Cooper to Landrieu: Americans Want Answers
Cooper to Landrieu: Americans Want Answers
An emotional exchange just took place between CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu. Cooper introduced Landrieu and immediately asked, “Does the federal government bear responsibility for what is happening now? Should they apologize for what is happening now?” Landrieu told him “there will be be plenty of time to discuss those issues,” and proceeded to begin thanking various government officials for their disaster relief support.
Finally, Cooper interrupted her:
Senator, I’m sorry… for the last four days, I have been seeing dead bodies here in the streets of Mississippi and to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other — I have to tell you, there are people here who are very upset and angry, and when they hear politicians thanking one another, it just, you know, it cuts them the wrong way right now, because there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday being eaten by rats because this woman has been laying in the street for 48 hours, and there is not enough facilities to get her up. Do you understand that anger?
LANDRIEU: I have the anger inside of me. Most of the homes in my family have been destroyed. I understand that, and I know all the details, and the President —
COOPER: Well, who are you angry at?
LANDRIEU: I’m not angry at anyone. It is so important for everyone in this nation to pull together, for all military assets to be brought to bare in this situation. I have every confidence this country is great and strong as we can be do to that, and that effort is under way. That effort is under way.
COOPER: Well, I mean, there are a lot of people here who are kind of ashamed of what is happening in this country right now, what is — ashamed of what is happening in your state. And that’s not to blame the people that are there, it is a terrible situation, but you know, who — no one seems to be taking responsibility. I know you say there’s a time and a place for kind of, you know, looking back, but this seems to be the time and the place. There are people that want answers, and people want someone to stand up and say: we should have done more.
Check out Crooks & Liars for the video.
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Wow. Media being direct? That’s unpossible!
September 1st, 2005 at 9:35 pmI simply cannot believe what’s happening in our country. This is the worst response to a disaster I’ve ever heard of. Is this the Third World? It’s unfathomable.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:44 pmSomeone needs to send in the U.N.
No, seriously.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:45 pmShe needed to be in jeans, t-shirt and work boots counting corpses. This is the first time I’ve seen her in the field. F*CK HER. Her job is on the line because her votes are disappearing.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:48 pmSend in the U.N. and have Bush and Co. arrested for war crimes while they’re there.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:49 pmglad to see that the good reporting of CNN didn’t leave with carville :)
September 1st, 2005 at 9:53 pmI emailed Cindy Sheehan and asked her to take care of the victims and help their voices be heard. I hope she will take my suggestion seriously.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:54 pmCooper also went to Niger for the famine. The god of horrible cable news will surely strike him down soon enough.
September 1st, 2005 at 9:55 pmGood on Anderson Cooper.I saw him yesterday,when he broke down on the air.I am so sick of seeing Bush,with that sneer on his face.I don’t know if you are aware Canada has had troops and supplies ready to go since day one,but has to await permission from the U.S.,before they can go to help in the relief effort.There isn’t much I can do,but my prayers and thoughts are with all the frontliners,including the marvelous journalists who put their life on the line everyday,to make sure we the people are aware of what goes on in this old world. Marie British Columbia Canada
September 1st, 2005 at 10:00 pmIt’s about time someone from the media presses for real answers. Now, how about getting Bush to sit down and answer a few choice questions?
September 1st, 2005 at 10:01 pmCooper gave it to Landrieu – and she was rebutting saying she knows everything – she’s from there – she was a disgrace –
fire her ass too
President Bush
September 1st, 2005 at 10:02 pmWanted for multiple criminally negligent homicides in and around the city of New Orleans
God bless Anderson Cooper for that.
September 1st, 2005 at 10:07 pmChertoff should resign in disgrace. He has failed in his duty to plan for this sort of emergency.
September 1st, 2005 at 10:08 pmEmail Cindy Sheehan and ask her to take charge of housing refugees @ meetwithcindy.org
September 1st, 2005 at 10:13 pmScarborough on MSNBC was very harsh on gov’t response for his entire show.
September 1st, 2005 at 10:53 pmYou can’t send in the UN until you pay all the membership dues you owe.
September 1st, 2005 at 10:56 pmit’d be nice if these people (usually all Bush fluffers) would be as tough on Repubs as they are on Dems. Scotty’s back in DC deflecting questions about the current Presnit’s competence with “Now’s not the time to blame” but the underlings are attacking any available Dems in full force.
September 1st, 2005 at 10:59 pmI’m in LA, part of the state public health response effort. Having been a bit busy for the past several days, this is the first of the blog discussions I’ve seen – and I’ve watched very little tv/listened to very little radio. Search and rescue folks can’t do their work because there’s no security. They’re targets for snipers and other violent people. An ambulance was turned upside down. The grief is overwhelming. The loss is unfathomable. We’ve begged the feds for security support as our state police, local law enforcement, and national guard units are so busy. We don’t have security yet.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:03 pmScarborough was interviewing his “wife’s Republican friends” and they were not very happy with Bush.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:04 pmDems and Repubs are in damage control because they know they all dropped the ball. We could get a new congress out of this. I think I’ll run.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:09 pmSusan
Why don’t you E-mail George W. Bush, and ask him to help. After all he is the President of the United States of America.
Lay-off Cindy Sheehan, Susan. Your outrage is aimed at the wrong person. It was bad enough Bill O’Reilly aiming a snide remark towards Cindy Sheehan tonight.
That’s why George gets paid the big bucks, to make decisions in times of a National emergency. Not to strum a guitar and fill his fat face with cake.
If I were you Susan, I would apologise to Cindy. How the hell can she be blamed for hurricane Katrina?
September 1st, 2005 at 11:18 pmI saw Cooper yesterday and he was obviously upset by what he was reporting. Let’s see, between Cooper and Cafferty, maybe all is not lost on CNN.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:20 pmAnderson Cooper was magnificent!
Mary “DINO” Landrieu is a she-devil.
Kudos to Anderson Cooper.
The underside of my boot to Mary Landrieu.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:32 pmrotatingmass-Seems our country cannot fight two wars and a weather disaster at the same time.
It must be so painful for you to watch what is happening to your state, your beautiful New Orleans.
I have been stunned that National Guard personnel or military were not pre-positioned for a hurricane as massive as this one, and then sent in to assist with evacuation and provide security.
I have no experience in this sort of thing, just seems, uh, prudent.
I look at what is happening, what was not done, the lack of planning, the lack of vision or comprehension of what could happen, at the Federal level, and I think I see better how Iraq went so cowpie. No real planning, no understanding. Where are the food drops? Water drops? Called my Repub rep today, told by older sounding lady in his office that the government is doing everything it possibly could, that the press just sensationalized everything. I said people are dying from lack of water–please get Bush to do something.
Oh, I do pray things will improve so you can do your jobs, so people can get water, so the sick can get to care. Keep up your strength and, such a weak wish, good luck.
ABC Nightline just reported no buses for 4 hours tonight and crowds growing!
I am up here in NJ and can’t believe this is happening in America. And you are living it. Thank you for what you do.
September 1st, 2005 at 11:42 pm[...] Transcript swiped from Think Progress: Senator, I’m sorry… for the last four days, I have been seeing dead bodies here in the streets of Mississippi and to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other — I have to tell you, there are people here who are very upset and angry, and when they hear politicians thanking one another, it just, you know, it cuts them the wrong way right now, because there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday being eaten by rats because this woman has been laying in the street for 48 hours, and there is not enough facilities to get her up. Do you understand that anger? [...]
September 1st, 2005 at 11:55 pmYes, strange behavior from the press. I even saw ORielly point out the fact that Bush did not answer Diane Sawyer’s question about looters, and later he was critical of the national guard not being responsive. I tuned into fox to see what his idiotic spin would be and was surprised to not hear it.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:01 amI called many Dem senators today. When I tried to discuss accountability with them–holding the Bush administration accountable NOW–I was told in very stark terms that now is not the time for political parties.
Oh yeah…well, then when? When is the time?
The worst, unfortunately, was Barack Obama’s office. What’s happened to him? Such hope…and instead such a major disappointment. The guy has been assimilated Borg-like into the Dem establishment. What a goddamned waste.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:10 amAt least Mary showed up. Where is the Republican senator from Louisiana, David Vitter?
J
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:24 am[...] Anderson Cooper just can’t take the lies, grandstanding, and lack of accountability anymore and tears into Mary Landrieu. From the transcript: Senator, I’m sorry… for the last four days, I have been seeing dead bodies here in the streets of Mississippi and to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other — I have to tell you, there are people here who are very upset and angry, and when they hear politicians thanking one another, it just, you know, it cuts them the wrong way right now, because there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday being eaten by rats because this woman has been laying in the street for 48 hours, and there is not enough facilities to get her up. Do you understand that anger? [...]
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:28 amCooper is one of the few left at CNN who will speak the truth to power. As bad as Landrieu is, she has no power, she can’t modilize one soldier or transfer one helicopter. Bush on the other had has finally gotten off his fat ass and started the political reaction machine to make it appear that he is effective and responsive. It’s all PR at this point for him. I actually think it is funny what Fox did with the video of looting. They kept playing it up because it was blacks doing the looting, but ended up showing the country and the world, that the government had lost control. But all of the commentary about how Fox has been not as protective of Bush as they usually are shouldn’t get their hopes up. The VRWC (vast right wing conspiracy) will reassert discipline soon enough and figure out a way of blaming this on Clinton.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:49 amAll is lost on CNN. Two sane voices does not save that poor excuse of a cable network.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:51 amIf a government can not take care of its own citizens, it ceases to be relevant. Ms. Landrieu had better get a clue or she will be unemployed. The mutual ass kisssing of those in positions of power is nearly as sickening as the images being broadcast from New Orleans.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:03 amThis is a chance for the media to redeem themselves.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:21 amNot many have been harder on CNN than I the last few years but they are REPORTING THE STORY actually talking to the people on the ground and showing the pics in all their rawness. On Kyra Philips show they showed video of about 20 people standing inside what looked like a dumpster outside the convention center and they were giving the finger, yelling help us and screaming fuck something. The video and audio were unedited and no apologies were made by Phillips when she came back. Maybe all isn’t lost for CNN.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:25 amEveryone knows the ship is sinking. Everyone knows the captain lied. In Florida, the people are finally waking up. Even the bourgeoisie is saying we live in a dictatorship and that life as we know it is over. They say to stop the trillion dollar war and send Halliburton, Bechtel, and Kellogg, Brown, and Root to New Orleans. The bourgeoisie is scared. Not rescuing the poor people of New Orleans is already causing race riots across the country. Obviously, Chertoff’s only plan was to kill off the poor people. I have watched PBS programs for years about this disaster. A movie was even made about it, so not having a plan means the plan was to kill off the people left behind. Is this the plan of a moron who bankrupted every business his daddy set him up in or is it the plan of the Rockefeller Syndicate? I have no idea what country I am living in. America would have sent in the Marines and dragged all those people out, including the prisoners. I am astonished by some of the CNN commentators who are showing empathy. But the fact is that they are not allowed to broadcast a lot of the footage they’ve seen. Americans would willingly take in these refugees if they were decent folk but these people are the dehumanized masses America has been unwilling to embrace since Reagan took office in 1980. They cannot recognize kindness because they have known only exploitation. Maybe they stayed behind to loot, as my mother believes. But looting is not a capital offense, and this government spends billions to keep alive severely retarded, brain damaged, non-ambulatory people, who need constant care, so why can’t it save thinking/feeling humans? Life as you know it is over. People are envisioning the Mad Max movies as hopeful scenarios. As a blacklisted/ watch listed person, I have been living the bourgeois nightmare for seven years. This breakdown of society is a welcome relief to me. This is a terribly backward violent country, and I would not even be here if I were allowed to board a plane. Why should I die among the people who have tortured me unmercifully for seven years?
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:59 amWow. Go media. First decent thing I’ve seen from CNN in YEARS.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:02 am#21
Susan is not blaming the hurricane on Cindy. She is not being sarcastic. Susan has a good idea. Send the refuges to Crawford or the White House. It is a good place for them to speak face-to-face with those that have completely let them down.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:09 amLandrieu is a disgrace. Almost all Democrats seem to be neutered and spayed these days… led by the biggest sell-out chump of all…Bill Clinton.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:12 amSusan– how’s this? from the Houston Chronicle:
“Today, [Cindy Sheehan's] supporters plan to go to Shreveport, La., to deliver more than 5,000 pounds of supplies left over from Camp Casey to hurricane victims” Happy now?
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:20 am#38
That is great news. These people can use all the help they can get.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:36 amWhy isn´t possible to help for a nation with the most modern army (superweapons, helicopters, tanks …..) – Why are they not able to help the people in their own country. IRAQ and Afghanistan – there they are using their high tecnology, their knowledge from wars (years ago) – but are not able to help their own citizen?
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:47 amHopefully you will understand that your president is only interested in the economy and not really in the people.
The war in Afghanistan and Iraq was for oil. Now he also is worrying about the oil meanwhile the people in the “hurrican area” have nothing to drink.
I am glad to see here in Germany that some of your reporter are not blended and do what a reporter has to do – SAYING THE TRUTH – and is not putting lipstick on the pig! – We need more COOPERs!!!
Having lived in La. for 30 years. We have known this could happen to New Orleans under the right circumstances. All it would take is one levee break and the city is under water. Why werent we prepared?
You can never get 100% of the people out of a large city. Some won’t leave and many can’t leave.
Why wasnt the army, national guard, and FEMA ready and waiting to go in. Why wasnt marshall law declared day one? This is a national disgrace.
But beware other large cities such as Houston, Miami, LA, New York and others. Once the power goes out or gasoline runs out the streets will turn to disorder.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:33 amWe, the people of America, must DEMAND impeachment of Bush/Cheney and the rest who are responsible for this deliberate negligence that now is tantamount to murder.
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:37 am[...] Anderson Cooper tears Landrieu a new one: “Senator, I’m sorry… for the last four days, I have been seeing dead bodies here in the streets of Mississippi and to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other.” (Transcript ) (Video link) [...]
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:12 amSusan, Why would I do this?
“Email Cindy Sheehan and ask her to take charge of housing refugees @ meetwithcindy.org”
Marie, I noticed the very quick refusal to accept help also. (I live in Kelowna)
I think Canada is being punished for not accepting our invitation to partake in the festivities in Iraq.
I have no idea what is going on with Bush refusing help (as I heard it) or delaying it, but I am sure that if it results in harm to stranded, starving, injured, dieing or very youngpeoples, it would be considered ‘not acceptable’.
That is to bizarre to imagine and I will give benifit of the doubt. I am sure it is a nightmare trying to organize and deploy the assistance, and it is just a matter of timing and priorities.
Susan?
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:14 am[...] I’ve been up too many nights until 2 or 3, and I’m tired; so the last word goes to Anderson Cooper who finally told a politician what we’ve all been thinking (by way of Think Progress): (to Sen. Mary Landrieu) COOPER: Well, I mean, there are a lot of people here who are kind of ashamed of what is happening in this country right now, what is — ashamed of what is happening in your state. And that’s not to blame the people that are there, it is a terrible situation, but you know, who — no one seems to be taking responsibility. I know you say there’s a time and a place for kind of, you know, looking back, but this seems to be the time and the place. There are people that want answers, and people want someone to stand up and say: we should have done more. [...]
