This family doesn't do hurricanes. (Pix heavy)

[seafan]

This, on the 15th year anniversary of Hurricane Andrew.




Hurricane Andrew




On Aug. 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew slammed into South Florida, devastating Homestead, Florida City and parts of Miami, then continued northwest across the Gulf of Mexico to strike the Louisiana coastline.
St. Petersburg Times

The President's News Conference on the Aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, August 28th, 1992


Q. Mr. President, how do you respond to criticism that you did not act fast enough or you didn't respond to the needs -- --

The President. Well, I think the reason -- I would simply say this: First place, I'm not going to participate in the blame game, nor is Governor Chiles. What we're trying to do is help people. It doesn't do any good to go into "who shot John." I can tell you this, that this large a military movement would not have taken place if there was not very early planning and cooperation by the military, and we have responded. I think the Governor would agree that when he asked for this massive movement of force, it was only within a few hours that we responded to that.

So I think much more important than when something took place or didn't take place is the feeling we must convey of total cooperation. I'm satisfied that we responded properly, and I'm very confident that the military have conducted their mission so far with beautiful planning, now excellent execution. I'm also satisfied that they will do whatever it takes to go the extra mile to help the people of Florida. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Fast forward to August, 2005, Hurricane Katrina:

"Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them," Mrs. Bush told American Public Media's "Marketplace" program, before returning to her multi-million dollar Houston home.

On the tape of the interview, Mrs. Bush chuckles audibly as she observes just how great things are going for families that are separated from loved ones, people who have been forced to abandon their homes and the only community where they have ever lived, and parents who are explaining to children that their pets, their toys and in some cases their friends may be lost forever. Perhaps the former first lady was amusing herself with the notion that evacuees without bread could eat cake.

At the very least, she was expressing a measure of empathy commensurate with that evidenced by her son during his fly-ins for disaster-zone photo opportunities.

On Friday, when even Republican lawmakers were giving the federal government an "F" for its response to the crisis, President Bush heaped praise on embattled Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Michael Brown. As thousands of victims of the hurricane continued to plead for food, water, shelter, medical care and a way out of the nightmare to which federal neglect had consigned them, Brown cheerily announced that "people are getting the help they need."

Barbara Bush's son put his arm around the addled FEMA functionary and declared, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

Like mother, like son.

Even when a hurricane hits, the apple does not fall far from the tree.


The Nation, September 6, 2005

The rage still burns.


The perils of George (pix heavy), Hurricane Katrina


In the midst of this tragedy were some miracles

[Greeby]

1. "Who shot John"?

Another freudian slip? :tinfoilhat:

[Matariki]

15. yeah, I wondered about that too...?

[electron_blue]

18. I'm guessing he meant 'who shot J.R.', as in the TV show Dallas.

[seafan]

20. Poppy's conscience always gets tongue-tied when the spotlight is on him.

Remember Poppy's bizarre statements at Gerald Ford's eulogy?

[aquart]

2. Bush and New Orleans: never forgotten, never forgiven.

[acmavm]

3. Not ever!

[donsu]

4. after seeing these pictures again, I had to leave the pc and cry

grief will do that to you

[seafan]

11. This picture has been in my soul ever since. The simple act of love, grief and survival.

We really are all in this together.

[muffin1]

16. That is one of the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen

thank you, seafan.:cry:

[RockaFowler]

5. I remember both incidents and I will never forget

I lived in South Florida during Andrew. There were signs of that hurricane 1 year after it had hit. Does anyone remember the horrible job they did to shelter those people after the storm?? It was called Tent City. What a horrific idea that was. No-one deserves to be treated like that.
Fast forward to 2005 and it was deja-vu. Same name different president. I lived in Palm Beach County in 2004 when 2 hurricanes hit. The idiot showed up at that time. We all know why - the election. That's all these filthy people care about. It was 2005 and there was no election, so sorry New Orleans.

[pacalo]

12. Yes, I remember the awful tents & the fact that Gov. Chiles was a Democrat.

And as I put on my tin-foil hat, I think it's worth noting that Gov. Chiles died of a heart attack while still governor, & he was found next to his cycling machine in the gymnasium of the governor's mansion. He died in December 1998, a month before Jeb Bush would be sworn in as the next governor.

