Aaron Brown (CNN) interviewed the two black women hugged...

[speedoo]

by the Coward.

Based on their accents, I think they were from somewhere in the Caribbean or something.

They seemed a little clueless and thought everything was just peachy keen. Turns out they were just visiting Biloxi to do some shopping.

Very strange.

Sorry if this is a dupe post.

[qanda]

1. Is that true?

They were there to shop?

[buddysmellgood]

2. I thought they were crying about clothing for their children?

[Texas_Kat]

48. No tears

they said they had come into Biloxi to look for shirts for one (or the other's) sons.

Odd accents.... definitely not regional, but probably the only two black faces they could find.

[socalover]

3. They sounded more Central American, Belize or something.....nt

[bribri16]

92. My guess is they are Ethiopian. Can't blame them, they were

used.

[Usrename]

4. Spin, baby spin. Black people just love the prez

[RevolutionStartsNow]

5. WTF?

Can anyone elaborate on this?

[Just Me]

6. Tourists? Being held out as locals?

Is that what happened? :shrug:

[librechik]

76. Hello! This should be sent to Media Matter for America!

:mad:

[Carolab]

7. That's what she meant when she said she was looking for clothes.

She was there "shopping" for clothes for her son!

[Garbo 2004]

8. Transcript of NewsNight's interview:

Anyway, he was in Biloxi, Mississippi, among other places today. And among the people he met were the Bassiers, Kim Bassier and Bronwynne Bassier. And they join us now.

It must have been -- I mean, I don't make this a small deal. You met the president of the United States today. What did you say to him, Kim?

KIM BASSIER, SURVIVOR: He was just extremely calm. He was -- he just reassured us. He was -- in his eyes, you could see that this was coming from his heart, you know?

He just reassured us that help is on the way. He gave us some advice as to where -- for the distribution sites and where we possibly can get some food and clothes. And he was relaxed the whole time. And he just focused and reassured us that the people would come together and help, you know?

BROWN: Let me ask your mom a question here.

Before you met with the president today -- and our viewers are seeing that now -- before that, were you a little angry with the government and how the government had responded?

BRONWYNNE BASSIER, SURVIVOR: Now, let me just correct you. This is my sister.

BROWN: I'm sorry.

B. BASSIER: And I'm -- that's OK.

But, no, I wasn't angry at the situation, because I knew eventually they will eventually help us in some sort of way. And, like my sister said, he did reassure us that things were going to happen. And I can see that they are happening, because I am in Gautier. And every day, there's people giving us water and giving us ice and telling us that everything is going to be OK.

(CROSSTALK)

B. BASSIER: Like today, Pascagoula and Ocean Springs got electricity. And they said it's just a matter of hours before Gautier gets electricity, too.

BROWN: But -- so, the situation for you in Biloxi isn't comparable, is it, to the situation for the people in New Orleans.

Have you been able to follow that part of the story at all? Are you aware of what it's been like there?

B. BASSIER: Well, today, the actually -- the only reason why I came to Biloxi was because I need to get some clothes for my son and clothes for myself, because I don't have any clothes. And, you know, I just needed to see if I can salvage something down there.

But, walking around, people don't have no water. They still don't have no lights in electr -- in Biloxi. So, it's just complete darkness, you know? No one has anything.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Well, hopefully, the -- to both of you, hopefully, and everyone else, that the president's visit today will help speed up the recovery.

Thanks for your time tonight. Thank you.

B. BASSIER: Thank you.

K. BASSIER: Thank you so much. It's a pleasure.

BROWN: Thank you.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0509/02/asb.01.html

[the_spectator]

16. Ow! That interview didn't go well -

:blush: for Aaron:

BROWN: Let me ask your mom a question here. Before you met with the president today -- and our viewers are seeing that now -- before that, were you a little angry with the government and how the government had responded?

BRONWYNNE BASSIER, SURVIVOR: Now, let me just correct you. This is my sister.

Mistaking an interviewee's sister for her DAUGHTER is not a good move. Hadn't the poor woman suffered enough?

[SpiralHawk]

71. "in his eyes, you could see that this was coming from his heart, you know?

Aha - they fell for ye olde Skull & Bones Konzervative Kompassion Zombie Eye-Krap Trick.

