BOMBSHELL MEMOS released: Blanco BEGGED Bush for Katrina help!

[Bluebear]

"I have determined that this incident will be of such severity and magnitude that effective response will be beyond the capabilities of the state and the affected local governments and that supplementary federal assistance will be necessary," Blanco wrote.

Three days after the storm, Blanco wrote Bush asking that the 256th Louisiana National Guard Brigade be sent home from Iraq to help. The governor also asked for more generators, medicine, health care workers and mortuaries.

Five days later, Bush assistant Maggie Grant e-mailed Blanco aide Paine Gowen to say that the White House did not receive the letter.

"We found it on the governor's Web site but we need 'an original,' for our staff secretary to formally process the requests she is making," Grant wrote. "We are on the job but appreciate your help with a technical request. Tnx!"

===

Other exchanges between the governor's staff and the White House show public relations was a priority for both administrations.

Grant, Bush's aide, e-mailed Gowen Sep. 13 asking if Blanco would be attending a Washington, D.C., service marking the president's "National Day of Prayer." If she didn't, Grant wrote, "We'd love to have someone like (Homeland Security) Secretary (Michael) Chertoff attend a service with her."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051204/ap_on_re_us/katrina_documents

[Bunny]

1. Tnx!? Tnx!?

Do these people have any clue that their e-mails may someday be made public? "Tnx!" sounds like a couple of sixth graders exchanging homework information.

Sorry, that doesn't address the point of your post, does it?

[MADem]

10. Yeah, I am surprised she didn't say it would be neato, keeno, or

sooooooooooo cooooooool if the Governor could send her another letter!

And we wonder why Iraq is such a fucked up mess? We have the 7th Grade Spring Dance Committee coordinating decisions of the highest order!!!!!

[Bluebear]

11. No but it struck me as well!

Surprised not to see "TTYL!!! =^))" at the end.

[fudge stripe cookays]

97. Don't forget FFE...

or LYLAS!

{{{{giggle}}}}

fsc

[mwb970]

32. TNX is used by amateur radio operators.

It's an abbreviation for "thanks" used in Morse code. Some operators use TKS or TU (the latter mostly in Europe), but most use TNX. (If you're interested, "please" is PSE or, less often, PLS.)

I doubt that the writer here is a ham operator, but I did recognize the abbreviation right away!


-- AI8R

[Leopolds Ghost]

42. LOL... I thought it said "TRIX"!

Silly rabbit... New Orleans is for the rich!

[pinto]

2. Oh, such pathetic incompetence. I hope this gets some play out there. At

least for the record and future natural disaster response.

[tiptoe]

6. "deliberate incompetence"? ( ...as per plan?)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5496479#5498763

[Joe Chi Minh]

76. No. Too busy poring over their "urban renewal" plans.

[...of J.Temperance]

3. Mr. Bluebear, I HOPE this helps Governor Blanco, you know her

Approval rating has gone down to 34%, and it wasn't her fault. She did the best she could with what she had.

It was Junior and FEMA'S fault...and the pigfuckers have been blaming her :(

I'm giving you a vote...this thread shouldn't disappear onto page two.

[Disturbed]

5. Blanco was ignored.

The Bushbots were too busy fundraising.

[...of J.Temperance]

18. Yes, I know n/t

[Bluebear]

20. And the freepers say she NEVER asked for help.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr

[...of J.Temperance]

23. Junior wanted Governor Blanco to pretty much sign OVER the entire

State of Louisiana to him, he wanted to federalize. The pig faxed her a letter asking her to sign over all of her authority over state law enforcement.

Junior wanted full-on Martial Law in Louisiana...so he could steal the oil probably...and get control of the Port of New Orleans.

[DoYouEverWonder]

28. Bush thought he had his new 9-11

and if Blanco hadn't stood her ground and had given in to his demands, it would have been the beginning of the militarization of the US. That's why Bush was so deliriously happy. He thought he hit another trifecta and he would be able to put Cindy and Fitzgerald behind him. Fortunately, Blanco didn't fall for his crap.

