Chertoff: You’re Either With Us or Against the Hurricane Victims
Chertoff: You’re Either With Us or Against the Hurricane Victims
On this morning’s Meet the Press, Tim Russert asked Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff whether “heads will roll” after the bungled response to Katrina. Chertoff’s response:
The question I would put to people is what do you want to have us spend our time on now? Do we want to make sure we are feeding, sheltering, housing and educating those who are distressed, or do we want to begin the process of finger-pointing? I know that as far as I’m concerned I have got to be focused on, and everybody else in this government and the President has made this very clear, we have got to focus on moving forward to deal with some very real emergencies which are going to be happening in the next days and weeks.
In other words, attempts by Americans to hold their government officials accountable will somehow prevent us from “feeding, sheltering, housing and educating those who are distressed.”
You’re either with the administration or against the hurricane victims. Unreal.
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This to me is actually pretty unexpected. Chertoff was the one cabinet member on Bush’s team who I thought might have some self-respect and some integrity. He was nonpolitical, a tough lawyer, hard-nosed guy. And yet he’s out with the same standard spin. Why?
September 4th, 2005 at 12:11 pmYou’re wrong. This is simply a matter of resources — not a With Us or Against Us threat. Chertoff is just stating the obvious — if he is getting fired, who the hell is going to be overseeing the rescue ops? It’s that simple. Whether a good choice or bad, we’re stuck for him for at least the next short while.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:13 pmHe’s pissed because Texas is going to be a liberal state in no time. The small population of black people has just tripled. Texas now has to ask for federal dollars to fund social services for these black people.
Chertoff and his cronies claim that NO was a very violent city. Now the violence has moved to Texas right?
Good bye New Orleans, Good bye conservative Texas.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:17 pmHis head should roll, then Browne’s, then Bush and his entire cabinet. Sooner not later.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:18 pmCall back some of the people who were effective in the prvious administration and ask for their expertise and management of this crisis — obviously the group in charge is not up to the task.
What I found even more disturbing was Chertoff’s comments that on Tuesday he opened the newspapers and the headlines said that New Orleans had dodged the bullet. Then later he heard about the levee breaks.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:18 pmI didn’t realize that the Secretary of Homeland Security got his information from the newspapers! You would think that the emergency managers on the scene knew about the break long before the newspapers heard about it. By the way, I guess he doesn’t watch the news on television so of course he couldn’t have known about the evacuees at the convention center.
On last thing – where is the head of FEMA lately?
BUSH SHOULD GIVE HIM A MEDAL!
September 4th, 2005 at 12:19 pmHa ha! Yes, a medal — that’s what Bush gives to all his losers.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:20 pmThe reponsibility for this disaster is completely the fault of the Bush administration and saying so loudly and relentlessly is the duty of every American.
The Army Core of Engineers is responsible for maintaining and planning future improvements to the levee system in New Orleans. They are a branch of the DoD and the federal government. The Bush administration cut funding for improvemnet projects to shore up those levees. They allowed for the rapid destruction of surrounding wetland areas that protected the city in the name of the almighty buck.
FEMA had been incorporated into the Dept. of Homeland Security and its resources were diminished dramatically including the corny appointment of Mr. Brown, its head.
Up to 45% of the National guard in the Gulf states has been deployed to Iraq and the administration told the local politicians and the Army Core of Engineers that funding for the must needed levee fortification had been funneled into the war in Iraq.
Not to mention that as this disgraceful and sad catastrophe unfolded, Bush was still f&*cking around with the tail end of his vacation, fundraisers and war rallying speeches.
Bush is a war criminal and he has committed crimes just as serious over the course of this last weeks tragedy.
I am literally sick to my stomach at this point. Defending Bush makes you my enemy.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:26 pmThat would be “crony” appointment of Michael Brown.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:28 pmI wouldn’t be surprised.
In the Iraq situation: Bush gave medals to the people responsible for the intelligence that was proven to be not true.
In the ongoing hurricane tragedy in which the head of the DHS who wasn’t aware of what was happening on the ground until Thursday at the earliest – he himself admitted in his press releases, yeah he should be given a medal that can he display in his house when he’s fired!
September 4th, 2005 at 12:30 pmI am literally sick to my stomach at this point. Defending Bush makes you my enemy.
Comment by Jay — September 4, 2005 @ 12:26 pm
Jay, I’m with ya, and have been for a while.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:33 pmYour spelling was correct either way, Jay!
September 4th, 2005 at 12:34 pmDoes anyone understand that Chertoff, at Bush command, is breaking the events in N.O. into two separate events. One event is a hurricane and the other is a flood.
Why? Because it gives the insurance corporations the cover of government from insurance claims. Most of the people in N.O. do not have flood insurance. If the events in N.O. is due to flooding the insurance corporations do not have to pay.
Bush is about protecting corporations, not about protecting Americans.
Start the indictments!
September 4th, 2005 at 12:38 pmChertoff also claimed that “people began to go to the Convention Center on their own, spontaneously”
Here are quotes from people who were there showing they were ordered or directed there.
Lies, damn lies, and administration officials.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:42 pmRove and Company are not thinking of helping the people affected by this tragedy, rather they are planning of the proper strategy to get these same people they let down to vote for them again in 2006-2008.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:43 pmChertoff is deserving of the criticism, and perhaps he may even think he’s deserving of it. I suspect the scope of his incompetence will become evident in the coming Senate hearings. Chertoff proved on Thursday his own lack of state of emergency sophistication when in an interview with NPR’s Robert Siegel, Chertoff blew off a reporter’s account of the situation at the Convention Center as “rumors”. The interview said a lot about Chertoff’s lack of knowledge and underutilization of communications assets on the ground (reporters with satellite phones) and perhaps even leaked his own bias against or contempt for the press. It was a disgusting display of ineptitude that had nothing to do with the alleged unanticipated scale of the disaster excuses being used by the administration. It had everything to do with competence in the field during any emergency at any scale. And in that snapshot in time, Chertoff failed spectacularly. But Chertoff’s incompetence no matter how comprehensive shouldn’t let the local and state agencies off the hook either. There are plenty of people to blame, but Chertoff needs to find another job he’s more qualified to perform.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:50 pm… shit, Jay I am not gay by my nipples hardened as I was reading your comment’s last few lines …
I can prove that I am the World’s Most Intense bush hater -all pols in fact- and I see a future for you in my army … only you must enlarge your field of vision and include the likes of such bags of shit as biden, la clit(on) and many more …
If you agree that we can’t have a plan B because we do not have a plan A then you might be of help to me ..
From up here on the plateau all I see is the same crap coming from different holes. Out in the distance I can clearly see the “spewing hole” -the Mother of ALL Holes- and it looks American to me … so be vigilant for when you meet the enemy face to face that enemy will look JUST LIKE YOU … be prepared to ask the tough questions and make sure that you shoot first and “axe” questions later …
September 4th, 2005 at 12:50 pmClearly, we’ve got to “stay the course.” That policy is working so well in Iraq, after all….
September 4th, 2005 at 12:57 pmEven if what Jay says is true and real, it is not neocon ‘reality,’ so, it doesn’t count.
Making reality trumps real reality.
This is 2005, so it all makes sense.
September 4th, 2005 at 1:08 pmComment by Ron WEIRD COMMIE HIPPIE
Comment by Rolanmdc WIERDER COMMIE HIPPIE
September 4th, 2005 at 1:15 pmIs Chertoff saying that if we disagree with him he cannot do his job?
He’s admitting to be a lame brain? Is he admitting that he cannot work with emotion? He cannot work while being critized?
That is what he is saying, he’s admitting he’s a loser and is a failure at his job.
Hey Chertoff, we’re against ya, if you cannot work under those conditions then resign now. We will feel no loss.
September 4th, 2005 at 1:18 pmThe should be fired now before they screw anything more up
September 4th, 2005 at 1:21 pm“I didn’t realize that the Secretary of Homeland Security got his information from the newspapers!”
Of course he does. Repeat the mantra my child, “Private enterprise is always more efficient than government.”
September 4th, 2005 at 1:25 pmSenate Hearings? You meant Senate whitewash, didn’t you ?
September 4th, 2005 at 1:25 pmvotetoimpeach.org
September 4th, 2005 at 1:27 pmvotetoimpeach.org
votetoimpeach.org
Easy Rider (re 13). Thank you for that understanding. It is a good thing to be shown what one is looking at but does not see. “Amazing Grace” just started singing itself in my head. Wonder why.
September 4th, 2005 at 2:00 pmMr. Chertoff, it was the process of finger pointing that finally shamed you and your master into action. If this is what it takes to get results from this administration, then yes, we need more finger pointing. We will worry about termination if inaction continues, and later when your incompetence can be more toughly examined.
September 4th, 2005 at 4:01 pmThe Whitehouse is clearly in “shift-the-blame” mode. Their first wave is to shift the blame to the local and state levels and to continue this messaging until they have re-written history again. Chertoff and the Administration needs time and other events to shift the focus of the public while, they continue to message the populace that others are to blame.
