15 hours ago
US President George W Bush today ruled out terrorism as the cause of a huge blackout
that hit cities across large parts of eastern North America and he ...

---

[piece sine]

6. whoa!

I just left a thread flaming BUsh for announcing waaay TOO QUICKLY. This thread gripes it took a whole 90 minutes. My head is spinning! One side of the DU argument is wrong -- strictly by default.

[kentuck]

7. Give us the link ....

So we can see if that is majority opinion..:)

[piece sine]

8. go surf...

it's in here somewhere. These board change ever 5 fives! threads move constantly. I mean, I'm hardly making it up. Go link yourself to a pair of glasses and starting reading.

[kentuck]

9. I read a lot ....

But it's obvious that you need to read a little more. But I'm sure you'll catch up. :)

[piece sine]

10. and another thing...

since 9-11, cities have worked overtime to be better prepared for this eventuality. We probably agree on 90% of what's wrong with HS but I'm not about to start KNOCKING cities trying to do a better job protecting the people who live there. That's the only point I'm making.

[kentuck]

11. If that 's the only point you're making....

I thought for a second you might be trying to defend the piece of shit Homeland Security Dept?? :)

[piece sine]

12. NOT AT ALL!!!!

I'm just a people-person seeing real people coping well with this. I mena, the mayor of Detroit was proud they were prepared! Look at it this way: even a broken clock is correct twice a day. Teh 90-11 security drills and training --be they local, state or federal in nature, have helped Americans cope better. Didn't yuo see the average citizens directing traffic? using flashlights? Media crews helping guide people with their camera lights OUT of the NYC subway.

[kentuck]

13. People in Cleveland don't have drinking water....

They obviously were not prepared for this type of disaster. As for people helping other people, that is great, but what does that have to do with federal or state government??? And what drills and training are you referring to??

[piece sine]

14. back to Detroit...

and its' mayor's comments about training received from the vile federal agency who name I dare not mention. Post 9-11, many states and DC (where I live) have embarked on improving emergency procedures..and no, I don't have a link, you'll just have to go with me on this one.

My other point -- made earlier -- was that folks her often start threads that a directly opposite each other. I wasn't even making a value judgement, I was merely commenting on the irony of disparate opinions.

Soem at DU say Bush declared the black-outr a non-terrorist act; others like yourself feel he waiting far too long. It isn't the first time I've seen divergent opinions here. I find that interesting since really don't have an opinion one way or another. I'm too busy being furious at him for many other things!

Be careful; I'm a wise-ass and I bristle at loyalty tests.

[kentuck]

15. The people here are not like the Repubs, that is true...

"My other point -- made earlier -- was that folks her often start threads that a directly opposite each other."

We disagree all the time. We don't march in lockstep like the other Party. :) That's why we are called Democrats...we belong to no organized Party.

[piece sine]

16. I know....

forgive this rookie to DU....still working my way threw cyber-ettiquette. Every time I see Tom Ridge I freaking cringe.

But I also REALLY freaked at 9-11 and want to see us common folks hang in there against adversity. Toughen-up a little; help each other out of subways in the dark. Things will be better in January, 2005. You'll see.