Bush appealed to Blanco last Sunday for a mandatory evac?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4216508.stm

The evacuation

It was announced at a news conference by the Mayor Ray Nagin on Sunday 28 August, less than 24 hours before the hurricane struck early the next morning.

The question has to be asked: Why was it not ordered earlier?

The Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said at the same news conference that President Bush had called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation.

The night before, National Hurricane Director Max Mayfield had called Mayor Nagin to tell him that an evacuation was needed. Why were these calls necessary?

I'm no fan of the President but this does cast things in a new light. Not that it excuses his inaction, but...

[Erika]

1. This has been repudiated many times

When did the feds start helping the Democratic NO? Wake up.

7. link to repudiation?

this is from a current BBC report. if there's a transcript of Blanco's press conference then that would who it's not true.

i promise you, i'm wide awake... just trying to understand and not jump to too many conclusions. This BBC piece places blame on many, when they've been really hard on B* until now.

[Erika]

13. Both the Governor and the Mayor has denied it

and when did W send in the feds?

18. so is this Rove at work, planting misinfo for the BBC to propogate?

[expatriot]

19. See post #12

Blanco was reporting in the news conference that she had gotten permission from Bush to make it official.

Plus, it DOESN'T MATTER. If Bush thought local/state authorities had dropped the ball, why didn't he move quicker, make it a higher priority to respond to the disaster?

[chalky]

14. See post #12.

n/t

[expatriot]

16. though it has been repudiated, even if it WAS TRUE it wouldn't help Bush

in fact, if Bush and feds were concerned that local authorities had dropped the ball on the EVAC, it DOUBLY incriminates them that they did not know that relief efforts would have to be DOUBLED or QUADRUPLED to meet the increased needs due to a bumbled evacuation.

8. link to repudiation?

edited... duplicate post

[chalky]

17. See post #12.

n/t

25. when, where?

This would show that Rove is at play.

[expatriot]

27. RESPONSE #12... READ IT!

28. i did READ IT

why are you yelling? I'm trying to find a repudiation and can't.

[fooj]

2. Desperate times call for desperate measures...

Have a nice evening...

[MadeinOhio]

3. What are the sources anyhow?

I wouldn't spread this anywhere without first knowing all the sources and check it.

[Brightmore]

4. The source seems to be BBC

They are usually credible.

[Erika]

5. Again, this has been repudiated many times

When did W send in federal help?

[Brightmore]

10. The original question was

did Bush appeal to Blanco last Sunday for a mandatory evac?

It seems he did.

[qanda]

36. I remember this well

He called them right before they went into a press conference to ANNOUNCE a mandatory evacuation, to say that he pressed them for a mandatory evacuation. I don't see the point of the distinction. If he had called on Friday or Saturday to say this then I guess I could, but calling after a decision had already been made is a day late and a dollar short.

[expatriot]

11. No, I think the MadeinOhio knew that... s/he wanted to know sources...

FOR the article. who told the reporter that information.

[Brightmore]

15. I think it was the AP

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?base/news-18/1125239940201382.xml&storylist=louisiana

Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding.

[MadeinOhio]

20. Thanks now if the article said it was proned to flooding.....

Then who was the one responsible for the evacuation procedures? FEMA had plans drawn up, but did the locals have them or were funded to use them?

22. thanks for the link.

I think this is "interesting." And when put into the context of the BBC article it makes it look like the Gov is at fault for now having made the evac mandatory.

I AGREE that nothing exonerates B* and his cohorts from their "my pet goat" time. In fact, this shows B* understood how bad things could get. But I've been a fan of the Blanco and now am just a little less so.

[expatriot]

26. I am glad we agree that Bush's incompetence is treasonous....

While I personally believe Blanco and Nagin did pretty decent jobs I am not as concerned with their job performance as I am with Bush's. For the simple reason that Blanco is not my governor and Nagin is not my mayor but Bush is my President and is hear to protect the country against national disasters that affect multiple states. Just like the FBI is in charge of criminals that cross state lines, the President is accountable for multi-state natural disasters.

[expatriot]

6. Any failure of the evac on the mayor's part does not vindicate Bush....

in fact, if Bush and feds were concerned that local authorities had dropped the ball on the EVAC, it DOUBLY incriminates them that they did not know that relief efforts would have to be DOUBLED or QUADRUPLED to meet the increased needs due to a bumbled evacuation.

