43rd President of the United States lands in NOLA to help evac efforts

[gldstwmn]

http://www.algore.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=272&Itemid=81&mosmsg=Thanks+for+your+vote%21

Breaking: Gore in New Orleans to aid Katrina victims

CNN reports that Al Gore has landed a plane in New Orleans, and will fly approximately 100 of the most critically ill to hospitals in Tennessee.

Further details as they become available.

[mcboo]

:eek: the title of this thread..... :eek:

Lord help us!!!


Seriously....way to go Al!!! :blob2:

[gldstwmn]

BTW, he paid for this out of his own pocket, recruited medical staff to go with him and tried to do this several days ago but was not allowed in until today.

[estranged4life]

oh, that internet creating guy...Well, bless his pointed lil' head.

At least he seems more honorable a person than that 'other 43rd President'.

[LuckyCharms]

OMG! I have chills!

God bless you Al Gore! :angel:

[gldstwmn]

At least he seems more honorable a person than that 'other 43rd President'.

No that's the pResident, not the president. :lol:

[WELSH WITCH]

Way to go Al!!!!!

[estranged4life]

No that's the pResident, not the president. :lol:

its Presi-DUNCE!!!!

Bush in a dunce cap is like Stevie in chiffon...They just naturally go together :nod:

[Brwn_eyes0511]

http://www.algore.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=272&Itemid=81&mosmsg=Thanks+for+your+vote%21

Breaking: Gore in New Orleans to aid Katrina victims

CNN reports that Al Gore has landed a plane in New Orleans, and will fly approximately 100 of the most critically ill to hospitals in Tennessee.

Further details as they become available.

glad theres another helping hand out there...

that said...I still think he is a psycho! :cool:

[BombaySapphire3]

Thanks for the post .A bright spot in one of the most dismal weeks in US. history.I still can't believe this is happening in America in 2005 .I hope we never forget what has transpired this week and this abomination of a human being,George Bush's response to it.

[dissention]

http://www.algore.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=272&Itemid=81&mosmsg=Thanks+for+your+vote%21

Breaking: Gore in New Orleans to aid Katrina victims

CNN reports that Al Gore has landed a plane in New Orleans, and will fly approximately 100 of the most critically ill to hospitals in Tennessee.

Further details as they become available.

What he's doing is what our government should have done five days ago. It's nice to know that he has that level of humanity in him and that he cares enough to get off of his ass and HELP, a word that is foreign to these other bastards, both in definition and execution. He's a good man.

[strandinthewind]

glad theres another helping hand out there...

that said...I still think he is a psycho! :cool:

Maybe they should find two or three dehydrated and exhausted black children in too much of a dull torpor to strike him for him to hug for a photo op - maybe you'd like him better then :rolleyes:

[irishgrl]

Maybe they should find two or three dehydrated and exhausted black children in too much of a dull torpor to strike him for him to hug for a photo op - maybe you'd like him better then :rolleyes:

did he have his flight suit on?
What a Mar-OON!
Go Al! Good for you!
Love the thread title btw....in an alternate Universe Im sure its true...and Monkey boy would be in a white coat with extra long sleeves shrieking at the top of his lungs "IM the President! ME!"

*pResident* perfect! he needs evicting :nod:

[GypsySorcerer]

Good on him. At least there are some who care about the horror and suffering of their fellow man.

[dissention]

Maybe they should find two or three dehydrated and exhausted black children in too much of a dull torpor to strike him for him to hug for a photo op - maybe you'd like him better then :rolleyes:

I'm still waiting to see if Bush had any good luck rub off on him after rubbing the noggins of the little negroes yesterday. :rolleyes:

Bastard. The video of him directing those girls to a Salvation Army shelter is unbelievable.

[gldstwmn]

I'm still waiting to see if Bush had any good luck rub off on him after rubbing the noggins of the little negroes yesterday. :rolleyes:

Bastard. The video of him directing those girls to a Salvation Army shelter is unbelievable.

You heard about Aaron Brown completely demystifying that photo-op didn't you? Those girls were brought in, not even locals. :nod:

[dissention]

You heard about Aaron Brown completely demystifying that photo-op didn't you? Those girls were brought in, not even locals. :nod:

:eek: You're kidding!

I haven't been reading or watching much news today, but I'm going through one of the feeds right now and I'll have to look for it. Christ. I shouldn't be surprised, though.

[GypsySorcerer]

You heard about Aaron Brown completely demystifying that photo-op didn't you? Those girls were brought in, not even locals. :nod:
:eek: :shocked: And I thought it was impossible for him to sink any lower.

[Dreammms]

You heard about Aaron Brown completely demystifying that photo-op didn't you? Those girls were brought in, not even locals. :nod:

:eek: actually that really isn't shocking...

[gldstwmn]

:eek: :shocked: And I thought it was impossible for him to sink any lower.
Transcript:

BROWN: Let me ask your mom a question here.

Before you met with the president today -- and our viewers are seeing that now -- before that, were you a little angry with the government and how the government had responded?

BRONWYNNE BASSIER, SURVIVOR: Now, let me just correct you. This is my sister.

BROWN: I'm sorry.

B. BASSIER: And I'm -- that's OK.

But, no, I wasn't angry at the situation, because I knew eventually they will eventually help us in some sort of way. And, like my sister said, he did reassure us that things were going to happen. And I can see that they are happening, because I am in Gautier. And every day, there's people giving us water and giving us ice and telling us that everything is going to be OK.

(CROSSTALK)

B. BASSIER: Like today, Pascagoula and Ocean Springs got electricity. And they said it's just a matter of hours before Gautier gets electricity, too.

BROWN: But -- so, the situation for you in Biloxi isn't comparable, is it, to the situation for the people in New Orleans.

Have you been able to follow that part of the story at all? Are you aware of what it's been like there?

B. BASSIER: Well, today, the actually -- the only reason why I came to Biloxi was because I need to get some clothes for my son and clothes for myself, because I don't have any clothes. And, you know, I just needed to see if I can salvage something down there.

But, walking around, people don't have no water. They still don't have no lights in electr -- in Biloxi. So, it's just complete darkness, you know? No one has anything.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Well, hopefully, the -- to both of you, hopefully, and everyone else, that the president's visit today will help speed up the recovery.

Thanks for your time tonight. Thank you.

It should be noted that Gautier is 20 miles from Biloxi. So when these two women were talking about salvaging, did they really mean looting? How did they get from Gautier to Biloxi? :confused:

[dissention]

BRONWYNNE BASSIER

Oy, now we know Stevie will write a song about this.

I'm really not surprised at this, though it does continue to shock me that these politicians can be so manipulative and sleazy during these tragedies.

[dissention]

Anyone checked out Landrieu's website lately?

http://landrieu.senate.gov/~landrieu/releases/05/2005903E12.html

"Yesterday, I was hoping President Bush would come away from his tour of the regional devastation triggered by Hurricane Katrina with a new understanding for the magnitude of the suffering and for the abject failures of the current Federal Emergency Management Agency. 24 hours later, the President has yet to answer my call for a cabinet-level official to lead our efforts. Meanwhile, FEMA, now a shell of what it once was, continues to be overwhelmed by the task at hand.

"I understand that the U.S. Forest Service had water-tanker aircraft available to help douse the fires raging on our riverfront, but FEMA has yet to accept the aid. When Amtrak offered trains to evacuate significant numbers of victims -- far more efficiently than buses -- FEMA again dragged its feet. Offers of medicine, communications equipment and other desperately needed items continue to flow in, only to be ignored by the agency.

"But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast -- black and white, rich and poor, young and old -- deserve far better from their national government.

"Mr. President, I'm imploring you once again to get a cabinet-level official stood up as soon as possible to get this entire operation moving forward regionwide with all the resources -- military and otherwise -- necessary to relieve the unmitigated suffering and economic damage that is unfolding."

[gldstwmn]

Oy, now we know Stevie will write a song about this.

I'm really not surprised at this, though it does continue to shock me that these politicians can be so manipulative and sleazy during these tragedies.

I know. I caught the Bronwynne thing immediately. Here's more from a report shown on ZDF in Germany
http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/002485.html

If he could go to Baghdad, why didn't Bush go to the New Orleans Superdome or the Convention Center? It was bizarre for all of the country and much of the world to be watching those scenes for days on our TVs and news reports, and for Bush's photo ops to be in areas that were far less critical. I know there are security considerations but his visit seemed extraordinarily hollow even by this administration's standard of ultra-stage managed events.

Dutch viewer Frank Tiggelaar writes:

There was a striking dicrepancy between the CNN International report on the Bush visit to the New Orleans disaster zone, yesterday, and reports of the same event by German TV.

ZDF News reported that the president's visit was a completely staged event. Their crew witnessed how the open air food distribution point Bush visited in front of the cameras was torn down immediately after the president and the herd of 'news people' had left and that others which were allegedly being set up were abandoned at the same time.

The people in the area were once again left to fend for themselves, said ZDF.

There is also a newspaper article about it but it's in German. I don't know how reliable a source ZDF is. :shrug:

[Livia]

Did anyone just see Celine Dion on Larry King?

[gldstwmn]

Anyone checked out Landrieu's website lately?

http://landrieu.senate.gov/~landrieu/releases/05/2005903E12.html

["But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast -- black and white, rich and poor, young and old -- deserve far better from their national government.



It corroborates what Mayor Nagin said in that radio interview a few days ago. :distress:
We are talking about the same guy who screens all of his town hall meetings and rallies, though. Why should this be any different?

[gldstwmn]

Did anyone just see Celine Dion on Larry King?

No, darn it. I'm too busy back here typing. I should go out there and watch for a bit. What is she saying/singing?

[GypsySorcerer]

Did anyone just see Celine Dion on Larry King?
Yes, I did. I am not of a fan of hers, usually, but everything she said was spot on. You could see she was genuinely upset.

[dissention]

Did anyone just see Celine Dion on Larry King?

Yes! :eek: Wow, what a rant. She was kicking some major ass. She was even making that wet rag Larry King GRUNT.

[dissention]

No, darn it. I'm too busy back here typing. I should go out there and watch for a bit. What is she saying/singing?

She said we can send helicopters over there to kill people but we can't pluck people off of rooftops. She also said that these people are so poor and without stuff that "so what" if they're stealing jeans and televisions.

[GypsySorcerer]

No, darn it. I'm too busy back here typing. I should go out there and watch for a bit. What is she saying/singing?
She broke down and blasted the government for not doing more to help the victims. She sang "The Prayer" a capella.

[gldstwmn]

Yes! :eek: Wow, what a rant. She was kicking some major ass. She was even making that wet rag Larry King GRUNT.

She donated 1 million dollars. :shocked:

[GateandGarden]

Yes! :eek: Wow, what a rant. She was kicking some major ass. She was even making that wet rag Larry King GRUNT.Anyone know if there's a transcript? I find that very interesting. I love her a lot but I never expect her to say anything of significance or that would strike me as particularly intelligent. If she's helping in any way, then that is wonderful.

I'll go see if I can find some quotes or transcript.

[gldstwmn]

Anyone know if there's a transcript? I find that very interesting. I love her a lot but I never expect her to say anything of significance or that would strike me as particularly intelligent. If she's helping in any way, then that is wonderful.

I'll go see if I can find some quotes or transcript.

Probably not up yet.

[Livia]

No, darn it. I'm too busy back here typing. I should go out there and watch for a bit. What is she saying/singing?

She was in hysterics, bawling...20 minutes before she's supposed to perform in Vegas. I just caught the end of it - as you've probably already heard, she pledged $1 million, but basically said, "Big deal...those people need water!" She's pissed...Larry told her she should be proud that she had enough $ to be so generous. Again, she said it didn't matter, because her heart was broken, watching mothers w/ their babies, left with nothing. Larry asked her if there was a particular song that came to her mind...she did an acapella version of "The Prayer," a song she had performed a few years ago...was very touching. As dramatic and annoying as she can be, she got to me.

I have to go get ready for Travis' (Mirrorinthesky) going away party now. :rolleyes:

[GateandGarden]

She donated 1 million dollars. :shocked:Wow. ......

[GypsySorcerer]

Anyone know if there's a transcript? I find that very interesting. I love her a lot but I never expect her to say anything of significance or that would strike me as particularly intelligent. If she's helping in any way, then that is wonderful.

I'll go see if I can find some quotes or transcript.
She said we should have gotten kayaks in the streets to help people. She talked of those victims watching the helicopters fly over head, praying for help, and they were ignored.

[strandinthewind]

Transcript:

BROWN: Let me ask your mom a question here.

Before you met with the president today -- and our viewers are seeing that now -- before that, were you a little angry with the government and how the government had responded?

BRONWYNNE BASSIER, SURVIVOR: Now, let me just correct you. This is my sister.

BROWN: I'm sorry.

B. BASSIER: And I'm -- that's OK.

But, no, I wasn't angry at the situation, because I knew eventually they will eventually help us in some sort of way. And, like my sister said, he did reassure us that things were going to happen. And I can see that they are happening, because I am in Gautier. And every day, there's people giving us water and giving us ice and telling us that everything is going to be OK.

(CROSSTALK)

B. BASSIER: Like today, Pascagoula and Ocean Springs got electricity. And they said it's just a matter of hours before Gautier gets electricity, too.

BROWN: But -- so, the situation for you in Biloxi isn't comparable, is it, to the situation for the people in New Orleans.

Have you been able to follow that part of the story at all? Are you aware of what it's been like there?

B. BASSIER: Well, today, the actually -- the only reason why I came to Biloxi was because I need to get some clothes for my son and clothes for myself, because I don't have any clothes. And, you know, I just needed to see if I can salvage something down there.

But, walking around, people don't have no water. They still don't have no lights in electr -- in Biloxi. So, it's just complete darkness, you know? No one has anything.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Well, hopefully, the -- to both of you, hopefully, and everyone else, that the president's visit today will help speed up the recovery.

Thanks for your time tonight. Thank you.

It should be noted that Gautier is 20 miles from Biloxi. So when these two women were talking about salvaging, did they really mean looting? How did they get from Gautier to Biloxi? :confused:

I am confused. These people were still some of the people who suffered in Kartina's wake - right? If so, I am unsure why it was inappropriate for W to approach them. I think, however, I am missing the point here.

[dissention]

Anyone know if there's a transcript? I find that very interesting. I love her a lot but I never expect her to say anything of significance or that would strike me as particularly intelligent. If she's helping in any way, then that is wonderful.

I'll go see if I can find some quotes or transcript.

She was very intelligent and motherly, I was surprised. She said "They dont need checks, they need water!" I literally was in shock when she said it's easy for us to go overseas to decimate people in a second but we can't help our own people. She's saying what no one else will on national television.

[GateandGarden]

Probably not up yet.
Yeah, I think from what I just looked at on Google that it must be too soon for that.

[GypsySorcerer]

She was very intelligent and motherly, I was surprised. She said "They dont need checks, they need water!" I literally was in shock when she said it's easy for us to go overseas to decimate people in a second but we can't help our own people. She's saying what no one else will on national television.
I really respect her for speaking up. It was one of the most genuine moments I've seen throughout this disaster.

[GateandGarden]

She was very intelligent and motherly, I was surprised. She said "They dont need checks, they need water!" I literally was in shock when she said it's easy for us to go overseas to decimate people in a second but we can't help our own people. She's saying what no one else will on national television.Good for her. She may really be as wonderful as I thought she was when I was a kid. My fandom is one of the many silly things for me to be caring about right now (and there are many), but I'm proud to be a big fan of hers at the moment.

[Livia]

I really respect her for speaking up. It was one of the most genuine moments I've seen throughout this disaster.

Her and Kanye West! :nod:

[GateandGarden]

I am confused. These people were still some of the people who suffered in Kartina's wake - right? If so, I am unsure why it was inappropriate for W to approach them. I think, however, I am missing the point here.That's exactly what I thought when I read it. I must be missing something.

[dissention]

I really respect her for speaking up. It was one of the most genuine moments I've seen throughout this disaster.

Most definitely. Her, Kanye West, Anderson Cooper, Mayor Nagin, and Shepherd Smith are all to be commended for what they've said.

[gldstwmn]

I am confused. These people were still some of the people who suffered in Kartina's wake - right? If so, I am unsure why it was inappropriate for W to approach them. I think, however, I am missing the point here.

They spoke in a foreign accent. There were freshly showered and in clean clothes and they were not from Biloxi, which strikes me as odd. The point is that many think W didn't approach them but that it was yet another fake photo op like that plastic turkey thing in Iraq.
You may draw whatever conclusion from it you wish. If/when I get better evidence, I will present it.

[GypsySorcerer]

Most definitely. Her, Kanye West, Anderson Cooper, Mayor Nagin, and Shepherd Smith are all to be commended for what they've said.
Exactly. Their words will stay with me for a long, long time.

[gldstwmn]

Yeah, I think from what I just looked at on Google that it must be too soon for that.