[...of J.Temperance]

31. And because Governor Blanco didn't fall for his crap...Junior let

New Orleans and her trapped people starve and drown :cry:

The pigs want any excuse to declare Martial Law, that's why that swine John Warner is trying to find Junior a way to use the troops in a domestic situation. Warner has specifically mentioned "in the event of another disaster like a hurricane or an outbreak of bird flu."

[BronxBoy]

50. For Christ Sakes.......

Can this administration concieve of any govermental plan that DOESN'T involve the military?

[pushycat]

59. All plans seem directed at control via military command. Kinda

looks like a strategy or goal, doesn't it? eek

[EFerrari]

63. I tend to think that this obsession with military command and

control is more of an obsession with defense contracts. We're just sort of in their way, an inconvenience.

[...of J.Temperance]

70. You're correct that Bush Inc. see us as being in their way

You're right, we're an inconvenience to them. Yeah well, that's just too damn bad for the pigs...WE are the MAJORITY, THEY are the FRINGE MINORITY...so they better learn to get used to that.

It's over for Junior, he's in prison and he's impotent. He's in a prison of his own making...and he's not going to be doing anything much for the next three years...he's been busted, 60% of the public is onto his crap now...and it's over for him as a result.

[EFerrari]

71. Agree. The Schmidt hit the fan 11/18..

Progressives need to collaborate and press the advantage. Election reform, war crimes, gross neglect in LA and MI, the whole buffet.

They've given us a BUFFET of issues. All we need to do is work them.

[...of J.Temperance]

69. Darlin', Bush Inc. are desperate for a way to declare Martial Law

Probably because they know thanks to Junior they're fucked in 2008.

[KnaveRupe]

74. In the event of a delay in postal service delivery,

...we will mobilize the United States military to personally deliver your Social Security checks to you! Squadrons of special forces paratroopers will jump out of planes with your check firmly clenched between their teeth, while armored batallions roll up your street to ensure that the terrorists do not attempt to shoot them out of the air.

Once your check has been delivered, special contractors from Blackwater Security will patrol your street, making sure that you can get to the bank without being waylaid by looters or terrorists.

[phatkatt]

91. That's not even a G chord

He is up a fret too high. Maybe that's what Medalion Boy is trying to tell him. What a f'ing poser!

[ktowntennesseedem]

96. I think that is actually an Ab fermented 25th.

:beer:

[DoYouEverWonder]

98. Actually it's a Mel Bay G Chord

now know as the NOLA G Chord.

[SammyWinstonJack]

60. Watched a conference on CSPAN with James Lee Witt and others

on Katrina and he said that FEMA under his direction never waited for Governors to ask for help in the event of an impending natural disaster. He said that FEMA anticipated what would need to be done, how much the state could do for themselves and how much the Federal gov, needed to supplement the states' emergency plans. How efficient of him. And how deliberately incompetent of Chertoff and "Heckofajob" Brownie, but the ultimate blame lies with Pinhead**.

[Virginian]

103. How dare Katrina strike while Dubya was on Vacation.

You KNOW how important brush clearing is to him. Now when will he EVER finish defoliating his land. Moonscapes are in this year.

[TomInTib]

4. "we need 'an original' to.."? What total HORSESHIT!

I am giving this a vote.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

7. They need an original to be able to respond to an emergency???

[Bluebear]

14. Yes, yes they do. TNX!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[DoYouEverWonder]

27. Plus they should have sent the request

via certified mail, return receipt requested.

[BronxBoy]

52. Plus...

2 forms of photo ID!

:shrug:

[MADem]

8. Pretty friken outrageous, if you ask me

But this is an administration that worries more about how people look--from Fashion God Brownie to Dipshit Dubya in front of NOLA Blue Disneyland...and they just do NOT give a solitary shit about PEOPLE.

Never have, never will.

[SoCalDem]

9. Memos don't even really matter. I SAW THEM ON TV

saying that this was a "doomsday' storm, and *² himself said TWO DAYS BEFORE the storm hit.. that there would be all the help needed, and that FEMA was right there and ready to help..Blanco and Nagon BOTH said they needed ALL THE HELP THEY COULD GET..and Bush promised it.. I SAW~ it live on tv.. memos don;t even matter..

