Boy does President Obama know how to make a statement.

[nolabear]

I'm one of those for whom Katrina was a personal trauma. His preparedness, attention to detail and pragmatism make me feel as secure as is possible right now. He's taking this completely seriously and acting like a president, and I genuinely love him for that.

Take care, America.

[Indpndnt]

1. Yes, indeed. There's a strong feeling of confidence in the federal government during this storm.

Very, very different from Katrina.

[neffernin]

10. I don't know if its just me

but it really seems like there's less of a feeling of panic and more of a feeling of getting ready, being prepared and riding it out. Maybe I just haven't turned on the news lately. Same thing for the Hawaii tsunami; maybe much didn't materialize but people mobilized quickly to prepare for possible disaster.

When Katrina hit, people didn't seem to take it as seriously as they should have until things started to go for the worse.

[calimary]

21. It's just that sober, stable, steady hands are at the wheel of the ship of state, for a change.

We had a dry drunk "in charge" last time. From a party of "political dry drunks" who believe that the federal government's just simply bad and that the answer is to privatize everything or kick it all back to the states (YEAH, SURE! Like the states could afford the clean-up of a disaster like this, especially one that crosses state lines - ie: THAT'S WHERE AND WHY YOU NEED THE FEDS).

Now, we truly have the adults in charge. In the last decade, adult-size two-year-olds were "running" things (into the ground).

[Indpndnt]

24. It does feel more calm and confident. That could be due to a number of things.

Katrina taught people an awful lot both about disaster preparation and about Dumbya's priorities when he and his goons gutted FEMA and then virtually ignored Katrina as it hit. No disaster had been as woefully responded to with aid and rescuers as Katrina. That's all on Dumbya's head. "Heckuva job, Brownie."

Now people are preparing as best they can, but also feeling confident that Obama's admin. will not desert them and leave them to suffer for days as Dumbya did with Katrina. Even Christie came out yesterday, unprompted, to publicly thank the President for his communication and assistance.

[garthranzz]

39. Not true. We took it very seriously down here

Gov. Blanco did a reasonably good job. The local officials had political panic attacks/nervous breakdowns. And Bush/Cheney didn't care (being polite). They tried to turn Katrina into a political circus. Even long after the event.

Damn them.

[neffernin]

48. I don't mean to slander

the efforts of those involved, it was not a good situation and like any situations there are different opinions and lots of uncertainty. Nor do I mean to discredit the actions that were taken. I just remember endless conversations about the levee that wasn't sufficient and the "possibility" it would be breached and the amount of people who chose not to evacuate even though the situation looked like it could turn very bleak. Maybe it is the different administration, maybe its a strong belief in FEMA (man they got trashed after Katrina with unlivable trailers etc.), maybe people were just snapped into a state of belief in natural disasters after the Hatian earthquake, the tsunami in asia, etc.

[garthranzz]

49. A few bits of information

95% of the people in the New Orleans area evacuated. Compare the contra-flow for Katrina with the one for Rita in Houston a few weeks later. Had Rita hit anywhere close to Houston, there would have been thousands of highway deaths - cars stuck on the road.

Had the levee held, parts of New Orleans would have flooded, but we would have begun recovery immediately. The Times-Picayune writers (google Mark Schleifstein) had written about the levees. The Corps and levee protection in particular had been under-funded for years. FEMA had been turned into a joke by Bush.

My point is that the people of LA and MS responded well. The state government, given what it could do, was reasonable. There was a massive failure on the federal level before, during and after. Given that Bush/Cheney/Rove were "in charge," it's no surprise. And Bush had gutted FEMA beforehand.

No offense taken.

(Yes, it's the difference between someone who cares and someone who doesn't, someone who's competent, and someone who isn't.)

[ProfessionalLeftist]

2. The President is On the Job

President Obama: On the job. Priorities in order. Thank you, Mr. President.

What would Romney do? Abolish FEMA. Pfft.

[YvonneCa]

5. EXACTLY. Here's a thread with that...

...GOP statement. My response is #5.

