Conservatives lay blame on LA state goverment -- not FEMA

[pbartch]

http://soapbox.townhall.com/story/2005/9/8/948/72208
Red Cross Blocked by La. State Government
By MaryKatharineHam
Posted on Thu Sep 8th, 2005 at 09:04:08 AM EST

Hugh Hewitt and Major Garrett are onto what should become a huge story.

Apparently, the Red Cross was blocked by the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security from going into New Orleans with their supplies.

Here's the transcript of an interview with Major Garrett on Hugh Hewitt's show yesterday:

HH: You just broke a pretty big story. I was watching up on the corner television in my studio, and it's headlined that the Red Cross was blocked from delivering supplies to the Superdome, Major Garrett. Tell us what you found out.
MG: Well, the Red Cross, Hugh, had pre-positioned a literal vanguard of trucks with water, food, blankets and hygiene items. They're not really big into medical response items, but those are the three biggies that we saw people at the New Orleans Superdome, and the convention center, needing most accutely. And all of us in America, I think, reasonably asked ourselves, geez. You know, I watch hurricanes all the time. And I see correspondents standing among rubble and refugees and evacuaees. But I always either see that Red Cross or Salvation Army truck nearby. Why don't I see that?

HH: And the answer is?

MG: The answer is the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security, that is the state agency responsible for that state's homeland security, told the Red Cross explicitly, you cannot come.

HH: Now Major Garrett, on what day did they block the delivery? Do you know specifically?

MG: I am told by the Red Cross, immediately after the storm passed.

HH: Okay, so that would be on Monday afternoon.

MG: That would have been Monday or Tuesday. The exact time, the hour, I don't have. But clearly, they had an evacuee situation at the Superdome, and of course, people gravitated to the convention center on an ad hoc basis. They sort of invented that as another place to go, because they couldn't stand the conditions at the Superdome.

HH: Any doubt in the Red Cross' mind that they were ready to go, but they were blocked?

MG: No. Absolutely none. They are absolutely unequivocal on that point.

HH: And are they eager to get this story out there, because they are chagrined by the coverage that's been emanating from New Orleans?

MG: I think they are. I mean, and look. Every agency that is in the private sector, Salvation Army, Red Cross, Feed The Children, all the ones we typically see are aggrieved by all the crap that's being thrown around about the response to this hurricane, because they work hand and glove with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. When FEMA is tarred and feathered, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army are tarred and feathered, because they work on a cooperative basis. They feel they are being sullied by this reaction.

HH: Of course they are. Now Major Garrett, what about the Louisiana governor's office of Homeland Security. Have they responded to this charge by the Red Cross, which is a blockbuster charge?

MG: I have not been able to reach them yet. But, what they have said consistently is, and what they told the Red Cross, we don't want you to come in there, because we have evacuees that we want to get out. And if you come in, they're more likely to stay.

So I want your listeners to follow me here. At the very moment that Ray Nagin, the Mayor of New Orleans was screaming where's the food, where's the water, it was over the overpass, and state officials were saying you can't come in.

[Bridget Burke]

1. Yes, we've been getting the Right Wing Talking Points for days....

But everybody knows the truth.

[booley]

2. Yep, i have been seeing this from freepers

on other boards.

That it's the Governors and mayors fault. That FEMA has "problems" but Luoisiana should have prepared. Blah blah blah.

At least I know where the talking points are comign from...

Funny thing is, when i orginally heard that the Red Cross was being kept out of New Orleans, I had heard it was by FEMA.

Can anyone confirm this?

[Spazito]

3. LOL, so the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security ,

which is under the auspices of the federal body, Homeland Security, not the state government, refused the Red Cross entry. The idiots are actually backing up the claim that Homeland Security screwed up, ROFLMAO.

[pbartch]

5. no............they are pointing the BLAME FINGER at the LA Governor

taking the blame away from the FED FEMA.

[yodermon]

6. But which is it?

At that point in time, did the Governor control the state FEMA, or did the fed? I say fed.

[zbdent]

4. Hey, fake Secret Service guys,

why not fake "Louisiana Dept. of Homeland Security", or "National Guard" people?

:tinfoilhat: