Remember Lt.Gen. Russel Honore from Katrina? He dissed Wal-Mart big-time in N.O. speech...

[pacalo]

Honoré drills in disaster readiness
Make like a Scout and prepare, he urges Wednesday
November 19, 2008

The brusque, beret-clad general who directed federal troops in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina returned to the city Tuesday as part of his mission to encourage citizens, corporate executives and government officials to be better prepared for disasters.

Ticking off a list of readiness measures, from elevating buildings to always having a ready stock of bottled water, retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré said residents across the Gulf Coast should invest as much effort in assembling evacuation kits and mapping hurricane escape routes as they would in getting ready for a weekend sports outing.

(snip)

Honoré said certain corporations, such as cell-phone providers and Wal-Mart, have an additional responsibility to restore services immediately after a disaster because their success in the marketplace has fundamentally changed the way people live.

"The cell-phone system has to be reliable because people no longer have land lines," Honoré said. "With Wal-Mart, there's a corporate responsibility to have damned generators" because the retail giant has "put all these little corner stores out of business over the years."

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-32/1227083423157010.xml&coll=1

~edited to add link~

[SoxFan]

1. General Ornery!

I remember this guy. He's probably a bastard to work for, but I suspect he can clean up a clusterfuck faster than most.

Let's put him in charge of reforming health care or fixing the financial system!

[jobycom]

2. Put him in charge of Homeland Security, or at least FEMA

Dude walked through the streets of NOLA on Day One of his arrival and ordered every Guardsman he saw to lower their weapons. They had been holding their weapons as though they were on seige, and the citizens were the enemy. Honore understood. If they can't bring back James Lee Witt, get Honore more involved.

[SoxFan]

3. Word is that Napolitano is in line for Homeland Security

I would have preferred to see her as Attorney General, with Witt at Homeland Security, but I am an unabashed Napolitano fan, so I think she will do a good job.

You're riht, though, someone needs to tap this guys experience and vinegar to undo the damage of the last eight years.

[jobycom]

8. Hmm.

He sure is placing a high priority on rewarding his political supporters, isn't he? Oh well, at least she wasn't running a quarterhorse club.

[SoxFan]

14. WTF?

A governor of a border state.

Former state attorney general.

Former United State Attorney.

Yeah, a real shaky choice.

Look, Hillary lost. Obama won. If you think that Clinton supporters have priority over highly qualified Obama supporters, you are deluding yourself.

[pacalo]

5. FEMA would be excellent!

As the article stated, Honore has spent recent months touring the country, preaching about disaster readiness.

It seems to have become a passion of his, & passion is a necessity when it comes to handling disasters, don't you think?

[pacalo]

4. Wish I had used "Lt. Gen. Russel Honore Says Wal-Mart Stuck on Stupid" as the OP title.

Nagin called him a "John Wayne dude".

My favorite Honore quotes were:

-- when he ordered the troops to patrol New Orleans streets with their weapons lowered, saying "This is not Baghdad. These are American citizens."

-- "They went into stores to get food to stay alive. Looting isn't the right word. I call it survival."

-- "By-and-large, these are families that are just waiting to get out of here. They are frustrated; I would be, too. I get frustrated at the cash register counter when the paper runs out."

-- Who is affected more when it's cold? Poor people. Who is affected more when it's hot? Poor people. Who is affected more when it's wet? Poor people. Who is most affected when the economy is bad? Poor people. Poor people are the most fragile.

[LynzM]

6. Damn.

Yes, please, get this guy in. Wow.

[malaise]

11. I'll never forget when he told them to lower

their weapons. Many of the troops looked surprised. He's a decent human being.

[Ilsa]

13. This man has to be a Democrat. Please, let him be a Democrat.

He gets it. He understands the reality for the vast majority of Americans.

[Swamp Rat]

7. Yeah you rite!

!

[Blue_Tires]

9. ttt

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

10. Yeah!!!

Dude is hard nosed, but there are times that demand hard nosed. The last few years have met that definition.

[Karenina]

12. That last sentence, in particular, tells me this guy

GETS IT.