Jeb Bush disses FEMA Oct. 20 on Capitol Hill: praises it Oct 22. [View All]

[seafan]

Poor Jeb! is getting whiplash.

Governor lavishes praise on FEMA, discounts critics
Mark Hollis | Tallahassee Bureau
October 22, 2005



TALLAHASSEE -- Dismissing intense scrutiny of FEMA as clueless, Gov. Jeb Bush has begun playing a new role as chief defender of the nation's disaster-relief agency.

"I think the criticism has been across the board, and it's unfair," Bush, the younger brother of President Bush, said Friday.

--snip


Now, with FEMA facing its first major test since Katrina with a highly probable Florida landfall of Hurricane Wilma in the next few days, Gov. Bush is eagerly praising the federal agency's readiness for disasters, especially in his state.

--snip


"It's We-ma, not FEMA. We're together. It's all jointly done, jointly planned."

--snip

"Any criticism, particularly from the talking heads who don't have any clue about emergency management, should be discounted deeply," the governor said.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-jeb2205oct22,0,6321392.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state

But, but, but Jeb, you said THIS just 2 days earlier before the House Homeland Security Committee in DC!

FEMA 'broken,' Jeb Bush tells Congress
Tamara Lytle | Washington Bureau Chief
October 20, 2005

--snip

Bush touted Florida's handling of seven hurricanes during the past 14 months. Florida, for instance, has set up local distribution points throughout the state to hand out ice, water and other necessities after a disaster. Private-sector logistics experts helped plan the program.

"If Wal-Mart can do it, why can't the government?" he said.

--snip

Gov. Bush had plenty of criticisms of FEMA's response efforts. He cited confusing rules about the kind of debris removal the federal government will pay for. He also said housing for evacuees is slow in coming, and repayments to state and local governments are delayed.

--snip

The governor summed up FEMA's "broken" logistics system in his written testimony with the tale of a truck of ice: Getting the truck to Florida last year required a FEMA bureaucrat in Atlanta to write separate contracts for each leg of the truck's trip.

--snip

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-jebdisaster2005oct20,0,275092.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state

Now that Wilma is bearing down on Florida, Jeb! is truly sorry he said FEMA is broken. Really, really sorry.