Defensive FEMA director says response better than post-tsunami

[bustarbusto]

What a complete bonehead. This guy is comparing FEMA's response to that of the post-tsunami response in order to make the FEMA catastrophe look more favorable. Er, did we know about the tsunami days ahead of time? Did the tsunami hit the richest nation in the world, rather than several of the poorest? It's just like the Shrub administration claiming that American torture of detainees isn't as bad as the torture is some other countries. Unbelievable.

'Michael D. Brown, FEMA's director, offered an emphatic defense of the federal response, saying that his agency prepared for the storm but that the widespread, unexpected flooding kept rescuers out of the city. He urged the nation to "take a collective deep breath" and recognize that federal officials are doing all they can to save people.

Brown said personnel, equipment, supplies, trucks, and search and rescue teams were positioned in the region ahead of the hurricane.

"What the American people need to understand is that the full force of the federal government is bringing all of those supplies in in an unprecedented effort that has not been seen even in the tsunami region," he said. "I was in the tsunami region, and this response is incredibly more efficient, more effective and under the most difficult circumstances."'

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/01/AR2005090102428.html

[fujiyama]

1. Our response was better than Sri Lanka's

NANANNANA!

How stupid can these guys get?

[Contrary1]

2. Since none of us were there when the tsunami hit,

that would be hard to dispute...which was his intention when he uttered this nonsense.

[tuvor]

3. He said "catastrophe" a lot, too.

Like God suddenly pulled the rug out from under them.

[wli]

4. "Deep breath" = RW talking point. Never forgive. Never forget. n/t

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. Because he was put on the defensive by the HLS guy in New Orleans

who said the feds were a failure and that we could get loads of aid to the tsunami but that Americans were suffering with no end in sight.

[PretzelWarrior]

6. each new f*ckup unveils for the nation a new Bush stooge

who quickly demonstrates he is not up to the task. This guy was torn to ribbons by Ted Koppel. Koppel even called him on his attempts to blame victims who didn't evacuate.

He basically made this guy look like the self-serving, excuse-generating prick that he is.

WHich means he'll be promoted to cabinet level position by end of September.

[ThoughtCriminal]

7. When all else fails, lower the bar

Getting used to it.

[PretzelWarrior]

8. Bush: I'm the master of low expectations.

yes. yes, you are. and you can't even meet those, you miserable fuck up.

[enigmatic]

9. He's a supreme fuck-up

Like everybody else in this administration. And blaming the victims and the dead for their predicaments is about the most vile thing I've ever heard.

[janedoe]

10. But the response to the Tsunami was faster!

They sent battleships (in the neighborhood) right there, immediately.

[AtomicKitten]

11. People can see on tee-vee

their claims are BS. People are dying of dehydration and starvation. That's unforgivable. The incompetence of this administration is only surpassed by their spin, and the latter has really begun to fall flat.
God damn them to hell. I am so angry at their indifference.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Ok this is the same FEMA directior who said he was just

learning of the events at the convention center... yep the same one

[moondust]

13. This moron should be discarded immediately.

He's just going to be in the way.

[NYC]

14. Unexpected flooding?

If nothing else, it was all over the news Sunday night when the hurricane was headed for New Orleans. Everyone was worried that there would be flooding.

And that's for the people who didn't already know that flooding was a big potential problem in New Orleans, and was considered one of the top 3 potential disasters by whom? Was it FEMA?

There was nothing unexpected about the flooding.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

15. What a claim

USA! USA! We're Number One! Woot!

[aquart]

16. They diminish us with every sentence.

We were the supreme world power when they took over. Now we can't take care of our own and the world knows it.