Houston Republican officials call delay in Ike relief: "little drama; much ado about nothing"

[Bluebear]

Earlier in the day, a FEMA spokesman said delays in setting up staging points to hand out needed provisions had been caused by blocked roads.

By the evening, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said it was the fault of state officials who handed his department the "unexpected challenge" of having to prepare distribution points in addition to delivering supplies.

...State officials said that was a local responsibility, which came as a surprise to Houston Mayor Bill White and Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. "If I could have known something 18 hours ago, we could have made plans to pick up something a lot quicker, that's a fact," White said. But he added: "Whatever the little drama was is only a matter of hours, not days."

Emmett agreed, calling the flap "much ado about nothing." The state could not set up the centers because it was overwhelmed in other areas, he said.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6001713.html

[yellowcanine]

1. Much ado about nothing? 18 hours ago? Definition of clueless right there.

18 hours is a long time to be sitting without power or running water in the Texas heat with no relief in sight. He is going to regret that little quip come reelection time.

[Bluebear]

2. Compassionate Republicans, don't you know?

[Bluebear]

3. Lines 4 miles long.

[malaise]

4. Tell that to the people in lines

FEMA has not learned one damn thing.