They Really Dropped the Ball..

[amber]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I remember hearing FEMA or some Fed. declared martial law. I specifically remember hearing that because they mentioned it was the first time since Pearl Harbor. But, maybe I am wrong as a whole bunch of stuff has been misreported in recent days.

Right - I thought the governor was involved with that, too, though. We'll know in awhile....

[amber]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Do not let her meek appearance fool you. Her political career suggests she is one savy woman.

I can tell. And you'd have to be to sift through the mass of corruption that is LA, and everywhere else and go that far...

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by amber

Right - I thought the governor was involved with that, too, though. We'll know in awhile....

I think once the Pres. declares it a Fed. Disaster Area - that shifts the control to FEMA, who Blanco specifically requested help from on Aug. 28 in that letter I posted a link to. Moreover, could you imagine W making the argument, "well, Gov. Blanco did not specifically ask us to be there after that - so we thought we'd wait and see"

[dissention]

Has there been anything said about Oily Dick at all? Has he bought the farm?

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by amber

I can tell. And you'd have to be to sift through the mass of corruption that is LA, and everywhere else and go that far...

LOL - suffice it to say I think LA politics are no more corrupt than just about any other state's politics. They are just more open about it

[dissention]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...icle309222.ece

Some people seized on the chaos caused by Hurricane Katrina to add to it by looting abandoned homes and stores while law enforcement agencies were busy trying to help those struck by the storm.

Reports from several devastated communities said police had already arrested people for looting and 1,600 members of the Mississippi National Guard were being deployed, in part, to deter thieves. CNN showed gangs of looters in New Orleans trying to break into buildings.

A local television channel said police with automatic weapons were called to a grocery store after looters went on the rampage, pulling apart a cash dispenser and taking groceries. The store was ransacked.

Haley Barbour, the Governor of Mississippi, said: "I have instructed the Highway Patrol and the National Guard to treat looters ruthlessly. Looting will not be tolerated and rules of engagement will be as aggressive as the law allows."

That's just plain wrong.

[amber]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

LOL - suffice it to say I think LA politics are no more corrupt than just about any other state's politics. They are just more open about it

Weren't you the one that posted the article about more gov't endightments (sp) and police corruption (and worse - assault, rape, theft,) arrests and convictions second only to - actually, I can't remember if it was second to anyone...
Yes, they are much more open about it.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Then why bother to get her to sign the document?

Indeed.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by dissention

Has there been anything said about Oily Dick at all? Has he bought the farm?

He showed up on the same day that Rehnquist's death was announced.

[stargazer99]

Originally Posted by sodascouts

Ah. Perhaps we should compile a list of things one is not allowed to do within a certain number of days after a disaster, which also needs to be determined. I am sure Josh can help us with this.

I'm slowly making my way through this thread, so I apologize if I'm beating a dead horse here...

When it comes to a high-ranking government official, I think the answer is that perhaps you should postpone your vacation until after such a catastrophic disaster has been dealt with, rather than spending $1,000's on shoes and attending broadway plays while tens of thousands are stranded, wondering if they will die before being rescued. Perhaps her time would be better served actually doing something to help those people. Or maybe that sounds too much like doing her job. At the very least, this doesn't exactly give an impression of someone who cares about the people who were enduring this tragedy. Of course, she's not alone. It took the president 2 days to finally decide maybe it would be best to cut his 5-week vacation short by a full 2 days. (Oh yeah... I forgot, he can supposedly handle crises from anywhere. I guess 4 days is their idea of effectively handling a crisis.)

Perhaps these are some of the reasons why so many Americans right now view this administration as uncaring. I mean, what does it say when the president can cut his vacation short to keep alive a brain-dead woman against her husband's wishes, but he can't be bothered for 2 whole days to cut his vacation short to help those whose lives could have actually been saved? Maybe it's things like this that have so many people outraged. Yeah, you can say how we should be focusing on the fact that people have finally been rescued out of there. Wow, I'm impressed that those in charge finally got around to doing what should have been done days ago! Sorry if that ihnitial lack of response is a little hard to overlook. And it seems like the outrage is what finally got them to get off their a**es and got some help to those people. I'd hate to think how long it might have taken if there weren't people out there screaming in outrage.

- Mary

[strandinthewind]

Hmmmmmmm - these are unstaged - wonder is W will get as great a reception - somehow I doubt it and I doubt he will be going here.

Times-Picayune


Monday, September 05, 2005

Celebrities bring some cheer to Houston
Monday, 5:55 p.m.

By Tara Young
Staff writer

HOUSTON—A star-struck Phyllicia Winchester stood behind the barricades with her family and watched Oprah Winfrey and the talk show host’s entourage leave the Reliant Astrodome Monday afternoon.

A few minutes before, the 16-year-old spied Jada Pinkett Smith. The Rev. Jesse Jackson had just left the building. And at one point Monday, she was close enough to touch U.S. Sen. Hilary Rodham Clinton, D-New York, who was in town visiting storm survivors with her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

She hadn’t seen Macy Gray but heard the singer was on the grounds volunteering, and Dr. Phil held an impromptu talk show at the dome Sunday, she said.

The visits have been a welcome diversion for Winchester, a high school junior, who is afraid of what she’ll find upon returning to her home in Harvey this week to survey storm damage with her family.

On Monday the guests wouldn’t stop coming as a virtual who’s who of political, social and pop culture idols flooded the Reliant Park Complex, which houses the Astrodome, the Reliant Center and the Reliant Arena, where more than 20,000 New Orleans area residents are now being sheltered.

