Obama narrows choices for FEMA director (Craig Fugate, Ellen Gordon)

[The Straight Story]

Obama narrows choices for FEMA director
By Eileen Sullivan, Associated Press Writer February 11, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Two seasoned state emergency managers have emerged as the Obama administration's leading candidates to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Florida's emergency manager Craig Fugate and former Iowa emergency manager Ellen Gordon are the administration's top two choices, according to two administration officials familiar with White House deliberations on the appointment. Both officials asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the situation.

The announcement is expected within days, one official said.

FEMA has been under public scrutiny since the Bush administration's botched response to 2005's Hurricane Katrina turned the FEMA director into a punchline for late-night television comedians.

After Michael Brown was fired by President George W. Bush, Fugate and Gordon were among the names under consideration to replace him.

At the time, Fugate indicated he was happy in his Florida job. Gordon confirmed that she had been approached about the job and said she wasn't interested because she was not convinced the Bush administration would make FEMA a priority.

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=42018&dcn=todaysnews

[madfloridian]

1. I am tired of FL being praised for its wonderful response to the 3 hurricanes.

The response was really not that great even with Jeb at the helm. I don't know Fugate personally, but I do know all about the 3 hurricanes that hit here 6 weeks apart.

I guess there is not a single responsible Democratic leaning FEMA possibility anywhere. :sarcasm: I do believe Fugate subscribes to the Jeb Bush theory of government which may be why he was appointed by Jeb.

[denverbill]

2. WTF? Neither one knows anything about Arabian horses. n/t