I predict when the number of dead is released,

[charlyvi]

shrub's poll numbers will plummet. That is, if the correct numbers are given to the public. I think they will be, even if shrubco initially tries to suppress them, because this is simply too enormous to lie about. And too many people in high places are pissed off--leaks will be rampant. Just my thoughts.

[LostInAnomie]

1. They will probably be released in a friday news dump.

nt

[charlyvi]

2. Probably,

But I don't think that will matter this time. The MSM will jump on it, because everyone is so anxious to know.

[pocoloco]

3. That's why we'll never see the real numbers!

[charlyvi]

8. I think we will.

Someone will leak them.

[tuckessee]

39. Just like someone leaked

the real numbers of Iraqi civilians slaughtered by the troops......

{{{{{{{{{{crickets}}}}}}}}}}}

[GardeningGal]

4. Unfortunately, the number will be well below the truth

I don't think there is a physical way where we can be sure that the number released is accurate. Too much time has gone by and much of the "evidence" will disappear.

[charlyvi]

10. I don't think we will ever know the true number,

but I think the number reported will be very high, tragically. I don't think even shrub can suppress it.

[Imagevision]

25. I totally agree, they'll cover it up like Ahbu-Ghrab because by the

time they find the true number of those who died it isn't what repugs want to see published before 06 elections.

[burrowowl]

5. They won't release the number of dead

Bu$hCO do not, so to speak want to 'drive a nail in their coffin'.

[charlyvi]

17. But someone will leak them.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

6. They won't call it "the numbers of deceased"

It will be "the numbers of people who didn't evacuate and weren't able to be rescued"...

[Minstrel Boy]

7. The people of New Orleans have been dispersed

That gives them a whole lot of wiggle room to fudge the count.

[charlyvi]

16. But all of these dispersed people are talking.

And the people they are talking to are talking, etc. This story will become stronger with time. And that is not a good thing for this administration--too many people will actually see and talk to the evacuees.

[Paranoid Pessimist]

9. The Mayor of New Orleans and the General in charge of National Guard say

the won't know the number of the dead till the city is drained (two to four months) and they can send people into every room of every building. I think that process will be hard to disguise if we can keep the press interested. Early estimates say it could be 25,000 or more.

[charlyvi]

12. Right.

I think too many people, repub and dem, want the truth.

[moc]

24. OMG

:cry::cry::cry::cry:

[nonconformist]

11. I agree. I also think that when the chaos dies down a little

And they've rescued all of the survivors and all of the evacuees are settled in somewhere and fed... that's when it will get really interesting. Because that will be when all of the survivor stories start coming out, what those people had to endure. That will be when local officials, from mayors to police officers, will have the time to tell all of their stories. About how they asked repeatedly for help but there was no sense of urgency by the feds. How the feds kept promising help that never came. How FEMA has been preventing and thwarting help. What the definition of things like Homeland Security, FEMA, declaring a state a National Disaster - it will all come out. There are just far too many people of various political affiliations that can correlate their stories.

I honestly don't see any spin out of this. Maybe I'm being naive, but I'm as cynical as they come and even I don't see a way to squirm out of this unscathed.

[charlyvi]

15. Exactly.

I think the spin will work somewhat in the short term, but when everyone starts talking, all but the true hardcore shrubbites will become outraged--even more than now. They can't shut up thousands of people, and the press is on it this time. The story is too big--the public is too entangled with it for them spin for shrub.

[GardeningGal]

20. I hope you're right.

But......who do you think will report it? I don't have confidence in our media any more.

:(

[charlyvi]

32. I think the state of Louisiana will.....

and the survivors and their relatives will demand it. And I think there will be someone within the administration, or the bureaucracy, that will make sure it is leaked if shrub is not forthcoming with the truth. This was an entire American city--fellow citizens. He can't keep a lid on it forever.

[Imagevision]

26. Two NO. policeman commit suicide - 200 quit?!! not a good story!

[Contrary1]

13. There will never be an accurate number...

whole families wiped out. Who will miss them?
Any number the government issues should be doubled.

[charlyvi]

31. I agree. But I also think the number will be huge.

Even a conservative number. :cry:

[Barack_America]

14. There's no way to hide this....

It's not as if it's Iraq where we have no idea who lives there.

This is an American city and the dead are the friend's, relatives and neighbors of those who survived. They WILL be looking for them. These bodies also won't disappear. They have no choice but to release the numbers and turn the bodies over.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Poiuyt]

19. Bush, with time, might be able to spin this as an unfortunate act of God

In 2-4 months, the anger over the poor response to the hurricane will have subsided. That is, unless our Democratic leaders can keep the pressure on. I've seen no evidence that they are able or willing to do that.

[charlyvi]

29. He may say it,

but I don't think anyone except hardcore freepers will buy it. The investigations will start, the relocated New Orleans citizens will be talking; the state reps will talk. Act of God my ass--he can't keep a lid on this.

[osaMABUSh]

21. We will never know the count - it will be low balled

Many of the homeless (prior to Katrina) and poor will never be counted. Many probably never existed as far as the goverment is concerned.

They will want to keep the official dead number as low as possible. I'm sure many will be listed as 'missing' forever.

[charlyvi]

33. The lowball number will be high enough, unfortunately.

[enid602]

22. tsunami

And yet, much sooner than a week after the December tsunami, several Indian Ocean countries were giving the world what seemed to be hourly updated official death tolls. Countries which would seem to have much fewer resources than the US, I might add.

[xray s]

23. For reasons of national security the number will never be released,

Bush will say he doesn't want the terra'ists to know how many people died, in case they plan on blowing up the levees after NOLA is rebuilt.

You wanna bet if I'm right?

[charlyvi]

28. I think you may be right,

but I don't think there's any way in hell he can do it. It will be leaked.

[TexasThoughtCriminal]

34. Whoa! That's sooo Soviet Union.

Remember whenever disaster struck the USSR, casualty figures were a state secret? In the name of the Global War on Terror, will * adopt an old Soviet practice?
:scared:

[shraby]

27. The way the administration is trying to pile

this on the Louisiana officials, I think the LA. officials will make sure the number of deaths is publicized. All the deaths will have to be recorded in the state and county books and death certificates issued by law. Any insurance benefits require a death certificate as well as social security for minors whose parents have been killed. There are too many laws and requirements to cover up many deaths.
Not to mention people who will be looking for their family members.
I don't think they can cover up too much.

[charlyvi]

30. Exactly. They will fight like hell to have the numbers released.

And so will the public, especially the survivors.

[Old and In the Way]

35. I agree. No doubt this administration will stall and try to keep a lid

on it, but the numbers will come out. No one will ever have an exact number, but we will get a pretty accurate approximation. Nagin and Blanco will see to it. The people of NO, LA, and the US will demand it. This isn't Iraq.

[Jane Eyre]

36. Another thing

There are some people who might be listed as dying from natural causes. For example, I heard today that the rescuers found a hospice with about 20 patients. Half were dead and the rest were very near death. How much do you want to bet that there are going to be large numbers of the elderly and the dying who are just written off to death by natural causes?

[Senator Lamb]

37. this is too big to surpress

the mayor has already gone on record with "you do the math" leaving the viewer to calculate 25,000-50,000, anything considerably less will be an obvious lie

[BlueIris]

38. I agree. And I wouldn't have said that two days ago. nt