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:16 amSharon – you were dead on right. I hate to say it but our entire society is sick, especially the republicans which is about 40% of us. The republicans are so absolutely filled with unbridled greed and hate that they are enjoying this. And the democrats are acting like fools – for they will never stop the madness/achieve any real change until they are willing to address the root cause of it ALL. The voting system has been taken over in key states. For the life of me, I do not understand why the progressive community is not screaming bloody murder. What is going on here? I mean, damn, every resouce and able body that we can scrape together should be dead focused on this. Not one progressive that I know or have spoken to has disputed that the voting is rigged, so why can’t I get anybody to listen. Why do you people keep ignoring this? Why? Why? Why? Why isn’t this the headline of every single damned progressive blog and media service in the country? Why is such a vital thing to our entire democratic process being given such light coverage and outrage? Will someone besides me please take up this cause??? Will someone listen?
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:22 amShoot the GOP looters first
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:31 amWell it’s a new day. I just woke up and realized that
September 2nd, 2005 at 7:27 amHOMELAND SECURITY IS A SHAM
HOMELAND SECURITY IS A SHAM
HOMELAND SECURITY IS A SHAM
HOMELAND SECURITY IS A SHAM
HOMELAND SECURITY IS A SHAM
You’re almost right, Brian – Homeland Security is a sCam.
I woke up this morning and had a new thought… the break in the NO levee system is replicated by a breach in the dyke between the ruling elite and the American people. Dubya knows that he’s about to embark on the toughest, hardest 3 years of his life (if indeed he lasts a full term), but this is not just about him.
To the serried ranks of GOPers who have the hands on the levers of power, you people are first in line. To all the Dems who went along with the GOP pillaging of the Federal coffers, without at least registering your objections, you people are gonna get f*cked up as well. If you had the slightest inclination to fight for proper funding of domestic projects and responsible foreign policy the way you fought to protect the filibuster, you’d have the GOP by the balls. As it is, you look as supine as ever.
Hopefully, NO will come out this tragedy. I cannot imagine how desparate things are down there, but I won’t abandon hope.
However, when the time is right, there should be no delay in letting the GAO loose on the FEMA infrastucture. We need one total clear out of the criminally incompetent, irrespective of their partisan colors. Katrina was a natural disaster; in its wake, it has left a national disgrace.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:12 amThere is no reason for people to be dying in the streets. People just falling over dead from the elements. I can’t believe this.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:18 amIt’s too damn bad the residents of NO and other hard hit areas can’t receive the same prompt service the bin Laden family received after 9/11, with all air travel suspended even.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:02 amDon’t let anyone tell you different; the missing National Guard and their equipment in Iraq has cost hundreds of lives in a much delayed rescue effort.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:10 amNow civilian Americans in America are paying blood for Iraqi oil.
Cooper is a shameless pig. Is there nothing the MSM won’t politicize to attack the President?
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:11 amSharon, I am afraid I have to agree with you. Our whole society is broken, badly. It has been for some time, but when I realized that the Bushites were covering up the truth about 9/11, I knew that our country is really FUBAR. Everything that has happened since has only convinced me further.
I believe that the whole thing is going to need to come crashing down, before the fools we have put in Washington, at great expense, by the way, “get it.”
If Bush is scared of Cindy Sheehan, I imagine he will mess his pants when all those red-staters turn on him. Those good old boys aren’t all that peaceful when you betray them and mess with them. From what I am hearing, it is already happening. Bush better have himslef one hell of a security team if he thinks he is going to walk around comforting people with hugs and prayers in the Gulf Coast, right now.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:20 amA couple of things:
Anderson Cooper and Shep Smith deserve the biggest awards possible! Both have been laying into people of power and their passion is inspiring. I am guessing that they are used to better conditions but they are stuck like the rest of the people.
Michael Brown, Michael Chertoff, Mary Landreiu, Ray Nogin, POTUS, David Vitter and Kathline Blanco all should be recalled after this disaster settles down. If Gray Davis can be recalled for people’s power being shut off, these “Leaders” should be kicked out for what is no doubt much worse!
Somewhere their are stacks of video of OUR LEADER helping out in Florida last year when that state was hit. What would be different about last year and now?
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:22 amBush has lost it completely. His latest public statement is that the results of “rescue efforts are not acceptable”.
Who the f*ck is writing this script? The efforts of those few people of the ground doing the rescuing is extraordinary and they need all the credit and encouragement they can get. The co-ordination at state and federal level is non-existant. How f*cking stupid is the President if he can’t articulate this distinction?
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:23 amI think we see the rescue personnel displaying the same mental block that the police in Littleton Colorado showed at responding the killings at the Combine School. The police sat outside the school and waited as they hear the shots being fired and people killed inside the school. Why? It is because they feared for their lives.
Now we have the people in charge, and those that are rescuers themselves, holding the back from coming into NO for fear of their lives and not fear of NO people dying because of their own in-action.
Where is the American courage? Where is the American creative leadership?
Not one of the recent emergencies, hurricanes, energy crisis, electrical blackouts, Iraq war, or 9/11 has any leadership or plan to deal with the emergency. Not one plan has been in place. Nothing is provided by the Federal agencies when needed.
Why is this happening here in America? It is the result of the GOP goal to cut Federal funds for programs and then when the programs fail to eliminate those programs as unnecessary.
When will America hold the entire GOP accountable for its gross treasonous actives? They are out to destroy American government for the enrichment of their superrich at the expense of every American not rich.
Remember! We are Americans First!
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:29 amGood for Anderson Cooper! Another cable reporter who’s been great is Aaron Brown – he was pissed off on Tuesday night – before anyone else on TV.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:30 amWith this “Country Club” mentality, there is no one to roll up their sleeves and get the job done in a timely and efficient manner.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:31 amYou’re Fired! ……….says the Donald
How about all of the those millionaire basketball, baseball and football professional athletes? Wouldn’t it be possible for them to reach down deep into their pockets and donate a few millions towards the relief effort? They’ve got the bucks.
Since they have lots of money (they make lots more than Bush does, that’s for sure) and probably enjoy tax breaks, too, one could assume that they could afford to pony up something, don’tcha think?
They probably voted for Bush, just like they all voted for Ronald Reagan when he promised a tax cut back in 1980 when he campaigned for a tax cut from 53 percent down to 39 percent. They all voted for Reagan back then.
Maybe they forgot where they came from.
Where are they now?
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:35 amWell as John McCain is so fond of saying, “Elections have results.” Indeed. We are seeing it in Iraq and now in N.O. I hope it’s a wake up call but I’m afraid I don’t feel very optimistic about voters in this country or leadership on either side.
By the way, intelligent design? Hmm…
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:38 amNeD would defend this admin even if he saw them eating babies. It’s like a mother defending her young (I know, really disgusting mental picture) so absolutely nothing he says has any real meaning – like when your mom says you look good – really believable. NeD’s complete and utter blind following of his leader so slants all of his arguments that he just isn’t worth debating at all anymore. He has lost any shred of credibility that he ever had here. He is lost to the mindless and cannot be unplugged. He is now totally devoid of any humananity whatsoever. It is, at this point, just sad, pathetic and insignificant.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:43 amI second the comment about Aaron Brown. He has shown his disgust since day one. Also, last night Ted Koppel brought down the fact hammer on Mike Brown of FEMA. As Koppel said, kuddos to Brown for having the courage to stand in the box and take the questions, as few of the other politicans have.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:44 amhmmm… Bush’s response in a few months will probably be to promote someone in the Administration or award them a Medal of Freedom.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:56 amPaula Zahn ripped Mike Brown pretty well, too.
This is truly unbelievable.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:57 amI agree with Northeast dilemma, we can’t let somebody like Anderson Cooper ask tough questions.
The slaughter in Iraq must continue. The disaster in New Orleans was going to happen no matter what, so what difference does it make?
Keep up the good work, Northeast Dilemma.
New Orleans floods and Baghdad burns.
What more could any good, fully-invested, Republican ask for?
Um… get a grip, NED.
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:01 amThe nation – its people and its press – must not let Bush off the hook on this.
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:05 amHe restructures the government, he appoints his unqualified friends to high places, he orders tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of domestic programs, and he involves us in an illegal war — folks, what more do we need to impeach this man?
Do you know that Shanghai evacuated 600,000 in advance of a typhoon yesterday?
#53. I’m with you, NED. The mainstream media is constantly attacking President Bush over the war against global terror and now this mess. To hear them talk, the president couldn’t find his ass with both hands.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you think MSN should take a page from Fox News when it comes to shameless politicizing?
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:06 amOh, and NED, before I forget shouldn’t you have mentioned the names of “Gore” and “Kerry” or at least Clinton in your entry at #53?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but you aren’t making my entries any easier to defend our views against the liberals here unless you throw those in now and then.
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:13 amI just came back from redstate.org
Apparently, the single greatest obstacle to humanitarian aid is criticism of the President.
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:20 amGo Anderson!
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:25 amGo Anderson! Nice work. I hope the other reporters and anchors see the amazing response he’s gotten for his challenge and follow suit.
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:29 amOf The People(elite frat boys and corrupt cronies), By The People(rigged elections), For The People(destroy programs and social infrastructure for the average citizen)
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:30 amYou people are correct! The fact that bush violates every tenent of common morality and creates danger and death so he can play GIJoe (because he is apparently too chicken to really be GIJoe, but he wears cute costumes, dunn he?) has nothing to do with the outrage felt by 70% of the worlds population, and over 50% disaproval from his own country.
You called our bluff, dang it, we do it because we are anti-Bush, for no apparent reason.
I also will now admit that it is the cart which pushes the horses. We are caught.
I wish we had the temerity to slam everyone who disagrees with us because we are well reasoned and cautious. But we are feeble and do it before any reasons appear.
Okay, now what? Okay, I will go first.
I admire Bush for planning the war in Iraq since the late 1990’s, I admire the way him and the ‘gifts to mankind cohorts of his’ cooked the books, and then blatantly lied about yellowcake. It impresses me no end that he doesn’t ever let reality affect his judgement, and his loyalty to his obscenely rich oil cartel results in a 1.5 billion dollar gift while sticking the average family for several hundred dolars in extra taxes in donations from average hard workers.
Furthermore, it is with breathless awe that I watch him create a debt of over twenty-five thousand dollars per family from a sex crazed Clinton regime, while selflessly sacrificing 2000 thousand US soldiers, 4000 Iraqi securitry trainees and officials, and at lest 27 up to 110,000 men women and childrens lives so they would quit hogging their two hours of electricity everyday while whining about the 5 fold increase in infant mortality.
He is a very brave and dedicated leader, and I am sorry I am so lame as to harbor ill will towards him for no good reason.
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:36 am[...] I paraphrased, but you get the drift. You can find the full transcript on Gawker, and the video on Crooks and Liars. More coverage on ThinkProgress, TVNewser, and Wonkette. [...]
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:45 amI’m so glad that the US is SO prepared for a terrorist attack that they are handling this disaster with ease!!
This shows just how inept this administration is. Think of it – it’s the equivalent of having a four day warning that a terrorist attack would come, and they do NOTHING!!!!
Chin up, everyone. This could be the end of the Republican party! Maybe Ken Mehlman will give a speech where he apologizes to New Orleans. Whoops! There goes the black vote for Repubs in 2006!!
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:56 amThis has gone beyond responding to Bush supporters on this website.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:01 amBet the Bush administration wishes they had embedded reporters for this one. They are ill-equipped to handle the reality of a situation without control of all info.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:07 am#62 – you for killing babies so what’s the difference.
The NO mayor and Louisiana Gov are a disgrace – typical of Democrats who shamelessly exploit inner city communties for votes, but do nothing for them afterwards. If you people want to play the blame game – fine. Just don’t cry when we blundgeon to political irrelevance – AGAIN.
AND folks – with the MSM on your side, you are doomed for failure. The GOP will add more seats in the senate next year if you want a nasty fight over this.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:12 amAs Brian has stated here, This whole innept reaction to a disaster points out the the fact that terrorism is not a real fear of this admin. or we would be much better prepared. Homeland Security is about scare tactics and is a SHAM.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:14 am#80 – there is a difference between natural disasters and terror. I know it’s hard for a Bush hater to understand, but try, you might learn something.
I laugh at all of you losers. Can’t wait to see the look on your faces when Ginsburg announces retirement next spring – LOL!!!
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:19 am[...] For example, Anderson Cooper, host of Anderson 360 on CNN, interviewed Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu last night and got right to the heart of the issue. Cooper introduced Landrieu and immediately asked, “Does the federal government bear responsibility for what is happening now? Should they apologize for what is happening now?†Landrieu told him “there will be be plenty of time to discuss those issues,†and proceeded to begin thanking various government officials for their disaster relief support. Amidst the overflowing thank-yous, Cooper interrupted her: Senator, I’m sorry… for the last four days, I have been seeing dead bodies here in the streets of Mississippi and to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other – I have to tell you, there are people here who are very upset and angry, and when they hear politicians thanking one another, it just, you know, it cuts them the wrong way right now, because there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday being eaten by rats because this woman has been laying in the street for 48 hours, and there is not enough facilities to get her up. (Transcript Credit: Think Progress) [...]
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:23 amYES, THIS IS THE THIRD WORLD.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, the Bush administration’s “mandate” has been to loot the treasury, destroy the american economy, reduce workers to a slave/servant class for the benefit of the top 2%, to create a indentured class of debtors with the new bankruptcy law, and to place the United States under military rule. That’s why Rummy has destroyed first responders, and has centralized the police power under the department of security of zze Fatherland.
Welcome home, all, good Germans.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:36 amUmm so what do you say to the funding cuts NED? What about theis incredibly slow response from the FEDERAL branch of disaster relief? Where’s the co-ordination from the top? Why does homeland security say that they ‘didn’t know’ about the hurricane shelters?
Why NED why?
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:37 amThat’s right NED, now that America sees what a great job Republicans are doing running the country, we don’t stand a chance.
I don’t see the humor in this, though. Forgive me if my empathy and humanity prevents me from sharing in your chuckle.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:43 am#33, THIS IS A CHANCE FOR THE MEDIA TO REDEEM THEMSELVES???
Come on, after the last FIVE PLUS YEARS TO REDEEM THEMSELVES, it is apparent to ALL that they have LOST THAT CHANCE.
I DO NOT WATCH THE MSM REPUGNICAN TALKING HEADS.
I now understand my smart friends that say “I Don’t own a television”
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:48 amEven NPR was kicking Chertoff’s ass last night. It’s about time.
ANd NoD, shut the hell up for a change. You are so full of shit. Stop trying to defend the indefensible.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:49 amHas been hippie – you won’t be laughing when the GOP gains more seats last year. You’ll probably claim Bush stole again to win.
You people don’t get it – as bad off as Bush is right now, Democrats are worse off. People HATE how you think.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:49 amJust because a few of the stories are hitting REAL NEWS at this moment in time, does not mean they have GROWN A SET….. it means RATINGS.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:50 am#87 – stop hating Bush blindly.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:51 amSorry, to post in parts, but…
Further, the WEATHER is neutral enough to report on, and LIGHTLY touch on the people’s outrage!
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:51 amI see nor east DIMENTIA is back to his orig. handle., and STILL OFF IT’S MEDS.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:52 amSimple fact nor east DIMENTIA, no one reads your tripe… PEOPLE WITH AN I.Q. OVER 40, look at the poster before bothering with the content.