When you want to find transcripts from CNN, go to the home page, scroll to the bottom, click CNN TV, scroll to the bottom of that page, then click Transcripts. :)

[dissention]

They spoke in a foreign accent. There were freshly showered and in clean clothes and they were not from Biloxi, which strikes me as odd. The point is that many think W didn't approach them but that it was yet another fake photo op like that plastic turkey thing in Iraq.
You may draw whatever conclusion from it you wish. If/when I get better evidence, I will present it.

There wasn't a single speck of dirt on them. Pretty weird, especially considering what he was saying to them.

[gldstwmn]

I have to go get ready for Travis' (Mirrorinthesky) going away party now. :rolleyes:

Awww...have fun! :woohoo:

[Livia]

Awww...have fun! :woohoo:


We should warn Tiff - he's heading to USC for graduate school. :lol:

[GateandGarden]

When you want to find transcripts from CNN, go to the home page, scroll to the bottom, click CNN TV, scroll to the bottom of that page, then click Transcripts. :)Oh, I didn't know about that. Thanks! :)

[dissention]

Oh, I didn't know about that. Thanks! :)

It will be on this page when they update it:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/03/lkl.02.html

[strandinthewind]

They spoke in a foreign accent. There were freshly showered and in clean clothes and they were not from Biloxi, which strikes me as odd. The point is that many think W didn't approach them but that it was yet another fake photo op like that plastic turkey thing in Iraq.
You may draw whatever conclusion from it you wish. If/when I get better evidence, I will present it.

I am sorry - I misunderstood you. I thought when you said they farmed them in, you meant from another state or something. They were hurricane victims, but just not from Biloxi - according to what has been reported. I guess I just do not see the big deal between one victim and another. But, to each their own.

BTW - he was in Iraq for that :shrug:

[gldstwmn]

BTW - he was in Iraq for that :shrug:

In Iraq for what dear?

[strandinthewind]

In Iraq for what dear?

The unannounced visit to Baghdad to spend part of Thanksgiving Day with U.S. troops. I was unsure if by saying it was a platic turkey you were implying he was not actually in Iraq, which he was. I get that the thing was staged because no politian is not going to stage something like that. Anyway - back to Katrina . . . .

[GateandGarden]

It will be on this page when they update it:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/03/lkl.02.htmlGreat. Thanks. :)

[gldstwmn]

The unannounced visit to Baghdad to spend part of Thanksgiving Day with U.S. troops. I was unsure if by saying it was a platic turkey you were implying he was not actually in Iraq, .

No, I said "plastic turkey thing in Iraq..." I didn't mean he wasn't in Iraq. Anyhoo...

[Stevie_Buck]

She was in hysterics, bawling...20 minutes before she's supposed to perform in Vegas. I just caught the end of it - as you've probably already heard, she pledged $1 million, but basically said, "Big deal...those people need water!" She's pissed...Larry told her she should be proud that she had enough $ to be so generous. Again, she said it didn't matter, because her heart was broken, watching mothers w/ their babies, left with nothing. Larry asked her if there was a particular song that came to her mind...she did an acapella version of "The Prayer," a song she had performed a few years ago...was very touching. As dramatic and annoying as she can be, she got to me.


Yay for Celine. I've always been a huge fan. :xoxo:
I was obsessed with her before I was introduced to La Nicks. :rolleyes:
Still... for her... one million is like nothing... but I'd be willing to say
that she's one of the few who is giving like that.

[EnchantedSLN]

Just saw video of Celine on LK. Kudos to her.

We should warn Tiff - he's heading to USC for graduate school. :lol:

Rock on... studying what? Welcome to L.A. & good luck, Trav!

[strandinthewind]

Yay for Celine. I've always been a huge fan. :xoxo:
I was obsessed with her before I was introduced to La Nicks. :rolleyes:
Still... for her... one million is like nothing... but I'd be willing to say
that she's one of the few who is giving like that.

Actually, quite a few have. Also, many are working at raising money in addition to giving it. The outpouring of $$$ from celebrities has been pretty amazing IMO.

[gldstwmn]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a397/peekingsleeping/algore.jpg

New Orleans, UNITED STATES: Former US presidential candidate Al Gore speaks to the media as military personel evacuate survivors at New Orleans International Airport in New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina 03 September, 2005. A total of 42,000 survivors of Hurricane Katrina and its deadly storm surge have now reportedly been evacuated from New Orleans

[Brwn_eyes0511]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a397/peekingsleeping/algore.jpg

New Orleans, UNITED STATES: Former US presidential candidate Al Gore speaks to the media as military personel evacuate survivors at New Orleans International Airport in New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina 03 September, 2005. A total of 42,000 survivors of Hurricane Katrina and its deadly storm surge have now reportedly been evacuated from New Orleans

Well in his defense...it does appear that he was actually helping...

but then again, right lately he has been looking "over worked" all the time.

[strandinthewind]

Well in his defense...it does appear that he was actually helping...

but then again, right lately he has been looking "over worked" all the time.

. . . as opposed to looking oh so swell with lots of grins at a photo op with a guitar at a fundraiser while people were drowning :shrug: Bush is soooo on my shiitte list right now and he should be on everyones' lists - again, mothers watched their babies die because W and FEMA could not get evacuation teams or food and water into there for FIVE days. Like Harry Connick, Jr. said - if Charmaine Nevell, a singer, can command a deserted city bus and take people in her neighborhood to safety, why was is so mother fu**ing hard for the Federal EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Agency to get a few buses to NOLA. I hope people go to jail for this and they play 24/7 the images of those mothers holding up their babies to helicopters a la the last days of Saigon :mad:

I know I sound like I am attacking you, but I get the vibe that you think W has behaved in an admirable fashion here and I just do not get that. If I got the wrong vibe, I am sorry.

[BombaySapphire3]

Another thing that is totally making me ill about all this is how Bush has presented himself as a great Christian and was elected by all these evangelicals.I don't see anything remotely Christian about doing basically nothing for nearly 5 days while the poor,elderly and afflicted are suffering and dying in the streets of a city in the nation of which you are the president of.This is hypocrisy of the highest magnitude.If there is a Hell there will be a special place in it for this man.

[strandinthewind]

Another thing that is totally making me ill about all this is how Bush has presented himself as a great Christian and was elected by all these evangelicals.I don't see anything remotely Christian about doing basically nothing for nearly 5 days while the poor,elderly and afflicted are suffering and dying in the streets of a city in the nation of which you are the president of.This is hypocrisy of the highest magnitude.If there is a Hell there will be a special place in it for this man.

It is almost like visiting the house of a five year old who suffers from ADHD. You would see all these little projects greatly begun but never finished. I mean Iraq - great beginning - no end in sight. Economy - great initial spark from the tax cuts - no proper fiscal spending to support it. Katrina - great beginning - five days later the second act and tens of thousands of the promised troops will not be there for the next four or so days. Does anyone else see a pattern here :shrug:

[Brwn_eyes0511]

. . . as opposed to looking oh so swell with lots of grins at a photo op with a guitar at a fundraiser while people were drowning :shrug: Bush is soooo on my shiitte list right now and he should be on everyones' lists - again, mothers watched their babies die because W and FEMA could not get evacuation teams or food and water into there for FIVE days. Like Harry Connick, Jr. said - if Charmaine Nevell, a singer, can command a deserted city bus and take people in her neighborhood to safety, why was is so mother fu**ing hard for the Federal EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Agency to get a few buses to NOLA. I hope people go to jail for this and they play 24/7 the images of those mothers holding up their babies to helicopters a la the last days of Saigon :mad:

I know I sound like I am attacking you, but I get the vibe that you think W has behaved in an admirable fashion here and I just do not get that. If I got the wrong vibe, I am sorry.

I'm not picking "sides" here, as I don't see sides to pick! It's America, and I would like to see everyone working together at this point in time! I am glad Gore is there helping out...the more the better! I just couldn't resist a little "Gore-making-fun-of"....it's that conservative blood in me...sorry didn't mean to upset! :cool:

[JazmenFlowers]

I think it is disgusting how this whole thing has been treated. I don't know where to begin with my disappointment, but one thing that sticks in my head is how long it took Bush to even make a statement about Katrina...he didn't fly directly to NOLA/Gulf Coast from his vacation, he flew to the White House - he should have had his a** there asap and start putting plans in action...other things I've learned: FEMA supports Pat Robertson, levee engineers asked for federal money to investigate/repair the levees 2 years ago and were denied, when Bush declared NOLA/Gulf Coast a disaster many thought/assumed it was becase of Katrina, maybe it was, but it was also in response to a weeks-old request for that declaration so federal money could be acquired to rebuild after damage from Tropical Storm Cindy. I swear if I see one more "W" bumper sticker I'm likely to go postal. He is embarassing, stupid and a total waste of tax dollars.

Also, they were aware NOLA was likely to be hit and destroyed by a hurricane at some point, why weren't there plans of action in place? Why weren't there national guard going in there with buses, trucks, trailers, anything to ship these people who had no cars/money to get out? NOLA has also been on the list of cities to watch for terrorist actions at the levees, why weren't we better prepared?

I'd put my money on the fact that this shows just how vulnerable and weak we have become because of the war...weaker even since 911

[Brwn_eyes0511]

FEMA supports Pat Robertson, levee engineers asked for federal money to investigate/repair the levees 2 years ago and were denied

I think this part, however true it may be, shouldn't be put alone on Bush and his administration. No president before him issued federal money for the levees either. :shrug:

[strandinthewind]

I'm not picking "sides" here, as I don't see sides to pick! It's America, and I would like to see everyone working together at this point in time! . . . .

I agree, but your inability to say that W screwed up is a little hard to take - and mind you I defended his initial actions through FEMA, which were great and I stand by that. But, all this "let's all work together" talk is sort of to me the ostrich's head in the sand. If we did not complain, W would have done as little as he could. That is frighteningly obvious in that he could not be bothered to send in the calvary for five days. To put it in perspective, people were able to drive to NOLA on Tuesday and many many offers of help on Monday were just ignored or refused by FEMA. So, it is a little hard for everyone to work together when the big dog doesn't want to continue unless public opinion forces him to :shrug:

And, I agree, though he is doing a great thing, Gore looks odd as he always does.

[strandinthewind]

I think this part, however true it may be, shouldn't be put alone on Bush and his administration. No president before him issued federal money for the levees either. :shrug:

That is not true. Please check your facts before making such a statement. The Army Corps. of Engineers, which is a Federally funded entity, has been working on these levees for years. The problem people are raising with W and the lack of funding can be seen in this article:

Did New Orleans Catastrophe Have to Happen? 'Times-Picayune' Had Repeatedly Raised Federal Spending Issues

By Will Bunch

Published: August 31, 2005 9:00 PM ET

PHILADELPHIA

Even though Hurricane Katrina has moved well north of the city, the waters may still keep rising in New Orleans. That's because Lake Pontchartrain continues to pour through a two-block-long break in the main levee, near the city's 17th Street Canal. With much of the Crescent City some 10 feet below sea level, the rising tide may not stop until it's level with the massive lake.

New Orleans had long known it was highly vulnerable to flooding and a direct hit from a hurricane. In fact, the federal government has been working with state and local officials in the region since the late 1960s on major hurricane and flood relief efforts. When flooding from a massive rainstorm in May 1995 killed six people, Congress authorized the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, or SELA.

Over the next 10 years, the Army Corps of Engineers, tasked with carrying out SELA, spent $430 million on shoring up levees and building pumping stations, with $50 million in local aid. But at least $250 million in crucial projects remained, even as hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin increased dramatically and the levees surrounding New Orleans continued to subside.

Yet after 2003, the flow of federal dollars toward SELA dropped to a trickle. The Corps never tried to hide the fact that the spending pressures of the war in Iraq, as well as homeland security -- coming at the same time as federal tax cuts -- was the reason for the strain. At least nine articles in the Times-Picayune from 2004 and 2005 specifically cite the cost of Iraq as a reason for the lack of hurricane- and flood-control dollars.

Newhouse News Service, in an article posted late Tuesday night at The Times-Picayune Web site, reported: "No one can say they didn't see it coming. ... Now in the wake of one of the worst storms ever, serious questions are being asked about the lack of preparation."

In early 2004, as the cost of the conflict in Iraq soared, President Bush proposed spending less than 20 percent of what the Corps said was needed for Lake Pontchartrain, according to a Feb. 16, 2004, article, in New Orleans CityBusiness.

On June 8, 2004, Walter Maestri, emergency management chief for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; told the Times-Picayune: "It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's the price we pay. Nobody locally is happy that the levees can't be finished, and we are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us."

Also that June, with the 2004 hurricane season starting, the Corps' project manager Al Naomi went before a local agency, the East Jefferson Levee Authority, and essentially begged for $2 million for urgent work that Washington was now unable to pay for. From the June 18, 2004 Times-Picayune:

"The system is in great shape, but the levees are sinking. Everything is sinking, and if we don't get the money fast enough to raise them, then we can't stay ahead of the settlement," he said. "The problem that we have isn't that the levee is low, but that the federal funds have dried up so that we can't raise them."

The panel authorized that money, and on July 1, 2004, it had to pony up another $250,000 when it learned that stretches of the levee in Metairie had sunk by four feet. The agency had to pay for the work with higher property taxes. The levee board noted in October 2004 that the feds were also now not paying for a hoped-for $15 million project to better shore up the banks of Lake Pontchartrain.

The 2004 hurricane season was the worst in decades. In spite of that, the federal government came back this spring with the steepest reduction in hurricane and flood-control funding for New Orleans in history. Because of the proposed cuts, the Corps office there imposed a hiring freeze. Officials said that money targeted for the SELA project -- $10.4 million, down from $36.5 million -- was not enough to start any new jobs.

There was, at the same time, a growing recognition that more research was needed to see what New Orleans must do to protect itself from a Category 4 or 5 hurricane. But once again, the money was not there. As the Times-Picayune reported last Sept. 22:

"That second study would take about four years to complete and would cost about $4 million, said Army Corps of Engineers project manager Al Naomi. About $300,000 in federal money was proposed for the 2005 fiscal-year budget, and the state had agreed to match that amount. But the cost of the Iraq war forced the Bush administration to order the New Orleans district office not to begin any new studies, and the 2005 budget no longer includes the needed money, he said."

The Senate was seeking to restore some of the SELA funding cuts for 2006. But now it's too late.

One project that a contractor had been racing to finish this summer: a bridge and levee job right at the 17th Street Canal, site of the main breach on Monday.

The Newhouse News Service article published Tuesday night observed, "The Louisiana congressional delegation urged Congress earlier this year to dedicate a stream of federal money to Louisiana's coast, only to be opposed by the White House. ... In its budget, the Bush administration proposed a significant reduction in funding for southeast Louisiana's chief hurricane protection project. Bush proposed $10.4 million, a sixth of what local officials say they need."

Local officials are now saying, the article reported, that had Washington heeded their warnings about the dire need for hurricane protection, including building up levees and repairing barrier islands, "the damage might not have been nearly as bad as it turned out to be."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Will Bunch ([email protected]) is senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992 when he reported for Newsday. Much of this article also appears on his blog, Attytood, at the Daily News.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001051313

_______________________________________________________________

The problem with NOLA is that the entire system needed to be updated and the levees raised or secured and they have been trying to do that via various plans for a long time. It appears that headway was being made, but W cut the funding, which has now bitten him in the a$$ according to a bunch of articles :shrug:

[JazmenFlowers]

I think this part, however true it may be, shouldn't be put alone on Bush and his administration. No president before him issued federal money for the levees either. :shrug:

I'm not putting it on Bush alone. I'm simply stating that he didn't issue money and especially in a time when terrorist attacks were very possible and the levees were a primary source for their attacks, he and his administration should've thought more about it in the instance than maybe other administrations would or should have.

[JazmenFlowers]

And what exactly is the point of tax in this case? What is the point of having a government here? Of course I know the point, the actual answers to those questions but when it comes to the time that the government is not doing the job it exists to do, what is its point?

got me :shrug:

[strandinthewind]

And what exactly is the point of tax in this case? What is the point of having a government here? Of course I know the point, the actual answers to those questions but when it comes to the time that the government is not doing the job it exists to do, what is its point?

to make sure fags don't f**k :rolleyes:

[JazmenFlowers]

to make sure fags don't f**k :rolleyes:

LMAO - I'd love to read the interoffice memo on this!

[strandinthewind]

LMAO - I'd love to read the interoffice memo on this!

Well, considering they had a gay hooker in their for a few years, you might want to use gloves :eek:

[JazmenFlowers]

Well, considering they had a gay hooker in their for a few years, you might want to use gloves :eek:

"Lord chile, that's just turrible - I be so embarrased behind what I had did" - Shirley Q. Liquor

[Brwn_eyes0511]

I agree, but your inability to say that W screwed up is a little hard to take - and mind you I defended his initial actions through FEMA, which were great and I stand by that. But, all this "let's all work together" talk is sort of to me the ostrich's head in the sand. If we did not complain, W would have done as little as he could. That is frighteningly obvious in that he could not be bothered to send in the calvary for five days. To put it in perspective, people were able to drive to NOLA on Tuesday and many many offers of help on Monday were just ignored or refused by FEMA. So, it is a little hard for everyone to work together when the big dog doesn't want to continue unless public opinion forces him to :shrug:

And, I agree, though he is doing a great thing, Gore looks odd as he always does.

I really do understand what you are saying...and you prehaps are the most open minded individual here at the ledge...and you have always been since I have been around here! I am just honestly not trying to place the blame anywhere...I think we all realize that things could have worked out better and actions could have been taken to better prepare for this disaster (starting years ago!)...and also better steps could have been taken after the hurricane had past, to rescue those left behind! I just would like to see everyone safe right now...

[strandinthewind]

I really do understand what you are saying...and you prehaps are the most open minded individual here at the ledge...and you have always been since I have been around here! I am just honestly not trying to place the blame anywhere...I think we all realize that things could have worked out better and actions could have been taken to better prepare for this disaster (starting years ago!)...and also better steps could have been taken after the hurricane had past, to rescue those left behind! I just would like to see everyone safe right now...


Thanks for the compliment :)

I guess I can, to quote Bill Maher, "chew gum and walk at the same time" :laugh: (obvious levity :) ) - I mean I want everyone to be safe as well. However, I truly believe had it not been for the enormous public outcry, these tens of thousands of evacuees would still be sitting in exccrement (theirs and others') waiting for longer than the five outrageous days they had to wait. So, the outcry has been productive and helped achieve the goal of safety rather than hinder it :shrug:

I remember when people were getting accused of being traitors for daring to speak out against the invasion of Iraq. Well, it turns out they were correct on all accounts. I now wish in hindsight more had complained and maybe that error could have been prevented. But, in all that complaining, I wanted the troops to be safe, etc. The two are mutually exclusive to me.

[irishgrl]

The Monkey Boy is a disgrace. someone needs to take away ALL the bananas.
The way I see it, those dunderheads that called the war protestors "traitors" must have known deep down we were right because their knee jerk reaction was so infantile.

I live smack in the middle of conservative country here, and you wouldnt believe the crap they spew in defense of the poseur. And all the Bush/Cheney bumperstickers...and the ubiquitous "support our troops" ribbons, good grief!

Im tellin ya, the EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES!!!

[dissention]

Thanks for the compliment :)

I guess I can, to quote Bill Maher, "chew gum and walk at the same time" :laugh:

Chew gum and walk at the same time? It's too bad Shrub can't even eat a pretzel and watch a football game at the same time.

[dissention]

For anyone who missed it, here's the transcript of Celine. As annoying as that woman can be when she sings, you really had to see her on Larry King last night; she was incredibly moving and forcefully expressed what most don't have the balls to on national television. It was comforting to see her break down and weep like that.

KING: Joining us now is an old and dear friend, Celine Dion, the musical superstar. She's in her dressing room at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. She will go on stage in about a half hour. She and the director of her wonderful show, a show I've seen, Franco Dragone, have donated by the way, pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross.

What has been your response, Celine, to this? I especially ask this because you're French Canadian from Montreal and New Orleans is a mostly French city.

CELINE DION, SINGER: Correct and I've been there a few times. We've stayed there. I've, you know, filmed videos there and so Rene and I, we've been to New Orleans. And, I have to say, Larry, that and state it as the rest of the world if I may I was watching you behind, there's a television right now, I'm watching and I'm especially waiting like the rest of the world.

I'm waking up in the morning. I'm having a coffee. I barely can swallow it. I come here at Caesar's Palace every night to perform. I barely can sing. But for respect the people who come I am still singing. When I come home at night, my son is waiting for me. I watch television.

Yes, we gave $1 million but what we expect, what I want to look like the rest of the world, I open the television there's people still there waiting to be rescued and for me it's not acceptable. I know there's reasons for it. I'm sorry to say I'm being rude but I don't want to hear those reasons.

You know, some people are stealing and they're making a big deal out of it. Oh, they're stealing 20 pair of jeans or they're stealing television sets. Who cares? They're not going to go too far with it. Maybe those people are so poor, some of the people who do that they're so poor they've never touched anything in their lives. Let them touch those things for once.

The main thing right now it's not the people who are stealing. It's the people who are left there and they're watching helicopters flying over their heads and they're praying. How come it's so easy to send planes in another country to kill everyone in a second, to destroy lives?

We need to serve our country and for me to serve our country is to be there right now to rescue the rest of the people. We need the cash. We need the blood. We need the support. Right now we need the prayers.

You know when I was hearing a couple of days ago that these things are not reachable it's too full of water, maybe I'm too much like my -- I'm not thinking with my head. I'm talking with my heart. Nobody can open any roofs? The helicopters flying in take two people at a time, take a kayak. Go into those walls.

There's kids being raped at night. They hear gunshots, big guns, what's that? Those people are praying. They're walking. They're like this, hello, do you see us? We're still alive but we're dying. It's terrible.

KING: Celine.

DION: I do not want to talk to you about money.

KING: How do you explain it to your young son?

DION: Well, I have to (INADUIBLE).

KING: Are you OK?

DION: Yes, Rene Charles knows because sometimes he watches televisions with me and I'm saying to him those people went through a big storm and they will be fine because I know at the end they'll be fine and I hope and we're all praying for them. I'm trying not to put to Rene Charles something so dramatic and that's why I'm sorry for crying so hard because I'm holding it for the last week and I'm trying to tell my son that everything is going to be OK. But I see those mothers over there, they're like (INAUDIBLE).

KING: But look at this thins way, Celine, though a lot of people, we've been doing the show now for two and a half hours. We've been asking a lot of people how they can help, how you can help? A lot of people all over the world want to help. You gave $1 million.

You're going to help a lot of people live and survive. You should take great pride in that, one, that you've attained the ability to be able to do that, to be able to give $1 million. You should take pride in that.

DION: I understand it. I understand it's very important because eventually they will need that money but it's just very frustrating that Franco and (INAUDIBLE) and me oh $1 million. This is one thing.

In three months, in six months they will need that money. Right now they're praying for water so we need to send them the water. They don't care about my check. So, it's just frustrating because in our part of the world we're trying our best and we're expecting those people -- I'm sorry.

KING: Your check will turn into something. I know you got to go on soon but we couldn't spend any time with you without asking you, do you have any kind of thing you would like to sing that fits this moment? Is there any song?

DION: Oh, my gosh.

KING: Even if you did a little of it. I don't want to...

DION: Well, the only song that comes to my mind right now is definitely a prayer. I did sing that song a few weeks -- a few years back with Andrea Bocelli.

KING: Ah, yes.

DION: And I cannot think -- I cannot think about a song but a prayer. I will do my very best and I'll do my best.

(CELINE SINGS "THE PRAYER")

DION: God bless them all.

KING: Thank you, Celine. Celine Dion, she'll go on stage in 20 minutes. There's a trooper.

[trackaghost]

Everything Celine said was spot on.

Honestly I don't care if I get people's backs up because I'm not from the US, but what has been going on, or rather not going on, in New Orleans is disgraceful.

Five days is unacceptable in my eyes. Bush should be ashamed at his response to this crisis. Everyone has been watching what's going on the US here in the UK and it's just unbelievable to us the government of the world's richest nation cannot help its own people. There is no reason why these people should have been without food and water for five days, and that things should have lapsed into this chaos.

I don't know what the political climate is like over there in the States right now (your news and everything is so different to ours), but is there the feeling that this will be the end of Bush?

[dissention]

I don't know what the political climate is like over there in the States right now (your news and everything is so different to ours), but is there the feeling that this will be the end of Bush?

People here are just as furious that the government that we fund with our own pocketbooks is allowing the death and sufering that's going on down there. This country should be ashamed of itself. We have Guardsmen playing card games down in New Orleans while people are being beaten, raped, mugged, and dying painful deaths. That being said, I don't think that it will really be the end of Bush, it will more than likely be the end of any political power or leverage that he had before this happened. There's going to be a reckoning for all of this and his second-term agenda is going to be obliterated.

I can only imagine what the effects of this will be in terms of how the rest of the world sees us. I literally pray that no one thinks that the people of this country are as coldhearted and unloving as our government, because that's not the case.

[trackaghost]

I can only imagine what the effects of this will be in terms of how the rest of the world sees us. I literally pray that no one thinks that the people of this country are as coldhearted and unloving as our government, because that's not the case.

I don't think anyone thinks that, it's the government's response which is bewildering to us. It's in times of crisis that great leaders really shine and I think this has just shown Bush to be incapable of helping his own people IMO.