[MADem]

13. Ahhh, but nobody made a DVD of that to show the Monkey! n/t

[aquart]

15. Exactly. We saw it. We heard them. They lied to our faces.

And they let us die.

They let Americans die begging for water and food and medicine on the streets of an American city.

They let us die.

[Bluebear]

19. #2, tater tors, large diet cherry limeade.

On Aug. 31, FEMA official Marty Bahamonde sent Brown a desperate e-mail from New Orleans, calling the situation “past critical.� Describing patients in temporary emergency shelters, Bahamonde wrote, “Estimates are many will die within hours.�

He also wrote, “We are out of food and running out of water at the dome, plans in works to address the critical need.�

Brown’s reply to the e-mail was: “Thanks for the update. Anything specific I need to do or tweak?�
====

The following week, Brown responded to Worthy’s e-mail about her fast food options during a business trip to Florida.

“Order a #2, tater tots, large diet cherry limeade,� Brown wrote on Sept. 6.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9912186

[Olney Blue]

16. Yes, and the Weather Service memos also predicted

mass destruction.

It seems everyone knew except the WH.

[Bluebear]

21. I have never seen NWS memos like those.

Utter catastrophe was predicted and off Bush flew to eat cake with McCain.

[sabra]

12. last paragraph also interesting: "Rove is on the prowl"

The Democratic governor's staff also griped that Republicans were attacking Blanco.

"Rove is on the prowl," says one unexplained Sept. 3 message from Kopplin to Mann, a reference to Bush adviser Karl Rove.

[gulfcoastliberal]

17. Operation Enduring Vacation

[atfqn]

22. I think Family Guy summed this up the best

Thanks to crooks and liars:

<snip>

Brian: "Don't worry Lois, I'm good at finding people. I was the one who found Bush after Hurricane Katrina."

Brian: "Uh, Mr. President, are you up there?"

Bush: (face half hidden in treehouse window) "Go away!"

Brian: "Sir, there's a disaster in New Orleans."

Bush: "I'm readin' Superfudge!"

Brian: "You gotta come down and deal with this."

Bush: (lowers further in window) "Don't make me do stuff!"

</snip>

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/FamilyGuy-brian-.wmv

[Hekate]

34. That's VERY good

:applause:


Hekate

[texpatriot2004]

37. Yep, his mission is Operation Enduring Vacation nm

[ThoughtCriminal]

24. Maybe the "TPS Report Cover Sheet" wasn't attached

That'd be great...

[sabra]

25. um, we're going to have you come in on Saturday, yeah... :-)

[Divine Discontent]

79. yeah, Peter, sorry... yeah...

but it turns out we're gonna need you to come in on SUNDAY also. Now I know that you were looking forward to the Sabbath day off, but yeah, ummmmmmm, see we have to get this situation tied up here at the White House....


Milton: "I'll blow up the building!"


LOVE That movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[slor]

26. We are spreading freedom...Tnx!"

These people are really beyond belief.

[Justice Is Comin]

29. His lame wife

called it Karina. Doesn't even know the name of the goddam storm.

[WHAT]

30. Oh, Gee! I used to wonder...

who's intelligence was decaying at the fastest rate, sorta like the "dumbing-down of america" as per the sheeple (I don't like that word, it's just what people here use to refer to the public) or the "political elite" (you know, the one's with the voting machines). I thought Katrina was a good example to show that the leadership was becoming dumber at a faster rate than the public.

Then there's the media mix involved: is the smaller number of leaders bolstered by the greater number of {lack of) media so the less media coverage the greater intelligence of leadership as Katrina approaches a disappearing infinity?

oooohhh, I'm so confused, I have a headache...

I just know I'd rather have my neighbors (even the ones with the bad cats) by my side than FEMA...

[nickyt]

33. Did this just come out tonight? Isn't this a weird time for a "bombshell"

to be dropped? Of COURSE Blanco begged for help!! God almighty, these ghouls, these animals, I can't - oh -

And here's something else to look forward to:
from Nov. 10:
House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.) yesterday threatened to subpoena three members of the Bush Cabinet and White House counsel Harriet Miers if they do not comply with document requests issued by his select committee on Hurricane Katrina response.
During a committee hearing yesterday, Davis decried the failure of White House officials to release e-mails and other communication records related to the hurricane and its aftermath. Davis set a hard deadline of Nov. 18 for all federal agencies to comply with his requests.