Transversly, people with an I.Q. below 40, read your posts and believe you are dumby’s intellictual equal. (actually everyone believes that)
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:54 amnor east will BLOW out of here when it’s shift at McDonalds begins.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:55 amMy GOD NeD is so STUPID. Please don’t interact with this foolish boy – it embarrasses us all.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:55 amBut I FEEL SAFER SINCE DUMBYA AND HIS HANDLERS HAVE DE-STABILIZED THE ENTIRE PLANET.
One thing you can say about him, HE IS A UNIFICATOR. The entire world hates the USA. And people here with an I.Q. over 40 hate HIM.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:57 amKJ Lovell – exactly. As soon as I see NeD now, I just pass it over. It is alway the same line – we win you lose. He is so distraught he doesn’t even know what he is saying. He says people hate what we think. How idiotic. He sees the poll numbers and he sees how the feds have handled this. He is a desperate young boy that doesn’t understand simple logistics. Sad really.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:59 amP & P – how true!! Most Americans love their country, and maybe they don’t like Bush, but they don’t hate him the way you do. They don’t hate religion the way you people do.
They are not praying and hoping for another terrorist attack so they can say Bush isn’t doing enough for homeland security. You people are cheering death and destruction and it’s disgusting.
To even claim A. that Kyoto would have stopped Katrina, B. that Bush isn’t doing enough to help the victims is just plain foolish.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:02 pmLIYING DEMOCOMMIES! YOU PEOPLE WOULD BLAME BUSH FOR YOUR BATHTUB RING BUT YOU FILTHY HIPPYS DON’T EVEN BATH! HE CAME TO MY TOWN AND I SHOOK HIS HAND. IT WAS THE MOST PROUDEST DAY OF MY LIFE. IT WAS AN HONNER. I HAV’NT WASHED MY HAND SINCE.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:16 pm“LANDRIEU: I have the anger inside of me. Most of the homes in my family have been destroyed.”
And yet I’ll bet none of the people in her family are lost, stranded, starving or dead. Funny how that works. She understands the anger of people suffering because her family has lost stuff.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:17 pm#53
“Cooper is a shameless pig. Is there nothing the MSM won’t politicize to attack the President?”
Cooper didn’t say anything about Bush you stupid f*ck. Besides the fact that the MSM has not been attacking Bush at all. That is the biggest part of the problem. The MSM is not attacking Bush ever. They need to start attacking him. People like you need to be attacked also, but not with words.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:35 pmWhat really makes me sick- are the Bush frauds and phonies over at FOX… not only do they continue to make excuses for this pitifull excuse of a President they lied, cheated and stole thier way to “elect.” Bush finily speaks and spends 10 minuites talking about GASOLINE PRODUCTION… and 30 seconds on the HUMAN BEINGS DIEING ON THE STREETS AND BEING EATEN BY RATS!!!
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:40 pmCheney?… Still ON VACATION!
“Condi” Rice? Let’s see… last night, DAY 5 of this DISASTER she went to the Monty Python Play! Today? Why Shoe Shopping! Hey, Condi’s on VACATION TOO!
Just now- I watched a long stretched out PHOTO OP, of Bush and the Gov.of Alabama, and the Fema “guy” on the ground… in front of all the tv cameras showing Bush at great length what they are supposedly doing in Alabama… while Bush, obviously uncomfortable. Uncaring… or just plain stupid, “pretended” to be following along as thwey spoke and pointed at the maps rolled out in front of W.. Looking at his facial expressions, you could just see this man either couldn’t understand what he was being shown, or just really did not care. It was written all over his face!. He couldn’t wait to be out of there! It was sickening!
#79
“The NO mayor and Louisiana Gov are a disgrace – typical of Democrats who shamelessly exploit inner city communties for votes, but do nothing for them afterwards.”
Once again, you have us confused with democrats. We are well aware of the fact that 40% of the democrats in office vote republican 70% of the time. These scum bags will be driven from office as well.
Any politician that says anything remotely like “Let’s not politize this.” or “There will be a time for questions later.” should be hung.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:45 pm“I emailed Cindy Sheehan and asked her to take care of the victims and help their voices be heard. I hope she will take my suggestion seriously”
Susan – did you ask her why she was exploiting her son’s death for shameless political game? Did you ask her why she chose to spit on her son and family’s wishes when she aligned the radical far left? You’re a moron.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:11 pmCome on People – Support the Federal Relief Efforts! Your criticism is traitorus and you are endangering the relief workers!
Joe Six Pack – your ignorant name explains your ignorant views.
By the way, is anyone else having trouble with Haloscan? I wonder if Haloscan works on the repugnant sites? I’m going to check.
P.S. I knew you guys would ignore my comments on Election Fraud – just as you largely ignore the “Election Fraud” problem. Hoping that it will go away and voting while hoping and praying that your vote gets counted. Pardon me, but I am not insane and everything I said made sense – so what the F is wrong with you people/my progressive brothers and sisters?
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:12 pmI saw Anderson Cooper’s exchange with the (republican in democrat clothing) Senator Landrieu. At first I tried adjusting my TV; then I decided that those ‘body snatchers’ must be back. Now I must say this was Cooper’s finest hour. I am heartened by the response of many in the front line media to the criminal negligence of ALL of these damned politicians whose only concern is covering their asses and patting each other on the back as if the public are too stupid to notice that these bastards have screwed up royally. All the silly ‘You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch your’s’ games ain’t gonna save them when the chickens come home to roost on THIS fiasco! [Of course...that's what I said after the gutless Democrats knuckled under to GWB's phoney plans for the Iraq misadventure]
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:15 pmBravo, Poster #103, Spudge-Boy!! That’s the best comeback I’ve seen for the one-dimensional partisans who assume that those who ‘hate our President’ MUST be Democrats.
I’m Green, myself…and I say anybody who sells out his vote to the ‘lesser of two evils’ Democratic candidate again needs to have his or her head examined. This damned ‘two-party system’ has become a joke and a sham!
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:28 pmRemember all of the clamor and threats when Terri Shiavo had no water for 4 days? For days now, every government officials from Bush on down, has asked the people in NO to be patient. (Do not mistake some of the people in NO as heeding Bush plea for patience, they are actually listless because they are dying.)
Oh, excuse me. Connie Rice did not request patience. She was vacationing in NYC. The media busted her and she scurried back to the WH to consider what offers of foreign aid to accept.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:41 pmcapdeblu, I could not agree more with you.
I cannot believe that there was NO plans for an entire evacuation of the city.
There SHOULD have been a plan, and drills should have been performed.
The Japanese have all sorts of plans for evacuation in case of a tsunami. Plus they exercise those plans every year with drills to make sure EVERYONE knows trouble is coming and where to go and what to do when it happens. Just imagine how it would be if our schools or businesses never had fire drills.
Everyone would die in the fire in chaos.
As soon as the first levee broke there should have been alarms going off all over the city to let people know to get out. There should have been an emergency broadcast on TV before the electricity went out.
There should have been plans in place.
Once again this administration has utterly failed to protect it’s citizens.
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:53 pmCan’t you people recognize a professional detractor when you see one? NED…go back to your day job. We’re sure you have one, probably in the propaganda biz.
DON’T FEED THE TROLLS!
September 2nd, 2005 at 1:54 pmI’m also definitely NOT a democrat. If I’m considered “liberal” at all, it’s only a side effect of the libertarian idea that people have the right to live their lives free of ANY government interference, as long as they don’t attempt to subvert another’s rights. An idea that, at least on paper, sounds like one of the Republican’s favorite tag lines, doesn’t it?
But the republican’s sold out to the religious “wrong” so long ago that they can’t even hear themselves contradict their own ideals.
If I criticize a politician, it’s not because they’re a republican, democrat or whatever… it’s because they’re doing something I perceive to be stupid, or at least misguided. People who are on the attack of those who would question the president’s decisions seem more interested in finding ways to connect the failures of policy on the critics — after all, none of the things that HAVE gone wrong would have happened if we all just shut up and accepted his wise leadership.
Over 120 thousand people dead in Iraq? That’s our fault, obviously. Not enough National Guard to deal with this catastrophe? Well, if we weren’t hell bent on “sabotaging” the president with our concerns, they all would have been home by now.
Yet there’s a fatal flaw in this approach: The government is currently republican, with a relatively docile opposition. Think the latest controversy around filibusters was a sign that the Dems had finally hit puberty? Folks, they were ALREADY approving over 97% of Bush’s nominees… which gave the republican’s the idea that they might actually be able to go for 100% in the first place.
Democrats, republicans… they’re ALL to blame for this mess. But Bush is the guy in charge, regardless of how he got there, and it’s his JOB to take responsibility for this.
September 2nd, 2005 at 2:01 pmU.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla) has urged President Bush to fire Michael Brown as undersecretary of the Homeland Security Department in charge of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Wexler cited reports in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that FEMA under Brown’s management inappropriately gave away $30 million in disaster relief funds to people in the Miami, Florida, area even though they were not affected by Hurricane Frances, which made landfall more than 100 miles away”.
Read more…
September 2nd, 2005 at 3:01 pmLeave it to the moral pigs to politicize this horrendous tragedy!! How much blood and $$ have YOU donated??
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:05 pmThis situation has shown the design flaw in Homeland Security. History and experience tell us that tightly-controlled top-down hierarchies respond sluggishly to fluid conditions and shock situations. The old-school organizational thinking brought in by the Bush team has calcified our safety, emergency and law enforcement agencies into a single rigid structure. A culture which rewards loyalty and obedience is hesitant to react without explicit direction when events unfold quickly and communication channels are blocked.
This is why the response to New Orleans took so long. The President was on vacation. The Congress was in recess. The “power” was down in Washington, so to speak. Until they came back to the office, the DHS bureacracy was paralyzed – better to wait for approval than risk dismisal.
I don’t think Bush is an evil man, or a stupid man — I wish I could say the same for some of his staff — I think he means well. But I do believe his skills as an organizer and leader are severely underdeveloped. And at critical times such this, those deficiencies cost lives, property, and well-being.
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:15 pmGo Anderson! People actually talking truth on cable news?!
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:17 pmThere aren’t very many MSM cable reporters worth anything, but a few are worth watching, even if you don’t agree with them all the time. I don’t want to have to agree with them all the time, I just want the facts, with no spin:
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:20 pmCooper, Cafferty, Brown, Olberman.
#109 said: Just imagine how it would be if our schools or businesses never had fire drills.
Everyone would die in the fire in chaos.
You’re right. We’re looking at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire for the 21st century. On a grand scale.
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:37 pmI too am dumbfounded. I never, ever would have expected to hear FOX reporters and see FOXnews.com question the administration in this manner. I am amazed by the fact that Paula Zahn, Anderson Cooper, Aaron Brown, TED KOPPEL, and many, MANY other news professionals have been as blunt and to-the-point in questioning the lackluster relief coordination.
I think they have, by and large, done an excellent job of pointing out that while the relief EFFORTS have been exemplary, it is the leadership and coordination and availability of those efforts that have made them insufficient. I just about cried when I heard that even O’Reilly’s stopped kissing the administration’s hindquarters!
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:51 pm[...] I know, I know, I am playing politics with the disaster. Bush was quick to CYA and say that he hoped people didn’t play politics during the crisis. Coming from someone who uses 9/11 as political capital at every opportunity, that is a little hypocrtical. Apparently his own party didn’t get the memo. Nice to see Anderson Cooper sack up. Bush is playing politics on his own terms. Today has been a series of feel-good photo ops. I particularly like the photos of Bush in front of the Coast Guard helicopters and men in their dress uniforms. All it needed was a Mission Accomplished banner to be perfect. By the way, shouldn’t those helicopters be in use saving people and bringing in supplies, or they just for show? [...]
September 2nd, 2005 at 5:40 pmTo Susan:
If your comments made about Cindy Sheehan were serious comments, and not sarcastic.
Then I apologise.
September 2nd, 2005 at 5:53 pm[...] I’m fed up with her. http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/09/01.html#a4740. This is so unaccpetable politician like behavior. A portion of transcript can be found at think progress [...]
September 2nd, 2005 at 6:30 pm#109 – Brilliant idea about the drills. Let’s see – who might show up?????? Hmmmmmmmmmm??? The poor – too busy flipping burgers or sweeping up at Wal-Mart – how would they get there??? The infirm????? NOLA would take ambulances out of service????? Hmmmmm? The “evil rich” (translation for those not “envy challenged”: “anybody who has more than you!!!!!!!!!!!!”)or the sell-out schlubs from the burbs??????????? Too busy making a living AND exploiting the poor”!! The drug dealers and crack whores????? I’m sure those civic minded enough might consider attending the drills. BUT THE NEO-DEMS AND PROGRESSIVES KNOW THE TRUTH – IT’S ALL GEORGE BUSH’S FAULT!!!!!!!!!!! (Did I sound appropriately pissed off!!)
September 2nd, 2005 at 7:20 pmI never thought the revolution would begin in Louisiana. Of all places, Louisiana. But it has begun. This perfect storm has put the gap between the haves and have-nots in America on display for all the world to see, and it’s disgraceful. Finally, the truth is exposed, and the rest of the world sees the America that lies between “Friends” and “Baywatch.”
Sure, the world felt sympathy for us after 9/11/2001 – they expressed their condolences and laid their wreathes — but deep down they knew… we had it coming. Decades of economic imperialism disguised as “foreign policy” will do that.
Now, the world pities us. They can see through the facade of our propaganda to the disparity and utter desperation of segments of our society and we should be ashamed of ourselves. We look like complete and utter hypocrites. The beacon of freedom and democracy, the land of opportunity, the greatest nation in the world – but at what? Now the world doesn’t just mourn our dead, they pity our survivors.
It’s time to take our country back. The neo-cons and evangelicals have had their time. Their time is over. Now we must make them extinct. It’s time for revolution in the United States of America. Not the violent, bloody kind – we have too much violence as it is. The one that happens in hearts and minds. We need to reinvent this country into one that cares for its citizens and does all that is necessary to keep us safe. Not by fighting senseless wars and building an iron curtain on our borders, but by saving our environment, investing in our future, and working towards real peace in the world.
We could be such a great country, in every sense of the word. And we will be, if we start acting now.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:51 pm#118 I think ou spoke too soon. O’Reilly is back to blaming the victims again — they planned this, you see, because they wanted destruction. The man is incorrigible. A creep. A pervert.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:10 pmNick Caine, #21 in case you come back to this thread. I was being serious about Cindy helping the displaced Americans. I believe in solutions and what better way to allow their voices to be heard than to descend on Crawford or D.C? At least they’ll be given food and water. It’s not like these people have anywhere else to go.
I don’t know how you read my post as being against Cindy. And to suggest that I ask Bushie to help is ludicrous, the only thing I want from Bushie is his resignation.
September 2nd, 2005 at 9:29 pmSusan, it just read to me as a pop at Cindy Sheehan. I was wrong, when the right-wing have been making those types of comments. It can become difficult to decipher some posts as for or against Cindy.
Cindy could probably sort out this terrible mess. Cindy is a woman of great courage and fortitude. And Cindy can obviously organise a piss-up in a brewery, (maybe that’s a British expression, but you get the gist of it), unlike George W. Bush and the GOP. But I think she has other things on her mind at the moment. Like making Bush accountable for the war in Iraq. And the current tour she is undertaking across America. Culminating in the war protests in Washington DC at the end of the month.
September 2nd, 2005 at 10:01 pm#60, Why don’t the Bush family personally pony up some money to help? They have all that wealth generated by financing and propelling Hitler in the 40’s.
How about Halliburton giving some of the “gouged” money to this effort?
How about the Super Rich giving the tax break money back to this effort, and while they are at it, dip into their deep pockets?
How about Rove giving his raise (after the CIA scandal) to this effort?
Why doesn’t Condi (sleezy) Rice-arony, take back that $2000 in shoes (she purchased during the disaster) and give that money and some of her salary to this effort?
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:30 pmIts about time someone like Anderson Cooper confront these politicians. To give them a new perspective outside the political atmosphere of their lives. A realistic perspective instead of seeing money. It would be great to see Landreau amongst the Hurricane Katrina victims instead of “tossing” money in. Money is not always the solution. This ought to be a lesson for all politicians.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:48 pmSusan I agree with your posts. You and I want bush’s resignation! Cindy does as well. I truly believe so.
I also truly believe she and you and I will receive bushie’s resignation shortly. I do think Cindy will have a better chance at this if she concentrates on her game plan without diversions.
I think Canada is really ready and able to handle this disaster, if dumbya will LET THEM IN OUR COUNTRY.
September 2nd, 2005 at 11:49 pmWhat’s going on here?! Are some MSM reporters suddenly becoming human beings? Even Shepherd Smith on FauxNews just about broke down while reporting on Hannity-Colmes tonight. He appeared to be just barely holding his temper as that A#1 A__hole Hannity kept coaxing him to jump aboard the Bush Spinwagon.
September 3rd, 2005 at 12:07 amYes, America is the third world. I can’t believe you guys haven’t figured that out yet.
September 3rd, 2005 at 12:10 amThe division between the classes WIDENS!
September 3rd, 2005 at 1:38 amThe Rockefeller Foundation controls the government, media, healthcare system, educational system, the financial structure, and all major charities within the American colony. In the Rothschild world government, we are the war makers and producers. That is our role in the world, as designed by the men own the chessboard. You were told you were free from the time you were born, so it is a miracle if you do not believe it. All of you who display dissident reactions are miracles. I congratulate you. The problem is that we have this role in the world because we are the only country dumb enough to sacrifice ourselves and our children for the purpose of increasing the wealth and power of the elite through war.
September 3rd, 2005 at 2:11 amFew of you realize that 9-11 was an inside job, that the WTC buildings were wired for demolition, and that there were no terrorists. Some of the people named as hijackers are living in their respective countries. Their passports were stolen by Mossad agents. The rest were CIA employees. Everyone in the government knows this. There are hundreds of web sites devoted to this information. See the Dancing Israeli sites and the media lens sites. Zionists and neocons created this war with Iraq. The idea was to divert Arab oil into Haifa. At any rate, all of you are pawns in the chessboard. The future of the world depends upon your non-cooperation, and you need to step it up. Above all, do not contribute to the Red Cross or any charity mentioned by the elites. The Red Cross is a scam, which funnels your blood money to elites, not victims. Do not ever give a dime to the Red Cross. If you want to do something, adopt a family. Go to the Astrodome and take a family home with you. Other than that, don’t contribute.
Is this our media? If they’d been half this brave and unwilling to carry water for idiots and liars, we wouldn’t be in Iraq.
September 3rd, 2005 at 3:49 amI’m sorry, but your government/agencies are just unbelievable. What the hell is going on? The response is pathetic beyond description and would be laughable if it didn’t have such traqic consequences.
September 3rd, 2005 at 4:13 amAnd what happened to your media’s much lauded “The public has a right to know.” If Cooper’s recent programme is really such an anacronysm in American broadcasting then you all really have serious grounds for worry.
As far as culpability goes, I am still staggering after reading this article in the Guardian On-line http://www.guardian.co.uk/katrina/archive/0,16441,1560621,00.html
###KATRINA COMES HOME TO ROOST (excerpt)
….The Bush administration’s policy of turning over wetlands to developers almost certainly has contributed to the heightened level of the storm surge. In 1990, a federal task force began restoring lost wetlands around New Orleans. Every two miles of wetland between the Crescent City and the Gulf reduces a surge by half a foot. Bush promised a “no net loss” wetland policy, which had been launched by his father’s administration and bolstered by President Clinton. But he reversed the approach in 2003, unleashing the developers. The army corps of engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency announced they could no longer protect wetlands unless they were somehow related to interstate commerce. In response to this potential crisis, four leading environmental groups conducted a study that concluded in 2004 that without wetlands protection New Orleans could be devastated by an ordinary – much less a category four or five – hurricane. “There’s no way to describe how mindless a policy that is when it comes to wetlands protection,” said one of the report’s authors. The chairman of the White House’s council on environmental quality dismissed the study as “highly questionable”, and boasted: “Everybody loves what we’re doing.”
Is this common knowledge in America and if not, why not?
[...] Think Progress » Cooper to Landrieu: Americans Want Answers An emotional exchange just took place between CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu. Cooper introduced Landrieu and immediately asked, “Does the federal government bear responsibility for what is happening now? Should they apologize for what is happening now?†Landrieu told him “there will be be plenty of time to discuss those issues,†and proceeded to begin thanking various government officials for their disaster relief support. [...]
September 3rd, 2005 at 6:26 amThat’s exactly what happens when your government is a business… if it’s not profitable, it’s not possible.
I’m a Canadian, watching the horrors of New Orleans unfold and I am so disgusted with how your government is handling the situation that I don’t even have the slightest idea what I would do if I was faced with the situation you have down there.
The US has waged a war against terrorism, causing terror to erupt on foreign soil, for some time now. Like the days of the Roman Empire, you have become spread too thin. You have a hurricane at home, something that should be a top priority to handle, and yet the speed of relief is utterly retarded by government greed and corruption.
The emergency could have been handled much better by officials, and if the Democrats were in power, I am sure that a far more swift response would have been executed.
The spin-off of this has financial ripples that reach Canada, too. Everything is becoming inflated like crazy.
We are experiencing the highest gas prices in Canadian history. $1.44 CAD per litre, and rising. That is 3.7854118 * $1.44 = $5.45 CAD per US gallon of gas, which is $4.58 USD a gallon!!!!
Is society crumbling? Is this just the beginning of another great depression?
Well I guess it’s certainly depressing, right across the board.
September 3rd, 2005 at 11:29 amDear PH*k – We agree on one thing – initial response was too slow. Knowing the propensity for widespread flooding, more helicopters with foodstuffs should have been dropped until rescuers could arrive. I notice you for got to mention the heoic efforts of anyone, so I’ll tip a collective hat to the Coast Guard! As for Canada – your country went squishy years ago – you let every known puke in and pay them for the priveledge of putting up with you. You want to lower gas prices in your neck of the woods – cut the horrifyingly high tax rate you government leeches demand to pay.
September 3rd, 2005 at 1:46 pm#133- “Few of you realize that 9-11 was an inside job, that the WTC buildings were wired for demolition, and that there were no terrorists. Some of the people named as hijackers are living in their respective countries. Their passports were stolen by Mossad agents.” I’ve got news for you Sharon, there’s a black helicopter (filled with MOSSAD agents circling your house RIGHT NOW!!!
September 3rd, 2005 at 1:58 pmI was wondering who was manning those things. They have, in fact, stopped. Black helicopters from MacDill AFB began buzzing me in December 2001. How often they flew over I can’t say, because I wasn’t home that much. There were roadblocks on the access roads to my home, and unmarked, white patrol cars were constantly staked out around my house. Some group confiscated my neighbor’s home after he was arrested for DUI, and strange men lived there in shifts, carrying in heavy bags of equipment.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:38 amI was put on a watchlist under the Clinton Adminstration, but I can’t find out why because I live in a dictatorship. If I did not live in a dictatorship, I could request my FBI file through the FOIA and sue the government for what it has done to me, as did some members of the Weathermen Underground in the early 1980’s.
The Patriot Act was recently renewed, however. If it hadn’t been, the government would have been overwhelmed with lawsuits from completely innocent citizens, like myself. Obviously, the watchlists are meaningless; otherwise, they would not be secret watchlists, and I would be charged with some infraction of some law.
I have 600 pages documenting what happened to me, but this is not the forum for explaining my case. All I wanted to say is that I have seen only a few, white, unmarked helicopters circling my house lately (possibly U.N.). This is my latest house. I have moved eight times since December 2002 and held twice as many minimum wage jobs. The same tactics used against the Weathermen Underground are being used against me. The government has spent millions of tax dollars surveilling and harassing me. I don’t know who they think I am. I would just like to leave this great country, but they won’t let me board a plane. Apparently, that would spoil their fun. Sorry for the diversion, but diversion is all we’re getting from the media regarding New Orleans and Iraq and the state of the empire under Little Boots–I mean Little Bush. Might as well tell our own stories. It remains to be seen if we’ll ever find out what happened in New Orleans.
And from this, we can see the incompetence in America’s biparty system…
Couldn’t there be a third voice that actually represents the people?
September 4th, 2005 at 1:04 amLITTLE GEORGIE TOOK AN AXE AND GAVE THE WORLD FORTY WHACKS… WHEN HE SAW WHAT HE HAD DONE, HE GAVE NEW ORLEANS FORTY ONE…(OR IS THAT 43??)
September 4th, 2005 at 4:17 amEnough is enough.
George Bush’s Failure’s: Six Strikes And You’re Out
Please circulate this article; now is the time to call George Bush out for all his colossal failures and all the death, damage and destructions his incompetence and personal failures have caused.
http://reliantmedia.blogspot.com/2005/09/bushs-failures-six-strikes-and-youre.html
September 4th, 2005 at 9:37 amSharon, about the “millions of tax $$$”spent by our government to watch and harrass you, you might want to let them know you appreciate their interest but they might have a few better things to do with the $$$ (not that you aren’t interesting!) About the “white cars” hanging around your house – did you notice if they had a Star of David or tinfoil on the roof? Are you sure they weren’t looking for clandestine meth labs in your neck of the woods? And since you KNOW Israel and the Mossad were behind 9/11 attacks – have you thought about changing your name – it is Hebrew in origin, you know! If they won’t let you on a plane try walking or driving across the border to the North – the Canadians would love to have you!
September 4th, 2005 at 6:41 pmGeorge Bush and the federal government are not to blame for the disaster we have witnessed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
In fact, the primary responsibility for the disaster response lies with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and other local officials.
Yet leading Democrats and their allies in the major media are clearly using this disaster for political purposes and ignoring one obvious fact.
This fact – which needs to be repeated and remembered – is that in our country, state and local governments have primary responsibility in dealing with local disasters.
The founding fathers devised a federal system of government – one that has served us remarkably well through great disasters that have befallen America over more than two centuries. But if we believe the major TV networks, George Bush, FEMA and the Republicans in Congress are all to blame for the current nightmare.
Let’s remember that FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was created only in 1979. It was formed to coordinate and focus federal response to major disasters – to “assist” local and state governments.
Common sense suggests that local and state governments are best able to prepare and plan for local disasters.
Is a Washington bureaucrat better suited to prepare for an earthquake in San Francisco, a hurricane in Florida, or a terrorist act in New York?
After the Sept. 11 attacks against the World Trade Center, no one suggested that the Bush administration should have been responsible for New York’s disaster response or that federal agents should have been involved in the rescue of those trapped in the buildings.
Last year, four major hurricanes slammed into Florida. Governor Jeb Bush led the disaster response and did a remarkable job, with nothing happening like what we have seen in New Orleans.
The primary response in disasters has always come from local communities and state governments.
First responders and the manpower to deal with emergencies come from local communities: police, fire and medical. Under our federal system, these local departments answer to local authorities, not those in Washington. These first responders are not even under federal control, nor do they have to follow federal orders.
In addition to local responders, every state in the Union has a National Guard. State National Guards answer first to the governor of each state, not to the president. The National Guard exists not to defend one state from an invasion by another state, but primarily for emergencies like the one we have witnessed in New Orleans and in other areas impacted by Katrina. (See: http://www.arng.army.mil/about_us/organization/command_structure.asp)
As former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial points out, the disaster in New Orleans was “foreseeable.” In fact, New Orleans has long known that such a disaster could take place if a major hurricane hit the city.
The municipality even prepared its own “City of New Orleans Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.” The plan makes it evident that New Orleans knew that evacuation of the civilian population was the primary responsibility of the city – not the federal government.
The city plan acknowledges its responsibility in the document:
As established by the City of New Orleans Charter, the government has jurisdiction and responsibility in disaster response. City government shall coordinate its efforts through the Office of Emergency Preparedness.
The city document also makes clear that decisions involving a proper and orderly evacuation lie with the governor, mayor and local authorities. Nowhere is the president or federal government even mentioned:
The authority to order the evacuation of residents threatened by an approaching hurricane is conferred to the Governor by Louisiana Statute. The Governor is granted the power to direct and compel the evacuation of all or part of the population from a stricken or threatened area within the State, if he deems this action necessary for the preservation of life or other disaster mitigation, response or recovery. The same power to order an evacuation conferred upon the Governor is also delegated to each political subdivision of the State by Executive Order. This authority empowers the chief elected official of New Orleans, the Mayor of New Orleans, to order the evacuation of the parish residents threatened by an approaching hurricane.
It is clear the city also recognized that it would need to move large portions of its population, and it would need to prepare for such an eventuality:
The City of New Orleans will utilize all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas. Those evacuated will be directed to temporary sheltering and feeding facilities as needed. When specific routes of progress are required, evacuees will be directed to those routes. Special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific life saving assistance. Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation procedures as needed. … Evacuation procedures for small scale and localized evacuations are conducted per the SOPs of the New Orleans Fire Department and the New Orleans Police Department. However, due to the sheer size and number of persons to be evacuated, should a major tropical weather system or other catastrophic event threaten or impact the area, specifically directed long range planning and coordination of resources and responsibilities efforts must be undertaken. [You can read New Orleans’ Emergency Plan for hurricanes at its Web site: http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=26
The city’s plan also specifically called for the use of city-owned buses and school buses to evacuate the population. These were apparently never deployed, though the Parish of Plaquemines just south of the city evacuated its population using school buses.
The plan, written well before Katrina , was obviously never heeded or implemented by local leaders.
But why should the New Orleans mayor and Governor Blanco take responsibility when they can blame George Bush and the Republicans in Washington?
With congressional elections fast approaching, Democrats who are out of power in every branch of the federal government know they need to change the tide quickly. They have apparently seized on the Katrina disaster to harm the president politically. Criticism of the federal government’s response is fair and warranted. But putting full responsibility for this disaster on the Bush administration is way over the top.
Primary responsibility for this disaster remains with local officials like Nagin and Blanco, not President Bush.
September 4th, 2005 at 11:15 pmP.S. I knew you guys would ignore my comments on Election Fraud – just as you largely ignore the “Election Fraud†problem. Hoping that it will go away and voting while hoping and praying that your vote gets counted. Pardon me, but I am not insane and everything I said made sense – so what the F is wrong with you people/my progressive brothers and sisters?
Comment by Super Stevens
I don’t think you are crazy. Anyone that is informed knows how Florida (the KEY STATE..w/Jeb Shrub) was fixed in 2000. The votes have been counted by a group of news people and it shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Dumbya LOST. It is just not reported widely because the MSM is controlled by “Bonesmen”.