[gldstwmn]

I agree,
Actually, under Clinton's FEMA director James Lee Witt, the levee project was getting worked on and implemented. I've got the links, if you want to read them.

And, I agree, though he is doing a great thing, Gore looks odd as he always does.
True, it's not the greatest picture of Al but I sure didn't see any pictures of Bush breaking a sweat like that.

[gldstwmn]

And what exactly is the point of tax in this case? What is the point of having a government here? Of course I know the point, the actual answers to those questions but when it comes to the time that the government is not doing the job it exists to do, what is its point?

Well you see Lux, we keep cutting taxes and our government is in more debt than it ever has been and the war in Iraq is costing us a fortune.
I think your question may be better served if it is changed to 'What is the point of this administration?' Ya know? :shrug:

[gldstwmn]

I'm not putting it on Bush alone.

Once he declared a state of emergency and mobilized FEMA, it was his responsiblity to the citizens of NOLA and the other afflicted areas to see that the mission was carried out. We have had many, many reports of help being turned away? Why?

[gldstwmn]

Thanks for the compliment :)

I guess I can, to quote Bill Maher, "chew gum and walk at the same time" :laugh: (obvious levity :) ) - I mean I want everyone to be safe as well. However, I truly believe had it not been for the enormous public outcry, these tens of thousands of evacuees would still be sitting in exccrement (theirs and others') waiting for longer than the five outrageous days they had to wait.

FYI, I'm still watching them being plucked off their rooftops this morning. :(

[gldstwmn]

I don't know what the political climate is like over there in the States right now (your news and everything is so different to ours), but is there the feeling that this will be the end of Bush?

Yes.


10 10 10

[gldstwmn]

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_4054083,00.html

Haven from fury Mercy Flight Brings Evacuees to ET
Gore accompanies about 140 arrivals from New Orleans but declines to take credit

By ROBERT WILSON, [email protected]
September 4, 2005


They saw nature's unmatched fury up close.
Now they would see unbridled human compassion.

About 140 people - mostly elderly and infirm - arrived Saturday at McGhee Tyson Airport on a chartered mercy flight from hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, welcomed to East Tennessee by a bright sun and a host of medical professionals straining at the reins to help their fellow human beings without regard to whether they were on the clock.

The displaced hurricane victims came to Tennessee on a hastily arranged flight, accompanied by doctors and carrying whatever they had in boxes, bags or, in one case, an old suitcase tied up with rope.

Former Vice President Al Gore arranged the flight and was on board, but he declined to take credit for the airlift, fearing it would be "politicized."

The patients and evacuees arrived aboard an American Airlines MD-80 about 3:15 p.m. The unloading process took almost two hours, as some walked hesitantly down a staircase beneath the rear of the aircraft. Others were rolled down a ramp from the front of the plane to waiting wheelchairs. Personnel from Rural/Metro and the Tennessee Air National Guard volunteered their services, as did others, to get the patients and evacuees loaded onto buses or ambulances for the ride to area hospitals to be assessed medically before going to a Red Cross shelter.

On hand to help with the operation were Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale and his wife, Claudia, still decked out in orange from having attended the University of Tennessee football game against Alabama-Birmingham. The county's first couple assisted medical staff in shuttling patients from the ramp to buses.

One of the doctors on board the flight was Dr. Anderson Spickard of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, who said he had a "personal and professional" relationship with Gore.

Spickard said Gore called him about 11 p.m. Friday to ask him to participate in the flight.

"The jet was chartered," he said. "It was a private effort."

Gore chartered the plane, but, Spickard said, "we'll decide who pays for it later."

The doctor said the patients on the plane traveled well and added that he was "pleased" with Knoxville and Knox County's response to the call for help.

The patients, he said, "didn't know what kindness" they would receive here.

Spickard said the plane would leave McGhee Tyson Saturday evening for Dallas, where he would spend the night before making another mercy flight, possibly to Chattanooga, Nashville or Chicago.

The plan had been to make two flights Saturday, Spickard said, but delays in getting to Knoxville meant that the plane could not get back to New Orleans before dark. And there are no landing lights at New Orleans International Airport.

Mayor Ragsdale said he was touched by some of the heart-wrenching stories the people told him as they disembarked from the plane.

One, he said, was a man of 80-plus years who described being on his roof for three days before being rescued. Another was in an attic that almost filled with water. A third was a man who got off the plane barefooted and with obvious skin trauma to his lower legs, who told the mayor of having to stand in water for 2-3 days.

"Some folks are mentally exhausted," he said. And, the mayor said, he has been notified that the Knoxville area can expect as many as 1,500 more evacuees in coming days.

Ragsdale said a meeting was held Friday afternoon - before the mercy flight was announced - that included representatives of his staff and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam's, all area hospitals, Knoxville's Community Development Corporation, Child and Family Services, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Knox County Health Department to come up with a plan to mobilize in case of such an emergency.

"We didn't know this would happen," Ragsdale said. "It is fortunate we had the meeting."

He called Saturday "a very successful day."

Gore chose not to speak to the assembled media, but he was seen in a black T-shirt and jeans moving rapidly from one side of the plane to the other assisting with the off-loading operation.

Forty people aboard the plane were uninjured evacuees, mostly family members of the elderly patients. Two or three children and a dog also were on board.

Participating in the operation were the Knoxville Fire Department, the Blount County Rescue Squad and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Cruisers from the Tennessee Highway Patrol escorted the buses to hospitals.

Additional medical personnel within the regional emergency system also were on standby.

Units at the airports included at least 10 ambulances, a phalanx of buses, fire trucks and other equipment.

All those aboard the mercy flight were taken to hospitals for evaluation, including the University of Tennessee Medical Center, St. Mary's, Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, Parkwest, the Baptist Health System, Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, Blount Memorial Hospital, Jefferson Memorial Hospital, Fort Sanders Loudon and Children's Hospital of East Tennessee.

Air National Guard personnel donated their time to help move patients and others to buses and provide liquids, said Capt. Lisa Godsey, public information officer for McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base. Also coordinating the event was Rebecca Huckaby, public information officer for the airport.

The crew for the plane was made up of volunteers led by Capt. E.W. Evans.

Mayor Ragsdale said the effort "could not have had better cooperation" and that the response was "heart-warming."

[gldstwmn]

<img src="http://mas.scripps.com/KNS/2005/09/03/0904katet3_e.jpg">

Former Vice President Al Gore, center, looks on near an off-ramp to a chartered mercy flight that brought evacuees from hurricane- ravaged New Orleans to McGhee Tyson Airport on Saturday.

[dissention]

Bless his heart. It makes me so incredibly happy to see him down there and helping out like that.

[gldstwmn]

Bless his heart. It makes me so incredibly happy to see him down there and helping out like that.

If you click on the link you can see that not only did they take people, they took their pets as well. :angel:
I desperately want him to run for president again.

[dissention]

Once he declared a state of emergency and mobilized FEMA, it was his responsiblity to the citizens of NOLA and the other afflicted areas to see that the mission was carried out. We have had many, many reports of help being turned away? Why?

Chicago offered a great amount of aid and the federal government turned all of it down except for one truck! What on Earth is going on?

[gldstwmn]

Chicago offered a great amount of aid and the federal government turned all of it down except for one truck! What on Earth is going on?

Mayor Daley was pissed. i don't know if we've linked that article yet or not. I've lost track. :lol:
There are stories like this coming in from all over the place.

[dissention]

Mayor Daley was pissed. i don't know if we've linked that article yet or not. I've lost track. :lol:
There are stories like this coming in from all over the place.

I did, many pages ago. :laugh:

Most shocking is the new poll that just came out, though. I'm in disbelief.

[gldstwmn]

I did, many pages ago. :laugh:

Most shocking is the new poll that just came out, though. I'm in disbelief.

What poll dear?

[dissention]

What poll dear?

http://abcnews.go.com/US/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1094262

Rating the Government's Handling of the Situation Overall:

48% positive
51% negative

Falls in the margin of error. I don't understand how half can have a positive view of the governments response. And then you have the insane 31% who say that the fed. government was adequately prepared.

[gldstwmn]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1094262

Rating the Government's Handling of the Situation Overall:

48% positive
51% negative

Falls in the margin of error. I don't understand how half can have a positive view of the governments response. And then you have the insane 31% who say that the fed. government was adequately prepared.

