James Lee Witt has been brought in!!!!

[DODI]

Thank God -- boy do we need him now.

[caligirl]

1. WHO ?????

[Cooley Hurd]

5. Wikipedia bio:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lee_Witt

James Lee Witt (born 6 January 1944) was Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the administration of President Bill Clinton.

James Lee Witt was born in Paris, Arkansas and was raised in Dardanelle, Yell County, Arkansas. Witt started his own construction business in 1968. At age 34 he was elected County Judge of Yell County becoming the youngest person ever elected as a County Judge in the state. Witt was reelected to the post 6 times and was recognized by the National Association of Counties for his work. Witt was a charter Board Chairman of Child Development, Incorporated which works to advance Head Start programs.

In 1988 Witt was appointed by then-Governor Bill Clinton to be the head of the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services where he reorganized the state's emergency management process.

When Bill Clinton was elected President he appointed Witt to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1993. During his tenure Clinton elevated the Director of FEMA to cabinet status. Witt's term of office saw approximately 348 Presidential declared disaster areas in more than 6,500 counties and in all 50 states and territories. Witt supervised the response to the most costly flood disaster in the nation's history, the most costly earthquake, and a dozen serious hurricanes.

[caligirl]

9. thanks, their talking about using Eglin AFB(I lived there in the 70's)

NIH campus etc for medical needs of the citizens of NO etc.

[tamtam]

58. OMG

This rescue effort is so fucking bad. Why didn't they use Eglin days ago. Eglin is the largest AFB stateside and it has a damn hospital. OMG, these people are cluess. They have three AFB that I know of on the Gulf Coast. Eglin, Keesler, and Hurlburt field, I swear these idiots are trying to kill off these poor people. You know what else gets me? The fact that the amazing Red Horse squadron is non-existent on the Gulf Coast at this moment. From what I hear from some of my old Navy buddies the CB's and the Red Horse squadron have all been deployed. NO and Mississippi could really use their help right now since their trade is building shit! I cannot believe how this administration has used and abused our military to the point that we don't have a military stateside. I honestly believe they didn't get the guard in there right away because they have to fly them from Iraq.

[caligirl]

74. I hope they have a newer and larger hospital than when i was there

[Imagevision]

84. Excellant Blanco Move -- very smart lady!! She can excuse Brown now!

http://downingstreetmemo.com/

[bostonbabs]

85. last night on O"reilly

he said that his "investigator" a retired military guy said the whole thing was Blancos fault!....O'Reilly repeated that he wanted to be sure because this was soooo important but his "man" after a full one day investigation said it was all Blanco!!!!!!.I am outraged. I would love to see a tape of that show on crooks and liars....FOX ASSHOLES....."spinful"

[Spazito]

86. ROFL, Bill's voice is getting louder as his audience numbers

drop. No one takes him seriously hence his real name O'Lielly.

[jpak]

78. And Pensacola Naval Air Station and Whiting Field...

n/t

[Qibing Zero]

62. I did some contracting work there recently

The place is more than huge, and I'm sure they can keep the bombing to a minimum while they're housing people.

[mzmolly]

18. Thank goodness!

eom

[FrenchieCat]

32. Data on James Witt and what he's been doing......

read this blogged article
http://talkleft.com/new_archives/012074.html
Thursday :: September 01, 2005
Where is James Lee Witt when we need him?
James Lee Witt, http://www.wittassociates.com /
an Arkansan, was FEMA Director under President Clinton, and he had the cojones to immediately go to the scene and take control. Clinton gave him power, and he used it for the national good. We were served well by him. In any natural disaster, he was there, he was on TV telling us what was going on, and he got things done. He did not sit on his hands in a Washington office getting information from CNN or FoxNews.

James Lee Witt works in Little Rock, and I'll bet my house he's working on this disaster somehow. If he ran FEMA, the response would be markedly different, instead of the "what do I do now?" look of Michael Chertoff we see today.
----------
NOTE: JLWA had bid on planning emergency work for New Orleans via IEM, but were not awarded the contract.
----------

About James L. Witt& Associates (JLWA)--

Our Team


What we do

Founded in 2001, James Lee Witt Associates (JLWA) is a crisis and emergency management consulting firm based in Washington, DC with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, and Sacramento. JLWA has unrivaled experience and hands-on knowledge of public safety, disaster mitigation, continuity of operations, and emergency management issues. JLWA bridges government agencies and non-profits with industry and constituents, advises educational institutions, and assists state and local governments, as well as international bodies to prepare for and recover from disasters and crises.

JLWA is uniquely positioned to bring together policy architects and technical experts in public safety, with leaders from all levels of government and private sector partners to forge solutions to emergency management challenges.

The JLWA staff includes seasoned crisis and emergency management leaders with significant experience in the public sector to provide consultation on key issues of public safety. The team is proficient in the details of emergency management, committed to the responsibility of the profession, and understands how crisis and emergency management work fits into a larger political and social climate.

JLWA is comprised of two main practice areas: Crisis and Consequence Management and Strategic Advisory Services.

http://www.wittassociates.com/1162.xml

[Spazito]

34. Whoo Hoo! I should have remembered he was working with

Clark! Thank you for posting this! Two experts involved, in essence.

[FrenchieCat]

39. Not to get into any cheerleading mode or anything like that....

But many people didn't realize what was meant when Wes Clark was called a National Security and foreign policy Expert. And this is but a small part of what he is an expert at.

[Spazito]

43. I totally agree, my Whoo Hoo was meant in cheering for the people

of Louisiana, they are finally having experts to help. I am sorry if it seemed otherwise.

I have tremendous respect for both men and have watched them put their expertise into practice more than once.

[Roy]

65. Nothing wrong with cheerleading mode

There is so little recently to cheer.

[chomskysright]

80. Bring in the Dems appointees cause the GOP ARE SUCH FUCK-UPS

[novak goes postal]

60. I hope the James DeWitt

knows how to work well with spoiled rich incompetent children who are incompetent on purpose to allow the most death of poor black people possible. Keep those dark skinned poor people in their place, dead. James Dewitt may be a little to evolved to be a part of Bush's murderous plan. DeWitt was around Clinton a bit to long to be as bad as he must to be on Bush's Murderous team.

[Spazito]

64. He isn't on the bush team, he is on the Governor of Louisiana's

team, it will cause heartburn to bush's team and actually bring about help for Louisiana.

[KharmaTrain]

7. Former FEMA Head Under Clinton

Also one hell of a hand-on manager.

Witt built up that agency in the 90's to see the manchild shrink it into an oil-soaked, fetid toilet now known as New Orleans.

[Imagevision]

40. DeWitt > former career in disaster relief, Fema director under Clinton

http://downingstreetmemo.com/

[SammyWinstonJack]

2. Bring in the experienced! wow , what an idea!

:think:

[FrenchieCat]

53. Well I guess that Gov. Blanco realized that the FEDS are hopeless

Maybe it was realized that this is the only way that real experts (James Witt) can actually tell FEMA what the next steps should be....cause they, the FEDs obviously don't know shit!

Blanco in essence has had to open the back door, so that the real rescue team can get started in leading us out of this tragedy!

[SammyWinstonJack]

70. I didn't realize it was Gov Blanco who brought him in . I thought ** did.

Good on Gov Blanco for doing this.

[chomskysright]

81. Blanco: The Next Huey P. Long?: here come the KINGFISH

[TahitiNut]

63. (Encore): Well, it shows the difference between a Witt and a half-wit!

:evilgrin: FEMA is Wittless ... headed by a bunch of GOP Brown-nosers.

(rimshot) Ok, you can take it from there, Jon - The Daily Show rulez!

[Blue_Roses]

87. LOL

:rofl:

[RC]

3. Who? How about a little information here.

What is his specialty?

[Pepperbelly]

10. He was Bill Clinton's FEMA chief ...

He was a county judge in Arkansas and BC took him to FEMA. He is a roll-up-his-shirtsleeves and get it the fuck done kind of guy who made our response to disasters during his watch seamless, fast, smooth and overwhelming.

He and Wesley now have a consulting and planning group to get plans together that actually work. He was underbid while in the private sector since Bush was in and did not get the contract of dceveloping the plans for NO.

Too bad but clearly, you get what you pay for.

[DODI]

12. Introduced during LA Gov. press conferences as "the man

who saved FEMA" -- in the Clinton days -- it was his department that was still more or less in tact for 9/11. He is a great FEMA director.

[Gabi Hayes]

27. read this, about FEMA, what CLinton did to revive it, and what the

BFEE has done to kill it

http://www.indyweek.com/durham/2004-09-22/cover.html

[Divernan]

89. Powerful (if lengthy) piece - a must read.

re what we are facing in this country now that Bush has had 5 years to undermine and gut FEMA

[Justitia]

4. Former FEMA guy? -eom

[justabob]

6. yes nt

[elehhhhna]

8. Outsouce the BA to the CA, NOW!

[Lindsay]

11. Who finally got smart enough to bring him back?

No wonder things are getting done alluva sudden!

[Pirate Smile]

49. The Democratic Louisiana Governor, of course, and those fuckers

in the current FEMA better let him get things done.

Jesus, they have killed so many people and tortured so many others. I don't think any punishment is sufficient for what they have done to so many people.

[mcscajun]

13. Brought in where, how, by whom?

Details or a link?

[mogster]

47. I agree

Who reports this?

I found a link in the LBN, but no source quoted.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1750018

[FrenchieCat]

54. It was on the Tele.... n/t

[Adelante]

57. There was a press conference and it was on TV

I heard this from a good friend in Georgia. Didn't see it myself.

[mogster]

59. OK, but 'brought in' to do what?

Sorry if I seem slow ;-)

But what will Witt do, take over FEMA from Brown(-shirt)?

[Adelante]

61. No, no

He will be coordinating and advising with the Governor through the recovery process. Obviously, he's not with FEMA anymore and won't be any time soon.

I wish I knew more, too.

[Spazito]

14. Damn, that is great news!

He was an incredible head of FEMA under Clinton. How much more proof is needed to prove all those appointed by bush had NO competence in the areas they had been appointed to!

[Justitia]

15. Can we bring the REST OF THE CLINTON CABINET back too??? -eom

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. We need to! Kick bush out now!

[TankLV]

46. Ouch!

Can we start with the "top" position - CEO - you know - PRESIDENT?

Actually have someone like CLINTON who was HONEST, COMPETANT and GOOD at his job?

My my my how low this country has come UNDER THE REPUKES!

[graywarrior]

17. Witt & Clark

http://www.wittassociates.com/

[Bonhomme Richard]

19. Now Al Gore needs to be brought into the WhiteHouse

[wiley]

22. Agreed!

[Wind Dancer]

42. "Now Al Gore needs to be brought into the WhiteHouse"

In my fantasies!

[chomskysright]

82. YES! Throw the bastards out or just step over their pansy asses:WE ...

GOT WORK TO DO.

[wiley]

20. Bring Clark in too!

:bounce:

[BrotherBuzz]

21. Eminently qualified....

unlike that turd Brown I've seen slinking about lately.

[MissMarple]

75. Mr. Brown should have gotten out of such a lose-lose position long ago..

He and Chertoff will be the first to be thrown under the bus. I do feel sorry for the guy. But he had no business being head of FEMA, and he was complicit in trying to shrink it so they all could drag it into the bathtub and drown it.

[BrotherBuzz]

79. There will be no problem finding bus drivers.

It may be a little tangential, but Brown's appointment to head FEMA is not unlike Bolton's assignment to the UN. Both were tasked to destroy their respective institutions. Coincidence? Interesting, no?

[Suziq]

23. Wow!

How refreshing. Ah, the 90's where you were appointed for your qualifications for the position, not by being a high contributing crony.

:think:

[bribri16]

24. There is no question about FEMA under Clinton. Many praises from

people who were affected by the natural disasters during that time. I know there was never anything like this disaster but some were really horrific. Good move.