They were too scared to rig that state in 2004, so they rigged Ohio (another KEY STATE.. Totally corrupt) Again, when all the votes were REALLY COUNTED, it showed another LOSS FOR DUMBYA. It was critical to remove Dean from the running because a more favorable candidate was available… Kerry. Kerry was crucial because he is a fellow “Bonesman” and they take an oath to stick together.
Dean would have (and still does) raise bloody hell. He was dangerous to the status quo.
September 5th, 2005 at 12:09 amI didn’t mention that the final studies of the 04 election shows dumbya getting something like 250% of the votes in certian counties across the nation. Very interesting.
September 5th, 2005 at 12:11 am[...] CNN-Reporter Anderson Cooper zur Senatorin von Lousiana, Mary Landrieu: Senator, I’m sorry… for the last four days, I have been seeing dead bodies here in the streets of Mississippi and to listen to politicians thanking each other and complimenting each other — I have to tell you, there are people here who are very upset and angry, and when they hear politicians thanking one another, it just, you know, it cuts them the wrong way right now, because there was a body on the streets of this town yesterday being eaten by rats because this woman has been laying in the street for 48 hours, and there is not enough facilities to get her up. Do you understand that anger? [...]
September 5th, 2005 at 2:52 amI have to say a few things. 1) The federal government just saved thousands of people in Louisiana, Not the State government. 2)When The World Trade Center was attacked, The Local Governments took the lead. 3)People are trying to find someone to blame, but instead, they should be thankful so many people are still alive because of the Federal Government. 4) It’s not Bush’s fault that Local Leaders in Louisiana are so incompetent. Governor Blanco is the State’s Advocate and she dropped the ball, not Bush. She wanted to try to handle everything without the Federal Government, in order to look good and failed. Now she is trying to pass the buck. 5) I wouldn’t be surprised if more white people are dead than blacks, because the media was focussed on the people who were high and dry in the Super Dome instead of the people dying in atticks around New Orleans. These were really the people who needed saving. The media only worried about those who were visibly suffering and not those who were actually dying.
September 5th, 2005 at 4:33 amLouisiana officials are so damn stupid they cannot have a row boat avaiable!!!!!!!!
September 5th, 2005 at 11:02 amSadly, we are not as good as we think we are!
September 5th, 2005 at 3:12 pmHow did any state elect this bimbo : Mary Landrieu ?
September 5th, 2005 at 10:41 pmMary Landrieu is a great woman, for threatening to punch George W. Bush. Who can honestly say that they haven’t felt like doing just that over the last week? Or even over the last few years. Well-done Mary.
Mary Landrieu to Bush: “I’ll Punch Him”
Senator Landrieu was on This Week and brought George on a helicopter tour of her the damage…
Landrieu: “If one person criticises them or says one more thing including the President of the US, he will be hearing from me. One more word about it after this show airs and I might likely punch him, literally”
From the BBC Website:
President Bush is to visit the devastated Gulf coast of the United States again today, Monday, as his administration continues its efforts to convince Americans that it can cope with the aftermath of the hurricane.
For the White House nothing else matters now. The President’s schedule for the entire month of September has been torn up.
A visit by the Chinese president due this week has been cancelled. Much of the administration’s second-term agenda has been set-aside for the time being.
Instead the administration is engaged in two struggles, the first to improve its performance on the ground in the hurricane-hit regions, and the second, to convince America that the White House is not to blame for what went wrong.
President Bush will tour the area again today but his suggestion over the weekend that local officials had failed to cope has raised hackles in the south.
A Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu, has threatened to punch Mr Bush if he says it again. An opinion poll in the Washington Post suggests that, as ever, the nation is evenly divided on the Bush performance. Half think he’s doing a good job, half
Comment:
Can somebody please explain to me, how can America still be evenly divided over Bush’s performance? What will it take for the American electorate, to see through Bush’s incompetence, as the President of the United States of America?
September 5th, 2005 at 11:27 pmMary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 6th, 2005 at 1:21 amMary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary Landrieu SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’d like to say a few words for any of you that come back and look at your entries and to those of you who have yet to lay your eyes on this blog, but want to still make a comment:
I am not happy with anything I’ve seen throughout the Gulf Coast Region as far as preparedness: evacuation for the invalid, ill, and elderly populations; evacuation of all hospital personnel and every patient – newborn babies up to and including the seriously ill; evacuation of all known residents with no available transportation to leave their cities; rescue efforts for those left behind, food drops for those still waiting to be rescued; etc.
I am not particularly happy with George Bush these days either.
I happen to think Anderson Cooper and some of his CNN cronies are great at dragging some of the idiots they interview on the floor.
However, if you would all simmer down and look at what you are saying; and go back to the entry numbered 145, the majority of you may just come to your senses.
Early Saturday evening, the Mayor of New Orleans announced “This is not a test. You should all be taking this very seriously. People need to evacuate the city now. Don’t wait, leave now.”
Remember, the city officials of New Orleans and the officials of the state of Louisiana, the city officials of Biloxi and the officials of the state of Mississippi, and the state of Alabama had been warned repeatedly for 4 to 5 days ahead of this storm making landfall that the direction of the storm was important to pay attention to but more vital was to not ignore the SIZE of the storm which could span a large part of the Gulf States. Each state should have been preparing for the worse at that point in time and hoping for the best. Yes, hindsight is 20/20 but this wasn’t a guessing game here, forecasters at the National Weather Service were adamant about the strength and size of this storm. Any novice looking at this storm would or should have wanted to get out of its way.
What the mayor forgot to say is this: “we have an evacuation plan in order and we will be following it to the very end … and for those of you who are either in a state of invalid/disability, too ill, or too elderly who reside within either public or private facilities; or are hospital personnel at public or private hospitals with patients – newborn babies up to and including the seriously ill; or, residents with no available transportation to leave their cities … we have a listing of those Nursing Care facilities, Hospice Facilities, Elderly Retirement Facilities, all public and private Hospital Facilities: every facility aforementioned will have a pickup point where you are located and the proper transportation will be provided to you to make an exit with all care-givers, personnel, and employees of each facility. For those of you that are elderly with limited mobility and no available transportation, and those city residents or residents of surrounding parishes also with no available transportation to leave the city, you must also evacuate due to the seriousness of this storm and the high propensity for flooding with such a high category storm. A listing of pickup points in and around the city and parishes where you may meet at the following hours will be presented on this station around the clockâ€:
And that entire listing and hours of pickup points should have been running continually around the clock on specific stations (not as tickers at the bottom of a TV screen … this is an emergency isn’t it?) This could have been going on for days. Yes, there were bound to be traffic tie-ups but an emergency evacuation plan could prepare for rounds of pickups around the clock in order to give the highways and escape routes time to free up, etc.
Yes I know, this is not a perfect world, and even with a fully prepared Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Plan in full operation things are bound to go wrong. But the loss of life here, possibly in many cases, could have been prevented. I think next time they revise their Emergency Preparedness Disaster Plan, they might want to call in the National Guard immediately, and guard the downtown area, and station armed personnel in front of every gun store if necessary. Maps included in a disaster plan would show all these gun shops. A law that every gun shop within the city limits or parishes must register with the Office of Emergency and Disaster Preparedness … these are not hard to come up with.
Like # 145 said, they had a plan, there was one developed, “City of New Orleans Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan†but no one saw anyone using it. So it is not President Bush, or that guy who is head of Homeland Security, or Condoleezza Rice that is responsible for any of this.
Please go back and give entry #145 a thorough read, cut and paste it to Word and print it out, and READ IT! The state and local governments are responsible first and foremost! Again, #145 quotes:
“The municipality even prepared its own “City of New Orleans Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.†The plan makes it evident that New Orleans knew that evacuation of the civilian population was the primary responsibility of the city – not the federal government. The city plan acknowledges its responsibility in the document: As established by the City of New Orleans Charter, the government has jurisdiction and responsibility in disaster response. City government shall coordinate its efforts through the Office of Emergency Preparedness. The city document also makes clear that decisions involving a proper and orderly evacuation lie with the governor, mayor and local authorities. Nowhere is the president or federal government even mentioned.
If you took half the energy you took into lamb-basting each other in this blog and all that horse-shit about 9/11 being an inside job, and directed it towards helping what needs to be done now – things might just look a little brighter for some unfortunate victim down along the Gulf States. If you really want to be ashamed? Be ashamed of yourselves … just look at this bizarre, nasty waste of time you have created. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
September 6th, 2005 at 3:50 am…Northeast Dilemma:
I laugh at all of you losers. Can’t wait to see the look on your faces when Ginsburg announces retirement next spring – LOL!!!
And YOU lose your job, banker man!! What’s so funny about all of us, you included, losing our jobs because of 30 years of bad policies?
September 6th, 2005 at 12:46 pmDear NeitherSide,
“If you really want to be ashamed? Be ashamed of yourselves … just look at this bizarre, nasty waste of time you have created. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.”
It seems to me YOU took the time to point out the error of everyone ways.
And by the by, there is plenty of blame to go around for everyone, from the mayor, to the Governor, to FEMA Director Michael Brown, to the President, there were major failures on everyone’s part, but the failure of the federal government to restore order to New Orleans in the aftermath of this natural disaster is inexcusable and unforgivable.
For aid to be given there must be order, you cannot have emergency workers dodging bullets or fighting off groups of roving thugs while trying to administer aid.
Also, the federal government will be spending $286.4 billion over six years on roads and bridges, rail and bus facilities, bike paths and recreational trails and PORK (with a $223 million check from the federal government, a bridge will connect Gravina population 50 which has no stores, no restaurants and no paved roads to the bustling Alaskan metropolis of Ketchikan, pop. 8,000) but cut funds for repairing and strengthening the levees of New Orleans.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requested $27 million for this fiscal year to pay for hurricane protection projects around Lake Pontchartrain. The Bush administration countered with $3.9 million, and Congress eventually provided $5.7 million. Similarly, the Army Corps requested $78 million for this fiscal year for projects that would improve draining and prevent flooding in New Orleans. The Bush administration’s budget provided $30 million for the projects, and Congress ultimately approved $36.5 million.
So here is a question for you: How could our government provide $234 million to Gravina but not $105 million to New Orleans to repair and reinforce the levees?
You would think the fact that 20% of all goods in and out of the country go through its port would have been enough incentive to fully fund those projects.
September 6th, 2005 at 1:13 pm.
bush is not my president, never was, never will be. The abandonment of Nawlins proves my contentention, doesn’t it! bush deserved impeachment for Iraq; his criminal negligence since Katrina merits impeachment NOW!
September 6th, 2005 at 1:19 pmNote to Bobby Head:
B U L L S H * T Bush isnt to blame:
Our federal government decided—in advance—to cut the funding that the New Orleans Corps of Engineers had requested to forestall precisely this flood.
Our federal government decided—in advance—to suck the guts from the science-based Office of Technology Assessment, which had been writing flood plans and other useful instruments for the nation’s collective good. Our federal government decided—in advance—to eviscerate funding and staffing for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, the agency charged with planning for precisely this kind of disaster.
Our federal government decided—in advance and for an appalling five days afterwards—not to send in buses, trucks, ships or National Guard convoys to evacuate people so poor they did not have $20 for a bus ticket out or a credit card to pay for a motel room when they arrived somewhere . Our federal government decided not to evacuate people so sick that they lay immobile in nursing homes or hospitals, or whose dementia or autism or psychosis deprived them of the sense or ability to get out.
Our president and his government decided that the worst-ever American natural disaster did not require their full attention or return from vacation.
September 6th, 2005 at 1:37 pmLandreau was one of the Democrats who voted for the nomination of Alberto Gonzalez to AG…are you starting to see a pattern?
here’s the tape;
The Democrats who voted to confirm Gonzales were: Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Ken Salazar of Colorado, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Bill Nelson of Florida, Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Mark Pryor of Arkansas. The final vote was 60-36 in favor of confirmation. Several Democrats and at least one Republican chose not to vote.
September 6th, 2005 at 3:26 pmI commend Anderson Cooper. He’s there. He sees what’s going on. This isn’t the first assignment he’s been on location. I have a friend who’s a national gaurdsman who get’s protocol, not 5 o’clock news, for information. A fellow gaurdsman was nearly beaten to death by a mob for just standing gaurd.
There are constant reports (among the national gaurds) of helicopters dropping food, getting shot at. People opening fire at police and gaurdsman for no reason. Yes this is the worst disaster in history. And yes we are handling it miserably. But we have never dealt with such a situation either. It is difficult to get lightning fast results, with such a fragile situation. I cannot say what should be done, because I’ll be the first to admit, “there’s no way this will be easy, and there’s no right way of attacking this situation effectively.” Just do what you can with donating to the Red Cross, support any form of volunteer, and pray.
September 6th, 2005 at 5:54 pm——————————————————————————–
Subject: FW: Get Off George Bush’s Back
Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2005 07:43:07 -0500
Get Off His Back
By
Published 9/2/2005 11:59:59 PM
A few truths, for those who have ears and eyes and care to know the truth:
1.) The hurricane that hit New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama was an astonishing tragedy. The suffering and loss of life and peace of mind of the residents of those areas is acutely horrifying.
2.) George Bush did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have been happening for eons. George Bush did not create them or unleash this one.
3.) George Bush did not make this one worse than others. There have been far worse hurricanes than this before George Bush was born.
4.) There is no overwhelming evidence that global warming exists as a man-made phenomenon. There is no clear-cut evidence that global warming even exists. There is no clear evidence that if it does exist it makes hurricanes more powerful or makes them aim at cities with large numbers of poor people. If global warming is a real phenomenon, which it may well be, it started long before George Bush was inaugurated, and would not have been affected at all by the Kyoto treaty, considering that Kyoto does not cover the world’s worst polluters — China, India, and Brazil. In a word, George Bush had zero to do with causing this hurricane. To speculate otherwise is belief in sorcery.
5.) George Bush had nothing to do with the hurricane contingency plans for New Orleans. Those are drawn up by New Orleans and Louisiana. In any event, the plans were perfectly good: mandatory evacuation. It is in no way at all George Bush’s fault that about 20 percent of New Orleans neglected to follow the plan. It is not his fault that many persons in New Orleans were too confused to realize how dangerous the hurricane would be. They were certainly warned. It’s not George Bush’s fault that there were sick people and old people and people without cars in New Orleans. His job description does not include making sure every adult in America has a car, is in good health, has good sense, and is mobile.
6.) George Bush did not cause gangsters to shoot at rescue helicopters taking people from rooftops, did not make gang bangers rape young girls in the Superdome, did not make looters steal hundreds of weapons, in short make New Orleans into a living hell.
7.) George Bush is the least racist President in mind and soul there has ever been and this is shown in his appointments over and over. To say otherwise is scandalously untrue.
8.) George Bush is rushing every bit of help he can to New Orleans and Mississippi and Alabama as soon as he can. He is not a magician. It takes time to organize huge convoys of food and now they are starting to arrive. That they get in at all considering the lawlessness of the city is a miracle of bravery and organization.
9.) There is not the slightest evidence at all that the war in Iraq has diminished the response of the government to the emergency. To say otherwise is pure slander.
10.) If the energy the news media puts into blaming Bush for an Act of God worsened by stupendous incompetence by the New Orleans city authorities and the malevolence of the criminals of the city were directed to helping the morale of the nation, we would all be a lot better off.