“If documents aren’t produced by that date, I’m ready to proceed with subpoenas,” Davis said.

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/111005/news3.html

I was depressed when subpoenas weren't issued, wrote to one of the reporters of this story on Nov. 22, he was kind enough to give me the # to reach the committee, and I asked the fellow who answered, why weren't subpoenas issued, and he said because documents from the WH are "pouring in". I don't know how long we'll have to wait, but when the reality of the WH "response" hits the newstands, I predict a catastrophic event for * and his henchmen.
God I hate these so-called people.

[Bluebear]

35. Late Friday evidently...

'Gov. Kathleen Blanco late Friday released 100,000 pages of memos, handwritten notes, e-mails, phone logs and other documents requested by congressional committees that are now investigating what happened behind the scenes in the frantic days surrounding the deadly Aug. 29 storm.'

[stevedeshazer]

36. Wow, where is the bottom?

How much lower can they go?

[Divine Discontent]

81. Steve, Steve, Steve......

Oh, you have NO idea the DEPTHS to which they would sink.....


They are pros at framing people for what they themselves are, the kings & queens of displacement blaming.

Oh, they're gonna answer to the big man one day for all this.

And sorry, but Scotty McClellan, the more I hear him, day after day, year after year, surely, is an alcoholic or snorts coke. The dude is OUTTA it in those news briefings!

[stevedeshazer]

87. Okay, but be specific!

A snake's belly in a wagon rut?

Whale poop?

A dry Arbusto oil well? :)

[Divine Discontent]

100. gosh, you give too many good options for them to DROP too! :) n/t

[Helga Scow Stern]

38. Disgusting quote in LA Times: Fraud is culture of NOLA and Iraq

Image Problem Is Costing Louisiana

Whatever the reason -- its corrupt history, its demands, its Democrats -- sympathy on Capitol Hill is ebbing, and with it, maybe federal funds.

By Mary Curtius, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — After battling in Congress for months to get more federal money for their hurricane-ravaged state, some Louisiana officials have come to believe they are up against something more than concerns about the budget deficit or conflicting visions of reconstruction.

Maybe, they speculate, their colleagues just don't trust them.
Maybe they are right.

What is clear is that the initial outpouring of sympathy for victims in the state hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina has been replaced on Capitol Hill by a climate of suspicion — even resentment — toward what is seen as an increasingly demanding supplicant.

Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho) echoed sentiments expressed by many of his colleagues when he insisted recently that every federal dollar sent to Louisiana be strictly monitored.
"Louisiana and New Orleans are the most corrupt governments in our country, and they have always been," Craig told a newspaper in his home state. "Fraud is in the culture of Iraqis. I believe that is true in Louisiana as well."

More....
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-katrina3dec03,0,1177741.story?page=2&coll=la-home-headlines

[chalky]

39. Again with the "Louisiana's corrupt" meme. And Mississippi gets ignored

to death (literally) to support that bullshit. Win/win situation for the * misadministration! Screw two states with one LIE!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5491061

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=5443190

Guess I'll be keeping my response on copy/paste:

To argue the lie that LAs troubles were the fault of state and local government, the media censored the news that the same crises that were bringing Louisiana to it's knees were happening in Mississippi.

This has made me so DAMNED angry and so DAMNED sad from the beginning. I've been screaming, "What about Mississippi?!!??" for MONTHS to everyone who's whipped out that idiotic "corrupt Louisiana" argument.

Mississippi has been SACRIFICED; doomed to being virtually ignored by the American public in an effort to bolster Louisiana's reputation as the lone spot of trouble in FEMAs disastrous wake.

The federal government AND the media have betrayed BOTH states to save Shrubya's sorry ass.

[PatGund]

45. The difference there?

Mississippi's governor is GOP, and has publically said that FEMA has done a wonderful job in his state with absolutely no problems.

