Rumsfeld at Baseball Game during Katrina

[riverwalker]

http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001055561

Revealed: Rumsfeld at Padres Ball Game As New Orleans Sank

By E&P Staff

Published: September 06, 2005 9:30 PM ET

NEW YORK The seemingly carefree behavior of top Bush administration officials early last week, who stuck to their vacations as tens of thousands cried for help in New Orleans, gained another twist with revelations that Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld was taking in a ball game in San Diego last Monday night--about 24 hours after Katrina hit.

Rumsfeld has come under increasing criticism for the military's lack of early intervention in the rescue.

An E&P reader tipped us off to a column in last Tuesday's San Diego Union-Tribune by regular columnist Diane Bell. One item reads:

"Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield wasn't the only VIP who joined Padres President John Moores in the owner's box last night at Petco Park. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, here to join President Bush at the North Island Naval Air Station today, took in the game, too. Three weeks ago, Winfield stopped by the Pentagon with his family and later joined the Padres as they visited wounded soldiers at the Army's Walter Reed Hospital during a road trip. "Winfield was very moved by the experience," says his agent, Randy Grossman. So he invited Rumsfeld to the Padres game.

"After the first few innings, the plan was to shift to dugout seats, for a closer look at the action."

[dchill]

1. Quite frankly,

I would encourage Rummy to take all the time off he wants or needs. Katrina and the flooding (not to mention Iraq) are big enough disasters already, without his "contributions." Enjoy the game, Don.

[riverwalker]

2. if Homeland Security was on "high alert"

and DoD is part of DHS, wouldn't Rummy have been working instead of eating hotdogs? How can NG deploy if the boss is at a baseball game? Doesn't DoD have authority over the National Guard? This is somthing to explore.

[LTR]

3. Didn't he cancel Letterman for tonight?

Due to the hurricane?