New Orleans Mayor Angry ... And Surprisingly, Bush Agrees

[JABBS]

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin lashed out at federal officials, telling a local radio station "they don't have a clue what's going on down here."

Nagin's interview last night on WWL radio came as President Bush planned to visit Gulf Coast communities battered by Hurricane Katrina, a visit aimed at alleviating criticism that he engineered a too-little, too-late response.

"They flew down here one time two days after the doggone event was over with TV cameras, AP reporters, all kind of goddamn -- excuse my French everybody in America, but I am pissed," Nagin said.

Nagin said he told Bush in a recent conversation that "we had an incredible crisis here and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice ... I have been all around this city and that I am very frustrated because we are not able to marshal resources and we are outmanned in just about every respect."

***

This morning, in a surprise, Bush agreed with the criticism.

Facing blistering criticism for his administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, said this morning "the results are not acceptable" and pledged to bolster relief efforts with a personal trip to the Gulf Coast.

"We'll get on top of this situation," Bush said, "and we're going to help the people that need help."

He spoke on the White House grounds just boarding his presidential helicopter, Marine One, with Homeland Security Department secretary Michael Chertoff to tour the region.

***

Bush's comments sharply contrasted those of other federal officials, who defended the relief effort.

In an interview this morning on NBC's Today, Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown stood behind the massive federal relief effort that's under way.

"I understand the mayor's frustration. ... We have been having a continuous flow of commodities into the Superdome, there were five trucks arriving last night to feed well over 50,000 people.

***

Bush first viewed the damage while flying over the region Wednesday en route to Washington after cutting short his Texas vacation by two days. That lone personal reaction prompted some critics, who suggested the president should have treated the disaster as he did the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 -- when he arrived at Ground Zero as soon as the area was deemed safe to tread.

In Mobile, Ala., the president was to get a briefing on the damage, followed by a helicopter survey of areas along the Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana coasts. He was to walk through hard-hit neighborhoods in Biloxi, Miss.

But Bush was avoiding an in-person visit to the worst areas of New Orleans, mostly drowned in rank floodwaters and descending in many areas into lawlessness as desperate residents await rescue or even just food and water.

***

This article first appeared at Journalists Against Bush's B.S.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

1. Just PR for Bush, what else is he going to say?

He's our promise you anything, deliver whatever he feels like President.

:puke:

[chomskysright]

2. Not surprising: everything is timing here: Rove's modus operandi:

put the chess pieces on the board, and time matters. Yes, of course now is a good time to agree w/ mayor. No other strategy> THINK PEOPLE: What's inside Rove's head?

[formernaderite]

3. That's because they can pin the lack of national guard directly

on the Governor. Ms. Blanco did screw up...governors order the amount of guard...not the feds or the pres. The people in the street when interviewed were screaming about the mayor, who incidentally fled town and the governor. Blanco initially blamed the situation on soldiers already in Iraq...but there are many more national guard available...she also could have asked neigboring states for their national guard assistance. By Sunday most of the human tragedy will have been moved to other states. Believe me...I don't think Bush will bear the blame..he will certainly pass it on as much as possible.