[Im with Rosey]

25. James Lee Witt

This man just oozes control and confidence. Also is a man of integrity and caring. He did many terrific things for FEMA when he was large and in charge. If anyone can get this sorted out and handled it is him.

[nonconformist]

26. Did Baghdad Brown RESIGN?!

I'm catching up... just got up actually.

[DODI]

28. The LA gov. has "hired" him to be her representative for

FEMA meetings, etc.

[nonconformist]

36. Thanks. Good call by Blanco. nt

[Carla in Ca]

72. I am Absolutely thrilled!

bush = master of disaster

Witt = master of disaster relief

[trof]

29. More about Witt:

FEMA was born in 1979, the offspring of a number of federal agencies that had functioned in an uncoordinated manner to protect the country against natural disasters and nuclear holocaust. FEMA grew and matured, with formal programs being developed to respond to large-scale disasters and with extensive planning for what is called "continuity of government."

The creation of the federal agency encouraged states, counties, and cities to convert their civil defense organizations into emergency management agencies that would do the requisite planning for disasters. Over time, a philosophy of "all-hazards disaster preparedness" was developed that sought to conserve resources by producing single plans that were applicable to many types of events.

But it was hurricane Andrew, which hit Florida in 1992, that really energized FEMA. The year after that catastrophic storm, President Bill Clinton appointed James Lee Witt director. He was the first professional emergency manager to run the agency. Showing a serious regard for the cost of natural disasters in both economic impact and lives lost or disrupted, Mr. Witt focused FEMA on natural disaster preparedness and mitigation. In an effort to reduce the repeated loss of property and lives every time a disaster struck, he started a disaster mitigation effort called "Project Impact." FEMA was elevated to a cabinet-level agency, in recognition of its important responsibilities coordinating efforts across departmental and governmental lines.

Witt fought for federal funding to support the new program. At its height, only $20 million was allocated to the national effort, but it worked wonders. One of the best examples of the program's impact here in the central Puget Sound area and in western Washington was in protecting people at the time of the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. Homes had been retrofitted for earthquakes and schools were protected from high-impact structural hazards. The day of that quake ironically was also the day that the new president chose to announce that Project Impact would be discontinued.

The advent of the Bush administration in January 2001 was the beginning of the end for FEMA. Bush-appointed leadership of the agency showed little interest in its work or the missions pursued by Witt. Then came Sept. 11 and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Soon FEMA was being absorbed into that.

This year it was announced that FEMA will lose the disaster preparedness function that it has had since its creation. The move is a death blow to an agency. In fact, FEMA employees have been directed not to become involved in disaster preparedness functions, since a new directorate (yet to be established) will have that mission.

FEMA will be survived by state and local emergency management offices, which are confused about how they fit into the national picture. That's because the focus of the national effort remains terrorism, even if the Department of Homeland Security still talks about "all-hazards preparedness." Those of us in the business of dealing with emergencies find ourselves with no national leadership and no mentors. We're being forced to fend for ourselves, making do with the "homeland security" mission. Our "all-hazards" approaches have been decimated by the administration's preoccupation with terrorism.

• Eric Holdeman is director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management. ©2005 The Washington Post.

Full HTML version of this story which may include photos, graphics, and related links

[Catherine Vincent]

30. As usual, calling on a Democrat to clean up after a republican failure.

[glitch]

50. Same as it ever was. nt

[Spazito]

31. The Governor of Louisiana has, in effect, taken control back from

the Washington assholes by having him as her representative at FEMA meetings. There is no way he won't let it be widely known what is REALLY happening.

Very smart lady, imo!

[Lindsay]

33. Might have known it was a Dem that brought in

someone competent.

Somebody remind Bush of that insanity definition, will ya? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

[Jeanette in FL]

38. Good for her

This was a very smart move. I just heard this on MSNBC, that she hired him to be her liason to FEMA.

[distantearlywarning]

73. Well, since they're blaming her anyway

She might as well try to get some actual work done before she gets canned. God knows none of these other morans are doing anything.