The day started with a security sweep and a bomb-sniffing dog at the Reliant Center, where Clinton and another former president, George Bush, appeared to announce the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund to assist hurricane victims. The two compared the fund to the tsunami relief effort they spearheaded earlier this year.

Their entourage included Hilary Clinton, Barbara Bush, U.S. Sen. Barak Obama, D-Illinois, and last but not least, former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League.

It was sensory overload for Karen Wilson of Treme Monday morning when Morial entered the cavernous hall where she and a couple thousand more residents were staying. She clung to Morial like a long lost friend.

When President Clinton entered the room, Wilson said she was moved to tears.

“They hugged me! Both of them,” said Wilson, smiling. “I was just amazed. It made me feel happy. It made me feel good.”

For some, like Wilson, a hug, or a simple touch was all they needed. Others, like Linda Jeffers, a 7th Ward resident, forced visiting celebrities and politicians to listen to stories about missing relatives, slow emergency response time after the storm and their fears of never being able to return home.

Jeffers, who is known in the dome by the straw hat she wears, made it a point Monday to get Jackson’s attention as he stepped on the ground floor with state Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge.

Before touring the facility, Jackson and Fields said they were concerned about Louisiana residents being shipped away to states outside of the South. The two spoke about establishing “tent cities,” opening up cabins and lands at Louisiana State Parks for evacuees and, lastly, creating temporary residential areas at closed military installations, like England Air Force Base in Alexandria.

Jeffers, who heard relocation offers to Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas and West Virginia Monday, said she wanted to make sure that Jackson would help fight to bring Louisiana residents back home.

“They are sending us to places that we know not of,” said Jeffers, who cornered Fields until he provided her with his contact information. “Who do we know in Kansas?”

Jackson, however, was all but forgotten when Oprah Winfrey arrived at the dome.

By far, Winfrey received the warmest reception of the day by evacuees who were kept at bay by Houston Police officers who escorted her around the dome. But security did not keep Winfrey from reaching out and touching several residents during her visit.

“She said my daughter was the prettiest storm survivor there is,” said Karen Matthews, hugging her little girl, Kaytrell.

Matthews said Winfrey also asked about Kaytrell’s father, who hasn’t been seen since the storm.

Matthews said seeing people like Winfrey gives her hope. “It makes me feel overjoyed to know that people care,” she said.

Winchester, who still couldn’t believe she met Jada Pinkett Smith Monday at the Astrodome, agreed.

“She didn’t come down here with her nose up in the air,” Winchester said of her favorite actress who is married to actor Wil Smith. “She was hugging and touching. She was signing autographs. It was breathtaking.”

www.nola.com

[irishgrl]

what does it say when the president can cut his vacation short to keep alive a brain-dead woman against her husband's wishes, but he can't be bothered for 2 whole days to cut his vacation short to help those whose lives could have actually been saved?

excellent point
I personally think that Monkey Boy has NO CLUE how to handle a disaster. Why else would he get his dad and Clinton on board? Its just more of his "to heck with the little guy" Standard Operating Procedure.

[GypsySorcerer]

Originally Posted by stargazer99

I'm slowly making my way through this thread, so I apologize if I'm beating a dead horse here...

When it comes to a high-ranking government official, I think the answer is that perhaps you should postpone your vacation until after such a catastrophic disaster has been dealt with, rather than spending $1,000's on shoes and attending broadway plays while tens of thousands are stranded, wondering if they will die before being rescued. Perhaps her time would be better served actually doing something to help those people. Or maybe that sounds too much like doing her job. At the very least, this doesn't exactly give an impression of someone who cares about the people who were enduring this tragedy. Of course, she's not alone. It took the president 2 days to finally decide maybe it would be best to cut his 5-week vacation short by a full 2 days. (Oh yeah... I forgot, he can supposedly handle crises from anywhere. I guess 4 days is their idea of effectively handling a crisis.)

Perhaps these are some of the reasons why so many Americans right now view this administration as uncaring. I mean, what does it say when the president can cut his vacation short to keep alive a brain-dead woman against her husband's wishes, but he can't be bothered for 2 whole days to cut his vacation short to help those whose lives could have actually been saved? Maybe it's things like this that have so many people outraged. Yeah, you can say how we should be focusing on the fact that people have finally been rescued out of there. Wow, I'm impressed that those in charge finally got around to doing what should have been done days ago! Sorry if that ihnitial lack of response is a little hard to overlook. And it seems like the outrage is what finally got them to get off their a**es and got some help to those people. I'd hate to think how long it might have taken if there weren't people out there screaming in outrage.

- Mary

Excellent post. Well said.

[michelle2677]

this is not really a critical issue, and may have already been brought up, but they discussed this on CNN today

why did Bush just now (yesterday) have the flags flown at half-staff for the death of Rehnquist, but not last week after this tragedy???

like I said..not really a critical issue...just wondering

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Lux

You're completely right. At the moment it is such a relief to hear all the reports of the day and at this point that is what matters but people have every right to be outraged. I think I said earlier too that it's the huge public (media) outrage that *sped* this whole thing up. To condescend to those who have every right to be furious and if anything only added in some tiny way to the cause that sped this up, it's far too easy and unacceptable.

It is also very, very unfair to the hundreds of first reponders who have been working 24/7 on this. They are exhausted and have done a GREAT job pulling people off of their roofs, etc. I think W and crewe will try to confuse that great job, which is to their creidt, with the horrendous follow through by W and his cronies, which was the belated evacuation of these people once the terrific first responders deposited them at the Convention Center, where tens of thousands waited for up to five days without food, water, medical supplies, etc. (many of them dying) - while FEMA turned away instant such help and instead took five or so days to organize on its own. The latter is where the tragedy of last week was and I hope someone, preferably W, is held accountable.