Which, I guess, explains why a good friend of mine just had to move from Bay St. Charles, where she lost almost everything, to friends in Georgia, because there was *NOTHING*, no job, no school, NOTHING left for her in Mississippi, and the state was doing jackshit to help.

[chalky]

66. And Barbour is saying that FEMA is "just wonderful!" to bolster that lie.

n/t

[BronxBoy]

51. There's a pattern developing.........

I don't read the newspapers much but a couple of weeks ago I did and was just disgusted by this story

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/metro_34981621f67c402a0092.html

Aside from the irony of Republicans screaming about corruption, (how many of them are currently under indictment or investigation for illegal acts), it was just sickening to hear the coldness that some people have for victims of this storm.

But that's par for the course for Republicans: Wasn't it Hastert who said that NYC's request for aid after 9-11 was "Unseemly" ?

[yankeedem]

57. That article was disguisting

How much help should we give our fellow man? God said as much as they need, unless they are poor and black, in which case 3 months ought to do it.

[EFerrari]

73. These are the same bastards that want to cut spending by

cutting student loans and Medicaid.

They are as disgusting as possible.

[DoYouEverWonder]

54. Shouldn't they be more concerned about monitoring

the billion a week we are blowing in Iraq with nothing but dead troops to show for it?

What god damn hypocrites.

[EFerrari]

64. Every Federal dollar should be monitored except

the ones to Blackwater, Halliburton and Bechtel, right Senator?

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[Marie26]

72. How dare they

This Congress, that's spent 5 years awarding contracts & perks to cronies, that's bought and sold by lobbyists, that jumps when Abramoff says jump, has the nerve to criticize La. for corruption?? How about strictly monitoring every federal dollar sent to Congress?
Congress isn't sending money to New Orleans because they simply don't care. Why should they care? New Orleans is too poor and desperate to contribute to their campaigns. New Orleans doesn't have a lobby or interest group to send them on Caribbean junkets. There's no perk to a bill to help the people who have lost everything. This is exactly how we end up with the biggest budget ever w/the least benefits to Americans - all the money is given away in loopholes for campaign donors, tax cuts for the rich, perks for corporate interests. It's no wonder there's just nothing left for the Americans who lost their families, their homes, their lives. Probably the best thing New Orleans could do to get Congress to release funds is hire Jack Abramoff. We've become a government of the lobbyists, by the lobbyists, for the lobbyists - the people are just forgotten.

(rant off)

[upi402]

40. "SEND HELP!", "no, you send a letter", "HUH? SEND HELP NOW!"

"no, we'll say some prayers, umkaiy?"

[lies and propaganda]

41. shes getting screwed right now.

unfortunately, there are a lot of people who think she was out having beignets when the storm hit.

[DanCa]

43. I thought you needed an opposable thumb to play guitar

Just trying to lighten this up. I hope the msm nails the chimp with this.

[donheld]

44. Please rate the story very high

That may get it more attention

[EFerrari]

62. Did you notice though that this story tries to frame Blanco

for being too concerned with public relations? It says "both administrations" but the examples are all about Blanco.

AuthorizedPropaganda.

[Divine Discontent]

80. YES, I did.

but I was surprised by the fact they even put her name in the PR part of the header!!!!!!!!!!! pissed me off.

the damn thing should have said,

"Governor Blanco Memo shows White House Ignored Pleas for Assistance"

[EFerrari]

82. Yep. And meanwhile, Monkey Boy gets a pass

We're staying the course.

[symbolman]

46. Suuuurrrreee... they didn't KNOW..

THIS was posted on the DU LONG before the Storm hit

**********************
From the DU


WWUS74 KLIX 282139
NPWLIX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
413 PM CDT SUN AUG 28 2005

...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE KATRINA CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA...
...DEVASTATING DAMAGE EXPECTED...

MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS...PERHAPS LONGER. AT
LEAST ONE HALF OF WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WILL HAVE ROOF AND WALL
FAILURE. ALL GABLED ROOFS WILL FAIL...LEAVING THOSE HOMES SEVERELY
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE MAJORITY OF INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WILL BECOME NON FUNCTIONAL.
PARTIAL TO COMPLETE WALL AND ROOF FAILURE IS EXPECTED. ALL WOOD
FRAMED LOW RISING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL BE DESTROYED. CONCRETE
BLOCK LOW RISE APARTMENTS WILL SUSTAIN MAJOR DAMAGE...INCLUDING SOME
WALL AND ROOF FAILURE.

