The Battle of New Orleans
Director of FEMA Mike Brown, on CNN 9/01: "Paula, the federal government did not even know about the convention center until today." (Both Paula Zahn and Ted Koppel pointed out that the situation at the New Orleans Convention Center has been in the news for days.)
George W. Bush, 09/02: "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."
More than fifty thousand people are still stranded in New Orleans, many without food or water for the last five days.
The administration continues the only way it knows how: shift blame and admit nothing. We're actually listening to the administration praise themselves in the face of unprecedented incompetence in their response to a major US city lying in ruins and under the control of armed marauders.
But this time, the press isn't dutifully passing on their disinformation. Journalists are throwing it back in their faces. Ted Koppel to Brown yesterday:
"I'm not asking you why the city didn't have buses available. I'm asking you why you didn't have National Guards with trucks to get them out of there. Why you didn't have people with flatbed trailers if that's what you needed. Why you didn't simply get as many Greyhound buses from surrounding states as you could lay your hands on to get those people out of there. Why you haven't done it to this day."
In response to Bush's latest public appearance, during which he was "briefed" by Mike Brown and the governors of Mississippi and Alabama:
Daryn Kagen: I gotta say that was rather an odd thing to be watching. The president finally making it to the gulf coast after five days, and then spending a big chunk of time, when he could be out seeing the devastation, getting a briefing that frankly he could have gotten back at the White House, if not then, then on board Air Force One. A lot of that seemed like a political opportunity for the cameras and for the Republican governors of Mississippi and Alabama.
Bill Schneider: I'm not sure that's what most Americans and certainly most people in the area wanted to hear, as if the president were being filled in, told what was going on, there was a lot of thanking a lot of congratulations. Look these are frantic desperate people who have lost everything, who are in a very desperate situation, what they want is someone to come there and say the government is in control, we have control of this situation, there's a leader in charge here and we're gonna make it work.... What people want there is leadership, they don't want someone being briefed, they want leadership.
The administration has chosen to respond with posturing and words instead of action. Only this time, it isn't about some wonky spending bill-- it's about the shattered lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. The press isn't standing for it, and neither should anyone else. This isn't a partisan issue, it's about a complete failure of the government.
Mike Brown, on the Today show 9/02: "people are getting the help they need."
George W. Bush, 09/02: "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."
More than fifty thousand people are still stranded in New Orleans, many without food or water for the last five days.
The administration continues the only way it knows how: shift blame and admit nothing. We're actually listening to the administration praise themselves in the face of unprecedented incompetence in their response to a major US city lying in ruins and under the control of armed marauders.
But this time, the press isn't dutifully passing on their disinformation. Journalists are throwing it back in their faces. Ted Koppel to Brown yesterday:
"I'm not asking you why the city didn't have buses available. I'm asking you why you didn't have National Guards with trucks to get them out of there. Why you didn't have people with flatbed trailers if that's what you needed. Why you didn't simply get as many Greyhound buses from surrounding states as you could lay your hands on to get those people out of there. Why you haven't done it to this day."
In response to Bush's latest public appearance, during which he was "briefed" by Mike Brown and the governors of Mississippi and Alabama:
Daryn Kagen: I gotta say that was rather an odd thing to be watching. The president finally making it to the gulf coast after five days, and then spending a big chunk of time, when he could be out seeing the devastation, getting a briefing that frankly he could have gotten back at the White House, if not then, then on board Air Force One. A lot of that seemed like a political opportunity for the cameras and for the Republican governors of Mississippi and Alabama.
Bill Schneider: I'm not sure that's what most Americans and certainly most people in the area wanted to hear, as if the president were being filled in, told what was going on, there was a lot of thanking a lot of congratulations. Look these are frantic desperate people who have lost everything, who are in a very desperate situation, what they want is someone to come there and say the government is in control, we have control of this situation, there's a leader in charge here and we're gonna make it work.... What people want there is leadership, they don't want someone being briefed, they want leadership.
The administration has chosen to respond with posturing and words instead of action. Only this time, it isn't about some wonky spending bill-- it's about the shattered lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. The press isn't standing for it, and neither should anyone else. This isn't a partisan issue, it's about a complete failure of the government.
Mike Brown, on the Today show 9/02: "people are getting the help they need."
posted by Matt Sandwich | 12:00 PM
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