Why doesn't Barack mention the flood victims???

[BeHereNow]

Seems to me this airtime would be an excellent
opportunity for him to illustrate the difference
between himself and the last eight years of the FUBAR
handling of Katrina.

After all, Al Gore is there beside him-
Climate change et al.
BHN

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

1. His speech is'nt over.

[BeHereNow]

4. I'll be very disappointed if it ends without him mentioning it

or what needs to be done to help those people.
Something concrete would be nice...
BHN

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. He was filling sandbags last saturday and

had links on his site for help

[BeHereNow]

5. I hope he addresses the crisis and directs people to action.

That would be a real change-
I've heard everything else he is saying before.

BHN

[stillcool]

7. Did you see where he

directed people to action the other day? It was on Youtube. They had emailed all on their email list to ask them to contribute an hour or two of their time to help out.

[BeHereNow]

8. I hope he repeats that tonight since I assure you more people are watching.

You must admit it is an excellent
opportunity for him to show leadership to
people other than his supporters.

BHN

[stillcool]

9. Is this on television?

[BeHereNow]

10. I believe it is- someone posted about it on another thread.

That's why I hope he takes advantage of the opportunity
to address it and encourage people to help out.

BHN

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. CSPAN, MSNBC, predictably, went from Gore to pap

[BeHereNow]

16. Fuckers...

I really do think there is a black out on the pending disasters
and lack of any preparation or plan to deal with it.

BHN

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. There's a blackout on Democrats as well

:-)

[stlsaxman]

41. Obama would be seen as making political advantage of the victims strife.

Fourth Riechers would be all over that like stink on shit.

hey they KNOW he cares- he was the ONLY Candidate to go help.

[anigbrowl]

11. Helloo...are you reading these other posts or just auto-replying?

You sound like a broken record. Perhaps you're having a problem absorbing the information you're being given. HE HAS BEEN ADDRESSING IT SINCE LAST SATURDAY. What part of this don't you understand?

I have friends in Iowa - a cop and a doctor - who are working overtime, so it's not like I don't care about the issue.

[BeHereNow]

13. On televison? Network television?

Has he addressed it there?
Someone needs to.
BHN

[anigbrowl]

24. No. He only allowed cable TV cameramen to cover it.

:sarcasm:

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[anigbrowl]

30. So what is the point - for you to massage your ego?

Several people pointed out that the issue is being addressed by Obama, and you just kept posting replies saying 'why doesn't he address the issue?'. And you say I'm making an ass of myself? At least I'm not doing the DU equivalent of putting my hands over my ears and saying 'lalalala can't hear you'.

Apparently you can't deal with being corrected but have to go on pretending the issue is something else. What extra leadership do you expect Obama to show, precisely? The weather situation in the midwest is a major bummer, but I don't hear anyone in the affected states complaining about breakdowns of communications or lack of help from the federal government. Besides which, it is simply not on the same scale of disaster. 1600 people wre killed by Katrina. The death toll from this weather event is 6 or 7 people, last time I looked.

And I am not taking issue with your reply to me, but your rudeness to everyone else who had already posted and attempted to share information with you. It's not your thread, it's just your OP. This is an open forum so if you don't like what's posted you can use your ignore feature like everyone else.

[BeHereNow]

32. The media is NOT covering ANYTHING he has done-

And apparently, he was not allowed to mention it tonight either.
THAT is the point of this thread.

I have appreciated the information given to me by others very much.
I am greatly concerned by the media black out on it.

I am asking direct and specific questions about WHY he
was apparently NOT allowed to make mention of it.

And if you look for ANY network coverage of his actions
in organizing help, you will find there is NONE.

You seem stuck on the fact that he DID something.
Great! I agree, it is wonderful.
Now move further and join me in asking
WHY that has been blacked out from
ALL mainstream news.

BHN

[anigbrowl]

35. (sigh) Because it is not as newsworthy as you think. That is all.

You think there is a news blackout and Obama is 'not allowed' to mention it in his speech. The rest of us just don't share your belief that this is 31 issue facing America today. I'm certainly not minimizing the problem but there is not a big death tolls or a massive failure of the emergency services like with Katrina. The story is basically 'midwesterners coping OK, mostly' which is not an exciting headline. Network news is shallow and sensationalist, but the reason this is not getting much coverage is because it's not very dramatic.

[emmadoggy]

45. Wow. You're attitude about this is something else.

I can guarantee you that to the 36,000 people (at least) who have been left homeless by this flooding (not to mention all the businesses that have been destroyed, roads and bridges destroyed and all the farms and crops that have been wiped out) it is pretty fucking dramatic.

Breaking flood records by more than 11 feet is pretty fucking dramatic. Exceeding the 500-year floodplain is pretty fucking dramatic. And, trust me, the rise in grain prices will be pretty fucking dramatic.

Damn right, Midwesterners are coping - we always do. But "not a catastrophe"? Pffft.

[JackBeck]

3. Because unlike McCain

Obama actually pysically showed up and helped fill sandbags.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/06/obama_tours_illinois_flood_are.html

[BeHereNow]

6. And this would be the perfect opportunity for him to point out...

the fact that the idiot is off romping through Europe
while those poor people try to survive.

Here's hoping he does AND tells people watching
how they can help.

BHN

[BeHereNow]

12. Okay- I am officially bummed out.

The reports are that up to 26 levees could give out-
Iowa could be the tip of the iceberg as far as these disasters
go.

Is discussion of Iowa officially banned on network
TV or what?

BHN

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. He's NOT on network TEEVEE but the SPAN

which only ten of us watch regularly

[BeHereNow]

19. I watch Washington Journal every morning- not much on Iowa there either.

I think there are people on this thread who think
I am attacking BO; that is not my intention.

I just wish SOME ONE with access to the
media would show some leadership and
ACTION as to how to help those in need.

As another poster pointed out, Obama
did send out email, but that message only
went to people who already support him- what about the rest
of the country?

the Red Cross has issued a statement about their
funds being depleted, that they need to borrow money
at this point.

Just how bad will it get if the rest of the levees give
and STILL, no one is talking about THAT.

BHN

[malaise]

18. I noticed that too because Gore did mention NOLA

I thought they would mention Iowa in particular

[BeHereNow]

21. Perhaps it is forbidden on corporate airwaves.

I was surprised that neither of them brought Iowa
up, OR the fact that experts fear 26 more levees
are in danger of giving out in four states AND
the Red Cross has gone bankrupt basically.

BHN

[BeHereNow]

29. I firmly now believe they are not "allowed" to.

No one on network airwaves is.

I looked for ANY MSM story about the Obama actions
on his web site, or the fact that he was there
helping fill sandbags-
ZIP, NADA.

BHN

[anigbrowl]

34. Here, this might help

I know about Obama filling sandbags because I saw it on TV over the weekend. I don't remember which channel it was right now, though presumably not NBC because they were eulogizing Tim Russert all weekend. I mentioned earlier that two of my friends are a doctor and a cop in Iowa. They are dealing directly with the effects of this flood, working at the sharp end. What they tell me is that it's a bad business but not a catastrophe or anything like it. The main problem is going to be huge property damage bill, but in turn (going on past experience) that will generate employment, unless the federal government suddenly decides to withdraw help. Meantime, emergency measures are more or less working.

If you don't like your network coverage then switch to cable or call the network and say 'your coverage sucks'. They're covering it every 15 20 minutes on CNN and while it's obiously a bummer it's not the raginst disaster you seem to think it is.

[Tashca]

36. Not a catastrophe??

Looks like one to me.....maybe your friends only count it as one if there is massive death??.... I don't know....
Thousands homeless....many living 4 blocks from me....how the hell can your friends say that??

[BeHereNow]

40. You just can't resist insulting me, can you?

Like I said earlier- there are plenty
of hate blogs that would treasure you.

DU is not one of them.
We have far too many as it is.


BHN

[BeHereNow]

42. Oh, I get it now- did a little net search on your user name...

Interesting tastes you have...
Good thing I don't mind being submissive.
Go ahead, insult me all you want!
Ill look you up if I make it to SF...
BHN:rofl:

[anigbrowl]

48. I have zero interest in insulting you

Obviously you care deeply about this news, but I don't think you achieve anything by making allegations of a news blackout or cover up while tuning people who point out that the flooding in the midwest (and Obama's response to it) has actually gotten network news coverage.

I'm sorry it upsets you so much that I don't get more worked up about it. I feel bad for the people there, but compared to the people in New Orleans after Katrina, or the people in Burma and China earlier this spring, I just don't think it's that bad.

[uppityperson]

43. "not a catastrophe"? True, the loss of life has been low, but "not a catastrophe"?

This is how you generate employment? Wipe out big parts of cities and somehow people will get paid to rebuild them? Huh.

[anigbrowl]

47. That's not how you 'generate' employment but it will create employment. Just a fact.

And no, I don't think it's a catastrophe because the loss of life is fortunately very limited. It's an emergency, but people are coping with it and the coping system has not broken down so far. The property damage is going to be expensive and hurt the economy in those states, but it's manageable. It's nothing like as bad as Katrina was.Property is replaceable, lives are not. I'd say we're remarkably lucky that the death tolls has been so low.

Now, if you want to talk about the fact that the last '500 year flood' occurred in 1993 and that we are probably in for more - much more - of this due to climate change, that's something I AM really worried about. I just don't buy into this argument that there's a conspiracy to keep it off the air.

[aaronbees]

37. Did you even look?

Pretty easy to find:

http://www.barackobama.com/2008/06/14/obama_tours_quincy_to_see_floo.php

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gG5GgJ

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/06/obama-pitches-i.html

http://www.kypost.com/content/wcposhared/story.aspx?content_id=d6fbf2ae-ee1a-4211-bad1-67b60b79139b
(There's even a video there.)

[BeHereNow]

39. Thanks for the ABC link. That's what I was looking for.

THAT is the issue for me.
I knew about the coverage on the Obama site-
What I would like to see is more coverage
of THAT on the MSM.
You must admit, the story was lacking in the MSM.

As was ANY mention of the situation tonight...
BHN

[spanone]

20. he was out there shoveling sand in bags....he showed the difference

[BeHereNow]

22. Was that shown on network tv?

Where was that story revealed?
I never heard a word about it
until this thread.

BHN

[malaise]

38. That was in the media

I also heard last week that he was planning to go to Iowa last Thursday but was advised against it since it was getting worse. I'm sure he'll get there before Bush. Gore did in NOLA.

[snailly]

23. They are done with Iowa and the rest of the Midwest, you silly

NY'ers and Californians don't give a poop about us unless it actually affects them. It's pretty obvious.

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. But WE DO, you silly

Or at least some of us do

[BeHereNow]

27. I'm a Californian and my concern grows more each day-

I am deeply concerned by the network black out
of the crisis we all face.

That neither Gore nor Obama mentioned Iowa tonight
just confirms my fears, for ALL of us.

BHN

[Tashca]

31. Let me ask you this

I have been nervous to even bring this up...for fear of getting flamed or accused of being an agitator.
How many people knew Senator Obama was suppose to be here in Cedar Rapids last Wednesday????
He was suppose to be hear for an economic summit and his team canceled it because of the flooding.
I was so excited that he was coming and could possibly spend some time with Iowans in a time of need.
His team decided to cancel because of his appearance taking away resources to fight the flood.
Makes perfect sense....
How many of you knew this??? Other than a random mention....I would have never known.
It's been bothering me ever since.....what a perfect opportunity to make a statement.

[BeHereNow]

33. Don't worry, no flames from me-

I don't think the network media wants ANY publicity on
the flooding and the crisis.
Obama being there while they were doing what
little "news" they did there would have FORCED them
to cover him being there.

I think they are DELIBERATELY blacking out any
coverage that might show him taking REAL action.

THERE is NOTHING in the MSM about his web site
directing people to action or the story about
him helping fill sand bags..
BHN

[TheKentuckian]

46. The flooding is getting some airplay

I'd say that at least CNN, MSNBC, and even FOX talk about it some but it's by no means getting Anna Nicole level coverage. I figure they are probably at least somewhat worried about igniting fears of further food crisis issues from all the lost crops were looking at here.

Most aren't really prepared to look at a less than sunny projection of the coming winter. The average people will quite possibly feel the full brunt of trickle down economics with low wages in unstable jobs, skyrocketing food staple prices, a gallon of gas that is higher than the minimum wage, huge sucker punch like heating bills, and housing turmoil. These floods make all of these issues worse because we've lost lots of food and potential ethanol. The market will naturally create higher costs and there will be the obligatory greed to make it all extra nasty.

Then there is the fact that news departments are now profit driven has destroyed reporting and investigating issues. The stories that sell ads are about entertainment. I'd bet the story about the astronaut love triangle had minute for minute equal coverage for all non disaster NASA missions for 20 years. Capitalism and honest news are a poor marriage. When you make the news a vehicle to bring in revenue you have simply left the path to achieving the intent.

Also, we just can't have the media appearing to actively promote Obama, there is already a lot of talk of Obama being fostered by the media. I don't see it honestly and I didn't become an Obama guy until very late in the process, but many insist on it so it must be allowed to some degree that perception is reality. The OP calls for treatment that is ripe for backlash from all directions as there are few for a variety of reasons that are in the media's corner.

[catzies]

28. This Californian loves your part of America as much as she loves her own part

:hug: Iowa and Iowans! :patriot:

[emmadoggy]

44. !

:hug: :pals: