Olbermann's complete "City of Louisiana" transcript from last night's show

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

September 5, 2005 | 8:58 p.m. ET

The "city" of Louisiana (Keith Olbermann)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/

SECAUCUS — Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff said it all, starting his news briefing Saturday afternoon: "Louisiana is a city that is largely underwater..."

Well there's your problem right there.

If ever a slip-of-the-tongue defined a government's response to a crisis, this was it.

The seeming definition of our time and our leaders had been their insistence on slashing federal budgets for projects that might’ve saved New Orleans. The seeming characterization of our government that it was on vacation when the city was lost, and could barely tear itself away from commemorating V.J. Day and watching Monty Python's Flying Circus, to at least pretend to get back to work. The seeming identification of these hapless bureaucrats: their pathetic use of the future tense in terms of relief they could’ve brought last Monday and Tuesday — like the President, whose statements have looked like they’re being transmitted to us by some kind of four-day tape-delay.

[blondeatlast]

1. I watched that, utterly astonished at the suppressed emotion. MUST READ

for those who didn't see it live.

These are the words of a man who still loves his nation, but is utterly disgusted by the government.

It was my sentiments, expressed far better.

Seriously, I remember Cronkite dutring Viet Nam (vaguely)--this commentary stands with those--and I'm not one of the DU Olberman fan club--he's still just a journalist for me.

[quaoar]

2. But don't you just get that sinking feeling

that somehow Bush and Rove will yet again find a way to weasal their way out of this? Somehow they will deflect the blame or change the subject or just plain ignore it.