It’s our responsbility to keep the pictures and images in their face at every turn. It’s our reponsibility to hold our popular press responsible to reinforce the truth when this Whitehouse and Administration starts to blame others or deflect accountability.
On Tuesday the Senate Judicary Committee takes up the confirmation hearings on Roberts. I would applaude a Senator who would hold up pictures of the hurricane disaster and ask, “Sir, how would your future decisions help prevent the social injustice that we have recently witnessed in America?”
September 4th, 2005 at 4:08 pmChertoff is just stating the obvious — if he is getting fired, who the hell is going to be overseeing the rescue ops? It’s that simple.
How about someone with emergency management experience?
September 4th, 2005 at 4:58 pmI agree with Bill’s comment, #22 above. I think Bush should fire FEMA director Brown and hire someone quickly who would do the job properly, someone who has experience in something other than the rules governing an Arabian horse association. It seems egregious to leave Brown in the job.
September 4th, 2005 at 5:01 pmWhat asre we going to do? Witt, the one with expertise, has signed on with Gov. Blanco.
You could put all of the bush people, cabinet, and all including the puke members of both houses of congress in a large closet.
Then shout out the question “those who believe in the dignity and sanctity of life step out” and guess what? No one would come out of the closet. Its that bad folks.
September 4th, 2005 at 5:16 pmWell if there weren’t silly politics involved, the White House could actually tap someone with the necessary experience from one of the U.N. agencies that are experts in this field. Surely there are some Americans among them, albeit, probably lacking in Arabian horse association rules expertise. At least the U.S. has now decided to accept U.N. assistance- there will be a U.N. team in Washington. I hope there are people in the Bush administration who will put politics aside and facilitate this assistance. Maybe some are already doing so- if so, more power to them.
September 4th, 2005 at 5:58 pmDoes anyone remember Howdy Dowdy and B Bob? Mr. Buster was the villian – George W didn’t watch because the plot was to deep. Perhaps Dilly Dally can replace Rummy and Clarabell, Cheney.
September 4th, 2005 at 6:32 pmCould it be?
Hmm. Vladimir Chertoff?
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050112/images/homeland180.jpg
http://www.rednews.org/clipart/lenin/lenin_and_stalin.jpg
http://www.reubenfowkes.net/images/main/dream%20factory/Gerasimov,%20Lenin%20on%20the%20Tribune.jpg
http://www.stel.ru/museum/lenin_museum_images/lenin-photo30.jpg
September 4th, 2005 at 6:43 pmEver notice how the ‘article’ tries to give a synopsis, “In other words…”. Problem is the other words are just that. Chertoff never said what was attributed to him – but when did honest quotations get in your way? It’s pitiful the way the whiners and moaner on the squishy left can fake concern for the Katrina victims – but it’s really tacky to ENJOY the hoped for political fallout SO MUCH
September 4th, 2005 at 7:14 pm#14, I don’t think anyone this side of Bush and his administration would be able to view the Meet the Press interview this morning and not begin sobbing in sadness, frustration and fury.
September 4th, 2005 at 7:38 pm#33 I remember Howdy Doody – and it would have been far too intellectual for Georgie and his little pea brain.
September 4th, 2005 at 7:43 pmHe was busy playing with the coins in his piggy bank while awaiting Daddy to buy him a bigger one, and while Mommy was teaching him how to be the bully on the playground.
To: Gauleiter Chertoff
From: Reich fuehrer Rove
The Fuehrer wishes to send his compliments on your excellent propagandist efforts in protecting the Reich Chancellory from any taint in the latest stage of the final solution for Amerika.
But please report to the IRaqi front because you know too much.
September 4th, 2005 at 8:17 pmmighty aphrodite,
The politicians that are RUNNING THIS COUNTRY are responsible for 10’s of thousands of deaths. NOBODY is enjoying this, it’s a f^&*ng disaster. They blew it on 9/11, they blew it on Iraq and they blew it on Katrina. How much more evidence do you need? How many more people have to die? This adminstration is literally and figuratively KILLING this country. We just want the madness, the senseless death, lying, criminal neglect, war-profiteering and socioeconomic darwinism to stop. There is no joy here…only outrage and genuine pain.
September 4th, 2005 at 8:21 pmCalm down Jay, they are saving social security and reducing the welfare rolls. God bless these soldiers of Christ.