11.) New Orleans is a great city with many great people. It will recover and be greater than ever. Sticking pins into an effigy of George Bush that does not resemble him in the slightest will not speed the process by one day.
12.) The entire episode is a dramatic lesson in the breathtaking callousness of government officials at the ground level. Imagine if Hillary Clinton had gotten her way and they were in charge of your health care.
God bless all of those dear people who are suffering so much, and God bless those helping them, starting with George Bush.
is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu.
September 6th, 2005 at 10:36 pmJohn Kerry SUCKS
September 7th, 2005 at 1:02 amJohn Kerry SUCKS
John Kerry SUCKS
John Kerry SUCKS
From down under..
I moved few days ago from Houston to Perth, Australia… and I am Venezuelan.. so much for globalization.. my kids are staying in Houston, going to college, my daughter living two blocks from the Astrodome.. and this is what I get… there is a fabulous word in English: accountability… and it seems nobody is using that lately.
Americans made a fool of themselves in the worst possible way.. we saw, all over the world, how New Orleans was devastated.. how mmm there were mostly blacks left behind.. o yeah, and they happened to be poor, but you see, we can’t see if they are poor or not… what we see is filth, despair, animals.. that is the image the world is seeing. I get sick about the stories, horrified, frustrated… and I wish everyone would begin using the accountability word for once.
Yes, Fema, Bush, the governnor, the people themselves whomever.. they suck.. all the world is seeing that.. looting for TVs? give me a brake! Police dismanteled? overworked volunteers? Bravo for those who could get there and give some help.. regardless of those who died stupidly..
I am so mad at myself, for not being able to find a way to help… and yeap I feel accountable for.. I have been to New Orleans and I actually liked their laissez-fair, and I did not care about the poverty becuase very selfishly I did not think about it. We all KNEW this was going to happen..we simply didn’t care!
The whole world is amazed at how Americans treated Americans.. it is not to the rest of the world that apologies are needed.. but to their own people… You simply don’t let people drown or die of thirst. You don’t let the volunteers get shot.. the people in despair get raped or stabbed.. or the patients wonder around floating in their hospital robes for days.. and you let people know that if they are NOT part of the solution, they are part of the problem.
Refugees displaced around the country need support more than help.. they need to know that they are useful and respected … and that America will stand up for themselves but somehow they have to overcome their own traumas and get on their feet… clean after themselves and get organized to become part of the greater dream so many people pursue..
Yes I am furious at the lack of organization.. and inspired by the heroism of some people… now that that happened, it is time to clean the mess…
September 7th, 2005 at 1:11 amFor #160, vmayes re: “It seems to me YOU took the time to point out the error of everyone ways.” That was not my intention; I never said I had all of the answers either.
My family and I ALWAYS follow the weather down south during the hurricane season. It is very important to us because: 1) My elderly parents reside in Florida; 2) I have a sister with permanent brain damage (from a drunk driver) who, with her family resides in Florida; and 3) I have one other disabled sister with her family who resides in Florida.
I have four other sisters and myself who live outside the Washington, D.C. area and basically we have contingency plans as well as evacuation plans for these family members because you can’t always count on others to help out.
Last year after the first hurricane hit, we flew everybody north that needed to be out of harms way. Some of us questioned ourselves at first, but when the next wave of hurricanes hit we were glad we did what we did. One of my sisters recently wrote that she still wondered if we had done the right thing last year but she said after watching what Katrina was capable of she had absolutely no doubts. Oh, and in case you think we are made of money to be able to fly all my relatives out … we are middle class and we save our money we are not rolling in it by any stretch of the imagination.
I have a degree in Geology and Climatology and I researched the city of New Orleans and the Gulf Delta, etc. You may be right on the money (no pun intended) but as the environmentalists, Army Corp of Engineers, and a number of other groups were aware, this was an accident waiting to happen.
So your question, “How could our government provide $234 million to Gravina but not $105 million to New Orleans to repair and reinforce the levees?” Because as a former mayor acknowledged, they were all aware that the work necessary to protect the city of New Orleans and the river delta should have started 30 years ago and been on-going up to this point. And it had not been done.
To start thinking about it in the past 12 to 24 months, well, yes that amount of money just wasn’t going to cut it, was it?
And in actuality, your last paragraph stating “You would think the fact that 20% of all goods in and out of the country go through its port would have been enough incentive to fully fund those projects.” I cannot agree with you more.
And to be sure every soul’s life, no matter how young or old, how dark or light their skin, in what church they worship or not, they all are more important than all of these details.
However, just to make sure we all understand the facts of how vitality important New Orleans and its ports are, read the following script from a friend; it was quite a lesson in economics:
New Orleans: A Geopolitical Prize
By George Friedman
The American political system was founded in Philadelphia, but the American nation was built on the vast farmlands that stretch from the Alleghenies to the Rockies. That farmland produced the wealth that funded American industrialization: It permitted the formation of a class of small
landholders who, amazingly, could produce more than they could consume. They could sell their excess crops in the east and in Europe and save that money, which eventually became the founding capital of American industry.
But it was not the extraordinary land nor the farmers and ranchers who alone set the process in motion. Rather, it was geography – the extraordinary system of rivers that flowed through the Midwest and allowed them to ship their surplus to the rest of the world. All of the rivers
flowed into one – the Mississippi – and the Mississippi flowed to the ports in and around one city: New Orleans. It was in New Orleans that the barges from upstream were unloaded and their cargos stored, sold, and reloaded on ocean-going vessels.
Until last Sunday, New Orleans was, in many ways, the pivot of the American economy.
For that reason, the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815 was a key moment in American history. Even though the battle occurred after the War of 1812 was over, had the British taken New Orleans, we suspect they wouldn’t have given it back. Without New Orleans, the entire Louisiana Purchase would have been valueless to the United States. Or, to state it more precisely, the British would control the region because, at the end of the day, the value of the Purchase was the land and the rivers – which all converged on the Mississippi and the ultimate port of New Orleans. The hero of the battle was Andrew Jackson, and when he became president, his obsession with Texas had much to do with keeping the Mexicans away from New Orleans.
During the Cold War, a macabre topic of discussion among bored graduate students who studied such things was this: If the Soviets could destroy one city with a large nuclear device, which would it be? The usual answers were Washington or New York. For me, the answer was simple: New Orleans. If the Mississippi River were shut to traffic, then the foundations of the economy would be shattered. The industrial minerals needed in the factories wouldn’t come in, and the agricultural wealth wouldn’t flow out. Alternative routes really weren’t available.
The Germans knew it too: A U-boat campaign occurred near the mouth of the Mississippi during World War II. Both the Germans and Stratfor have stood with Andy Jackson: New Orleans was the prize.
Last Sunday, nature took out New Orleans almost as surely as a nuclear strike. Hurricane Katrina’s geopolitical effect was not, in many ways, indistinguishable from a mushroom cloud. The key exit from North America was closed. The petrochemical industry, which has become an added value to the region since Jackson’s days, was at risk. The navigability of the Mississippi south of New Orleans was a question mark. New Orleans as a city and as a port complex had ceased to exist, and it was not clear that it could recover.
The Ports of South Louisiana (POSL) and New Orleans, which run north and south of the city, are as important today as at any point during the history of the republic. On its own merit, POSL is the largest port in the United States by tonnage and the fifth-largest in the world. It exports more than 52 million tons a year, of which more than half are agricultural products – corn, soybeans and so on. A large proportion of U.S. agriculture flows out of the port. Almost as much cargo, nearly 17 million tons, comes in through the port — including not only crude oil, but chemicals and fertilizers, coal, concrete and so on.
A simple way to think about the New Orleans port complex is that it is where the bulk commodities of agriculture go out to the world and the bulk commodities of industrialism come in. The commodity chain of the global food industry starts here, as does that of American industrialism. If these facilities are gone, more than the price of goods shifts: The very physical
structure of the global economy would have to be reshaped.
Consider the impact to the U.S. auto industry if steel doesn’t come up the river or the effect on global food supplies if U.S. corn and soybeans don’t get to the markets.
The problem is that there are no good shipping alternatives. River transport is cheap, and most of the commodities we are discussing have low value-to-weight ratios. The U.S. transport system was built on the
assumption that these commodities would travel to and from New Orleans by barge, where they would be loaded on ships or offloaded. Apart from port capacity elsewhere in the United States, there aren’t enough trucks or rail cars to handle the long-distance hauling of these enormous quantities – assuming for the moment that the economics could be managed, which they can’t be.
The focus in the media has been on the oil industry in Louisiana and Mississippi. This is not a trivial question, but in a certain sense, it is dwarfed by the shipping issue. First, Louisiana is the source of about 15
percent of U.S. produced petroleum, much of it from the Gulf. The local refineries are critical to American infrastructure. Were all of these facilities to be lost, the effect on the price of oil worldwide would be extraordinarily painful. If the river itself became unnavigable or if the ports are no longer functioning, the impact to the wider economy would be significantly more severe. In a sense, there is more flexibility in oil than in the physical transport of these other commodities.
There is clearly good news as information comes in. By all accounts, the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, which services super-tankers in the Gulf, is intact. Port Fourchon, which is the center of extraction operations in the Gulf, has sustained damage but is recoverable. The status of the oil platforms is unclear and it is not known what the underwater systems look like, but on the surface, the damage – though not trivial – is manageable.
The news on the river is also far better than would have been expected on Sunday. The river has not changed its course. No major levees containing the river have burst. The Mississippi apparently has not silted up to such an extent that massive dredging would be required to render it navigable. Even the port facilities, although apparently damaged in many places and destroyed in few, are still there. The river, as transport corridor, has not been lost.
What has been lost is the city of New Orleans and many of the residential suburban areas around it. The population has fled, leaving behind a relatively small number of people in desperate straits. Some are dead, others are dying, and the magnitude of the situation dwarfs the resources required to ameliorate their condition. But it is not the population that is trapped in New Orleans that is of geopolitical significance: It is the population that has left and has nowhere to return to.
The oil fields, pipelines, and ports required a skilled workforce in order to operate. That workforce requires homes. They require stores to buy food and other supplies. Hospitals and doctors. Schools for their children. In other words, in order to operate the facilities critical to the United States, you need a workforce to do it – and that workforce is gone.
Unlike in other disasters, that workforce cannot return to the region because they have no place to live. New Orleans is gone, and the metropolitan area surrounding New Orleans is either gone or so badly damaged that it will not be inhabitable for a long time. It is possible to jury-rig around this problem for a short time. But the fact is that those who have left the area have gone to live with relatives and friends. Those who had the ability to leave also had networks of relationships and resources to manage their exile. But those resources are not infinite – and as it becomes apparent that these people will not be returning to New Orleans any time soon, they will be enrolling their children in new schools, finding new jobs, finding new accommodations. If they have any insurance money coming, they will collect it. If they have none, then – whatever emotional connections they may have to their home – their economic connection to it has been severed. In a very short time, these people will be making decisions that will start to reshape population and workforce patterns in the region.
A city is a complex and ongoing process – one that requires physical infrastructure to support the people who live in it and people to operate that physical infrastructure. We don’t simply mean power plants or sewage treatment facilities, although they are critical. Someone has to be able to sell a bottle of milk or a new shirt. Someone has to be able to repair a car or do surgery. And the people who do those things, along with the infrastructure that supports them, are gone – and they are not coming back anytime soon.
It is in this sense, then, that it seems almost as if a nuclear weapon went
off in New Orleans. The people mostly have fled rather than died, but they are gone. Not all of the facilities are destroyed, but most are. It appears to us that New Orleans and its environs have passed the point of recoverability. The area can recover, to be sure, but only with the commitment of massive resources from outside – and those resources would always be at risk to another Katrina.
The displacement of population is the crisis that New Orleans faces. It is also a national crisis, because the largest port in the United States cannot function without a city around it. The physical and business processes of a port cannot occur in a ghost town, and right now, that is what New Orleans is. It is not about the facilities, and it is not about the oil. It is about the loss of a city’s population and the paralysis of the largest port in the United States.
Let’s go back to the beginning. The United States historically has depended on the Mississippi and its tributaries for transport. Barges navigate the river. Ships go on the ocean. The barges must offload to the ships and vice versa. There must be a facility to empower this exchange. It is also the facility where goods are stored in transit. Without this port, the river can’t be used.
Protecting that port has been, from the time of the Louisiana Purchase, a
fundamental national security issue for the United States. Katrina has taken out the port – not by destroying the facilities, but by rendering the area uninhabited and potentially uninhabitable. That means that even if the Mississippi remains navigable, the absence of a port near the mouth of the river makes the Mississippi enormously less useful than it was.
For these reasons, the United States has lost not only its biggest port complex, but also the utility of its river transport system – the foundation of the entire American transport system. There are some substitutes, but none with sufficient capacity to solve the problem.
It follows from this that the port will have to be revived and, one would assume, the city as well. The ports around New Orleans are located as far north as they can be and still be accessed by ocean-going vessels. The need for ships to be able to pass each other in the waterways, which narrow to the north, adds to the problem. Besides, the Highway 190 bridge in Baton
Rouge blocks the river going north.
New Orleans is where it is for a reason:
The United States needs a city right there. New Orleans is not optional for the United States’ commercial infrastructure. It is a terrible place for a city to be located, but exactly the place where a city must exist. With that as a given, a city will return there because the alternatives are too devastating. The harvest is coming, and that means that the port will have to be opened soon.
As in Iraq, premiums will be paid to people prepared to endure the hardships of working in New Orleans. But in the end, the city will return because it has to.
Geopolitics is the stuff of permanent geographical realities and the way they interact with political life. Geopolitics created New Orleans. Geopolitics caused American presidents to obsess over its safety. And geopolitics will force the city’s resurrection, even if it is in the worst imaginable place.
September 7th, 2005 at 4:40 am“The harvest is coming, and that means that the port will have to be opened soon.”
Not necessarily. The Port of Houston has been expanding faster than Michael Moore’s middle the last year or so. It’s almost like….Bush knew!
September 7th, 2005 at 10:39 pm#169 – Interesting comment.
I’m surprised nobody has yet to jump down the throat of #167, the Venezuelan woman who has moved from Houston, TX to Perth, Australia, but leaving her children behind to attend college in Houston; and her response was: “… and this is what I get …”
Was that really a question? Or was it a comment of sarcastic disgust that the New Orleans displaced might be living among the mix of the Houston population while her children attend college in Houston. Her entire blog entry reads like a raving, mad woman.
I wonder exactly “what” she thought she was getting from the city of Houston after they opened their city and the Astrodome, as well as other shelters to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy.
I am usually very even-tempered and composed; and I usually will take the time to prepare a response, however most of her ranting are not worth the waste of my time.
However, from one legal immigrant (Belfast, Northern Ireland by way of Canada, with my parents and siblings) to another(?) “Alicia you are a real piece of work. Be careful, if you are so unhappy with the state of affairs in this country, you can always leave permanently and take your kids out of our colleges at the same time and go back to your native country. Or, are there other reasons you no longer live in the country of your birth?” Hmmm … I can think of a few … This is still America … love it or leave it.
P.S. English is still the primary language of the United States. Learn to write it properly. My family did.
September 8th, 2005 at 3:22 amIt is unbelievable to me that some folks are so married to George Bush that they are unable to think critically or say one word against him. He gets away with murder on a regular basis.. from the lies for going to war, the outing of a CIA agent, making mercury okay, and now the Katrina fiasco. What does he have to do, commit a murder live on television, before these folks wake up?
September 8th, 2005 at 11:58 amAmazing a CNN reporter had the “balls” to ask the questions many of us would be asking these politicians. Wasn’t it a few days ago that Landrieu said “she wanted to slap the President”? Isn’t she supposed to represent the needs of her constituents and state? Wasn’t she supposed to see that the levees and the money earmarked for it be spent wisely? Isn’t it congress that appropriate the funds, not the President? Didn’t some of the officials who were supposed to use the federal funds for the levees go to jail, recently, for mishandling the funds? The WTC was 16 acres of disaster, this Katrina has encompassed over 90,000 miles of land. I see her tempered emotions a result of her looking directly in the mirror and saying to herself “I’m to blame and I can’t afford to lose my job over it” I need to rally around comrades, in order to save myself and take the attention away from me, congress and the appropriations committee’s, state and local government, or we’ll all be in trouble with “the People”.
September 8th, 2005 at 6:19 pmThe Red Cross was ready to deliver food, water and other supplies New Orleans’ Superdome last week – but the relief was blocked by bureaucrats who worked for Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco.
Fox News Channel’s Major Garrett reported Wednesday that the Red Cross had “trucks with water, food, hygiene equipment, all sorts of things ready to go … to the Superdome and Convention Center.”
But the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security, Garrett said, “told them they could not go.”
“The Red Cross tells me that Louisiana’s Department of Homeland Security said, ‘Look, we do not want to create a magnet for more people to come to the Superdome or Convention Center, we want to get them out,’” he explained.
“So at the same time local officials were screaming where is the food, where is the water, the Red Cross was standing by ready and the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security said you can’t go.”
September 8th, 2005 at 7:05 pmNow….when the finger pointing starts…it should start at HOME.
Did anyone see Larry King Live last night? While speaking to Anderson Cooper, Pappa Bush’s chum Larry King asked if maybe the reporters who have been on the story since the beginning should be leave and allow new reporters to take over. Cooper did not agree that new reporters were needed. Do you think it may-be a reaction to Anderson Cooper’s pointed and angry questions and statements? Implying Cooper was no longer “objective”. More likely no longer containable.
September 8th, 2005 at 9:07 pmAfter reading some of these comments, I have only one thing to say: I can’t beleive that there are that many stupid people in the United States
September 9th, 2005 at 11:45 pm>>>>>>
After reading some of these comments, I have only one thing to say: I can’t beleive that there are that many stupid people in the United States
Comment by Brett — September 9, 2005 @ 11:45 pm
>>>>>>
Believe it! Somewhere around half of this country’s registered voters–actually those of them who bothered to vote–pulled the lever for George W. Bush.
September 10th, 2005 at 5:37 pmThis exchange sounds like two second stringers from third rate organizations, (CNN and the State of La.) looking to feather their nests! Two, less than, Qualified Liberal Jackals practicing one ups man ship!
September 10th, 2005 at 8:36 pmDo all of the idiots who are STILL trying to blame Bush, FEMA, etc. for what happened in New Orleans have ANY clue about what REALLY happened? Do you know that the RED CROSS and SALVATION ARMY have plainly stated, through their most senior officials, that they had food, water, and hygiene supplies “pre-positioned” and ready to go into both the Superdome and New Orleans Convention Center They were BLOCKED from providing aid to people in New Orleans deliberately – by the LOUSIANA DEPT of HOMELAND SECURITY!!! Where is your outrage at the DEMOCRATIC STATE OFFICIALS who CREATED the awful scenes witnessed by the country and the world last week?? If the “guilty” party isn’t Bush – Are you just not interested???!!!
September 10th, 2005 at 10:36 pmIm from florida, and while you can say whatever you want about the president, Louisiana’s governer holds prime responsibility for this disaster. If we have a hurricane coming, Jeb Bush will declare state of emergency one or two day before that, and starts evacuating people and getting on the TV and speaking in his gringo yet understandable spanish telling people to move. When Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco was…
September 10th, 2005 at 10:37 pmMan, you people scare me. This is a site for Fools and Haters. So, gotta go.
September 11th, 2005 at 12:32 amToo bad so many of you are not interested in the FACTS!! Local, State and THEN Federal Gov…in that order, are responsible to respond. This is according to our Constitution of the U.S. But please, don’t let that pesky document get in the way of your Bush bashing.
September 11th, 2005 at 10:05 amThis was an act of God, and to start blaming Bush for it is simply ludicrous.
The media has been terrible in this. Journalists just spouting their mouths because it is sensational and a fabulous ratings boost. Saying things that are simply not true. All those bodies in the freezer in the Convention Center…what an outrage…Oh, wait…that turned out to be untrue.
Sheeeesh, people. You are disgusting. This has been the worst natural disaster this country has faced. Why do you all think that those things happen only in “third world countries”? And why do you think that relief should be there in the time it takes to text message someone?
Mistakes were made, yes. But let’s look first at the local and State governments and see where things should have been handled better.
I know it is difficult to resist an opportunity to bash Bush, but try to let the facts govern your thinking instead of your hatred for the man.
So typical of some partisan hacks to swallow the media’s first wave of propaganda concerning the Katrina debacle. Clearly Democratic Governor Blanco and Democratic Mayor Nagin have first responders culpability which the media is still in a denial mode about.
Here are some facts:
1) Army Corps of Engineers said decision to build levees to category 3 was made DECADES AGO. All flood control levees in the area were in good repair and did not suffer from “budget cuts”.
2) …in fact the levee which did break was just upgraded just last year.
3) Louisiana tops every state in the union by a wide margin with federal dollars for flood control. This has actually caused left-wing environmentalist wackos AND the New York Times past editorials to refer to even the modest addition of $4.2 Billion flood control bill to address some of these issues as “a boondoggle” and a threat to the wildlife in the region!
4) More federal dollars to address concerns about the concerns of the Mississippi River Delta and flooding in New Orleans was budgeted under five years of the Bush Administration than under 8 years of the Clinton Administration.
5) After Katrina slowly passed through the area, FEMA enlisted the Louisiana National Guard to drop off seven semi-truck loads of food and water to the Superdome WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY STOCKED WITH EMERGENCY SUPPLIES BY MAYOR NAGIN UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF GOVENOR BLANCO, BUT WASN’T. Evacuees were already streaming in and a day later another seven truck convoy dropped off more food and water to help address the needs of the growing population of evacuees. Secondary proof of this was the enormous amount of trash which the evacuees apparently just threw on the floor of the Superdome and the nearby convention center. Check the videotapes from that period when people were ranting about “starving” to death. Being hungry isn’t the same as “starving”.
6) It was LOUISIANA OFFICIALS who kept the Red Cross from subsequently attending to the supply needs of those in the Superdome and the convention center after the levee broke. The prevailing logic at the time among Louisiana officials, as I presently understand it, was the existence of food and water would be a magnet to draw other unwanted evacuees there and/or it would keep those already there from wanting to leave.
7) Democratic Governor dragged her feet in not only declaring evacuation but also declaring martial law. Timelines are available on line (please ignore the left-blogs who are known for not playing fair and square with the facts) Notice, there is questions whether the evacuation order was mandatory – it certainly didn’t have the authority to forcibly remove those who are now being forced to remove themselves from New Orleans.
8) Mayor Nagin DID NOT use the municipal and school buses as required by Louisiana Emergency Evacuation and Hurricane Preparedeness guidelines. Over two thousand were parked in neat rows and then were subsequently ruined when submerged under the rising waters. There was also a train station terminal next to the Superdome that could have been used by the Mayor to evacuate those who refused to leave the city when evacuation orders were given early Sunday. It might be argued that the mayor did not avail himself of these assets (I think its because he is imcompetent, frankly) because when the winds of Katrina passed, the levees were still temporarily holding the storm surge early Monday and the Mayor, along with a good number of other people thought the moment of danger had passed. But this ignores the fact those people should have already been evacuated before Monday morning.
As we sort through the disinformation of the first wave of hysterical media reports, we are finding out more and more about the sheer incompetence and mishandling of the Katrina disaster STARTING with local authorities and going on up to the Louisiana Governor herself. FEMA probably certainly deserves some blame in not more quickly picking up the slack, but the egregious finger-pointing by liberal Democratic partisans aided and abetted by their lap dog media sycophants certainly did not service in clarifying what really did happen.
It will take months to find out what really did happen when and where, then let the fingerpointing begin. I just found it disgusting that there was those Bush-haters who began using this NATURAL DISASTER in a politically opportunisitic manner in hopes of discrediting the President and the federal government, particularly since they were relying on biased or simply erroneous information from the liberal-tilted media outlets.
September 11th, 2005 at 11:30 amHahaha…………..hahahahahahaha…………hahaha……..hahahaha…………………..hahahahaha. Wew! That was funny!
September 11th, 2005 at 2:04 pmI think the failure at all levels of government during this natural disaster shows that people need to be more self-sufficient. If you are depending on politicians and what is considered to be the most corrupt police department in the USA to save your butt, you are going to end up exactly like those we saw for three days in New Orleans. We are seeing thousands of flooded cars parked in the flooded neighborhoods – why did they not leave? We see hundreds of buses flooded – why did they not pick up a load of poor people and get out? Were they waiting on a politician to tell them what to do?
September 11th, 2005 at 2:22 pmMessage to all of us, take matters into your own hands, save yourself and as many others as you can, and don’t depend on politicians who are pretty much all worthless.
This was actually the last time I heard Landrieu saying that the country should come together to work to solve this problem. Now she is levelling 100% vitriol at the Bush Administration.
September 11th, 2005 at 4:03 pmLet’s see how long has the senaor been a senator there and how much legislation has she brought to the house? I did a Nexis search and the answer is ZERO ZIP NADA!
September 11th, 2005 at 4:49 pmCNN? Is that the Cadaver News Network?
September 11th, 2005 at 8:37 pmThe senator is probably mad that CNN doesn’t have the guts to blame the worthless mayor for letting hundreds of buses soak in 6 feet of water as the city floods.Maybe Andy should get pi$$ed at the worthless guvna for not excepting Floirda’s offer for help.May Andy is pi$$ed that the Red Cross wasn’t allowed to bring in supplies to the dome that were minutes away the whole time the po folk were suffering.
September 11th, 2005 at 10:31 pmHollywood celeb activist Sean Penn showed up in New Orleans in order to take charge of the evacuation operations. Unfortunately, after he launched his cute little camo duck boat (PETA take note) filled with his entourage, including personal photographer, he discovered that his public relations manager forgot to install the drain plug — and the boat immediately began taking on water.
Penn had to suspend his plans to rescue all the stranded children while he bailed with a red cup — previously occupied with a Pat O’Brian Hurricane. Then Penn’s boat motor would not start (did anyone check for fuel) so the whole crew had to paddle around in circles for a while hoping to get some good press.
One bystander queried Penn and all his golden boys, “How are you going to get any people in that thing?” Of course, that was never the objective. Mr. Penn needs a good script writer and new Publicity Manager who want embarrass him. He does a very good job of that without help.
September 12th, 2005 at 12:43 pmYou cannot send in the UN because they are currently in deep hiding mode due to oil-for-food. Their incompetence would destroy that city for good, look what 60 years of Dimacrat rule have wrought. AS to Sheryl, she would not know a Third World Country id she saw it, he hatred for the US would blind her to the realities.
September 13th, 2005 at 1:14 amIs Anderson Cooper has enough courage to interview a republican senator, male, and white. A journalist has to be objective , but he eclipsed the real news of that day; the president of the FEMA had a false CV. Does Anderson Cooper has enough balls to interveiew that guy? Does Anderson Cooper is too provincial to be an anchorman at CNN to not interveiw the real responasible of the disaster. And not be its CEline Dion of himself and go to do his real job, to search for the truth and stop to play the star.
September 13th, 2005 at 9:14 amWhat Anderson Cooper did to his friend Ed Caraballo pourring in a jail in Afghanistan since 1 year. A guy who won 4 emmy awards? One of his friend who worked together and maybe helped him to be where he is right now? Is he as free journalist as he want to let us showed ? Is he as free spririt that he want to let us showed?. Or is it just for boosting his carreer, ..
September 13th, 2005 at 11:28 amLouisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco lashed out at FEMA on Tuesday (Sept 13), complaining the agency is moving too slowly in recovering the bodies of those killed by Hurricane Katrina.
The dead “deserve more respect than they have received,” she said at state police headquarters in Baton Rouge.
Governor Blanco: Body Recovery Taking Too Long
She said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency still has not signed a contract with the company hired to handle the removal of the bodies, Houston-based Kenyon International Emergency Services.
Calls to a FEMA spokesman in New Orleans and the Homeland Security Department in Washington were not immediately returned.
This is coming from a woman, who had acted when she was supposed to, could have avoided the deaths, at least most of them. SHE IS TOTALLY WITHOUT SHAME. She should be impeached or at the least, held accountable for the deaths in her state. If the good people of New Orleans elects this person again, they deserve what will happen to them.
September 13th, 2005 at 9:18 pmHomicide charges were filed against the husband-and-wife owners of a nursing home where 34 elderly patients are believed to have drowned in Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters, the first major criminal case related to the storm’s still rising death toll.
For Louisiana alone, the toll surged by more than half Tuesday to 423. Including deaths in four other states, Katrina’s overall death count stood at 659.
September 14th, 2005 at 8:28 amThey sould also arrest the Gov. and the Mayor of New Orleans….they are the ones who REALLY are to blame for most of the deaths. It is through their negligence that most of the deaths happened.
In that case, just say that if it was an act of God, Let Bush declare war to God.
September 14th, 2005 at 4:30 pmIf Anderson Cooper was terrified to see some bodies eaten by rats on the streets of New-Orleans, What would be his feeling to know that one of the guy he was working with few years ago, Ed Caraballo, who is in jail right now in Kaboul, was almost been torched alive by some afghans prisoners who shared his room. What a journalist so professionnal like Anderson Cooper is doing to save his compatriots who share the same profession as he has, the same search of truth, to let the public know that some americans are in jail in Kaboul illegally. They are still alive… but too much scandalized by pets in New-Orleans…loosing their master…If Anderson Cooper found his 9-11 th sept?
September 14th, 2005 at 4:55 pmTell Anderson Cooper if it is the senator of New-Orleans who presently blocked the 1500 doctors from Cuba since 1 week, ready to help. Tell Anderson Cooper that the president of the American Red Cross was the first to ask for international help, (indeed, she asked just a few hours after the hurricane to the Canadian red cross some help. Just a federal governement has the logistic to do it. The american red croos was mostly more sensitive then the federal and the FEMA. Ask Anderson Cooper that the Canadian help was ready one day after the past of the hurricane , and this is the federal american governement who has the right to ask first.