We were warned about this at Hogwarts.

Apparently the ladies forgot to Deploy Shields and don the requisite tin-foil sunbonnets.

[madfloridian]

90. Deleted, responded to wrong post, see below.

.

[VolcanoJen]

9. They're from nowhere near Biloxi.

In the interview, they said they only came down to "salvage," in other words, look for free stuff from people's homes.

Other than their tears, they did not appear to be affected by the storm or its aftermath. They did complain that the power was out in their town.

According to the interview transcript in this thread, they're from Gautier, 17 miles away from Biloxi.

What the fuck is going on here?

[qanda]

13. You mean they were LOOTERS?

WHAT??????????

[nonconformist]

17. How did they travel 17 miles into Biloxi I wonder.... nt

[VolcanoJen]

20. Me too. That's a long way to walk...

... and end up looking pretty freshly scrubbed and all.

[speedoo]

24. More like 20 miles.

http://mappoint.msn.com/(oifd5i55vyvafc550cwtnp2l)/map.aspx?L=USA&C=30.39197%2c-88.65174&A=41.56667&P=|B0E96|&TI=Gautier%2c+Mississippi%2c+United+States

Gautier is about 20 miles due east of Biloxi, closer to Pascagoula.

It appears from the interview transcript that they may have been in Biloxi only for the day.

Why did they go to Biloxi looking for clothing? How did they get there?

[Bumblebee]

10. They were giggling idiots but they were not there to shop

no shops left -- they were there to look for clothes in what remained of their house. And here is an interesting tidbit from the NYT:

But on the edge of the neighborhood, people sat in their yards grumbling about relief efforts and declining to go meet the president. "It's been three days; there's still no ice this side of town," said Mack McCormack, who was living with three other men in a small home where mud stains six feet up the side were evidence of Hurricane Katrina's visit. "There are people who are hurt. They can't get out to get ice. We're making two trips today with these coolers with wheels to get it for them."

[VolcanoJen]

21. Their house was 17 miles away, though.

The women told Aaron Brown there were from Gautier, and that they came to Biloxi to "salvage."

[Eloriel]

69. Ah, another name for looting nt

[canichelouis]

11. if this is true

I've just left the bizzro world and entered the twilight zone. Time for bed, hope I can sleep.

[brettdale]

12. send to all other media

That image has appeared all around the world, the media must know the truth behind it.

[Zhade]

75. It sounds like the media DOES know it's bullshit.

Well, the actual media in other countries, not the Pravda Press here in Amerika.

[Maple]

14. well they haven't lived 5 days

in dreadful conditions that's for sure.

Nice white blouse, a watch or bracelet, hair clean and done.

[TheDebbieDee]

15. They were the Bessier sisters and I think they were actresses.

Seriously. I really think they were actresses. The first people in the disaster area to see * just happened to be two women of color? Come on!

If *co can set up fake Town Hall meetings filled with repuke cheerleaders that ask softball questions, then they can also make sure that the first "victims" to greet * were black women.

[brettdale]

18. Please send

We need to get behind this story,even here in NewZealand we have had this image all day today, if this was a setup, the public must find out.

Send this story to everybody.

It seemed werid, because in the same report down here in newzealand of the two african american woman hugging bushy, they interviewed a white guy, saying

"President bush is a caring man with compassion, I can see it in his eyes"


Please keep this story kicked, its important.

[TheDebbieDee]

28. There is an extensive discussion of the Bassier sisters....

here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4597216

[Ms. Clio]

30. He sounded so fake and scripted -- who could possibly believe it

except a brainwashed Bushbot?

[BQueen]

72. German correspondent shocked that Biloxi staged

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4588981

don't know if anyone managed to translate (beyond AltaVista or Babelfish) -- but one blog I saw earlier had gotten an e-mail from a Dutch viewer describing the program == soon as shrub gone -- packed up the wagons, i.e., the relief tents in photo op...\

http://www.tagesschau.de/sendungen/0,1196,SPM830_VID4700910_OIT_RESreal120_PLYinternal_NAV,00.html

link to german article

link to blog entry: http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/002485.html

"Dutch viewer Frank Tiggelaar writes:

There was a striking dicrepancy between the CNN International report on the Bush visit to the New Orleans disaster zone, yesterday, and reports of the same event by German TV.