In 1994, he narrowly won re-election over Bush, the son of former President George Bush. Behind with weeks left in the campaign, Chiles reached back to his roots and dubbed himself the "he-coon," a Southern reference to the oldest, wisest raccoon in the pack. It was designed to play off Bush's status as a political novice with a plastic image, and Chiles came from behind to win.

In July 1995, Chiles was hospitalized for a neurological problem diagnosed after he awoke suffering from nausea, slurred speech and a loss of coordination.

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/13/chiles.obit.01/

Governor Chiles sounded like a good man:

Known for his folksy style, he was nicknamed "Walkin' Lawton" after crisscrossing the state on foot in his first U.S. Senate campaign.

"Lawton never forgot the thousands of ordinary citizens he met as he walked the highways and backroads of his state whom he served so well," President Clinton said in Jerusalem. "And they will never forget him."

"Governor Chiles was, I think, in most Floridians' eyes the epitome of a fine and decent man, a throwback to the age when partisanship didn't play the role it plays. ... This man rose above party," said Rep. Robert Wexler, a Florida Democrat and member of the Judiciary Committee.

Another committee member from Florida, Republican Rep. Charles Canady, choked back tears as he spoke of Chiles. "He was a good man, he was a dedicated public servant. ... I had the utmost respect for him."

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/13/chiles.obit.01/

[iamjoy]

6. If Katrina Had To Happen

Too bad it wasn't in 2004, instead of 2005. If Katrina had hit in an election year, Dubya would have either learned from his father's mistakes in the aftermath of Andrew - meaning that the people of the Gulf coast would have gotten the help needed - OR John Kerry would have become President of the United States.

[ikojo]

7. I believe Bill Clinton was standing next to

Babs Bush when she remarked about how good the Katrina refugees had it in the Astrodome. Did he say or do anything to distance himself from his new family?

Here is a link to an article about the New Orleans schools...they are being turned into charter schools. Kids with special needs are not being taken care of..there are few records and IEPs cannot be located for the special ed kids.

Someone is getting rich.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070910/tisserand

An article from the Nation about the increase in people being locked up in New Orleans...

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070910/templeton

[Hand]

8. That little five-year-old girl in the picture...

...did more good in one moment than all of FEMA, single-handed. Bless her. :cry:

[geomon666]

9. I remember Hurricane Andrew very vividly.

I was 11 years old.

This was down the street from my house.


A flood didn't cause that. That's pure wind.

I hate to compare it to waking up after Hiroshima but I don't know what else to compare it to. I won't ever forget that night and the 6 weeks after.

[RockaFowler]

10. I remember that, too

I also remember the palm trees going in all directions. I've never seen wind do that before.
The real sad part about all of that was the news media. Yes there was looting, but those people were looking for water, ice, food anything. Just like Katrina. Yes, there were some bad apples, but for the most part, people were trying to survive. And ask yourself, why did they have to loot?? Because the government didn't help. This was too much for 1 agency or even the state governments to do. We learned nothing from Andrew and it's very sad.

[donsu]

21. Hiroshima was burned to a crisp and radiation poison remained

not the same

[geomon666]

22. Yeah I know it's not the same. n/t

[sinkingfeeling]

13. But, just last week Dubya pre-emptively declared Texas a disaster (guess, he was

mostly right about that!)before Dean headed into Mexico. So he's trying now!

http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=6950823

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - President Bush has signed a pre-landfall emergency disaster declaration for Texas.

The declaration will allow federal equipment and supplies to be moved in now, ahead of approaching Hurricane Dean, a White House spokesman says.

[seafan]

14. A kick to remember those who have lost everything in their lives.

And for the survivors and families of the deceased.

[Bluebear]

17. Never forgotten, never forgiven. nt

[Mythsaje]

19. "The blame game?"

Hmmm. That's a familiar-sounding soundbyte.

[malaise]

23. K & R

for my sis and her husband who had their seven and three year old boys with them. Their town house was spared but the neighbourhood was destroyed.