Oh please! :distress:

[michelle2677]

adequately prepared??? for what??
to sit around eating bon bons...yep..they were prepared alright.... :rolleyes:

[dissention]

Oh please! :distress:

My precise reaction. Millions of us could be slaughtered by terrorists and those who survive would say that Bush was a good leader who was well-prepared and adequately responded to the attacks. :rolleyes:

[dissention]

Here's another incredibly disturbing poll:

http://www.theday.com/eng/web/news/re.aspx?re=278D2117-3CAD-41FF-9663-D2BFC746B8DE

People have no qualms about blaming Bush and the federal government for gas prices and price gouging (8 in 10 blame them), but they're split on assigning blame when it comes to this travesty. What is wrong with people? Our people are dying and instead of blaming the government that's responsible for it, they're more interested in blaming them for the PRICE OF GAS? Talk about f*cking selfish and out of touch.

[michelle2677]

because the gas prices affect..(effect?? *L* I never could remember that one) them directly...so they can bitch about it...

but this tragedy is thousands of miles away...who cares about it...
(NOT my thinking btw)

I remember hearing someone in texas say about september 11 that they didn't care....it was way over on the other side of the country and it didn't have anything to do with them.... nice....real nice... :rolleyes:

[dissention]

I remember hearing someone in texas say about september 11 that they didn't care....it was way over on the other side of the country and it didn't have anything to do with them.... nice....real nice... :rolleyes:

People who say that kind of stuff aren't fit to breathe the air that the rest of us breathe.

[michelle2677]

my thoughts exactly...well..actually...I can think of worse things to happen to them.....but they are illegal.... :lol:

[gldstwmn]

This tragedy will effect all of us.

[michelle2677]

it already has...

one way or another...
it just hits different people different ways.

some people don't give a rip about the loss of life down there and just care about the bottom dollar. How much is this gonna cost me?

then there are those that don't care about all that stuff. I mean, yeah, I'm all pissed that my gas prices have gone up a dollar a gallon in a week, but really that doesn't amount to a hill of beans in my book. I'd rather see all of these people (and animals) safe in the comfort of their own homes. Hell, at this point, the comfort of ANYONE'S home....

[golddustwoman77]

glad theres another helping hand out there...

that said...I still think he is a psycho! :cool:

Yeah, a psycho who is helping people more than the present psycho "W," and minus the photo opt to boot! I'm proud to say that Al Gore is from my state and my party. GO BIG AL!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cool:

[gldstwmn]

Gore evacuates second plane load of Katrina victims

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_72002.asp

The refugees who were flown from New Orleans to Chattanooga on Sunday had a well-known person along.

Former Vice President Al Gore and his son were on the chartered flight.

"I understand that Vice President Gore paid for everything," Todd Womack of the mayor's office said.

Sheriff John Cupp said he spoke briefly with Mr. Gore.

He said, "He was not visiting with the media. He was busy working to help the refugees."

Sheriff Cupp said it was an American Airlines plane, and he said a number of American Airlines attendants were along to help.

[SuzeQuze]

Gore evacuates second plane load of Katrina victims

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_72002.asp

The refugees who were flown from New Orleans to Chattanooga on Sunday had a well-known person along.

Former Vice President Al Gore and his son were on the chartered flight.

"I understand that Vice President Gore paid for everything," Todd Womack of the mayor's office said.

Sheriff John Cupp said he spoke briefly with Mr. Gore.

He said, "He was not visiting with the media. He was busy working to help the refugees."

Sheriff Cupp said it was an American Airlines plane, and he said a number of American Airlines attendants were along to help.

Wow, good thing he was never president. :rolleyes: :distress:

[SuzeQuze]

Most definitely. Her, Kanye West, Anderson Cooper, Mayor Nagin, and Shepherd Smith are all to be commended for what they've said.

Yes, Celine's words were awesome and I am so glad she said them. West, Cooper, and Nagin too. Smith I have not heard.

[dissention]

Yes, Celine's words were awesome and I am so glad she said them. West, Cooper, and Nagin too. Smith I have not heard.

Randi just played the entire segment of Smith, Rivera, and Hannity from Faux the other night. It's shocking what a heartless motherf*cking pig Sean Hannity is. "Let's put some perspective on this, Shep." :rolleyes: I loathe that man with every fiber of my being. Then she said that if you ever get over the shock and horror of what happened down there, you don't belong in this country.

[SuzeQuze]

Randi just played the entire segment of Smith, Rivera, and Hannity from Faux the other night. It's shocking what a heartless motherf*cking pig Sean Hannity is. "Let's put some perspective on this, Shep." :rolleyes: I loathe that man with every fiber of my being. Then she said that if you ever get over the shock and horror of what happened down there, you don't belong in this country.

What time did her show start? It replays after Ed on bostonsprogressivetalk.com which is what I have been listening to. So I'll get to hear this later. I love how passionate Randi is. She is right. So many people lack the function of compassion, they cannot put themselves in another's place to see the horror. Imagine if that was your son/daughter/mother/self...how would you feel? Why is that such a stretch for some? It is harder to be this way I suppose but to be callous about life lost is not an option to me. It never will be.

Hannity is the dumbest person on TV and that is saying something.

[strandinthewind]

Randi just played the entire segment of Smith, Rivera, and Hannity from Faux the other night. It's shocking what a heartless motherf*cking pig Sean Hannity is. "Let's put some perspective on this, Shep." :rolleyes: I loathe that man with every fiber of my being. Then she said that if you ever get over the shock and horror of what happened down there, you don't belong in this country.


SS ripped him a new one when he said that. Hannity the Calamity actually looked taken aback - Hannity is a jerk, an idiot, a racist, and bigot. He should not be given the time of day.

[dissention]

If anyone can, try to tune in to Oprah right now. Her coverage of this has to be the most sobering I've seen yet and her show is really asking the tough questions.

[SuzeQuze]

SS ripped him a new one when he said that. Hannity the Calamity actually looked taken aback - Hannity is a jerk, an idiot, a racist, and bigot. He should not be given the time of day.

I couldn't have said it better. :xoxo: Wanna get married? ;) I am seriously in love with everything you have said after this disaster. Ever consider running for office? Also, how cool is it that you are familiar with Anne Rice's house? I love her, and loved The Witching Hour, except the very end. I've gotta reread that one since it has been a long time. I am glad she spoke up in the wake of this as well. So many have shown their cajones by speaking out.

[dissention]

What time did her show start? It replays after Ed on bostonsprogressivetalk.com which is what I have been listening to. So I'll get to hear this later. I love how passionate Randi is. She is right. So many people lack the function of compassion, they cannot put themselves in another's place to see the horror. Imagine if that was your son/daughter/mother/self...how would you feel? Why is that such a stretch for some? It is harder to be this way I suppose but to be callous about life lost is not an option to me. It never will be.

Hannity is the dumbest person on TV and that is saying something.

I usually stream it from my computer through my stereo when I listen to AAR and the stream is directly from WLIB in New York, so everything is live. :)

If this is so heartbreaking just from reading about it and watching it, I could never even begin to imagine what it's like for the people who are going through this. Words would fail.

[SuzeQuze]

If anyone can, try to tune in to Oprah right now. Her coverage of this has to be the most sobering I've seen yet and her show is really asking the tough questions.

She has so much integrity. Damn I wish I could watch this!

[SuzeQuze]

I usually stream it from my computer through my stereo when I listen to AAR and the stream is directly from WLIB in New York, so everything is live. :)

If this is so heartbreaking just from reading about it and watching it, I could never even begin to imagine what it's like for the people who are going through this. Words would fail.

Me neither Diss. Those orphaned pets are enough to kill me but that is only the tip of the iceberg of the horrors. I saw an image of a body face down in the water and it haunts me. If I were actually there I can't imagine...

[dissention]

So many have shown their cajones by speaking out.

Lisa Ling was just on Oprah and she asked what the response would have been if these were affluent white people. Then she interviewed a family that was just wandering down a decimated street in New Orleans who had lost contact with their daughters and sister-in-law; that part had me in tears. To not know what happened to your own flesh and blood is incomprehensible.

[SuzeQuze]

Lisa Ling was just on Oprah and she asked what the response would have been if these were affluent white people. Then she interviewed a family that was just wandering down a decimated street in New Orleans who had lost contact with their daughters and sister-in-law; that part had me in tears. To not know what happened to your own flesh and blood is incomprehensible.

I just watched the Smith commentary on Randi's site. I know Geraldo was way over the top but I'm also glad that he at least showed that he was outraged. :distress:

Affluent white people would never wind up in such a situation would they? However, if by chance they had, W probably would have gone in himself to get them. They are his base after all.

[strandinthewind]

I couldn't have said it better. :xoxo: Wanna get married? ;) I am seriously in love with everything you have said after this disaster. Ever consider running for office? Also, how cool is it that you are familiar with Anne Rice's house? I love her, and loved The Witching Hour, except the very end. I've gotta reread that one since it has been a long time. I am glad she spoke up in the wake of this as well. So many have shown their cajones by speaking out.