ZDF News reported that the president's visit was a completely staged event. Their crew witnessed how the open air food distribution point Bush visited in front of the cameras was torn down immediately after the president and the herd of 'news people' had left and that others which were allegedly being set up were abandoned at the same time.

The people in the area were once again left to fend for themselves, said ZDF."

[gkhouston]

81. not just two women of color, but two young and attractive women

who aren't "too" black to have a photo op with Mr. Lily-White and have that picture seen by the racist elements of his base. Yes, that was an extremely ugly thing to say, but I thought it was rather telling that of all the people in MS he could have posed with, he appeared with some people who look like they could have come from central casting... and probably did. They looked awfully crisp and clean for folks that haven't had much in the way of power or water for several days, either.

[Tyranny_R_US]

19. They are not black they might be hispanic and I believe and they might not

even live in the area

[ultraist]

23. Yep. Those woman are not Black

And they do have a Hispanic accent. At one point, I thought I heard Bush speaking Spanish to them.

WHERE do they live? Did they go through the hurricane? Is their home destroyed?

Someone needs to tell us the truth here. This is too weird.

[punpirate]

34. Well, don't know about Spanish...

... but remember that there are lots of people in the area with Creole backgrounds, which is an odd accent.

Now, what I find odd about this is that Bronwynne Bassier, even for that area, is kind of an unusual name. So, I googled it and came up with one hit, a listserv message from March, 2001, to students from Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, FL, about a field trip to St. Augustine.

Don't know if it's the same person, but there was a Bronwynne Bassier in Florida in 2001.

Of course, if they were picked for a staged photo-op, who knows if it was their real names (remember "Nayirah," the girl testifying about babies thrown from incubators in Kuwait before the first Gulf war?).

There's a thought for the press... did any of the usual PR suspects, such as Hill & Knowlton, get a rush job to help out the White House with public relations on the hurricane aftermath?

[JI7]

56. black people can be hispanic also

not that it really matters if the back story is still true about them not really being from the area.

[shanti]

107. haitian, maybe?

n/t

[incapsulated]

22. I'm not conspiracy minded but...

This whole thing smelled shitty from the start. Incubators, anyone?

[ultraist]

25. Remember the woman with the purple finger

that sat next to Laura right after the Iraq "elections?" That was another set up.

[speedoo]

26. Google "Bronwynne Bassier" and you get:

http://lists.sfcc.edu/read/messages?id=9848

If this is the same person she was apparantly a student at Santa Fe CC in Gainesville FL in 2001.

ISCA could be one of a number of organizations.

[VolcanoJen]

29. You're good. Look at this too, it's definitely her, from Gautier.

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/sunherald/living/community/11691655.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Gautier: Kenyotta Delisha Abston, Brandy Lynn Allday, Casondra Lyn Altizer, Rebbecca Ann Anderson, Nicossia J. Bailey, Prytania L. Bailey, David L. Barner, Roosevelt W. Barner, Bronwynne Bassier, Jevon A. Bilbo, Tammy...

[Carolab]

32. ISCA

http://lists.sfcc.edu/read/messages?id=9841

These students need to sign the waiver:

Alexandra Nesic
Maria Andrea
David Laya
Juan Carlos Rivera
Hisham Al Hamazani
Kentonine Leneus
Sabine Thomas
Ermaine Desrameaux
Bryseis Diaz
Mirlande Ligene
Bronwynne Bassier
Ming Chen


About the trip:

Day: Tuesday, March 6th, 2001

Destination: Saint Augustine, Florida

Purpose: To learn about America's oldest city, to meet and learn about
each other, and to have a good time.

Cost: Nothing! This trip is sponsored by ISCA, the International
Students Cultural Association, through Student Government funds. We
will even provide lunch and dinner. But if you wish to do some shopping
in St. Augustine, bring money!

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

Clearly, Bronwynne was an INTERNATIONAL student, on government funds.

[speedoo]

37. "Clearly, Bronwynne was an INTERNATIONAL student, on government funds."

I agree. This is getting very interesting.

