On the refused offer of Amtrak:

[blonndee]

Someone asked earlier about it, and some idiot on Scarborough was blaming Nagin for refusing Amtrak's offer to help evacuate.

We need to blast the media and especially Scarborough. Here's what Sen. Landrieu says:

..."I understand that the U.S. Forest Service had water-tanker aircraft available to help douse the fires raging on our riverfront, but FEMA has yet to accept the aid. When Amtrak offered trains to evacuate significant numbers of victims -- far more efficiently than buses -- FEMA again dragged its feet. Offers of medicine, communications equipment and other desperately needed items continue to flow in, only to be ignored by the agency...."

from http://landrieu.senate.gov/releases/05/2005903E12.html

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. 
[link:www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html|Click
here] to review the message board rules.

[Tatiana]

2. Nagin on MTP:

RUSSERT: Amtrak said they offered to remove people from the city of New Orleans on Saturday night and that the city of New Orleans declined.

MAYOR NAGIN: I don't know where that's coming from. Amtrak never contacted me to make that offer. As a matter of fact, we checked the Amtrak lines for availability, and every available train was booked, as far as the report that I got, through September. So I'd like to see that report.