Newsweek blasts Bush's non-response to hurricane

[Carla in Ca]

<http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9148526/site/newsweek>

snip...


Beyond the poll numbers, the Bush administration faces some immediate, urgent challenges—and serious questions about its response to the disaster. For all the president’s statements ahead of the hurricane, the region seemed woefully unprepared for the flooding of New Orleans—a catastrophe that has long been predicted by experts and politicians alike. There seems to have been no contingency planning for a total evacuation of the city, including the final refuges of the city’s Superdome and its hospitals. There were no supplies of food and water ready offshore—on Navy ships for instance—in the event of such flooding, even though government officials knew there were thousands of people stranded inside the sweltering and powerless city.

snip...



Now, faced with a far bigger and deadlier disaster, the Bush administration faces at least two difficult questions: Was it ready to deal with the long-predicted flooding of New Orleans? And is it ready to deal with the long-predicted terrorist attack that might some day strike another of our big cities?

MORE

[Rainscents]

1. I also notice, someone of MSM is blasting Bush for not responding

this crisis right from the beginning!

[YDogg]

4. Yeah. Anderson Cooper ...

... said that kind of thing tonight ... or at least reported that people were saying that a couple of times.

[Carla in Ca]

30. It's slow going, but things ARE changing

Here are some pictures of rally tonight. A lot more people are participating each week. More honks of support tonight than the last three weeks...combined! Keep hope alive!

[Rainscents]

39. Those are great photo's!!! Thanks for sharing!

:toast:

[YDogg]

2. His statement today ...

... could be interpreted as rather shallow. Or at least, that's the way I viewed what I saw. Kind of too little, too late. Big on the head noddin' and smilin' and 'Merica will be better off because of it talk, and not enough on specifics of how the gov't is going to prevent anarchy.

[Carla in Ca]

37. First sentence of NYT editorial today

They agree with you...



George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration:

[Whoa_Nelly]

41. And he STILL smirks and has a weird maniacal glint in his eye

It totally pissed me off watching that asswipe pretending to care, pretending to lead when he gave his piece of shit, hollow speech today. He looked fucking GLEEFUL about getting attention. Always about him...narcissistic m'fucker :mad:

[Hieronymus]

51. Oh, Yea! That look.

He was a clod today as usual. As a sociopath he has to mimic caring, which he fails at.

[DoYouEverWonder]

54. Even Ted Bundy

could come across as sincere and caring. Bush can't even fake it.

[jimshoes]

3. I think it's safe to say

the answer is a resounding NO they are not.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Newsweek is asking rhetorical questions

The fact is that the bush adm hasn't prepared for anything in the last 5 years except the invasion of Iraq, not even the occupation, just the invasion.

[Nikki Stone 1]

7. And they didn't even prepare for that well

...

[Carla in Ca]

28. But at least they are asking

I for one am grateful for all and any editorials that at least question his motives. I think we may start to see a lot more. But I also share your feelings. We have to keep working.

Liberalpragmatist just posted this article.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/01/opinion/01thu1.html?oref=login>

[MADem]

55. The worm is turning

Between Cindy in Crawford, Katrina, rising gas prices, and his "let ME eat cake" attitude, he just is not cutting it with the American people.

He sure doesn't feel anyone's pain but his own, and people are starting to wise up to that fact.

[NYC]

6. The mayor couldn't reach the White House when the helicopter did not

drop sand bags.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1738491&mesg_id=1739553

The navy ships could have started for New Orleans days ago.

...the Bush administration faces at least two difficult questions: Was it ready to deal with the long-predicted flooding of New Orleans? And is it ready to deal with the long-predicted terrorist attack that might some day strike another of our big cities?...

When they get around to it, when they finish eating cake, etc.

[Imalittleteapot]

8. We can only wonder.

"And is it ready to deal with the long-predicted terrorist attack that might some day strike another of our big cities?"

I've heard a number of people ask the same question today.

The slow * response to all tragic situations leads me to believe that he and his government are not prepared.

