* was just protecting his base

[Carolab]

This had EVERYTHING to do with protecting "Bush's base", rich AND poor.

How did Gretna vote in 2004, vs. New Orleans proper and specifically the hardest-hit parishes?

Here's how Jefferson County voted:

President: Jefferson County (LA)
Updated 11/3/04 4:58 AM ET
100% Precincts Reporting Incumbent* declared winner

Candidates Votes %

George W. Bush * (R) 117,692 62%
John F. Kerry (D) 71,936 38%
Ralph Nader (I) 945 0%
Michael Badnarik (Lib.) 315 0%
Michael A. Peroutka (CST) 144 0%
David Cobb (Green) 97 0%
Walter F. Brown (I) 74 0%
James Harris (SWP) 42 0%
Gene Amondson (Lib.) 24 0%


BUT, here's how Orleans county voted, HEAVILY Democratic, a real standout among others in Louisiana.

President: Orleans County (LA)
Updated 11/3/04 4:58 AM ET
100% Precincts Reporting Incumbent* declared winner

Candidates Votes %

John F. Kerry (D) 151,686 77%
George W. Bush * (R) 42,760 22%
Ralph Nader (I) 823 0%
Michael Badnarik (Lib.) 379 0%
Michael A. Peroutka (CST) 136 0%
David Cobb (Green) 135 0%
Walter F. Brown (I) 88 0%
James Harris (SWP) 54 0%
Gene Amondson (Lib.) 25

There was a HUGE battle going on in Jefferson County in 2003 over redistricting that critics charged was diluting the black vote. The DOJ approved the plan, however.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/la/... /

Gretna sheriffs were keeping people from leaving New Orleans to protect its "bedroom community".

Gretna is in Jefferson County. Here are the demographics:

Races in Gretna:

White Non-Hispanic (53.3%)
Black (35.5%)
Hispanic (6.3%)
Other race (2.6%)
Vietnamese (2.5%)
Two or more races (1.8%)
American Indian (1.2%)

http://www.city-data.com/city/Gretna-Louisiana.html

[Veronicrat]

1. did anyone see the TV commercial for John Roberts????

there are so many issues we face that have long term ramifications. that is why there is government. we are proud as Americans to feel that our government is strong, that our nation is strong. I wouldnt want to say, "well, we are an inept government, so all these dead, lost and hopeless people in this astrodome is good enough for us-this is working for us" (I know I am paraphrasing the former first lady here, and she said it much worse than I could ever have.)
Appointments, as we have just seen is very very important. Mr. Brown, of FEMA was an appointee whose "credentials' read more like "how to become a yes-man & move into high places" than it did any Real work experience which would have made a difference in this crises situation. Only 4 years after 9/11, we are faced, as the whole world watches us flounder, literally and figuratively, with ineptitude of a MASSIVE scale. Who was in charge? A Bush appointee, who lied about his resume, experience, and although his shirt was very clean and Im sure he never was late for a meeting in his life, his timing couldn't have been worse.

Without full disclosure from the White house, I think you can not in good conscience really investigate the record of a man who is now up for the HIGHEST APPOINTMENT in the land. We all base our decisions on experience, and what has happened in the past. this man must be fully investigated on his judicial record. We can no longer trust the White House to make the clear and honest decisions we, the American people need making. We have seen too much recently, and frankly, we are still shaking from this experience. We need full disclosure from the White house on Judge Roberts record. no record no vote.

i also think a full investigation of what happened- how it went so terribly wrong must be launched. An independent commission has to be formed to search out, many unresolved critical flaws in our response effort. Were too many resources diverted overseas? Why wasnt the president told of the damage sooner? I only say this because he attended a fund-raiser in San diego on that tuesday night. What was going though his head, that he felt this fund-raiser was more important than literally tens of thousands of stranded, sick and dying Americans???
I want to see the answer to this question. America has to know what is going through the commander in chief's mind at a critical time like this. This is Important- this is the issue!
How are MY People in this crises- not
where is my tie?
I do expect a full independent commission on this horrible horrible event still unfolding.

[magellan]

2. I'm confused. Broussard is the President of Jefferson Parish

...and he literally broke down in tears on Meet the Press, begging for help. It appears from photos that Jefferson Parish took a very bad hit but the feds took even longer to get there than they did to NOLA.

[Carolab]

3. Remember this?

SMITH: It's the only way out, it's the connection to the rest of the world, and they've set up a checkpoint. And anyone who walks up out of that city now is turned around. You are not allowed to go to Gretna, Louisiana from New Orleans, Louisiana. Over there, there's hope. Over there, there's electricity. Over there, there's food and water. But you cannot go from there to there, the government will not allow you to do it. It's a fact.

(Shepard Smith reporting live on Hannity last week.)

BTW, Jefferson Parish has a history of racism, including a nasty spate of lynchings at the end of the last century.

[magellan]

4. I see now

I didn't put together that Jefferson County was the West Bank. Geez Louise, every day it grows clearer that the main problems we face in disaster recovery are political and socio-economic. When are we going to grow up as a civilization? It can't happen soon enough.