[xtraxritical]

46. Romney also said he would suspend his campaigning but, as usual, that's a lie too.

He was in Ohio yesterday doing what he called a "Hurricane Sandy Relief Event". I saw some of it on MSNBC and it was obviously just another stump speech. Also he's on video saying that ideally FEMA should be privatized. I don't see how this race can even be close, it just dumbfounds me. OBAMA/BIDEN/CONGRESS 2012

[Blue Owl]

3. And what idiot said we need a "grownup" in the White House?

Oh yeah -- that would Ann Romney -- who's married to they guy who thinks it's immoral to help those in the path of the storm.

[otohara]

4. His Response to Election Question Was Perfect

Saving lives is more important!

[Baitball Blogger]

6. Damn. I was out walking the dog.

What did he say?

[tblue37]

22. A reporter asked if the storm might affect the election, and Obamas said he was

not concerned about that. He was concerned with the safety and well-being of the people and businesses in the path of the storm.

[LiberalEsto]

7. But..but..but I thought presidents were supposed to eat birthday cake and play guitar

when major American cities were hit by destructive hurricanes.

[thc420]

9. That's what the...

VP was doing. President Cheney was at an un-disclosed location...

[libdem4life]

19. and "read" upside-down goat books with the Twin Towers smoldering in the background tv.

"Huh, say what, oh...get back to you when I've Decided what to do."

[HopeHoops]

8. That's because he IS the president, not pretending to be one.

[Uncle Joe]

23. Precisely.

[yankeepants]

11. I was listening to NPR early this AM

Last edited Mon Oct 29, 2012, 02:51 PM - Edit history (1)

the Sandy update was wrapping up and they tossed it to Cokey Roberts to get her "expert" opinion on the storm's impact on the election. She said that Obama was headed back to Washington to "Take control of the storm" and that he wanted to project the image of being presidential and emphasize that he was commander-in-chief in contrast to "the other guy".

I was in my car with my dog in the passenger seat and I started yelling "FUCK YOU, COKEY!" repeatedly while swiping to turn off the idiot. My dog was terrified. I had to reassure him Cokey was not his fault.

"Appear presidential???????" Fuck you cokey. He is presidential and he is in command and he cares about the people for whom he is responsible.

That's it. No more money to NPR.

My friend says it stands for Nice Polite Republicans.

[bluestate10]

12. NPR used to report facts. I no longer support the organization and will be ok if republicans

cut off funding for it. Fuck NPR, it is bending over backward to please the people that will destroy it and doing nothing to report facts that support people that fight to protect it.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

13. Support independent

Last edited Mon Oct 29, 2012, 06:53 PM - Edit history (1)

public community radio in your area instead. Or stations you can stream like www.kser.org

Nice Polite Republicans!

edited to make sense

[upi402]

17. Democracy Now! and Free Sppech TV

Go Amy Goodman - the best journalist since.... well, the best!

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

31. Yes

in fact, Amy just appeared here (Everett WA) in support of the station that runs her show (90.7fm, KSER at www.kser.org)
KSER receives ZERO federal money and is totally supported by the community.

[upi402]

32. Amy Goodman is a brilliant speaker live

[pangaia]

44. OK, gotta say abouty Amy Goodman..

I DO think she is a voice in the wilderness. I started listening to her about 3-4 years ago, I would guess. But after a while I just couldn't any more. While the topics, events and issues she brings up need to be brought to the public awareness, a couple friends of mine and I just started referring to Democracy Now as the "To Hell in a Handbasket Show." It just became too heavy. rarely if ever something positive about what was being done... Plus. I do feel she has an unhealthy' emotional attachment' to what she does. Just my take.
But---while I can't listen to her any more, I still think what she does is important and hope she is able to continue.

BTW, I also am tired of the trumpet and piano theme track to.. the DR Show. Every time I hear that track I turn it off. :&gt )

[renate]

15. wow, that's pretty horrible

I still like Science Friday, though

[GoCubsGo]

27. I always change the station when Kook-ey comes on.

Her father would be spinning in his grave if he knew about some of the idiocy she has been spewing for the past two decades.

[sheshe2]

36. Gotta agree with you

NPR I love them....only station I listen to. However they have been kinda leaning in the wrong direction as of late. I am not asking them to be only lefties. However Cokeys comment was way over the top! The President is trying to appear Presidential! Really Cokey? What is RMoney trying to appear like, an asshole that would sell his soul to OCCUPY THE WHITEHOUSE!
So yeah I have to say a big FU to Cokey!
PS hope your dog is OK.

[OldDem2012]

42. Many people don't realize she is the daughter of Hale Boggs....

....who served as Majority Whip from 1962 to 1971 and as majority leader from January 1971 until the small plane in which he was a passenger disappeared in 1972 during a flight in Alaska.

Boggs was a true blue-dog Southern Democrat who signed the Southern Manifesto condemning desegregation in the 1950s and also opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He was also a member of the Warren Commission in 1963–64.

Roberts' mom, Lindy Boggs, was elected to take over her husband's seat in Congress in 1973, where she served eight terms until 1991.

[RoccoR5955]

14. The main difference between Obama and Bush in this situation

Is that Obama does not have a horseless ranch in Texass, that is inundated with "brush," that constantly needs cutting, therefore taking away from presidential duties.

[upi402]

16. Not playing guitar or back-slapping

and he can speak his mother tongue too!

Unlike the Bushler.

[nolabear]

18. Nice to go away and return to see this thread (& Obama) getting some love.

This thing is going to humble people on some interesting ways. Thank goodness we have a steady head and hand at the helm.

[LynneSin]

20. I'm not sure I could deal with this storm if Bush was in office

It's nice to have the grownups in the White House today!

[DinahMoeHum]

26. Yeah, Obama's got emergency service PROFESSIONALS in charge. . .

. . .at FEMA.

Not cronies in patronage jobs with FEMA as a dump site for them.

We'll be OK.

[mrsadm]

29. Remember when "heck of a job Brownie" was

A lawyer for a horse association and had no disaster management experience?

[NOLALady]

25. Finally,

we are in good hands.

[nolabear]

30. Yeah, feels pretty good, eh?

[politicasista]

28. Kick for you

and all the major hurricane survivors.


And thanks once again to President Obama for showing real leadership.

[LuckyLib]

33. K & R!!!

[Cha]

34. Thanks for the OP, nolabear! It makes a great deal of difference

when we're dealing with a major storm crisis to know that people care about it and are more than willing to HELP!

[Marmitist]

35. Hi there, neighbor!

I'm a recent transplant to Baton Rouge, who just went through my first coastal hurricane with Isaac. Second hurricane experience, I lived in a part of WV that got absolutely devastated by the remnants of Ivan in 2004. 100 year old historic buildings (among other things) washed away without a trace.

Having been through two scary storm-related situations, I must say, it's rather nice to know that we have a President who is making the emergency response a priority, and who isn't strumming a guitar and eating cake while one of our greatest cities drowns.

[nolabear]

38. Well, we used to be neighbors. I live in Seattle now. Those damned storms...

It does seem they are more frequent and more devastating than ever before. You stay safe down there in Baton Rouge and when I visit home I'll wave as I go by.

[Coyotl]

37. On edit: Boy does President Obama know how to do his job.

Just saying, he isn't making a statement, he is just doing his job unlike his predecessor, Mr. On Vacation, under the same circumstances.

[nolabear]

40. Well, I posted the OP when he was literally "making a statement" as the press said yesterday.

Some writing has a shorter shelf life than others...

Now that the storm is passed I'm equally proud of his performance.

[Coyotl]

43. One of the hazards of the short OP

Lack of context. The reader who follows later does not know the context.

[nolabear]

45. How DOES Twitter do it?

[xtraxritical]

47. Even Chris Christie (R-NJ) is praising the President's performance!

[garthranzz]

41. You and me both

Glad you're here!