[durablend]

9. YES--they're FINALLY connecting it

"Now, faced with a far bigger and deadlier disaster, the Bush administration faces at least two difficult questions: Was it ready to deal with the long-predicted flooding of New Orleans? And is it ready to deal with the long-predicted terrorist attack that might some day strike another of our big cities?"


Keep hammering away at it.

[Synnical]

10. Rove sleeping in a trailer at the ranch . . . huh?

From the article:

For the last month, Karl Rove, his closest political adviser, and Joe Hagin, Bush’s deputy chief of staff, have alternated turns living in a trailer just down the driveway from Bush’s main ranch house.

[Drewskie]

14. buddys

Rove and Bush like eachother too much. I bet they give eachother back rubs.

[Synnical]

23. I meant why is Rove sleeping in a trailer?

Isn't there an extra bedroom in the house? Just seems odd to me.

Is Shrub so arrogant that he doesn't allow others to sleep in his house?

:shrug:

[Carla in Ca]

26. The visual I got when I read that part:

Rove sitting under an extended awning on a plastic chair sipping a Sprite. Tie crooked, squinting through a wide-brimmed hat waiting for George to call him into the house. LOL

[SoCalDem]

29. Karllllll, come on up to the house..

[Carla in Ca]

31. LOL! You read my mind perfectly!!!

OMG, too funny!:toast:

[kodi]

11. the pigs are skirting the issue, bush cut funding to prevent this disaster

you think this is a "blast" at bush? its nothing but a misdirection by the press who have their tongues up bush's ass.

$50,000,000 to $70,000,000 budget cuts for the US army corps of engineers to buttress the levees around New Orleans. all to pay for bush's war in iraq.

cuts at NOAA, attempts to privatize the national waether service, EPA regulation roll backs to stop destruction of wet lands.

you hear none of this, because these are the real reasons this disaster was as bad as it was.

bush ought to be impeached, convicted of treason and hung by the neck until he dies as a traitor to this nation.

[fasttense]

12. Have you ever worked for an organization just before it gets into deep

do-do? This is what the current administration reminds me of.

I worked as a secretary for this employment firm before it got closed down by the police. Everyone was running around looking like they were working but really getting nothing done. They were all so very, very busy. Getting calls and complaints left and right. Managers and "employment specialists" were rushing here and there, putting out one fire after another. When suddenly the big boss sends me home and tells me to call before I come in again. Sure enough I find they were closed down by the police and were under investigation for fraud.

But all the running around and frantic energy just before they were closed reminds me of the brush administration right now. They are trying to keep a lid on all the illegal crap and it will snowball and run them down.

[loudsue]

42. I've been there! You're right about that.

I've seen it too.

:kick:

[alcuno]

13. Everyone expected a Cat 5 hurricane to hit NO dead on...

So for those in government saying they didn't know how bad it would be, they are covering their asses.

[Habibi]

15. Right, sort of like those saying, after 9/11

that we "couldn't have anticipated terrorists flying planes into buildings . . ."

[mom cat]

44. Even the media was saying that this was #3 on the worst possible

list. It took all of this time to mobilize?

[seito]

16. This is the connection people need to make

"Was it ready to deal with the long-predicted flooding of New Orleans? And is it ready to deal with the long-predicted terrorist attack that might some day strike another of our big cities?"

The sleeping masses may have compassion for the victims, but if they think that it could be them or their families suffering this way, they will finally wake up.

[Drewskie]

17. good newsweek article as always

But they could have gone further in the attack and mentioned how Bush has actually denied NO the flood protection money they've requested over the years.

The Iraq quagmire article was good as well.

[mom cat]

45. We need to flood them with LTTE's pointing this out!

[CantGetFooledAgain]

18. The number one responsibility of the Federal Government...

...is to ensure the safety of the citizens of the country.

The biggest threat to that safety? Natural disaster.

This administration has done nothing, in fact they have negatively impacted our ability to respond to natural disaster, and in many different ways.

BushCo will not be able to dodge this. America is waking up.

[pansypoo53219]

19. seems like georgie is

STILL living in a 9/10/01 world.

[Zuni]

20. Bush cut funding to LA flood prevention by 44%

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2049007

[tgnyc]

21. The last question is key

If this had been a terrorist attack, where the fuck would we be now?