I am afraid my wild past would prohibit any political aspirations :laugh:

does anyone have copies of those pictures

In the end, I think the state and local governments could have done a lot more in both LA and MS, esp. MS, where evacuation is comparatively easier than NOLA, which is essentially water locked. But, the glaring error of the FEMA, who was in charge according their statements at the time, eclipses all of that. I mean how is it possible that the Federal Emergency Managment people did not know for fout days that 30,000+ people were congregated six blocks from the Superdome and in need of assistance when it was being reported on every tv in the world at the time. I will say this though, since then, they have done a bang up job and for that I commend them, but it does not excuse the galring error last week.

[gldstwmn]

Randi just played the entire segment of Smith, Rivera, and Hannity from Faux the other night. It's shocking what a heartless motherf*cking pig Sean Hannity is. "Let's put some perspective on this, Shep." :rolleyes:

I thought he was going to kick Hannity's ass.

[SuzeQuze]

I am afraid my wild past would prohibit any political aspirations :laugh:

does anyone have copies of those pictures

In the end, I think the state and local governments could have done a lot more in both LA and MS, esp. MS, where evacuation is comparatively easier than NOLA, which is essentially water locked. But, the glaring error of the FEMA, who was in charge according their statements at the time, eclipses all of that. I mean how is it possible that the Federal Emergency Managment people did not know for fout days that 30,000+ people were congregated six blocks from the Superdome and in need of assistance when it was being reported on every tv in the world at the time. I will say this though, since then, they have done a bang up job and for that I commend them, but it does not excuse the galring error last week.

Unfortunately it is worse than not providing aid. They turned aid away. They did not allow people to leave the city. They guarded the entrance to the dome and did not allow people to leave. They cut emergency communication lines. I think that this was possibly due to the gunfire that was occuring and they treated every single person trapped there as though they were a criminal. :shocked: :distress: It is abominable.

[wondergirl9847]

I remember hearing someone in texas say about september 11 that they didn't care....it was way over on the other side of the country and it didn't have anything to do with them.... nice....real nice... :rolleyes:

Mr. Heartless, table for one. :mad:

I have to admit, I have a hard time feeling empathy sometimes, but even today, when I see 9-11 footage, I cry...and I am a Texan. I had two friends in NYC that day (they weren't in the WTCs but they live super close) and I panicked when I found out. I cried watching Oprah today, it was the most heartbreaking thing to hear about the stories and see those people, dying...and already gone. :distress:

[dissention]

I cried watching Oprah today, it was the most heartbreaking thing to hear about the stories and see those people, dying...and already gone. :distress:

Oh, Christy, didn't you lose it when the carpenter dude on Oprah was standing next to the woman who had died and was covered in a white sheet? Man, that was something.

[estranged4life]

the New Orleans coverage, It was getting to me.

I wonder how severe the political fallout will be from this screwup in the next major elections? I guarantee heads are gonna roll.

On a related topic, I have to say I enjoyed Sheppard Smith ripping on Sean "Talkin' political Asshat" Hannity though....I may hate Faux News (How ya let Rita Crosby go elsewhere shows how stupid ya news-tards are...That's alright, I watch Rita nightly on MSNBC and got to see her wearing red, Think my heart stopped for a minute or two when I saw her in red) but I always liked Shep.

[wondergirl9847]

Oh, Christy, didn't you lose it when the carpenter dude on Oprah was standing next to the woman who had died and was covered in a white sheet? Man, that was something.


Also, the lady on the bridge, who that doctor had to cover. :distress: I was a little taken aback for a split second (wasn't expecting them to full on show the bloated dead floating), but it was needed.

[The Tower]

On a related topic, I have to say I enjoyed Sheppard Smith ripping on Sean "Talkin' political Asshat" Hannity though....I may hate Faux News (How ya let Rita Crosby go elsewhere shows how stupid ya news-tards are...That's alright, I watch Rita nightly on MSNBC and got to see her wearing red, Think my heart stopped for a minute or two when I saw her in red) but I always liked Shep.
I just watched the Hannity/Shepard Smith/Geraldo thing.

Ledge rules or not, Hannity is a smug ****ing asshole. Somebody should take his piece of ****, lying ass and throw him in the heart of New Orleans so that he can get some "perspective".

He is an evil man and I wish him dead.

[GypsySorcerer]

On a related topic, I have to say I enjoyed Sheppard Smith ripping on Sean "Talkin' political Asshat" Hannity though....I may hate Faux News (How ya let Rita Crosby go elsewhere shows how stupid ya news-tards are...That's alright, I watch Rita nightly on MSNBC and got to see her wearing red, Think my heart stopped for a minute or two when I saw her in red) but I always liked Shep.
I enjoyed seeing Shep give it to both O'Reilly and Hannity. They're both so pompous and smug.

[dissention]

He is an evil man and I wish him dead.

To be an evil man, he'd have to be human. He's simply an "it."

[dissention]

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/politics/12575547.htm
Administration's figures on response don't appear to add up

WASHINGTON - (KRT) - In an effort to show the world that it's finally on top of the catastrophe unleashed by Hurricane Katrina more than a week ago, the Bush administration is producing a seemingly impressive battery of statistics.

Since Friday, as criticism has mounted against the administration for its perceived failure to act sooner, officials have sought to tangibly catalog crucial results, such as "lives saved," "people assisted" and "citizens evacuated."

But a closer look at the administration's claims shows some of the most important numbers seem to contradict each other, including assertions made as recently as Tuesday afternoon about the number of people rescued from life-threatening situations.

In other cases, the numbers seem, at best, to be crude estimates, though they are not presented that way when uttered or released by administration officials.

As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said the "federal effort to save lives," a phrase it has used to begin each update released since Sunday, had so far yielded 32,000 "lives saved."

Russ Knocke, a spokesman for the agency, explained that the U.S. Coast Guard, part of the Homeland Security agency, had saved 23,000 of those people on its own.

The remaining 9,000, Knocke said, were rescued by all other federal agencies involved in the effort, including federal law enforcement agencies, the National Guard and other branches of the Department of Defense.

But the Defense Department said it alone had rescued "over 13,000 people" as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, which was more than six hours before the Homeland Security Department issued its update.

Gen. Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, repeated the "over 13,000" figure at a Tuesday afternoon Pentagon news conference with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

A Department of Defense official, who agreed to speak about the issue only on condition of anonymity, said, "I don't know what the disconnect is on whose numbers are right and whose numbers are wrong." But the official also said no one could doubt the "massive" size of the rescue effort under way.

Perhaps just as elusive is how such numbers are reached by the administration in the first place.

Knocke, the homeland security spokesman, initially said a "life saved" was defined by the agency as someone who was plucked off of a rooftop in a flood-ravaged area by a helicopter or rescued by boat.

But he also said it included any "individual who is in a situation where their life could be in jeopardy if they stay in that location. ... It includes any number of things."

For three straight days, the Homeland Security Department also gave separate tallies of the number of people evacuated from flood- and hurricane-ravaged locales.

The agency said it was in the midst Saturday of "the largest emergency domestic airlift of people in U.S. history," an effort that would yield 10,000 evacuees per day.

By Sunday, the total number of those evacuated was listed by DHS as 35,000.

On Monday, however, the agency abruptly stopped listing those figures in its daily updates.

Knocke offered two explanations. First, he said the number of evacuees had likely declined since Sunday because many people had already been sent to safer ground.

But he also said the agency stopped issuing the number of those evacuated because "it's extraordinarily difficult to provide a precise number." And he said the agency only wanted to issue numbers that it could "back up" with certainty.

That didn't stop Myers, the chairman of joint chiefs, from saying at his news conference Tuesday that the military had evacuated "more than 75,000 people" so far - a huge increase from the last homeland security update of 35,000 on Sunday.

Other numbers first listed by the administration as key statistics also have disappeared from the daily reports.

On Friday, the first day such tallies were released, the Homeland Security Department said it had "assisted" 30,000 people. It was the first and last time the agency issued such a calculation.

Knocke insisted Tuesday the agency was not double-counting its statistics. Those "assisted" did not include those "evacuated" or those "saved," he said.

But he also said, "These numbers are estimations. We are still in the middle of a crisis."

[gldstwmn]

To be an evil man, he'd have to be human. He's simply an "it."

Randi called him "Bush's B*tch" today.

[SomeKindaMother]

And, I agree, though he is doing a great thing, Gore looks odd as he always does.

I think he looks beautiful! Wonder where we'd be now if only......

Kelly :)