I am so Angry

[Dara]

Laughing my azz off! How *very* non-partisan of a comment to make!! This must be what they mean when they say some cannot see the forest for the trees....

I didn't say all. But those who are so focused on the parties involved, most of which I didn't know, obviously have a tendency to think according to party. I don't. So...I offered some possible reasons.

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

That's what some of us have been saying. There's plenty of blame to go around.

I know, I know...have we not been saying that for days??? We just don't know how to divy it all up though!

 

[Dara]

Now that doesn't sound partisan does it?

I'm speculating. Since I am not a partisan person, I can't imagine why people would assume so. It's wrong and it's silly and counterproductive. And dismissive.

 

[tybee204]

I took it that was since you said "it would be unusual" as if it were not so. It is not unusual. It is human nature to gossip and it wasn't as if it were something said to the media or a sensitive issue. It was about the personalities of famous people that we were curious about. How is Clinton in real life kinda thing...."he is a really nice guy but Gore is not". What about Chelsie?.......probably happens all the time and I really don't think it speaks to character. Rather harmless....imo

Those assigned to the White House have been givin the highest level of Security Clearance. So yes I would expect a higher standard from them not to gossip about the First Families. Trust is placed in them to respect the privacy of those they are assigned to protect. Secret Service Agents simply by the requirement of their job have have access and knowledge to the most private moments of the First Families and abusing that station by gossiping is a violation of Honor IMO and shows a lack of charactor and trust.
Anyway this is off topic and does not apply to the Hurricane disaster.

 

[tybee204]

http://nytimes.com/2005/09/05/natio...&en=755e637e66f8b02f&ei=5094&partner=homepage

After Failures, Government Officials Play Blame Game

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 - As the Bush administration tried to show a more forceful effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, government officials on Sunday escalated their criticism and sniping over who was to blame for the problems plaguing the initial response.
While rescuers were still trying to reach people stranded by the floods, perhaps the only consensus among local, state and federal officials was that the system had failed.

Some federal officials said uncertainty over who was in charge had contributed to delays in providing aid and imposing order, and officials in Louisiana complained that Washington disaster officials had blocked some aid efforts.

Local and state resources were so weakened, said Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary, that in the future federal authorities need to take "more of an upfront role earlier on, when we have these truly ultracatastrophes."

But furious state and local officials insisted that the real problem was that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which Mr. Chertoff's department oversees, failed to deliver urgently needed help and, through incomprehensible red tape, even thwarted others' efforts to help.

more at link.

 

[tybee204]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/national/nationalspecial/05medical.html

Medical Team From Georgia, Trying to Provide Help, Hits Roadblocks Along the Way

Dispatched to Alabama from its home base in Augusta, Ga., on Aug. 28 in preparation for the hurricane, the team drove from place to place in Mississippi and Louisiana. Each time, it found it had nothing to do or could not provide assistance.

Finally, early on Thursday, the team decided to go to the New Orleans International Airport, where it saw thousands of patients, some of them near death.

The odyssey of Dr. Orledge demonstrates the difficulties federal officials confronted as they tried to cope with what may turn out to be the worst disaster in United States history.

His team, the Georgia 4 Disaster Medical Assistance Team, was one of many "assets" that federal officials "pre-positioned" before the storm hit. But for Dr. Orledge, this early planning was squandered by poor coordination and communication and nonexistent security support.

more at link

 

[kgeaux]

DID ANYONE SEE THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS/CONFERENCE THIS MORNING?

My friend just called me and told me that Nagin says that when Bush came, he met with Nagin and Blanco. Bush said Let me send in troops NOW, and Blanco said "Give me 24 hours."

Anyone hear this? I want to verify or refute it.

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

From the above article:

"One sign of the continuing battle over who was in charge was Gov. Blanco's refusal to sign an agreement proposed by the White House to share control of National Guard forces with the federal authorities.

Under the White House plan, Lt. Gen. Russel H Honore' would oversee both the National Guard and the active duty federal troops, reporting jointly to the President and Ms. Blanco.

'She would lose control when she had been in control from the very beginning,' said Ms. Bottcher, the Governor's press secretary."

Hmmm, I don't think Gov. Blanco has been "in control" from the beginning :banghead: . Is this a power play? WTH? Does she not know she needs some help, or just likes to plead it on TV?


But, to even it out...FEMA needs an overhaul after this.

 

[tybee204]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/national/nationalspecial/05bush.html

White House Enacts a Plan to Ease Political Damage

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 - Under the command of President Bush's two senior political advisers, the White House rolled out a plan this weekend to contain the political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina.


The effort is being directed by Mr. Bush's chief political adviser, Karl Rove, and his communications director, Dan Bartlett. It began late last week after Congressional Republicans called White House officials to register alarm about what they saw as a feeble response by Mr. Bush to the hurricane, according to Republican Congressional aides.....

In many ways, the unfolding public relations campaign reflects the style Mr. Rove has brought to the political campaigns he has run for Mr. Bush. For example, administration officials who went on television on Sunday were instructed to avoid getting drawn into exchanges about the problems of the past week, and to turn the discussion to what the government is doing now.....

In interviews, these Republicans said that the normally nimble White House political operation had fallen short in part because the president and his aides were scattered outside Washington on vacation, leaving no one obviously in charge at a time of great disruption. Mr. Rove and Mr. Bush were in Texas, while Vice President Dick Cheney was at his Wyoming ranch.

Mr. Bush's communications director, Nicolle Devenish, was married this weekend in Greece, and a number of Mr. Bush's political advisers - including Ken Mehlman, the Republican National Committee chairman - attended the wedding.

Ms. Rice did not return to Washington until Thursday, after she was spotted at a Broadway show and shopping for shoes, an image that Republicans said buttressed the notion of a White House unconcerned with tragedy.

More at link

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

Well, for those of you who think the Bush fans can't ever say anything negative about him...

So he was in Crawford, Cheney was somewhere else, ladedah...it doesn't matter. He's got the best communications and it's basically business as usual whether he's here in Crawford or at the White House. So I won't buy that excuse....

 

[bulletgirl2002]

I think that finger pointing and blame is wrong at this point in time. I am sure that there is plenty for all governmental levels and each one is at fault and could have done more in varying degrees. I believe that Sen Clinton has the right idea appointing a commission to see where the breakdown was so we can learn from this and it not happen again.

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

I think that finger pointing and blame is wrong at this point in time. I am sure that there is plenty for all governmental levels and each one is at fault and could have done more in varying degrees. I believe that Sen Clinton has the right idea appointing a commission to see where the breakdown was so we can learn from this and it not happen again.

You are right. I've been getting wrapped up in arguments that are going nowhere with people that are so one-sided but as Kgeaux said, "can't see the forrest through the trees." Why don't those people just come out and say what their agenda is, and then we at least all know up front.

It's time to step back, not get angry or frustrated with our own posters. Geez, I think we are losing sight of what is important here right now. I will try to be bigger about this. :banghead:

 

[Buzz Mills]

Let's all contribute through the Salvation Army, or the Red Cross, and become part of the solution, rather than continue to be a part of the problem.

Funny, that when we do something to help, we lose the need to criticize others. Let's all do everything we can to help, it will give us a different, and better, perspective.

 

[Ntegrity]

Let's all contribute through the Salvation Army, or the Red Cross, and become part of the solution, rather than continue to be a part of the problem.

Funny, that when we do something to help, we lose the need to criticize others. Let's all do everything we can to help, it will give us a different, and better, perspective.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

This is NOT the time to place blame. It won't make any difference in THIS situation. We need to do better next time, no doubt about that, but our griping and complaining isn't helping the victims now.

 

[Dara]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/national/nationalspecial/05bush.html

White House Enacts a Plan to Ease Political Damage

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 - Under the command of President Bush's two senior political advisers, the White House rolled out a plan this weekend to contain the political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina.

<snipped for length>

Thank you for posting this. It got pretty obvious this was happening, imo. If Chertoff would rather claim he and Brown didn't know that conditions were bad in the convention center AND SuperDome as late as Thursday night, despite massive media coverage and the publicized decision of FEMA to suspect rescue efforts, you know something's very wrong. And his reason: state and local government didn't tell them.

It's so transparently a part of a "blame the state and local government" strategy that I hope reasonable people reject. Even if the worst is true of the mayor and governor, don't we hope that if local elected fail us and the world knows we're dying, the president, who has the power and means to do so, will save us? Shouldn't we get that?

 

[TexMex]

<snipped for length>

Thank you for posting this. It got pretty obvious this was happening, imo. If Chertoff would rather claim he and Brown didn't know that conditions were bad in the convention center AND SuperDome as late as Thursday night, despite massive media coverage and the publicized decision of FEMA to suspect rescue efforts, you know something's very wrong. And his reason: state and local government didn't tell them.

It's so transparently a part of a "blame the state and local government" strategy that I hope reasonable people reject. Even if the worst is true of the mayor and governor, don't we hope that if local elected fail us and the world knows we're dying, the president, who has the power and means to do so, will save us? Shouldn't we get that?

And I hope people reject the transparent effort of the state and local officials to "blame the feds".

When people have to beg the President for help--it means the city, parish and state officials weren't doing the job.

 

[bulletgirl2002]

You are right. I've been getting wrapped up in arguments that are going nowhere with people that are so one-sided but as Kgeaux said, "can't see the forrest through the trees." Why don't those people just come out and say what their agenda is, and then we at least all know up front.

It's time to step back, not get angry or frustrated with our own posters. Geez, I think we are losing sight of what is important here right now. I will try to be bigger about this. :banghead:

I will try to be bigger too Deputy and I admit I haven't been. It doesn't matter who did what when or where. My own agenda is certainly immaterial when it comes to people who had lost everything.

 

[nanandjim]

And I hope people reject the transparent effort of the state and local officials to "blame the feds".

When people have to beg the President for help--it means the city, parish and state officials weren't doing the job.

The intelligent people will see through it. I'm not so sure about the others...

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

I will try to be bigger too Deputy and I admit I haven't been. It doesn't matter who did what when or where. My own agenda is certainly immaterial when it comes to people who had lost everything.

Yes, and it appears you are wise and are level-headed! You need to run for office, LOL

 

[Dara]

And I hope people reject the transparent effort of the state and local officials to "blame the feds".

When people have to beg the President for help--it means the city, parish and state officials weren't doing the job.

That may be true. And if so, hold every single one of them accountable. But the "blame the feds" didn't start out as an orchestrated PR effort. Nagin was screaming for help. Even if it's his fault that he needed it, he needed it and it was far too late in coming. Blame him if he's at fault, but it was a federal emergency and the feds didn't know there was unrest days after we did. Listen to Aaron Broussard and tell me that's PR. Well, maybe you can. But I don't see PR. I see frustration and grief from someone who feels--rightly or wrongly--that his federal government let him down. That's not slick PR.

State and local government surely made errors. But they didn't both send and not send buses. They didn't both ask for and refuse troops. It's the conflicting information that has me waiting to see if their complaints about the feds have merit, or have limited merit.

But I know the federal government failed, because I've heard from Chertoff and Brown that they did. They don't use those words, but they didn't know what anyone with a remote and a few brain cells did. I know Bush failed because he could have sent in troops and didn't, even days after we all knew how dire the situation was.

So, the feds are to blame. Perhaps more than we already know. As for the rest, I don't know yet.