September 4th, 2005 at 8:35 pmThat doesn’t sound like Christ at all, Walt.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:17 pmDid you really GET the message of Christ’s
teaching?
afterthought – I was only trying to inject a little satire.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:23 pmHey Walt, if I want comedy I’ll watch Fox News.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:28 pmJay – did you ever hear of a treatsie titled ‘A Modest Proposal’?
September 4th, 2005 at 9:44 pmSorry – that should have been treatise.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:47 pmSorry – that should have been treatise.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:47 pmHow 45 and 46 got posted twice evades me.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:51 pmBy Jonathan Swift the Irishman? Yeah, pretty profound, read it years ago and it was one of those concepts that stuck with me. What about it?
I think you should give this a look.
http://www.blah3.com/article.php?story=20050903214041794
September 4th, 2005 at 9:53 pmI believe most Americans multi-task, so I think we can point out the particular individuals responsible for this calamity AND feed, shelter and rescue.
If Dumbya can multi-task (cut fake brush on his fake ranch AND do the photo ops all the while smearing and spinning innocent people) anyone with an I.Q. over 40 can do the same.
So, let us see that “open checkbook” to punish those responsible. Good enough for Clinton, good enough for DUMBYA.
September 4th, 2005 at 9:58 pmWalt, you’re not suggesting that the crazy Bush-loving, neocon, evangelical, nutjobs are in favor of some perverted “final solution” now are you? Or is that just your idea?
September 4th, 2005 at 10:03 pmJay, I saw that link a while back. I read Swift about 54 years ago when I was 11. I’m 65 now. I also read most of Churchill’s series on the rise and onset of WWII at the same time. As Yogi said, it’s deja vu all over again.
September 4th, 2005 at 10:04 pmNot sure how Churchill’s views on WWII (which I have not read) and Swift’s modest proposal are related to eachother or to what’s happening today? Could you elaborate on your point?
September 4th, 2005 at 10:11 pmJay, Read ‘The Gathering Storm’. It describes the rise of the NAZI empire.
September 4th, 2005 at 10:14 pmIn the meantime, what’s your point and how does it relate to our current politics?
September 4th, 2005 at 10:20 pmRe: 53(more) And placing blame on Jews – Read Blacks. I’m as white as 93 score paper, by the way.
September 4th, 2005 at 10:20 pmThe way I understand it, Churchill, from a political standpoint, was at the root of the end of the British Empire. Which makes it kind of funny that our current President idolizes him….he’s attempting to follow in his footsteps.
September 4th, 2005 at 10:23 pmJay, yoou have it half right. Churchill carried his nation through a most threating period. It took Anthony Eden to destroy it. Perhaps, we are entering a simular event.
September 4th, 2005 at 10:32 pmOK, so Bill Clinton is Churchill and Bush is Eden….I get it now :)
September 4th, 2005 at 10:44 pmNo, FDR, HST, DDE and JFK are emulaters of Churchill. GHWB is about on par with RBH and GWB is effective as WHH.
September 4th, 2005 at 10:53 pmThe Gathering Storm is a great read.
September 5th, 2005 at 12:14 amSure, all part of the Rove political fix for the administration’s criminal negligence. For a listing of things a competent administration might have done, see http://www.hairytruth.blogspot.com
September 5th, 2005 at 2:31 pmJay (and everybody),
September 6th, 2005 at 10:33 amBear in mind that this disaster is a golden opportunity for the drown-government-in-a-bathtub crowd to say “See, government doesn’t work. Private enterprise is the only way.” It’s their foolproof technique: Sabotage government agencies by appointing people who don’t believe in them or their missions (See John Bolton, U.N. hater), then point to their failures as proof that government doesn’t work! Only a brainwashed public can let this go on. Brown at FEMA is an example. If they had any competence or ethics, they would have kept James Lee Witt, but that would have worked against their ultimate goal of undermining the public sector. Social Security, Medicare, the concept of universal, government-administered health insurance, FEMA, the United States Army—-all of these are under attack by this cabal disguised as a government.
[...] about whether President Bush would fire FEMA Director Mike Brown,” The Note reports. “McClellan said that while the press is interested in playing the blame game, the White House is focused on helping people.” Sound familiar? 10:47 am | Comment (0) [...]
September 6th, 2005 at 10:47 amPersonally I think it is high time for a good old fashion revolution – lets put the gov’t back in the hnads of the people where it belongs! The bushies are ruining this great country for future generations!
September 8th, 2005 at 5:00 pmsatellite phones
Still, I believe some people (like me) think in different way regarding this topic
March 14th, 2008 at 12:13 pm