Anyone see these great quotes by Obama and Landrieu?

[ComerPerro]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/11/katrina.washington.ap/index.html

Senators rip White House Katrina 'spin'

White House rejects criticism ahead of Bush's Gulf Coast visit



The government's emergency managers came under fire from the lone black senator, Democrat Barack Obama of Illinois, who said they were clueless about the inner-city in New Orleans when they failed to plan for the evacuation of poor people.

<<<snip>>>

Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat, said officials at all levels eventually would share blame for an inadequate response, but she cited only the administration for the finger-pointing that followed the killer storm.

"While the president is saying that he wants to work together as a team, I think the White House operatives have a full court press on to blame state and local officials, whether they're Republicans or Democrats. It's very unfortunate," she told CBS' "Face the Nation."

She said Washington was obligated to support local and state officials, "particularly in times of tragedy and stress, not to pile on them, not to make their suffering worse."

<<<snip>>>


Obama was asked on ABC's "This Week" whether there was racism in the lack of evacuation planning for poor, black residents of New Orleans. He said he would not refer to the government response in that way, but said there was a much deeper, long-term neglect.

"Whoever was in charge of planning was so detached from the realities of inner city life in New Orleans ... that they couldn't conceive of the notion that they couldn't load up their SUV's, put $100 worth of gas in there, put some sparkling water and drive off to a hotel and check in with a credit card," Obama said.

"There seemed to be a sense that this other America was somehow not on people's radar screen. And that, I think, does have to do with historic indifference on the part of government to the plight of those who are disproportionately African-American." He added that "passive indifference is as bad as active malice."

[electropop]

1. But in this case, it was "active malice."

FEMA's main job was to block aid from every direction: local governments offering emergency responders, the Red Cross, foreign governments, animal rescue organizations - all were turned away by FEMA. This is not indifference. It is murder.

[blossomstar]

2. Obama is just the bomb.

[wtmusic]

5. After being critical of Obama

I have to admit he nailed it on this one.

[Lisa0825]

3. I heard Obama deliver those lines on Sunday morning....

He nailed it. I particularly appreciated this one:

"Whoever was in charge of planning was so detached from the realities of inner city life in New Orleans ... that they couldn't conceive of the notion that they couldn't load up their SUV's, put $100 worth of gas in there, put some sparkling water and drive off to a hotel and check in with a credit card."

[ComerPerro]

6. Yeah, that was a great line

One thing people keep overlooking, too.

"Well, the mayor and governor could have bussed them out"

Yeah, to where? What would they do when they got there?

[goclark]

4. Obama Rocks!

"passive indifference is as bad as active malice."


He nailed them to the cross on that one.