[Erika]

9. When did W send in the feds to help? That is the question.

[chalky]

12. She declared a State of Emergency on 8/26. Bush gets contacted,

Makes his little statement, then Blanco then writes that letter "granting permission" to make it official, to arrive on 8/28.

http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf

"President Bush late Saturday (8/27) declared a state of emergency in Louisiana. The governors of Louisiana and Mississippi declared emergencies Friday, (8/26) and mandatory evacuation orders were in effect for some of Louisiana's low-lying areas, CNN reported."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/?feed=TopNews&article=UPI-1-20050827-21582600-bc-us-katrina-3rdld.xml

[Hello_Kitty]

21. What horseshit

If that's true, then why didn't he implement resources to help facilitate the evacuation? Like boats, planes, buses, and troops to direct traffic? Why didn't he personally send federal officials down there to ensure people were evacuating? Where's the follow-up, if they supposedly "appealed" to the Mayor to evacuate the city.

But noooo....we're supposed to be concerned about some goddamned school buses :grr:

[K8-EEE]

24. And Where Were They Supposed To GO?

The Katrina evacuees are in several different states -- making it a Federal undertaking to set up shelters, coordinate etc. They could not put all those people in LA especially with much of it unsafe!

[Dunvegan]

23. You can tell people to evacuate all you want...

...but in urban areas criss-crossed by highly-touted mass transport systems, you are encouraged not to have a car (like here in SF.)

The city and state and federal shared responsibility for crunching the numbers and providing the transport prior to landfall.

Anyone dropping the ball in that group of three should have had the other two climb up their backsides STAT.

Meanwhile, cities are always trumped by the power and resources of the state disaster agencies after something isn't done or done wrong. The state is is always trumped by the power and resources of the federal disaster agencies (in former FEMA disasters, prior to consolidation under the Dept. of Homeland Security.)

FEMA stands for Federal Emergency Management Agency..."Emergency Management" is their supposed forte. And we pay federal taxes for FEMA to take charge if we live where our local mayors or govs aren't disaster experts (many of them have no idea of emergency methodology...they are lower-level politicians...voted in on charisma or party-allegiance or whatever.)

Mayors and govs may not be trained in everything in the world, but FEMA is supposed to be the world-class expert in disaster management intervention.

And, it used to be.

This blame game is madness.

There is protocol. It was not followed very well. Part of the protocol included federal-level intervention. That is where the money and expertise is supposed to be concentrated via the infrastructure system.

29. DU is too intense

Many of you jump on someone for asking questions, for thinking.
Asking questions is what everyone should do, all the time.
And, personally, I think that if Blanco had ordered a mandatory evac just MAYBE buses might have been supplied to all those who couldn't get out on their own.
But, hey, i don't want to voice an opinion that goes against the total and complete group-think of DU right now.
I'm a HUGE fan of DU, talk about it all the time in my community here. My friends think i'm in some sort of cult of tin foil hat folks. Right now, though, I think DU want so badly to have Georgie be ALL bad and ALL wrong that you're not willing to entertain what might be a bit of truth.

Where's the repudiation?

[charlie]

31. Guess we won't know without seeing the video

But FWIW, here's an article with a different take on Bush's message to Blanco:

President Bush Very Concerned Over Louisiana And Hurricane Katrina

At a joint press conference, Governor Kathleen Blanco has announced that President Bush has called her this morning and requested that she inform the citizens of Louisiana to be careful due to major Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin has called for a mandatory evacuation. Mayor Nagin stated that he fears that at some point in time the electricity will go out in the area...

http://www.bayoubuzz.com/articles.aspx?aid=4853

[Walt Starr]

34. I see by your tombstone you are a DEAD FREEPER

[magellan]

35. I take the view that there's room for blame at all levels

I just distribute it heavily on the Federal side.

Nagin, Blanco...they could have done more beforehand. Just as an example, waiting so long to call for a mandatory evacuation will haunt them, I'm sure. If they'd started a day earlier, they could have organized transport out for many who later wound up at the Superdome or stuck in their homes through illness. It isn't constructive to defend errors in judgement like this.