[incapsulated]

41. Indeed... n/t

[Roland99]

40. Damn...you guys ROCK!

[speedoo]

36. Yup.

Thanks, you're good too.

[Name removed]

73. Deleted message

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

[speedoo]

74. I'd prefer to learn more about the sisters before e-mailing the WP.

I think I will give Jimmy a call on Tuesday to see what I can learn from him about the sister who was there back in 2001.

I'm convinced there could be a big story here that could serve to explode yesterday's photo op. Far more important IMO than correcting the WaPost caption.

Do you agree/disagree?

Thanks for finding Jimmy's website. He might be helpful... certainly does not appear to be a RWer.

[PeacePal]

79. I agree with you completely.

I was hoping they'd dig a little deeper, and that's why I really didn't want to contact Jimmy, I just wanted to know if it's still a working number for him.

When I saw Jimmy's website, I thought he might be open to the idea of correcting any misreprentations, too. Let me know, if you don't mind, what he says. I'll probably do a little more poking around in cyberspace myself.

Actually, I rather regretted making his number so 'public', I dont' want to inadvertently drag an innocent bystander into a fray - do you think I should take down the post?

[speedoo]

80. backtotheuniverse....

please check your inbox.

[brettdale]

27. kick

kick

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

33. Safia Talib al-Suhail - she has now turned against Bush

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050826/bush_abandons_iraqi_women.php

"Remember Safia Taleb al-Suhail? She was the Iraqi woman George W. Bush trotted out for his State of the Union address earlier this year, the daughter of a man murdered by Saddam Hussein who provided the feel-good moment of the president's performance when, sitting up there in the balcony with Laura Bush, she embraced the mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq."

"Bush says he knows that Iraq's still unfinished constitution will be a victory for women because Condoleezza Rice told him so. But if the president were to check in with Suhail, he might come away with a different story. According to a Reuters report, Suhail, who is now Iraq's ambassador to Egypt, believes that the draft Iraqi constitution represents a major setback for the women of her country.

"When we came back from exile, we thought we were going to improve rights and the position of women," she said. "But look what has happened -- we have lost all the gains we made over the last 30 years. It's a big disappointment."

(...)

"We have received news that we were not backed by our friends, including the Americans," she said. "They left the Islamists to come to an agreement with the Kurds."

[REP]

58. Another Recent Quote from Safia Taleb-Souhail

""We have lost all the gains we made over the last thirty years," said Safia Taleb al-Souhail, last seen sitting in the balcony with Laura at the State of the Union address, smiling and waving her purple finger. "It's a big disappointment." Even blunter words come from Dr. Raja Kuzai, an obstetrician and secular Shiite who served in the assembly's Constitution-writing committee and, as the President tells it, greeted him as "My Liberator" when she visited the Oval Office in 2003: "I think it is over now," she writes in the San Antonio Express-News. "I want the American people to know that our dreams are gone, our work was in vain. There will be no future for our children and our grandchildren in the new Iraq. The future is for the clerics. They will lead the country.... This is not the democracy we dreamed of. This is the dictatorship of the majority!" Dr. Kuzai has announced that she is leaving Iraq."

The Nation, "Theocracy Lite," by Katha Pollitt
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050919/pollitt

[FreedomAngel82]

82. Yep

Bush didn't even want elections in the first place. Check out Greg Palast's report about Iraq and oil if you haven't already. He talks about this in detail. It's very telling. (gregpalast.com)

[soup]

63. and another setup at the Olympics in SLC.

Remember the young woman he 'just happened' to sit next to, and the phone call to her mother? Can't remember all the details, but it had something to do with cattle and politics. argh...

-- Finally. found it:

Why Did Bush Sit Next To Sasha Cohen At The Olympics? Just Ask "Where's the Beef"?

February 26, 2002

By BuzzFlash Reader Alan Balch

On the afternoon of Friday, February 8th, George W. Bush spoke at the National Cattlemen's Beef Associations annual meeting in Denver. "We want the people in China eating U.S. beef" the President stated to thunderous approval. He reminded them that he has done much for the beef industry and cattle ranchers, and that he plans to do more (see http://199.117.58.133/newsroom/ncba/2002/02_0208a.htm).

