They Really Dropped the Ball..

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

Martial law was declared by the mayor on Tuesday when the city flooded and the looting began. To say otherwise is a lie.

Also, Randi Rhodes discussed a 4 page letter that governor Blanco sent to FEMA which states, in plain English, EXACTLY what will be needed. This was an itemized list, four pages long. To say they did not get aid because they did not ask for it is also a lie. She sent this 2 days before the hurricane hit. You can probably see the details of this at http://www.therandirhodesshow.com

I think I posted it in the Katrina thread. Also, any suggestion that FEMA was not in charge is unfounded because FEMA itself repeatedly said it was since Sunday and the Pres. backed that up many times by asssuring Americans that FEMA was handling the matter with his supervision. So, anything said contrary to that is BS. I mean if FEMA was not in charge, then why did FEMA refuse the numerous supplies offered and opt instead for their own belated effort on Friday

Regarding Babs Bush - I do not think her comment is so horrible in that I think her intent was good. But, others will disagree. Her is cnn's take on it:

Barbara Bush: Relocation 'working very well' for poor

HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- Former Presidents Bush and Clinton got smiles, hugs and requests for autographs when they met with refugees from Hurricane Katrina -- but it was Bush's wife who got attention for some of her comments.

Barbara Bush, who accompanied the former presidents on a tour of the Astrodome complex Monday, said the relocation to Houston is "working very well" for some of the poor people forced out of New Orleans.

"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality," she said during a radio interview with the American Public Media program "Marketplace." "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

Her comments came as the two former presidents visited with hundreds of the 23,600 hurricane refugees and announced the creation of the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund.

"We're most anxious to roll up our sleeves and get to work," George H.W. Bush said. "It will take all of us working together to accomplish our goal. This job is too big for any one group."

Clinton said he thinks the federal government's response to the tragedy should be examined. But for now, he said, the focus should be on helping the refugees restart their lives.

"There is still a lot of anger. There is still a lot of confusion, but I don't think we should be surprised," Clinton said. "These people lost everything and the experience they had in the Superdome or the convention center was horrible."

The elder Bush said he doesn't like the criticism leveled at his son, President Bush, but added, "As a president it goes with territory."

As the Bushes entered a shelter set up at the Reliant Center with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Perry and Barbara Bush immediately gravitated toward two children, while former president Bush shook hands with a group of men.

After a brief exchange with one girl, Barbara Bush grabbed her hand and took her to meet her husband. Barbara Bush placed her arm around the girl's back and the child smiled widely as she talked with the former president.

Clinton toured the shelter with his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

Obama, picked up a little girl who brought him a small heart she had made in a makeshift daycare center at the shelter.

"What's your name, sweetie? You look so pretty," Obama said to the girl. "You made this heart and you decided to give it to Bill Clinton, didn't you?"

The little girl, named Kearra, shook her head affirmatively.

"Well, I give you my heart," Clinton said, giving the tiny toddler a hug. "You're beautiful. Thank you for the heart."

Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/06/kat....ap/index.html
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Please also note the apparent warmness of the Clintons as opposed to the Bushs little Brown Ones indeed