Ridge Decries California finger-Pointing Over Rejected Request for Forest

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAQWZZ9IMD.html

Ridge Decries California 'finger-Pointing' Over Rejected Request for Forest Aid

CLAREMONT, Calif. (AP) - Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge on Saturday defended the Bush administration's decision not to declare an emergency zone in Southern California forests before fires there erupted into one of the state's worst disasters.

State officials have noted that Gov. Gray Davis in April asked federal emergency officials for $430 million to rid the forests of hundreds of thousands of trees killed by bark beetles during California's lengthy drought. The request was rejected by the Federal Emergency Management Agency just as the latest wildfires were beginning to spread.

Speaking with Gov. Gray Davis at a disaster relief center, Ridge called the state's request understandable, but suggested that officials "move forward" and deal with losses of homes, widespread deforestation and the potential for mud slides as winter comes to the region.

"This finger-pointing is not going to do anybody any good any more," Ridge said.

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[La_Serpiente]

1. Mr. Ridge

there is not that much to defend. It looks like you can't spin this one.

[Kitsune]

2. Translation:

"It's only okay to point the finger at DEMOCRATS! DEMOCRATS! Didn't you guys get Karl's memo?"

[stlsaxman]

16. Translating further...

It sure sounds like a threat to me. "Next time anyone points a finger we'll take
actions against them".

[dArKeR]

3. If Clinton does it hire an Independent Prosecutor. If Bush does is forget

about it. Along with the entire 'Liberal' GOP Whore Media, coverage is banned!

Let's compare Clinton being investigated for firing a person from the White House Travel Offfice, TravelGate to Bush denying funds to CA because it had a Democratic Governor with 2 Democratic Senators. (The reason in fact we all know.) So why isn't an Independent Prosecutor called for? 20 dead. 2000 homes destroyed. 100,000 peole displaced. Loss of billions of dollars...

If there was an IP we'd find out Bush's denial was a political decision thus guilty of accessory to deaths and loss of property.

Tell me where the Liberal Press is!

[zbdent]

4. Ask Ridge about the finger-pointing done on the

Rush Limbaugh replacement (3) hour(s).

Where the host condemned Gray Davis for not personally going out there two minutes after the helicopter pilot spotted the fires.

Essentially, (I believe it was a-hole Tony Snow) the host said that GD refused to let the C130s take off in the first hour or two of the fires, which then allowed the disaster to spread to epic proportions.

[dArKeR]

7. Did you see Ah-no on CNN with Davis?

With a smirk on his face, just like Junior does, he said smirkly, 'I'LL BE BACK to Washington many times to get money.' This was at a news conference talking about the destroyed homes. And Ah-no is nearly laughing, smiling and joking about. The tone for 'I'll be back' was spoken just like th movie.

Do any callers ask about these kinds of things on the show?

--------------------

Davis really looked honest, sincere, empathetic, professional... I swear. This is not a bias opinion. Try to catch it for yourself and make your own judgement.

I just can't believe CA recalled Davis for Son-Of-Shit-For-Brains!

The Dems. have got to learn something from Junior and Ah-no! And I hope Dean learns something too! You can be a serious candidate like Dean ALWAYS is! The Sheeple don't vote for honest serious people. You've got to be more personable even if you're a dirty stupid shit-for-brains liar!

Which is a sad assessment of our country!

[PartyPooper]

5. Funny

how Tom Ridge and none of the folks who stalled and voted against Gov. Davis' request...actually have homes in Southern California. But, rabid Republican constituents were first with the unmitigated gall to blame the Governor for this huge tragedy!

:eyes:

[Rose Siding]

6. Unless they care who's RESPONSIBLE

Remember that word from the pre-Bush world?

[IndianaGreen]

8. "move forward"?

What happened to accountability? Rightly or wrongly Davis was accused of being responsible for California's fiscal mess. This is one thing that cannot be pinned on Davis, but on the Bush regime, the same Bush regime that is blaming environmentalists for the fires.

[kodi]

9. what the fuck? does the bush family coat of arms say "mistakes were made?"

