"White House Shifts Blame" vs. Emerg. Decl. + Aug. 29 AF1 Press Briefing

[bertha katzenengel]

Thousands Await Help, While Feds Shift Blame: Bush administration officials blame state and local authorities for failure of the country's response.

"Tens of thousands of people spent a fifth day awaiting evacuation from this ruined city, as Bush administration officials blamed state and local authorities for what leaders at all levels have called a failure of the country's emergency management. . . .

"New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas acknowledged that the city was surprised by the number of refugees left behind, but he said FEMA should have been prepared to assist.

"'Everybody shares the blame here,' said Thomas. 'But when you talk about the mightiest government in the world, that's a ludicrous and lame excuse. You're FEMA, and you're the big dog. And you weren't prepared either.'

"In Baton Rouge, Blanco acknowledged Saturday: 'We did not have enough resources here to do it all. . . . The magnitude is overwhelming.'

Press Briefing on AF1 August 29

McClellan: ". . . . We are coordinating closely with state and local authorities. We continue to urge citizens in those areas to listen to local authorities. Medical assistance teams and rescue teams have been deployed, and we're continuing to coordinate all activities very closely to make sure that the focus is on saving lives. That's where the top priority is right now, and that's where it will remain.

"The President also, just a short time ago, approved emergency -- approved major disaster declarations for the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. This will allow federal funds to start being used to deploy resources to help in those two states. This is something that was done verbally, and the states have been -- the governors of those states have been notified of that approval."

Statement on Federal Emergency Aid for Louisiana August 27

"The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina beginning on August 26, 2005, and continuing.

"The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard . . . .

"Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding."

Statement on Federal Emergency Aid for Mississippi August 28 (similar to LA statement)

Yet Bush shifts the blame to the locals. Granted, everyone shares blame here. But who is the "big dog," President Bush?

Oh, that's right. The Big Dog isn't in office anymore. Pity.

[chelsea0011]

1. State and local can expect some blame, but the federal government

has the full power to implement the necessary actions needed for this type of impending disaster.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. I plan to tell Bushbots

who use this argument that Bush's plans for limited federal government don't work, and that this tragedy is the best example why we should drop those plans. If they yelp some talking points back, I'll ask if this is how they want the next terrorist incident handled-and remind them that said incident could happen in their back yard.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. Yes. Tell them the levee could have been blown up by terrorists instead

of a hurricane. And this is the response we could expect? Are they happy with that?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

3. But it's 'unseemly' for DEMS to 'play politics' with this.

Ahem. Doesn't look like shrubco is 'playing politics' putting everything on the mayor and gov.

[displacedtexan]

5. I captured the screens for the White House pages...

I'm sure they'll be scrubbed, aren't you?

[bertha katzenengel]

6. Probably.

Good thinking. I hadn't thought of that. :thumbsup:

[AnnInLa]

7. Dep't of Homeland Security Website:

"In the event of a terrorist attack, NATURAL DISASTER, or other large scale emergency, the DHS will assume PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY, as of March 1st, for ensuring that emergency response professionals are prepared for any situation. This will entail providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any large-scale crisis and mounting a swift and effective recovery effort. The new Deparment will also prioritize the important issue of citizen preparedness."

Do you think that Gov Blanco and Mayor Nagin took them at their word? Do you think she/he were counting on this happening without having to fill out particular forms or using exact language or wade thru the red tape when communications were non-existent?

It took over 70 different organizations, public and private, to "get a handle on the situation on the ground"...quoting Rita ? on MSNBC, so how is a poor state, with limited resources supposed to do that? Blanco and Nagin had the NOPD and 2/3 of LA Guard to work with...that's it. They trusted FEMA to come in immediately without messing around with red tape. Just come here, that simple.

I heard that idiot Chertoff say the other day, when asked about the delay, say that the feds were trying to get to N.O., but they had to "fight their way in" because of the devastation, and that took time. Hmmm, the TV and radio stations with their tremendous mobile broadcasting trucks, and Wal Mart made it in with trucks of water, but the feds couldn't make it in?

[bertha katzenengel]

8. Brava, AnnInLa.

Where are you in LA, Ann?