Today show Tide Shifts: Relief Efforts Out, Blaming Federal Government In

Today Show/Newsbusters ^

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Today show Tide Shifts: Relief Efforts Out, Blaming Federal Government In

Anyone seen Kathleen Blanco lately? Remember her, the Democratic Governor of Louisiana, the lady who put in a few shaky, overwhelmed performances at the beginning of the Katrina catastrophe? She seems to have disappeared off the MSM radar screen.

How about the Mayor of New Orleans, another Democrat? How many Americans can even name him? Compare and contrast with the role Rudy Giuliani played in the wake of 9/11.

Instead, Today's focus this morning was almost entirely on the shortcomings of the federal [read Republican-led] government in its response to Katrina.

Katie Couric spoke of "the growing chorus of criticism over the government's response this national crisis."

Chorus-leader Couric first grilled FEMA Director Michael Brown. Criticized about the lack of law and order, Brown said that by Sunday there would be 30,000 National Guard troops on the ground. That wasn't good enough for Katie, who after saying she didn't want to "belabor the point" went on to do just that, carping that "it seems like a pretty long lag time."

Katie then turned to the lack of funding to improve the levee system. "Why weren't federal funds allocated for that?"

Brown: "with all due respect to you, I'm focused on life-saving efforts now."

A clenched-jaw Couric cut him off rudely: "but that might have saved lives, Mr. Brown."

Next up was an interview of Tim Russert by Matt Lauer. He joined in the chorus of criticism, focusing on the lack of pre-positioning of supplies. "This is the United States of America appearing to be incapable of rescuing and saving its own people after five days."

Lauer then offered up some editorializing of his own. He noted that "the great majority of the peole we see suffering now are black and poor."

He then, incredibly, added: "these are the people who don't have the safety net in their daily lives. How much of a wake-up call does this have to be for people in our country."

No safety net? It's been estimated that since the beginning of LBJ's "War on Poverty" in the '60s, the federal government has spent $5-6 trillion on a variety of 'safety net' programs, from Medicaid, to AFDC, to food stamps, etc.

Even Bill Clinton, who signed an historic welfare reform bill, was eventually forced to recognize that making people dependent on government had been a failure, exacerbating the very problems the programs sought to address.

But Lauer seemed to draw just the opposite conclusion. When he spoke of the lack of a safety net and a "wake up" call, the apparent implication was that the federal government should be spending more than ever on welfare.

There undoubtedly have been mistakes made on all levels of government, and there will be plenty of time to analyze and criticize.

But the MSM already seem to be developing their strategy: focus the criticism almost entirely on the federal government, rather than on the notoriously corrupt, Democrat-led New Orleans and Lousiana governments. And offer up as a solution more government welfare spending. When socialism fails, try more socialism.

Finkelstein has degrees from Cornell University and Harvard Law School. He lives in Ithaca, NY where he hosts "Right Angle," a local political talk show. Finkelstein specializes in exposing liberal bias at NBC's Today Show.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

I just saw Blanco doing another interview on CNN, and she tried to pass the buck to the federal government and President Bush. To his credit, an exasperated Miles O' Brien grilled her pretty hard and tried to get her to accept some responsibility for her own gross failure as a leader during the disaster. Not surpirsingly, she was completely befuddled and incoherent, and looked like she was about to cry when he would not let up. At one point, she said she did not even know what day it was.

What a worthless governor!!!! But then again, the good Democratic citizens of Louisiana were the ones who elected her....

[sit-rep]

Just came back from my morning ritual...a 24oz coffee and a couple packs of smokes at the local 7Eleven. Front Page of both the news and free press here in the burbs of Detroit...

..."Levvy funding was cut"

..."What went wrong"...(Federal disaster reliefe)

Pathetic. When ever (people) do bad they are never to blame. Only Republicans.

I wish one of these gubmit talking heads would pose the question to MSM..." How long would it take you to plan a trip somewhere?" "We planned and got there quicker". and end it.