No doubt, Bush's appearance at this event netted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions for the GOP. In each of the last three election cycles, the National Cattleman's Beef Association gave nearly a half a million dollars in political contributions, for a six-year total of nearly $1.3 million. Roughly 85% percent of these donations in each of the last three election cycles have gone to Republicans.

Later that same day, Bush traveled to Utah and participated in the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. After appearing in the national anthem ceremony, Bush showed up sitting in the stands amongst the US athletes. NBC showed him humbly perched next to a shocked and giggly young lady who handed Bush her cell phone so he could say hi to her mommy. The young girl was figure skater Sasha Cohen. A few nights later, NBC interviewed Sasha and played up the Presidential encounter including a quick interview with the mother. Sasha gushed about her fondness for the President. While endearing, NBC's somewhat over the top coverage of the entire event and Sasha's almost too glowing endorsement of the President prompted the eternal political cynic in me to do a little digging.

Of the 211 members of the US Olympic squad, guess which one has the unique distinction of being the official youth spokesperson for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association? A shiny new donkey for anyone who answered Sasha Cohen.

Sasha was elevated to the post just a few days after the events of 9-11. James Sease, Chairman of the SC Beef Board said at the time: "We are so fortunate to have Sasha on board.This is a great way to reach the consumers of tomorrow---and today" (see http://www.scda.state.sc.us/2001_PRS/September/Beef_Effort.html).

And the Beef Association is planning to put their new spokesperson to good use. On February 6th (just 2 days before Bush's appearance at their annual convention), the Beef Association announced plans for an April 2002 media blitz featuring Sasha. "To reach young girls with a positive message about beef," the Beef folks will run one-page, full-color ads featuring Sasha "in 11 high-profile youth publications beginning in April." The youth program Sasha is the spokesperson for targets what the Beef Association calls "tween girls...between ages 8 and 12...who will be moms in not too many years" and they just wants these youngsters to "understand the benefits of including beef in their diets." The Association gloats: "this ad campaign is projected to provide more than 13 million impressions to the targeted age group through magazines they read" (see http://199.117.58.133/newsroom/ncba/2002/02_0206g.htm).

How convenient for the Beef industry that their youth spokesperson was featured in a heart warming photo shoot with our Commander and Chief viewed by 70 million TV viewers just a few weeks before launching a major media blitz featuring that spokesperson. No doubt this ad campaign as well as their youth spokesperson's profile will get a huge boost thanks to Bush's Olympic shenanigans. I wonder how much that kind of publicity costs?
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/2002/02/022602_Cohen_Beef.html

[Zhade]

77. Nice blast from the past!

I'd forgotten about that bit of phoniness.

It never ends.

[soup]

85. Yep. Same as it ever was.

One of bush's hurricane photo ops in Florida last year:

A pained-looking Bush hugged and kissed a tearful Karen Heinhold in the shattered Pensacola area beachfront community of South Wind, which was swept with a wall of water.

"We lost everything," she told the president in front of a housing site where only a white front door now stood propped up with wooden beams. Her husband Jim stood nearby clutching an American flag.

In the same community, a woman held a makeshift sign that said: "George Bush 2004, You Have Our Vote." - Reuters

--


As much as I hate putting Bush's photo on my site, I think it is an important thing to do at this point, in the context of my last entry about the impact Ivan could have on the American election. Watch for more of this sort of thing in the near future, and realize that this is propaganda at it's very Dr. Joseph Goebbels' best. Examine the photo right.

Note the gruff looking fellow and his shattered home. Note George W. with his arm slung around him like they were old college roommates. And most importantly, note the somewhat faded American flag.

Ask yourself, why the fuck is there an American flag in this photo of an apparent moment of spontaneous compassion?

Why? 'Cause Karl Rove made damn sure that someone is around to set-dress every photograph that comes out of Florida over the next few days. 'Cause the only thing better than a beatific-looking Bush mourning with his fellow man, is a beatific-looking Bush doing so with an American flag.< more:
http://www.nunt.com/dailymingus/04_sep13.shtml

[lanlady]

114. oooooooh yeah

I remember that well, and it was here on DU that I first read about the Sasha-beef-Bush connection during the SLC games.

[RSchewe]

84. I saw that! In some news show I saw them saying she was not

supporting the Iraqi Constitution or some other issue. I don't remember this 100% clearly, but I remember seeing something to this effect.

[Catherine Vincent]

31. They're probably all the SS could find to want to meet with *.

He's the last person I'd want to see if I lost my home.

[brettdale]

35. please keep on kicking

and send this story all around the internet.

[ticapnews]

38. The Washington Post caption says they are both from Biloxi...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/02/AR2005090202001.html

The caption
President Bush tries to comfort Bronwynn Bassier, 23, of Biloxi, Miss., center, and her sister Kim Bassier, 21, left, during a walking tour of the Biloxi, Miss., that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, Friday, Sept. 2, 2005.

But that could just be sloppy work by the captioner...

[speedoo]

39. We have established that they are from Gautier. n/t

[brettdale]

42. kick

kick

[ticapnews]

43. You might want to tell that to the Washington Post. (eom)

[VolcanoJen]

45. It has absolutely been established that they're from Gautier.

Sheesh.

[ticapnews]

47. And I am telling you the WaPo got it wrong

Sheesh.

[VolcanoJen]

50. Tensions are a little high, I do understand that....

... but my "sheesh" was directed at the Washington Post, not you.

[ticapnews]

51. Sorry :)

I really need sleep.

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

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

[Contrary1]

54. Someone should call their number and see if there is an answer.

I'll let you know tomorrow. ;)

[brettdale]

57. someone should call Jon Stewart

or Anderson Cooper, or Keith Olderman or your local paper or tv station to let them know of this story.

[chalky]

61. So...

hypothetically speaking, If someone were to call, should that someone go the "wrong number" route, or go for a full-blown interview?

[Contrary1]

70. Speaking hypothetically, of course...

that someone was probably going to play it by ear. Unless the "number you dialed had either
been disconnected, or no longer in service".

I think that someone would probably save the phone number, and try again in a few days.

[brettdale]

44. Email them and let them know

Does anyone have the transcript from the interview?

[VolcanoJen]

46. See post #8 in this thread for the transcript (N/M)

[NVMojo]

52. KICK!!

[autorank]

55. Assume many errors by the Washington Post.

[KoKo]

89. That's the truth...there have been so many we can't keep up with all of

them. They just assume no one really can fact check their articles.. or that readers still respect the WaPo and NYT's and wouldn't dare to question or seek out verification for what they say.

[Mairead]

53. If their English is accented, then from their names and looks my money is

on their being well-off, upper-caste Haitians, the kind who ran things under the Duvaliers and Cedras.

[Im with Rosey]

60. I think you are right

I tried to put my finger on it the whole time Aaron Brown was talking to them, you hit on it. Do you think Aaron knows he was duped? It is early here on the west coast, keep this kicked for all to see. I think we all knew something was wrong with that whole set-up, leave it to the brilliant minds at DU to come up with the answers!

[chalky]

62. Funny, I was just in a thread looking back at BushCo's involvement in

dirty deeds in Haiti:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4590308&mesg_id=4597846

Wonder if there's some link there. Hmmmm.....

[Flubadubya]

59. Bush is biggest looter of them all...

No wonder he had such gushing compassion for them... ladies after his own heart. Bwahaha!! :rofl:

[randr]

64. Clueless props

I heard the interview as well. They stated they had received water, ice, and food over the previous days. They had not a clue of what was going on elsewhere.

[QuettaKid]

65. KICK!!

.

[FreedomAngel82]

83. That right there tells you!!!

That tells you! Earlier in the thread someone posted a man said they haven't recieved anything and these women said they did. So who do you think is telling the truth?

[LynneSin]

66. Did you hear about what the press around Bush said he saw

While he was hugging those gals some of the press noted that Bush could also see the dead bodies lying around

[OregonBlue]

67. Two listings for Joel Bassier in MS

Go to Zabasearch, One is in Gautier, one is in Ocean Springs. Don't know where Ocean Springs is. Zaba often has many listing for same person because they have moved but the info is still recorded there. Don't know if this means he has two residences or has moved.

[Zodiak]

68. Ocean Springs

is next to Biloxi, but across the bay to the East. There is a bridge connecting them, but it is gone, now. That sure was a big bridge, from what I remember.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

78. He also sked them if they knew what was going on in NO and they said no.

Then he said "THAT'S why you're not upset" or something along those lines. He made several sarcastic comments about BushCo, etc.

You could tell that he was surprised that they had been so positive about Bush.

[merci_me]

86. Is there a connection here?

OK, I know they said they came to Biloxie from Gautier (appox 20 miles) to "shop" for a shirt for a son. Did they drive? Forty miles round trip is a huge waste of case, given the circumstances, for a damn shirt. Check a map. If they'd have gone east to "shop", it would have been a lot closer and less gas to drive and a hell of a lot closer to walk. A trip to the east would have dropped them right into Pascagoula.

Here's my tinfoil hat.....Pascagoula is the hometown of Trent Lott. Ya suppose their paths have crossed before? Ya think maybe the hitched a ride? Just thinking.

[RSchewe]

87. So are they fugazy or what?! n/t

[Cleita]

88. There's something fishy there.

Remember the Kuwaiti girl who talked about babies in incubators being thrown on the floors before the first Gulf War? It turns out the whole thing was staged to get Congress to agree to the war and the girl was the daughter of some Kuwaiti diplomat in D.C. and hadn't even been in Kuwait to witness those things and they never really happened.

[madfloridian]

91. Found this: Bassier, Durban Resources.. confusing, interesting.

http://us.geocities.yahoo.com/gb/view?member=3stolley&.start=31

Name : Bronwynne Bassier
Website : Durban Resoures
Email : [e-mail]
City where you live : Highsprings,Florida
Country : U.S.A
Comments : A TRUE DURBAN HEIGHT ,BORN IN S.A ...WHO HAS JUST MOVED TO THE U.S MISS HOME VERY MUCH THOUGHT THAT THE SITE REALLY DID S.A PROUD WELL DONE....

NOW type in Bassier, Durban Resources, and this comes up.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ned=us&q=bassier%2C+durban+resources&btnmeta%3Dsearch%3Dsearch=Search+the+Web

The Andre Bassier appears several times, though not sure where they get the Durban yet. Will check some more.

[speedoo]

93. Great research!!!

So Bronwynne is from South Africa (her sis too, obviously)... that was my original guess, believe it or not, based on the name and accent.

Your find confirms some earlier info that she was a student at a Community College near Gainesville in 2001!! And that she was a member of an international students group.

Assuming Highsprings is near Gainesville, that is. (on edit.. bingo!!... High Springs is about 25 miles from downtown Gainesville)

[madfloridian]

94. I was just posting this...very near Gainesville.

http://gainesville.hotelguide.net/

Trying to find an Andre Bassier with a connection to the Bush family...no luck so far.

[speedoo]

96. Not sure why you are searching for an Andre...

did I miss something?

The website she was commenting on was for Durban, South Africa.

How did you find that, by the way?

[madfloridian]

97. This comment from one of the search links.

Resources for small businesses
aids.htmls > Resources for small business owners ... Medical cover for treatment
HIV/Aids: Andre van Bassier, HIV/Aids head of Lifesense Disease Management, ...
www.brain.org.za/SUPPORT/ articles/resource_small_business.html - 10k - Cached - Similar pages

Just trying to make connections where none may exist.

[speedoo]

98. From a related thread, I learned that...

there is a Joel Bassier who lives in Gautier, MS, which is also the current home of Bronwynne.

I think her sister Kim might be visiting, as there is no info on her anywhere in all the searches that have been done.

I can't read the link in your last post... anything interfesting there?

[madfloridian]

99. Not really. Hard to read because it is cache.

I really don't see anything there that stands out.

[speedoo]

100. OK. Please keep looking.

The trail is hot!!

[madfloridian]

115. Here is more on the Bassier, Durban link I posted that did not work

I don't see how this is related to the issue except by last name and being in South Africa. This Andre I was looking for appears to be part of a small business group in South Africa, specializing in HIV/Aids control. I don't see a connection here really.

http://www.brain.org.za/SUPPORT/articles/resource_small_business.html

He showed up on a search of bassier, durban, so I thought I would check it out.