[pnorman]

22. There was article from the New Hampshire Union Leader.

that was bitterly critical of Bush and his vacationing while Katrina plows through New Orleans. That paper is very conservative; at one time very reactionary. I can't seem to locate it now. Can anyone here help?

pnorman

[Carla in Ca]

25. Here it is

I posted it yesterday. It is OK, I appreciate that it comes from a very conservative area but, based on the last paragraph, I sent them an email.

Here is the last paragraph:

The cool, confident, intuitive leadership Bush exhibited in his first term, particularly in the months immediately following Sept. 11, 2001, has vanished. In its place is a diffident detachment unsuitable for the leader of a nation facing war, natural disaster and economic uncertainty.

Wherever the old George W. Bush went, we sure wish we had him back.

Here is my email:

While I applaud your frankness regarding Mr. Bush's slowness to respond to this disaster, in my opinion, you miss the point of your own past view of this man.
He has ALWAYS been and ALWAYS will be an arrogant, hypocritical and heartless underachiever. He just used to be able to hide it better.

<http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=59785>

[pnorman]

36. Thank you! My request was so deep in a lengthy thread,

that I despaired of even getting noticed, let alone answered. That was exactly what I was looking for. Bit by bit, his core constituncy is being pissed away. Dubya is really coked to the gills on himself, and feels he's invincible ... he can get away with ANYTHING. That will be his undoing, and I can almost TASTE it.

(I may use some of the wording in your LTTE. Thanks in advance).

pnorman

[Carla in Ca]

38. You're welcome

I tried to not get too aggressive in my email. Like I said, I appreciate how conservative it is there.

[mom cat]

47. here you go...the DU thread.

[DeepModem Mom]

24. kick

[donco6]

27. NOAA had the path heading straight for NO more than 3 days . . .

. . . before the strike. The storm built from Cat 3 to Cat 5 in that time. Many people knew of the potential for catastrophe in NO - heck, I watched a Modern Marvels not long ago about the levies and pump system and the threat it faced from just such a storm. So why could no one even think about anticipating such a disaster and prepare?

[KeepItReal]

33. That's right! Told my bro to get out of N.O. on Fri! Storm hit MONDAY.

<eom>

[Carla in Ca]

40. Is he OK?

n/t

[KeepItReal]

46. He's fine. Left Sunday with others for Houston.

Thanks for asking.

[Carla in Ca]

49. We need all the good news we can get.

I'm happy for you.:hi:

[gauguin57]

32. Bush Fiddles While Katrina Churns

Our so-called "President" is a waste of protoplasm! A pap smear has more leadership capabilities!

[Carla in Ca]

34. This was my protest sign I used at tonight's rally

Matches your sentiments, don't you think?

[flygal]

35. YES! Good job - wish I could join all of you

I'm sitting over in Eurpoe so helpless watching my former hometown of Slidell wash away and where the hell is that esteemed leader of ours?!!

[gatorboy]

43. Oh this is definitely nominated! N/T

[Carla in Ca]

48. Thanks, gatorboy!

Man, can't you feel the energy here tonight? :hi:

[Hieronymus]

50. How did you make the sign for euro, or was that a part of the piece?

[eleonora]

52. response to your questions

Now, faced with a far bigger and deadlier disaster, the Bush administration faces at least two difficult questions: Was it ready to deal with the long-predicted flooding of New Orleans?

NO

And is it ready to deal with the long-predicted terrorist attack that might some day strike another of our big cities?

-crickets chirping-

[UTUSN]

53. Kick n/t

[Lone_Star_Dem]

56. DAMN!

I love reading the press print out the same things I was saying here yesterday on DU.

Finally, I no longer feel like I'm fighting an uphill battle.

I'm going to give all of this a few days to resonate with my local republicans and then start hitting them with questions.

I need to write my Rep and Senators. Kay is always good for a return letter praising shrub, and swearing her undying alliance to him. I'll pass that around after I get every one good and riled up over this. I'd love to start an uprising against that bush butt kisser, Hutchinson. :)