"This finger-pointing is not going to do anybody any good any more," Ridge said.

that is absolutely the refuge of a scoundrel, and the modus operendi of the busheviks who do not want any analysis of their actions fearing it will show their incompetence..

[Voltaire99]

10. Clam up and get to work making us safe...

...Ridge, you fat-ass scheming bureaucratic J. Edgar Hoover-looking oligarch-serving probably-black-dress-wearing moist-eyed stooge.

[Lindacooks]

25. Yeah, and he's got this tiny delicate little

girly mouth. I can't stand to look at him - what a wiener.

[Buns_of_Fire]

11. Ridge'll show those nattering nabobs of negativism

Why, I'll bet he's ALREADY hard at work on a new color for his chart, just in honor of California! :grr:

[loudnclear]

12. No "finger pointing" ...unless you are pointing to Democrats!

That's an order!

[loudnclear]

13. When will Califonians realize that all requests for help were turned down

by the Bush administration (prior to fires) as punishment for voting for Gore. Don't they realize that their energy crisis was manipulated and managed by Bush buddies? They don't care who they hurt so long as they send "the message."

[truthisfreedom]

14. let us all remember how hard Davis fought for relief from kenny-boy's

abuse of California, begging bushco for some support, and this too, asking for federal relief since last April and getting rejected within hours of the devastating fires breaking out.

and when ahh-nold the groper starts loosening up federal funds to help out California, let us all remind America how incredibly partisan and devisive and self-serving the bushco is, and keep the pressure on about this message:

America deserves someone who cares ALL the time, not just when repugs are involved. we are a nation that has been divided again and again by this partisan bushco freakshow. we need unity, leadership, and someone at the helm with real care in his heart. a Democrat. a Democrat who is devoted to protecting lives, property, the future of our country, and who has the ability to do something for all of us, not just his short list of $2k sponsors and $100k "pioneers."

the real Pioneers found their way to the West to make homes, georgie. you let them burn. sit and think about that, you white-knuckler.

[BiggJawn]

15. What happens if Collie-Forn-nyea rejects Shrub again?

Will he go out there and set the next round of fires himself? Or will he ask his good friend Vincente Fox to empty the prisons and ship everyone to California?

Everything California is going through is retaliation for not voting for Shrub. The Enron "bend-em-over-a-chair-and-pump-their-butts-till-nothing-comes-out-but-blue-air" eoisode with ekllectricity, and now the bark-beetle "bombs" going off everywhere...
And don't forget Issa's little Rove-inspired temper tentrum...

[okieinpain]

22. when does the recall arnold campaign kick off. I'm ready to

contribute.

[Capn Sunshine]

24. It already has

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RecallArnold/

PAC is being structured to accept donations fromoutside the state, nothing yet. First we have to wait for him to actually get installed.

[bleedingheart]

17. This is the legacy of "I don't answer sleazy questions"

The bush cabal has been doing this for years. Anything they view as damaging to them, they dismiss.

[goforit]

18. WTF does Tom Ridge have to do with logging???????????

I quess he's can just take over!!!

Why doesn't Bush ever step up to his own responsibilities!!!

[belab13]

19. 24 hr conservative radio in San Diego has been dumping the whole load

(responsibility for fire) on Davis. I will send a letter to the editor of the Union Tribune to point out this huge discrepancy. Let's see if they print it.

[dusty64]

20. In other words, now that

the finger is pointing at us instead of Davis and the rethugs it MUST stop. Wonder how much word of mouth this will get in the affected areas?

[havocmom]

21. Separate the neocons from their financial contributors

Make noise about how much the Insurance Companies are gonna pay out (unless they find loop holes and don't pay off, opens the can of worms of well heeled homwowners gettign shafted, which might gain us allies) and watch the fun.

Gotta consider the tactic of turning the opposition on its self! The ReThuglicans do this to us all the time. Get the Big Business entitites into the fight against the petty policies of the malAdministration, and watch them canabalize their own.

edit: typos

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

23. Then perhaps he should have said this earlier in the week when Repubs

blamed Davis. Then his ineffective office and their foot dragging would not have come under such scrutiny.