[Sometimes A River]

Even William Bennet and Gary Bauer were mildy critical of Bush this morning...

[GRRRRR]

Watching the CENTRAL TIME Chicago replay...Katie and Matt and Russert doing their usual HATE AMERICA, Bush's Fault song and dance.

They seem to forget the President declared an emergency for LA on SATURDAY!!!

Russert blames a "significant lack of real preparation" for this crisis..."hard questions will be asked".

Lauer then PLAYS THE RACE CARD..."black and poor, no safety net for them...is this a wake up call for this country?"

Russert replys that there were 100,000 people living in NO that don't have cars...it's all the fault of state and local officials not being able to speak to each other, communications went out, no prepositioning of relief supplies...

It goes on and on...Russert blames "American Society"...

[The Phantom FReeper]

It's very easy to be an armchair quarterback.

[Cicero5]

I'm no scum-sucking commie lib, but Russert is right. Remember, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

There were 4 or 5 days notice on this thing and everyone knew it would be bad. This could have been coordinated better. Imagine the federal response to a catastrophic terrorist attack with no warning. We spend all this tax money on Homeland Security and FEMA and all this other $hi+ and they can't manage their way out of a paper bag, the blind leading the blind. Personally, I don't wish to rely on the government for anything beyond mintaining law and order and building roads, but as long as I am paying for it I expect to get reasonable value for all the tax money I send them and the role they have defined for themselves.

Think whats happening in New Orleans can't happen in your area? That city went from business and tourism center to Somalia in 48 hours. Watch what happens in other cities as gas prices hit $6-7 per gallon like they did in Atlanta this week. All transportation and supply lines will be affected. This isn't over by any means. Lock and load, you are responsible for protecting yourself and your family from the opportunists. Rant over.

[Cathy]

Point taken, but just take looting for example. You have the Attorney General of LA saying some looting was acceptable and the Gov. saying it is not - no one is on the same page.

[mc6809e]

When the congressional investigations begin, much emphasis needs to be put on the city of NO government and the state of LA government.

[Auntie Toots]

I heard a white young man on TV whining about other people not picking up a group of survivors, and HE and his pals had to pick them up for them.

Well, pardon me, he had the means to pick them up, why shouldn't he be happy that he could help out?

[Arrowhead1952]

No kidding. Another thing the MSM has refused to point out, is that land routes to NO were basically cut off. The only way to get the NG into that area was by air, for the most part. It's impossible to move five ton cargo trucks in choppers.

What I understand, is the LARNG was called in quite early, but were overwhelmed. The TXARNG is sending about one thousand troops and equipment this weekend.

[GRRRRR]

Some more of Matt Lauer and Tim Russert...

Fri Sep 02 07:15:11 2005

Tim, is there anyone in Washington or in the administration over the last 48 hours who thinks this is going well?

>> No.

>> What is the problem here, tim?

>> Matt, it's uniform and universal. It's conservative papers like the new hampshire union leader and the washington "time" who are creamly -- extremely critical of the government response. State, local and federal. There was a lack of preparedness. People talk about pre-positioning different elements. The fact there was little positioned in new orleans proper. And once the levees gave way, there was neone there to help.

>> Katie just interviewed michael brown the head of fema. How much pressure is on him and that organization right now?

>> It's enormous because people realize that before the entire world we are watching a scene in new orleans that people cannot possibly comprehend. It's unfathomable to people in our country that this is the united states of america. Appearing to be incapable of rescuing and saving its own people after 5 days.

>> You look at images, people stranded still on roof tops and dead bodis in streets. We have a picture on the front of the "new york times" this morning. A body floating by under an overpass as a woman on the overpass prepares food. We have people herded like animals on the roadways. The elderly and young without food and water. Another picture from the paper. This looks like it's out of somalia. It's a major city in the united states.

>> No one is faulting the volunteers and the rescue workers and caregivers on the ground. They are working their hearts out. But there appears to have been a significant lack of real preparation for this kind of crisis. And the questions will be asked very, very hard. Unlike september 11th, we were attacked by an enemy. People with held criticism because we wanted to stay united as a country. This is not playing out now. Democrats and republicans will ask very hard questions.