[chomskysright]

83. Huey P. Long: Gov LA, 1928:"ain't no Standard Oil-men gonna run this state

....gonna be run by little folks like me and you."

Randy Newman: Good Ole' Boys: Here come the Kingfish

[Gabi Hayes]

35. lots of info here about what FEMA used to be, and how it got so ffffed up

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4608069

[FrenchieCat]

37. Of course, the problem is

Much being done too late.

I doubt that Bush can salvage this situation, as the most critical moments (5 days! :eyes:) has already passed.

Just like Iraq, there is only a certain window available to correct the course or change it altogether. In the case of a national emergency like a natural disaster, timing is even more crucial than in a war.

Bush & Co. are attempting to quarterback themselves back to the day after the Hurricane....unfortunately, 5 days have passed....not one!

So Bush goes from doing almost nothing to trying to do more than everything. The contrast will make him look the worse for it.

The citizenry has already suffered more they should have had to experience at this point. Piling it on at this point, done to provide cover for the Bush Administration's ineptitude in getting things done right, is better than nothing, but doesn't change what we witnessed..... considering that timing meant everything.

[Imagevision]

41. recommend this up please...!

[FrenchieCat]

48. Recommended and kicked.....

and to re-iterate, "timing" was everything.

It took the Gov. of Louisiana to find an alternative to Bush's inept management team.

And of course, it is the Democrats that have the expertise sought.

Bush is now looking for cover.

[jasmeel]

44. Just go ahead and make Clinton president again!! Whooohoo!

[cat_hair]

45. Good.

They need someone in there who knows what to do. Unfortunately though it's probably too late for a lot of people. :(

[WiseButAngrySara]

51. Excellent news...I feel better already, and I didn't think it possible!

Kick and recommended.

[meganmonkey]

52. Wow - that's awesome

I wish they had done it a lot sooner though :(

The freepers are gonna hate this! :o

[FrenchieCat]

55. Fuck the Freepers!

If they can't see the situation that their "heroes" have created, then there is nothing that can be done about those assholes! :mad:

[MissMarple]

77. Not all of them... their security is a stake, as well as ours.

The quality of FEMA's response or lack of response illustrates our collective vulnerability. As a nation at war, we are in trouble.

[StellaBlue]

56. Excellent!

Even my Republican relatives were saying Witt should be here now!!!

: )

[Rainscents]

66. WOW, WOW, WOW!!!

This is best news I've heard since this mess... as usual, Dem's are always bailing out thugs ass!

[Kni7es]

67. You have to wonder....

...why he was kicked out in the first place.

[Spazito]

69. He wasn't kicked out. When the government changes as it did when

Clinton had served two terms, and therefore could not run again, all his cabinet members must step down as well. When Clinton was in, the head of FEMA was a cabinet position and worked incredibly well. bush's guy, on the other hand, has NO experience in this field, was FIRED from his previous job for incompetence.

[kansasblue]

68. Who is he? Why are you so excited?

[Geek_Girl]

71. I know a few days ago everyone was angry at Clinton

for kissing Bush's ass. But I have a feeling this is the result of that. Thank God for this news.

[Pierre Trudeau]

76. what a bizarre, radical move!

Actually bringing in someone who has extensive expertise and a proven track record in emergency management?

What on earth were they thinking??

[bostonbabs]

88. please remember fema is a part

of Homeland Security ...the same people that gave us all those red, yellow, orange alerts BEFORE THE ELECTION....A POLITICAL POSTURE...THE BASTARDS. THEY USED THIS AGENCY AS A PROPAGANDA TOOL TO "RESTEAL" THE ELECTION! ...AT THE SAME TIME THEY WERE cutting funds to FEMA. I hate them.

[LandOLincoln]

90. You're not making any sense. Witt is a Democrat, and a

Clinton appointee hired now by the Governor of Louisiana--also a Democrat--to advise her in the current mess wherein BushCo are trying their damndest to blame her for the galactically proportioned clusterfuck that is NOLA.

This is a good thing. This is calm, smart, massively qualified and experienced Democrats stepping into the breach to clean up the most godawful, hellish GOP mess of all time.