September 14th, 2005 at 8:54 pmI think that was Anderson Cooper finest hour, may he have many more. It is about time that the press get off their sorry butts and start asking the hard questions of this administration especially, if they don’t answer, or refuse to answer, then investigate them up the ying yang, that exchange the other day between David Gregory and WH press sec Scott McClellen should make everyone demand he be fired–McClellan that is–what a disgrace this WH has turned into, lies, creating a false war, outing a CIA agent just for revenge, Haliburton, etc etc etc, sitting on their asses while gas prices go thru the roof (2 former oil men rewarding their oil men buddies, and the Prez is supposed to be BEST buddies with the Saudies), not that I care that much about gas, but with home heating oil and natural gas climbing in huge percentages, there will be another disaster this winter that makes a 100,000 people stuck in NO during a hurricane look like small potatos if people can’t afford to heat their homes and freeze to death. BUT, not one politician seems to care, THAT is why we need the press to DEMAND answers for us and when they turn around and blame the press for ASKING the tough questions, it is time for the press to go into full investigation mode, plaster this political gamesmanship all over the TV and newspapers so the American people can see how badly they are being led. You and I are not able to ask questions of these people, so the press HAS to do it for us, and finally they are waking up and this ‘boys club’ were everyone is buddy buddy insead of being our watch dog, has finally stopped I hope.
September 15th, 2005 at 3:39 amWhy was it such a surprise that Bush sat on his ranch for 2 days not caring after a cat 4 almost 5 slammed into a major American city? I mean, we all have seen the ‘frozen, deer in headlights’ response he had with 9-11 for 7 minutes..don’t be in a hurry to be a leader mr prez.
And as far as the Gov and the major of NO go, they should be tossed out of office as fast as Landrieau and Bush, if that mayor had done HIS job and evacuated as many people with the city buses and schoolbuses as he could before the storm, there would have been 1/3 as many deaths, and to hear him screaming foul afterwards?? They all, from the NO mayor on up to the Prez should be thrown in jail for stealing tax payers money and giving nothing in return.
Soon after the horror of Hurricane Katrina, Americans were subjected to another high wind warning when Jesse Jackson and Howard Dean began exploiting the situation for perceived political gain. All of this while hundreds of Americans died in front of a stunned population watching on television. . Jackson immediately brought race to the forefront (what a shock) and said blacks were treated like they were on “slave ships.”
Dean pointed out that the poor got hammered, and that was Bush’s fault because of tax cuts for the rich or some such nonsense. Jackson and Dean ran around grabbing cameras and microphones, howling at the moon.
Here are some very interesting facts: In 1996, the poverty level in the USA stood at 13.7%. In 2004, the poverty level was 12.7%, so Bush beats Clinton here by a full percentage point. To be fair, Clinton did bring the poverty rate down during his administration, while it has been rising slightly since 9/11. But at the halfway point, Bush wins.
As far as entitlement spending on poverty programs is concerned, it isn’t even close. In 1996, President Clinton signed a budget that directed 12.2% of spending be directed toward the poor. In 2004, Bush’s budget kicked 2% more than Clinton to poverty programs, an astronomical $329 billion dollars. In fact, President Bush is spending more on poverty entitlement programs and education than any President in history. But still Jesse and Howard rave on.
In 2006, almost $368 billion dollars will go for Medicaid, food stamps, family support assistance, supplemental security income, child nutrition programs, earned income tax credits, welfare payments, child care payments, foster care and adoption assistance, and child health insurance payments to the states. The truth is that the working men and women of this country are providing the tightest safety net in history for the poor. And our private charitable donations rank first in the world as well.
The race and class baiters will always ignore the fact that some people simply cannot support themselves no matter what society does. The New Testament states it clearly: “the poor, they will always be with us.” But America provides more opportunity for more people than anywhere else on the planet.
I hope the facts don’t startle you too much.
September 15th, 2005 at 5:53 pmLouisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s abrupt decision Wednesday night to take responsibility for her state’s inadequate response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster followed an inadvertent confession that was caught on camera where Blanco admitted she blew it.
“I really should have called for the military,” Blanco said, while chatting with her press secretary in between TV interviews. “I really should have started that in the first call.”
Unbeknownst to Blanco, her bombshell acknowledgment was recorded on a network satellite feed, and by Tuesday the clip was getting wide exposure in Louisiana news broadcasts.
In the early days of the Katrina crisis, disaster management experts repeatedly blamed the failure to send in the National Guard for the city’s descent into chaos.
Most observers blamed the White House for the blunder – a misconception that was thoroughly dispelled by the governor’s inadvertent confession.
Some say Blanco’s blooper was responsible for the abrupt change of tone in her speech Wednesday night to the Louisiana legislature.
Where earlier she and her aides had openly blamed the Bush administration for bungling Katrina rescue efforts, Blanco announced: “The buck stops here, and as your governor, I take full responsibility.”
Just as surprising were Blanco’s words of praise for the White House: “I want the people of Louisiana to know that we have a friend and a partner in President George W. Bush. I thank you, Mr. President.”
September 15th, 2005 at 10:03 pmWell, Governor…it’s better late than never.
I have a question for NorthEast Dillema; Why exactly do you support Bush? I have read these posts and every time I see one of yours, I see you support Bush without any reason. Why do you think he is a good president? Do you have any reason other than loyalty to a certain political party or belief structure? I wonder, does the actions of the President while in office, holding a sacred trust to his people, matter? What has Bush done in his term and a quarter in office that shows he is even an AVERAGE leader, let alone a good President?
September 16th, 2005 at 4:39 pmI will list several points of Bush’s Presidential career that I believe clearly illustrate that Bush is in fact NOT a good leader, and not even a decent human being. After reading which, if you should choose to respond, I only ask that you do so with at least as many concrete, factual incidences of Bush upholding the Constituion (as he has sworn to do) and just being a good leader, that you would defend on this site, and, I immagine, in your daily life.
President Bush has AT LEAST misled both Congress and the American people in order to lead them into a war based on corporate greed( while the US doesnt gain much oil directly from the Iraq war, many corporations who have a cushy relationship with the administration benefit immensely by being now able to construct various pipelines that were previously forbidden to them) and fro a personal vendeta (I’m sure we all remeber Bush saying proudly into the camera that he hated Saddam because he “Tried to Kill m’Daddy!”) Bush, and his cronies, swore that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction(which alone was not enough reason to lead us into war) but also that Saddam was prepared to DIRECTLY ATTACK THE USA! which, of course, was not true.
Bush also cleared all Saudis here in America (the rich oil baron ones anyway, here at US invitation) to fly out of the country, when ALL OTHER AIRCRAFT WERE GROUNDED after 911!! Many of these Saudis were even RELATED to Bin Laden!!! and the President, and his administration, allowed them to leave the country WITHOUT EVEN BEING QUESTIONED!!!
Durring 911, Bush sat immobile, in a classroom in Florida for like 7 minutes! AFTER being informed that our country was UNDER ATTACK!!! Does this show good leadership qualities? Is this why you defend and support your beloved president? Do you even care that he has done these things? I’m sure you must have thoroughly valid reasons that you love Bush so, and that you are prepared to share these reasons with us. Why else would you support a President who said on TV, after the disaster in NO, that no one could have predicted the failure of the levees, when he, and the rest og the Feds had been warned of just such an eventuality?
If you respond to this post, NeD, I’d appreciate it if you aknowlegde first Bush’s fully documented failings, AND THEN tell us all why, despite these failings(which are legion) you still support the President? I mean, you surely MUST have a better reason than, “‘Cause!” or, “Democrats Suck!!!!”, which is all I’ve seen in your posts. Bush is a fool and criminal, by any standards other than Partisanism, and to defend or support him is to declare yourself a fool and a criminal as well. So, please let us know what he has done to inspire such loyalty in you, other than lie, cheat and exude arrogance like perspiration?
To MustrumRidcully
Since the party you directed your rants to has bothered to answer as of yet…I hope you want mind if I do. I like Bush because he has BALLS…and keeps them in his pants. So very unlike the last embarrassment we had in the white house. I also like him because he doesn’t take any crap. Call him a cowboy…but I LIKE cowboys. Also, he is a man of faith and that make me proud. Not that I agree with everything his administration does. (Namely stem cells, abortion hell, if there was more abortion going on, I doubt if you’d be here) and I do not see eye to eye with his administration on border security.
September 18th, 2005 at 8:40 amSo what if he finished reading to those kids for 7 minutes. Why scare them to death by jumping up and running off. No President in history has EVER had to deal with what Bush has had to deal with….an attack on on our country plus the biggest natural disaster since Galveston, Texas over 100 years ago. It is horrifying to think what would have happen during the 911 attack if Kerry was our president, he would still be on the phone asking France and Germany what to do next.
As for the New Orleans flood that was screwed up by a dimwitted Gov. who was so afraid to act that she just goofed. Not to mention a mayor that should be hanged for what he did. Do I have to mention what party they each belong? If New Orleans didn’t have the most corrupt political system of any state in the union for the past 50 years or so, the levees would have probably been fixed long ago.
As for him clearing all the Saudis to leave after 9/11: You have got to quit reading the Move On America blogs and other left wing, head case pages. Geeeese!!
Bush, like any other President, can only act on the information received from the CIA and other sources as to what our enemies are doing. Perhaps our information would have been better if Clinton hadn’t done everything in his power to dismantle our Secret Service, & CIA. And by the way….who the hell wouldn’t hate someone who tries to kill your Dad?
That’s about it. I’m sure you will answer with more wild, eyed raves….but that’s OK too. This is what this great country is all about. Even people like you can run down the president and call him every name in the book. Never offer ANY solutions…but just criticism. So….RAVE ON.
WHAT I HAVE NOT SEEN ON T.V. ABOUT NEW ORLEANS:
The ACLU setting up a feeding line.
People for the American Way helping in the shelters.
The NAACP doing any work whatsover.
The American Atheist organization serving meals in the shelters.
Jesse Jackson directing traffic at the gas stations.
The gripers in Congress should come on down and get in line to pass the water and the ice. Are you listening and all of the sorry loafers we call Senators and Congressmen. They don’t have a clue as to what this life is all about here on the Gulf Coast.
September 21st, 2005 at 12:05 pmAnderson Cooper’s breakdown is typical of a media that wants to create & be the story instead if reporting it. Giving a loser like Cindy SHeehan so much (homely) face time shows where their allegiances are.
September 24th, 2005 at 4:49 pm[...] One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight [...]
October 19th, 2005 at 2:57 pm#204 & #205- May you live long, may the road meet your feet as you walk to the pub! (An Irish Blessing I just made up)
October 21st, 2005 at 8:46 pmP.S. Def Leppard Rocks and I wish everone could experience them…..
To The Katrina Victrina,
I echo your hurt, pain, sorrow, and frustration, all across the nation. I want you to know that you are not alone, given the generosity and kindness that was shown. I saw you suffer, I heard your cry. I, like you ask the questions why? I have done many things to let you know I care, but most of all I remembered, to keep you in my prayer. WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT Right now you may be discouraged and you don’t know just what to do. It may seem like the whole world has turned its back on you. Just remember this too will pass and trouble don’t last always. Hope is just ahead in the comming days.
Sincerely concerned,
Judy Richards
October 28th, 2005 at 5:13 amjrichie12003@yahoo.com
Anderson Cooper I watched you on Oprah After the Show on Sunday.10\23. You are among the best. I agree that the victims still are looking for answers, and that in six months or less it will probably be forgotton. But if I echo their voices across the nation, then their cry will ring out for years to come. Through the words of My poem I will not let them be forgotton and rode off as a loss. WHY? Why were we ignored so long Why didn’t you hear our cry Why were we just left alone Why did so many die Why didn’t you see our repeated distress Why couldn’t you answer our call Why were we prolonged time after time Why did you have to stall Why were we treated as aliens Why were we misunderstood Why were called refugees in our hometown neighborhood Why did it seemed your primary focus was not our lives at stake Instead you were more concerned about, things you thought we’d take Why couldn’ you see the sorrow, of our men, women, sons, and daughters Why couldn’t you see us weakening as we held on in the waters Why does it seems so hard Why is it so unfair Why do we call this AMERICA When you can’t show us you care
AHEAD we face many obstacles ALREADY we’ve escaped much harm OUR TRAILS have taught us strength TOGETHER we will weather the storm
Written by:
October 28th, 2005 at 6:06 amJudy Richards
jrichie12003@yahoo.com
Anguilla,MS
Go Anderson Cooper:)
December 30th, 2005 at 5:26 amA real journalist/reporter does not intentionally become part of the story he/she is supposed to be reporting on. This is not breakthrough journalism, it what historian Daniel Boorstin called a ‘Pseudo-Event’.
Boorstin writes, “A pseudo-event, then, is a happening that possesses the following characteristics:
(1) It is not spontaneous, but comes about because someone has planned, planted, or incited it. Typically, it is not a train wreck or an earthquake, but an interview.
(2) It is planted primarily (not always exclusively) for the immediate purpose of being reported or reproduced. Therefore, its occurrence is arranged for the convenience of the reporting or reproducing media. Its success is measured by how widely it is reported. Time relations in it are commonly fictitious or factitious; the announcement is given out in advance “for future release” and written as if the event had occurred in the past. The question, “Is it real?” is less important than, “Is it newsworthy?”
(3) Its relation to the underlying reality of the situation is ambiguous. Its interest arises largely from this very ambiguity. Concerning a pseudo-event the question, “What does it mean?” has a new dimension. While the news interest in a train wreck is in what happened and in the real consequences, the interest in an interview is always, in a sense, in whether it really happened and in what might have been the motives. Did the statement really mean what it said? Without some of this ambiguity a pseudo-event cannot be very interesting.
(4) Usually it is intended to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The hotel’s thirtieth-anniversary celebration, by saying that the hotel is a distinguished institution, actually makes it one.”
I do not need self-proclaimed ‘reporters of the truth’ trying to create their own version it. It is absent of integrity and morality. Anderson Cooper is no hero, just the opposite.
January 4th, 2006 at 9:37 pmEveryone seems to want to put the main blame on Bush, yet what about the governor of Louisiana and that so-called leader o New Orleans. He is the real disgrace, flip flopping here and there when before the storm he should have school buses taking the poor out of the city. He did not have to wait to get congressional approval for this. I have lived in the Galveston area all my life going through many hurricanes as a citizen and as a police officer. I would have confiscated school buses myself and gotten many more people out of there.
June 7th, 2006 at 12:01 pmI most definitely can see why the people were disgusted with top officials patting each other on the backs though. We had our Texas governor and every politician that could come out of every rat hole in Houston thanking each other for job well done for the evacuation plan they enforced that killed more people in Texas than most hurricanes. They sure disgusted me. I think all hurricane evacuation boards should have the majority of people on them that have gone through some of these storms.
I spent 21 hours in the Houston/Galveston evacuation line and got only 30 miles down the road from my house. I turned around and spent what was hurricane forced winds in my own home. Our officials both statewide and across the country turn my stomach when bad times come and they act so foolishly, especially that chocolate city mayor. Choclate City because that is what he calls it and would rather have it be 100%. Watch those poor people of Lousiania elect his worthless self again. God forbid.
[...] The same cannot be said of New Orleans. A city that possesses a rich history and a glamorous nightlife was devastated by Hurricane Katrina nearly one year ago. Officially, more than 1,800 people died due to the incompetence of local, state, and federal officials. The few days that passed between the storm and the effort to help stop the flooding revealed a stunning disconnect between what was happening on the ground and the politicians who were supposed to ensure the safety of the residents of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. [...]
August 12th, 2006 at 7:05 pmLife Covarage…
awaking.beliefs Marxism:fleeces,shores,hurling:Life Covarage http://www.tucsonwildlife.org/# …
January 16th, 2007 at 2:40 amErica
I just wanted to write to say that you have a great site and a wonderful resource for all to share.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:57 am