HIGH RISE OFFICE AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS WILL SWAY DANGEROUSLY...A
FEW TO THE POINT OF TOTAL COLLAPSE. ALL WINDOWS WILL BLOW OUT.

AIRBORNE DEBRIS WILL BE WIDESPREAD...AND MAY INCLUDE HEAVY ITEMS SUCH
AS HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES AND EVEN LIGHT VEHICLES. SPORT UTILITY
VEHICLES AND LIGHT TRUCKS WILL BE MOVED. THE BLOWN DEBRIS WILL CREATE
ADDITIONAL DESTRUCTION. PERSONS...PETS...AND LIVESTOCK EXPOSED TO THE
WINDS WILL FACE CERTAIN DEATH IF STRUCK.

POWER OUTAGES WILL LAST FOR WEEKS...AS MOST POWER POLES WILL BE DOWN
AND TRANSFORMERS DESTROYED. WATER SHORTAGES WILL MAKE HUMAN SUFFERING
INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF NATIVE TREES WILL BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. ONLY
THE HEARTIEST WILL REMAIN STANDING...BUT BE TOTALLY DEFOLIATED. FEW
CROPS WILL REMAIN. LIVESTOCK LEFT EXPOSED TO THE WINDS WILL BE
KILLED.

AN INLAND HURRICANE WIND WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR
HURRICANE FORCE...OR FREQUENT GUSTS AT OR ABOVE HURRICANE FORCE...ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS.

More at http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/ww/wwus74.klix.npw...

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

I've been a weather junkie all my life. I've followed almost each and every hurricane for almost my entire life. I remember Camille very well. In all that time, I've never seen NOAA issue anything remotely like this warning.

************************

I Dunno who posted this on the DU but it literally scared the shit out of me.. my wife follows weather and I sent it off to her in disbelief asking if this was a hoax or not..

SO FEMA DIDN'T KNOW?

Bullshit.

[rfkrfk]

47. were Nat. Guard resources exhausted?, when Gov. Blanco asked...

for 40K Federal troops?

There are standing agreements, for states to contribute
Nat. Guardsmen for these situations.
Keep in mind that Guardsmen would be
under her {Louisiana} command,
but Federals would be commanded by the Pentagon.

Why ask for Federals, you might get the crew of a
nuclear submarine, or an artillery regiment,
when you really want more National Guard?

[azureblue]

92. because they were in Iraq!!!!!!

Bush sent almost all the LA Nat Guard, along with specialized flood response equipment to Iraq! There was very little for Blanco to work with.

[rfkrfk]

102. there are standing agreements between states to handle this.

that the 'XXX' unit of the La. NG was out of the country
is interesting, but that does not explain why
Goc. Blanco did not, in a timely way, ask other state Govs
to help.

my criticizm is,
Blanco sent the NG request to some pencilhead at Fema,
instead of the Govs of other states, who
had the power to immediately act,{should have done both,IMO}

trusting some 'good intentioned - but bumbling'
'''helpers''', then failing to checkup on how
things were going, was a mistake

National Guard units from all over the country
helped in La, amd Mississippi, they are paid
by the states (La. and MS.,in this case} and commanded by the
Govornor Blanco of La.{for those in La.},
or Gov.Not-sure-of-his-name of Miss.

[ngGale]

48. I remember all this hitting the DU way before...

the government picked it up. Before the power went...we night owls read it as it happened, in real time. They didn't know, is a bunch of bullcrap...they allowed it to happen. I'll never forget...:nuke:

[HeeBGBz]

56. Thank you for not forgetting

I won't either. I remember them asking for help. I was preparing for the storm at the time, but I remember hearing it on the constant storm reports we were receiving.

[ngGale]

49. I remember all this hitting the DU way before...

the government picked it up. Before the power went...we night owls read it as it happened, in real time. They didn't know, is a bunch of bullcrap...they allowed it to happen. I'll never forget...:nuke:

[Leilani]

53. That's one way of looking at it

but the memos also make Blanco & her staff look clueless & more concerned about her reputation than the poor people of NO.

