Snopes needs to hear from DU. (New "debunk" in progress.)

[skids]

As usual they are only listening to the RW spin machine.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/katrina/nagin.asp

They already did a one-sided snipe on the Condi shoe-shopping matter, which I mailed them about:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/katrina/rice.asp

...I informed them that Rice was essential in processing offers of aid from foreign countries -- I mean what did she do the moment she got back? She was trotted out in front of the cameras to assure everyone that they hadn't turned down any aid offers.

Feh. With "debunkers" like these, who needs bunk?

[Kenroy]

1. "as usual"?

I find Snopes to be an excellent resource, independent of political pressures.

Do you really think Snopes is conservative?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

6. They cite sources...

Which I sometimes think is a punishable offense around here (at least with some.)

[LostinVA]

8. Yes, they are

Overall, they do a great job, but every know and then they let their RW cred shine through... she did an okay job with the buses, but still repeated a few memes...

[craigolemiss]

2. Heres the orig I believe

http://www.gawker.com/news/condoleezza-rice/breaking-condi-rice-spends-salary-on-shoes-123467.php

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. "A post from a fellow over in Merrit Island"

That's all it takes to be a debunker on Snopes?

[gatorboy]

4. LOL!!!!

So they can leave it an "undetermined" with a "Some people say" email... Geeeeezzzzz... :eyes:

[greyl]

5. undetermined means

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=undetermined

Provide Snopes with evidence, and it will be valued by them.
This is a fascinating look at the ongoing process of internet truth seeking.

DU Skeptics Group

[ET Awful]

7. I just sent them the following

In reference to the rumor about Mayor Nagin. First, he did utilize the city buses, that's how people were delivered to the Superdome, pursuant to the city's evacuation plan which calls for people to be delivered to a centralized location, not to be delivered out of the city. He acted entirely pursuant to the plan.

Governor Blanco declared a state of emergency on August 26th, one day prior to Bush making any such Declaration. She also send a letter to President Bush on the 28th see: http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf requesting aid under FEMA and various other federal acts.

The e-mail you posted is the typical right-wing spin that takes a bare thread of fact and embellishes it until it reads more like a bad science fiction novel.

The fact is that while Bush pretended to play guitar, ate birthday cake, and played golf; and while Condoleeza Rice, instead of responding to foreign nations instantly regarding offers of aid went shoe shopping at Ferragomos and bought thousands of dollars worth of shoes (spending more in the progress than is being offered to each of the victims of Katrina in the form of a debit card), the Mayor of New Orleans and the Governor of Louisiana (which, contrary to Chertoff's assertion is a state, not a city) acted pursuant to the previously prepared state and city evacuation plans, achieving an unheard of and unprecedented 80% evacuation, a better rate than any in the city's history.

Nero may have fiddled while Rome burned, but Bush played guitar while New Orleans drowned.

[Tennessee Gal]

9. Just sent this to snopes.

Regarding Blame Nagin:

Here is evidence I have collected over the past several days.

In the Governor's letter to the President on 8/27/05 the following was included, which is a formal request for the President to take action:

Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35, I request that you declare an emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing. The affected areas are all the southeastern parishes including the New Orleans Metropolitan area and the mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and northern parishes along the I-20 corridor that are accepting the thousands of citizens evacuating from the areas expecting to be flooded as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

In response to the situation I have taken appropriate action under State law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26, 2005 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. A State of Emergency has been issued for the State in order to support the evacuations of the coastal areas in accordance with our State Evacuation Plan and the remainder of the state to support the State Special Needs and Sheltering Plan.

Pursuant to 44 CFR § 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments, and that supplementary Federal assistance is necessary to save lives, protect property, public health, and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a disaster. I am specifically requesting emergency protective measures, direct Federal Assistance, Individual and Household Program (IHP) assistance, Special Needs Program assistance, and debris removal.

http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=976

Now here is section 501 of the Stafford Act:

PROCEDURE FOR DECLARATION {Sec. 501}

Request and declaration

All requests for a declaration by the President that an emergency exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State. Such a request shall be based on a finding that the situation is of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and the affected local governments and that Federal assistance is necessary. As a part of such request, and as a prerequisite to emergency assistance under this Act, the Governor shall take appropriate action under State law and direct execution of the State's emergency plan. The Governor shall furnish information describing the State and local efforts and resources which have been or will be used to alleviate the emergency, and will define the type and extent of Federal aid required. Based upon such Governor's request, the President may declare that an emergency exists.

Certain emergencies involving Federal primary responsibility

The President may exercise any authority vested in him by section 502 or section 503 <42 U.S.C. § 5192 or § 5193> with respect to an emergency when he determines that an emergency exists for which the primary responsibility for response rests with the United States because the emergency involves a subject area for which, under the Constitution or laws of the United States, the United States exercises exclusive or preeminent responsibility and authority. In determining whether or not such an emergency exists, the President shall consult the Governor of any affected State, if practicable. The President's determination may be made without regard to subsection (a).

(She did this and the President declared a state of emergency for Louisiana.)

The above references section 502:

Federal emergency assistance {Sec. 502}

a. Specified

In any emergency, the President may--

1. direct any Federal agency, with or without reimbursement, to utilize its authorities and the resources granted to it under Federal law (including personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, and managerial, technical and advisory services) in support of State and local emergency assistance efforts

2. to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, and lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe;

~snip~

General

Whenever the Federal assistance provided under subsection (a) with respect to an emergency is inadequate, the President may also provide assistance with respect to efforts to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, and lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.

http://www.fema.gov/library/stafact.shtm#sec501

GOVERNOR BLANCO FOLLOWED THE LAW AND APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES IN ASKING BUSH FOR HELP ON SATURDAY, 8/27/05.

WASHINGTON (AP): The government's disaster chief waited until hours after Hurricane Katrina had already struck the Gulf Coast before asking his boss to dispatch 1,000 Homeland Security employees to the region – and gave them two days to arrive, according to internal documents.

Want to know what Bush said on Monday, 8/29/05 as Katrina was ripping into New Orleans?

Bush, agencies pledge post-storm help

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) — President Bush on Monday pledged extensive federal help for victims of Hurricane Katrina to "get your lives back in order." The government put into effect a massive emergency assistance program that included rushing baby formula, communications equipment, generators, water and ice into hard-hit areas.

~snip~

"It's a storm now that is moving through and now is the time for governments to help people get their feet on the ground," Bush said. "For those of you who are concerned about whether or not we are prepared to help — don't be. We are."

He added, "We're in place, we've got equipment in place, supplies in place and once we're able to assess the damage we'll be able to move in and help those good folks in the affected areas."

(So what the hell happened?)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had medical teams, rescue squads and groups prepared to supply food and water poised in a semicircle around New Orleans.

FEMA ready to test recovery procedures

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/stormcenter/2005-08-29-katrina-fema_x.htm

(So what the hell happened?)

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO CRITICIZE THE EVACUATION:

"I was impressed with the evacuation. Once it was ordered it was very smooth," FEMA Director Michael Brown said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. With the storm moving north, Brown said he expected to see flooding in Tennessee and the Ohio Valley.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-08-29-aid-agency_x.htm


I sincerely hope you will use this information to get the truth out.