[Judi Lynn]

95. Good lord! Someone mentioned earlier he/she thought the accent

could be South African.

Way to go, madfloridian. WONDERFUL!

[shanti]

108. yes, south african

durban.

[magellan]

101. Joel Bassier who lives in Gautier, MS may be related

There are no other Bassiers listed in the Gautier/Biloxi/Pascagoula area.

A search on Joel Bassier brings up a Joey Bassier who works for ICI-LLC in Pascagoula.

Mississippi Contract Procurement Center:

BASSIER, JOEY -- ICI, LLC, 1716 JACKSON AVE, PASCAGOULA, MS, 39567

ICI, LLC is "an 8(a), SDB, HUBZone Certified, Veteran-Owned Small Business providing commercial, Department of Defense (DoD), and Federal Government Civilian Agencies technical services with an emphasis on innovative and creative solutions and quality service."

ICI, LLC has no office in Pascagoula. However, ICI does a lot of sub-contracting so it's possible this is a subcontractor acting for ICI. Interesting connection if so, and if he's related to these two women....But I stress, this is a very tenuous connection!!

[magellan]

102. Ah HA!

Get this: did a search on Joey Bassier. Only two links came up -- leading to the ISCA forum -- a forum for the International Students Cultural Association out of Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, FL!!

Here is the thread Joey Bassier wrote to back in 2001: http://lists.sfcc.edu/read/messages?id=10063

So Bronwynne is an Int'l Cultural Student and so is Joey, who now works at ICI, LLC in Pascagoula, and there's a Joel Bassier who lives in Gautier where the two sisters claim to be from. Now, that's a bit too coincidental.

edited to add college info

[speedoo]

103. Great work, magellan!!

Good chance there's a relation to the sisters (brother?..cousin?). Bronwynne was at that CC in 2001 also.

It could turn out that Joey's company is the link between the sisters and Barbour or Lott, and hence the plant for the photo op.

I can dream, can't I? :)

[magellan]

104. It's more like one of those waking nightmares we're so used to by now

The kind where it's obvious there's been some string-pulling in the background by Rethugs to stage things for a positive spin on Bush**. I wouldn't put it past them...and in this case I now feel safe to say the Bassier sister photo-op STINKS to high heaven of a set up.

[speedoo]

105. I agree.

Hopefully with some more research like yours, we'll be able to prove it.

[Judi Lynn]

106. This is fascinating, and terrible. It may prove how dishonest they are.

We have suspected he NEVER leaves anything to chance.

Using plants in situations which are presented as natural, unrehearsed prevents any chance of something going wrong.

Remember how many commercials they've made, boosting _Bush goals, paid for with taxpayers' money, which is actually ILLEGAL.

[DemBones DemBones]

110. Assuming Bronwynne is the one with the son,

perhaps she and Joey are husband and wife? Perhaps sister Kim has a different last name and the press screwed up on their ids? OR Joel/Joey took his wife's name when they married?

Just another way to look at it.

[Carolab]

116. Kim has the same last name. She lives with Bronwynne in Gautier.

You can do a people search at Yahoo and find their mutual address and phone number.

[DemBones DemBones]

109. Senator Landrieu would be interested in this info since

she saw how the Corps of Engineers faked a levee repair project for a Bush* photo op.

This really needs wide publicity.

[eridani]

111. There is a Joel Bassier listed in the White Pages in Gautier

This is the only Bassier listed in either Biloxi or Gautier

[vickitulsa]

112. NEW INFO just posted this morning, Sunday.

On a new thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4623494

It appears W may have actually KNOWN THESE SISTERS before Katrina....

Check it out, it's definitely interesting!

~VV

______________________________________________

[DemBones DemBones]

113. smurfygirl just posted more info on these two

"I have this incident recorded on the DVR. When Bush walks up to the girls, the shorter one immediately asks him "hows my family" Bush responds that they are fine...Taller one and Bush chit chat about someone by name. Clearly, the audio was not shown on FOX or MSNBC or C-Span or anywhere else I have watched this. I later watched this clip on CNN and this part was edited and you could no longer hear the audio. "

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4623494


The plot thickens.

New assignment: Find out "Who's your daddy (Is he rich like me?)"