However, by far the most serious failures are on the heads of Bush**, DHS and FEMA. These weren't errors in judgement but outright acts of abuse of power, negligence and incompetence. And what's more, deaths CONTINUE under their watch TO THIS DAY by them withholding outside aid and supplies for no logical reason.

So I side with you KathmanduKid. But I also think anyone looking fairly at the chain of events would quickly come to the conclusion that the Federales have a lot more to answer to than Nagin and Blanco. A LOT more.

[progressive_realist]

30. No more RW talking points! Look at 6 USC 317.

6 USC 317 (United States Code) defines the mission and responsibilities of FEMA. Read it! What does clause (a)(2)(C) state? Something about LEADING efforts to evacuate potential victims? FEMA is responsible -- it's the law. :mad:

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


§ 317. Role of Federal Emergency Management Agency


Release date: 2005-05-18

(a) In general
The functions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency include the following:
(1) All functions and authorities prescribed by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
(2) Carrying out its mission to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the Nation from all hazards by leading and supporting the Nation in a comprehensive, risk-based emergency management program—
(A) of mitigation, by taking sustained actions to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from hazards and their effects;
(B) of planning for building the emergency management profession to prepare effectively for, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from any hazard;
(C) of response, by conducting emergency operations to save lives and property through positioning emergency equipment and supplies, through evacuating potential victims, through providing food, water, shelter, and medical care to those in need, and through restoring critical public services;
(D) of recovery, by rebuilding communities so individuals, businesses, and governments can function on their own, return to normal life, and protect against future hazards; and
(E) of increased efficiencies, by coordinating efforts relating to mitigation, planning, response, and recovery.
(b) Federal Response Plan
(1) Role of FEMA
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall remain the lead agency for the Federal Response Plan established under Executive Order No. 12148 (44 Fed. Reg. 43239) and Executive Order No. 12656 (53 Fed. Reg. 47491).
(2) Revision of Response Plan
Not later than 60 days after November 25, 2002, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall revise the Federal Response Plan to reflect the establishment of and incorporate the Department.

[Garbo 2004]

32. A bit of timeline and info on the evacuation issue:

Sat Aug 27 in NO LA area:

By mid-afternoon, officials in Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, Lafourche, Terrebonne and Jefferson parishes had called for voluntary or mandatory evacuations.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin followed at 5 p.m., issuing a voluntary evacuation.

Nagin said late Saturday that he's having his legal staff look into whether he can order a mandatory evacuation of the city, a step he's been hesitant to do because of potential liability on the part of the city for closing hotels and other businesses.

"Come the first break of light in the morning, you may have the first mandatory evacuation of New Orleans," Nagin told WWL-TV.
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1125213007249320.xml

Mandatory evacuation for NO was declared on Sunday, 28th. Nagin said that the delay was for legal reasons, regarding authority and whether they could exempt certain businesses, institutions like hospitals. The actual order is here: http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=1&tabid=43

And regarding Bush's "call for mandatory evacuations" it appears that AP's writing did not accurately convey what Blanco said. From TPM Cafe a portion of the press conference's transcript:

GOV. KATHLEEN BLANCO, LOUISIANA: This is a very dangerous time. Just before we walked into this room, President Bush called and told me to share with all of you that he is very concerned about the citizens. He is concerned about the impact that this hurricane would have on our people. And he asked me to please insure that there would be a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. http://www.tpmcafe.com/comments/2005/9/4/124241/5233/66#66

They were having the press conference to announce mandatory evacuations (as predicted the night before by Mayor Nagin) and that's when Bush called.

And then just for fun a Aug 27 press release from FEMA:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, today announced that Federal resources are being allocated to support emergency protective response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina.

Brown said President Bush authorized the aid under an emergency disaster declaration issued following a review of FEMA's analysis of the state's request for federal assistance. FEMA will mobilize equipment and resources necessary to protect public health and safety by assisting law enforcement with evacuations, establishing shelters, supporting emergency medical needs, meeting immediate lifesaving and life-sustaining human needs and protecting property, in addition to other emergency protective measures. http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18447

[Walt Starr]

33. Blanco fulfilled the requirements of the Stafford Act on August 26

At that point, under the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Title I Section 101 and all of Title V, Primary responsibility for the emergency fell to the Department of Homeland Security.

Sorry, but your boy screwed up. He's going down. Blanco followed FEDERAL LAW with regards to how to handle the emergency.