[bklyncowgirl]

55. So what happened to the letter & How do you spell INCOMPETENCE?

"Five days later, Bush assistant Maggie Grant e-mailed Blanco aide Paine Gowen to say that the White House did not receive the letter.

"We found it on the governor's Web site but we need 'an original,' for our staff secretary to formally process the requests she is making," Grant wrote. "We are on the job but appreciate your help with a technical request. Tnx!""

This sounds like the sort of response you get when the fax order you sent for office paper went off into neverneverland and you call up a few days later saying "Where's my paper?" and they say they never got your fax.

Here's a major city underwater--hundreds of thousands of people displaced, thousands dead and these clowns lose the letter requesting aid?

Did someone in Blanco's office forget to put enough postage on the envelope?

Did someone in the White House "accidently" stick it in the box with the recycling?

How is a formal disaster relief request transmitted anyway these days--e-mail? fax? Fedex? Snail Mail?

Inquiring minds want to know.

I mean this is so utterly ridiculous in the first place. Even if Blanco had totally melted down under the pressure, wouldn't someone at the White House who knew what they were doing said "Hey, Kathleeen, Relax. We'll get everything moving just fax us a letter authorizing the aid and we'll have the 82nd Airborne down there in no time."

Of course that's assuming that there was someone in the White House managing this crisis who
1. Knew what they were doing or
2. Wanted to do it.

Both assumptions are highly questionable with this administration.

[kpete]

58. The documents can be found on Blanco's site.

http://gov.louisiana.gov/

[EFerrari]

61. This snip from Blanco's website is interesting: Independent Committee?

"As we move forward, I believe the public deserves a full accounting of the response at all levels of government to the largest natural disaster in U.S. history. I would have preferred for Congress to appoint an independent commission charged with conducting this investigation, as it did after 9-11; however, I will do everything I can to work with the committees and encourage an honest accounting of Louisiana's actions."

If 9/11 merited an investigation (or, whitewash, depending on your view) surely Katrina does.

It could have been ANY city. It could have been ANY of us.

[bridgit]

65. rove was very quick indeed to throw the monkey onto dems...

knowing full-well the outcry that would follow when the facts were brought into the light of day; there was no other course for them BUT to blame others = the republican way :thumbsdown:

[0007]

67. You're doing one heck of job brownie.

[itzamirakul]

68. K AND R...

nt

[Javaman]

75. moron* has turned our gov't into Terry Gilliams "Brazil". n/t

[robbedvoter]

77. "It's been a fabulous year for Laura& me" - W in 2001 2 months after

911. Why should some hurricane bother him ?
Wasn't it interesting how it was the dem governpr's fault all of the sudden? After all, it worked with Enron, FERC and Gray Davis!

[EFerrari]

78. What? Federal responsibility? ME?!

Hey, I'm staying the course.

[Rex]

83. The White House basically told NOLA to fuck off.

The Fuck Off Administration.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

84. CNN reported that the letter was personally delivered to George Bush

Blanco apparently has stated that she had the letter placed directly into George Bush's hands. I heard that about one hour ago on CNN.

[Peace Patriot]

85. I think Bush was trying to get total control of the Katrina loot for Chene

y, who was blackmailing him on Traitorgate. And I think Rove was on strike for the same reason--Traitorgate (which was lurking in the background, way under the radar at that time). I couldn't believe that any PR person would let Bush get caught on camera eating cake, playing guitar and diddling around--with Americans dying in the Gulf Coast, and a large portion of the US getting blown off the map. Even given their screw-you-all, murderous, traitorous, treacherous, thieving hearts, they are better at PR than this. Rove was conspiciously absent. He later (after it was all over) put out a lame spinny tale about having been in the hospital during Katrina. I don't believe it. I think it was made up, because his absence was noticed. I think he was negotiating something--maybe a future pardon--and was withholding his services until he got it. (Bush is clueless in public without strong support, rehearsal/prompting, managed appearances and spin control--and he clearly was without this support for at least a week.)

As for Cheney....he didn't emerge from his rat-hole until Halliburton got the first no-bid contract. (But he was not idle. He quietly ordered ground crews to restore power to the Texas to northeast pipeline instead of rural hospitals, one of which was already on generators. The ground crews worked through the night, thinking they were helping the hospitals.)

I think the withholding of support from poor black citizens was deliberate, and orchestrated. They were being used as hostages/collateral in an extortion game (trying to get total WH control of the loot, and martial law, out of Blanco).

Just my opinion, but I think it will hold up with time. (Eyewitnesses have now come forward to give a completely different account of the so-called snipers shooting at aide helicopters. Instead, the poor were being shot. There were no looter/snipers.)

[Peace Patriot]

86. P.S. Throw Diebold and ES&S election theft machines into 'Boston Harbor'

NOW!

[stepnw1f]

88. Homicidal Negligence

Have we ever had a worse President?

[hippiechick]

89. That letter probably went in the same file with the 2001 Osama PDB.

:mad:

[baldguy]

90. White House: "Sorry, we didn't get your letter."

If I'm on the street being beaten & robbed and a cop is standing ten feet away, do I have to crawl over to him and give him a note asking for help?

NO!! GOD DAMMIT!! NO!!

IF AMERICANS ARE SUFFERING AND DYING, AND THE PRESIDENT HAS THE POWER STOP IT - IT'S HIS *DUTY* TO ACT!!!!!! HE DOESN'T NEED ANY FUCKING LETTER!!!!

I'm tired of these lame-ass excuses from the "responsibility" pResident.

[azureblue]

93. Bush destroyed New Orleans

I have been saying this for months now: Bush destroyed New Orleans. There is no parsing or qualifiers- Bush ruined an American city.

Bush cut taxes for the rich & started the Iraq war, which caused a budget shortfall. So he cuts the Coprs of Engineers' budget TWICE. In that budget, in reponse to warnings from many sides, was money to rebuild the levees. So this money was taken away. Then Bush refused, unlike many presidents before him, and even unlike his response to the FL hurricane, to put relief in place ahead of the hurricane. Then he flat lied to Blanco & Nagin about helping. Bush put his incompotent buddies in FEMA, and they screwed up. Then Bush promises post flood help, but does little, as usual, hsi mouth saying one thing, and his feet another.

The responsibility for the destruction of the Crescent City is entirely Bush's. When is America going to wake up to this fact? And to those who say that the rest of the country should not pay to rebuild New Orleans, I respond, "you voted that idiot failure into office,, so you better pay for it!"

[rfkrfk]

101. the levees are owned by the 'Orleans Levee Board'

{the levees in Orleans Parish, at least}
they are smart enough not to trust bush.

they are real good at building marinas and casinos,
not so good at levees

[azureblue]

94. Bush destroyed New Orleans

I have been saying this for months now: Bush destroyed New Orleans. There is no parsing or qualifiers- Bush ruined an American city.

Bush cut taxes for the rich & started the Iraq war, which caused a budget shortfall. So he cuts the Corps of Engineers' budget TWICE. In that budget, in response to warnings from many sides, was money to rebuild the levees. So this money was taken away. Then Bush refused, unlike many presidents before him, and even unlike his response to the FL hurricane, to put relief in place ahead of the hurricane. Then he flat lied to Blanco & Nagin about helping. Bush put his incompetent buddies in FEMA, and they screwed up. Then Bush promises post flood help, but does little, as usual, his mouth saying one thing, and his feet another.

The responsibility for the destruction of the Crescent City is entirely Bush's. When is America going to wake up to this fact? And to those who say that the rest of the country should not pay to rebuild New Orleans, I respond, "you voted that idiot failure into office,, so you better pay for it!"

[WhiteTara]

95. IMPEACH BUSH

AND SEND THEM ALL TO THE HAGUE!
No wonder my blood pressure is up! My God! Have these people no shame?

[Independent_Liberal]

99. Yeah! Impeach and then off to the Hague with their asses!

:)

[BlueIris]

104. What a fat, disgusting piece of shit we have in the White House.

I rarely get so sickened as when I see that picture.