>> Let's bring up one hard question. It's a blunt question. The great majority of the people we are seeing suffering right now are black and they are poor. And you know what? These are the people who don't have the safety net I in their daily and clearly there was no net prepared to help them in a situation like this. How much of a wake up call does this have to be for people in this country?

>&gtAvavid brooks the conservative from the "new york times" wrote a piece that said t this gives you a chance to look within ourselves as a society. This are 100,000 people in new orleans who don't have automobiles to leave the city. They travel by public bus. And when they were instructed to go to the superdome or the civic center, should facilities have been provided for them? There will be finger pointing. The fact is what we learned after september 11th is that communications and security are central, vital. The communications broke down. State and local and federal officials could not talk to each other. There was not a pre-positions of water, food and cots in the places people were told to go to.

>> The bigger picture being wouldn't you imagine there are a lot of people waking up -- and maybe shame on us for not talking about this more -- and people didn't realize there were that many people living below the poverty level in a major city in the united states?

>> We are seeing playing out on the television screens the fault lines in american society. No doubt about it.

>> Tim russert in washington. Thank you very much. We will check back in with you probably tomorrow.

>> Thanks.

>> It's tragic. These people fall through the cracks. Now when they need it most, the cracks are getting wider.

>> Martin savidge's piece was heart breaking to see...

[Sometimes A River]

What's worse is this copmmentary on CNN...they are trying to goad these people into criticizing the government...

And when one Superdome "survivor" said one of his top priorities was to "find a job" Soledad O'brien went bananas.

[Mamzelle]

It is frustrating--but remember that NO went 77% for Kerry. The residents can't blame the corruption of historically corrupt LA Democrat pols. That'd involve making an admission they'd never make. So, for now, Nagin and Blanco are off the hook. Maddening.

So it is the job of the right to patiently keep setting the story straight.

The MSM has a real problem, however. My instinct tells me that the general public is not going to be very patient with these refugees, who come across on TV as unsympathetic. To a one, they are unpleasant, unattractive and frequently stupid. The public expects a bit of nobility in suffering, and when they figure out that most of these refugees (the ones who lingered in NO) have severe social pathologies they'll stop listening to them.

I cut off a few this morning--people angry and snarling into cameras that they are uncomfortable in their folly and "Bush should have done something". Before too long, they'll be angry and ungrateful, and that won't fly.

[beyond the sea]

"these are the people who don't have the safety net in their daily lives.

Liberal Dem. programs have been pretending to create that "net" for decades.

Time to SMARTEN UP, country and congress!

[SunnySide]

Every radio talk show host needs to put on their pep talk coaching garb on. Block out any negative talk or communication with all anti-American, nay sayer(anarchy types) regarding this disaster Relief effort. Do not dwell on the negative words of our enemies.

"PSYCH UP" your listeners/Disaster Relief activists now! Cheer them up and on!

Focus on the goal.

[maica]

Lauer then offered up some editorializing of his own. He noted that "the great majority of the peole we see suffering now are black and poor."

New Orleans is 70% black.

He then, incredibly, added: "these are the people who don't have the safety net in their daily lives. How much of a wake-up call does this have to be for people in our country."

The wake up call has to be that supplying everything to people and asking not even civil behavior in return [ever since the War on Poverty began] has resulted in this distillation of helpless people.

[Maumee]

Has anyone asked Colic,Tater Head, and the rest of the MSM if their check is in the mail yet?

[rodguy911]

I'm surprised it took this long to figure out the entire scenario in NO is Bush's fault, it always is, with the RAT/MSM, it's all they have.

The truth is NO has obviously been a simmering cauldron of neglect for years. It took a major catastrophe to uncover years of mismanagement by NO and probably La. govt. of most situations they could have and should have prevented.

Of course now accd. to the rat/press it's all GW's fault, anyone here surprised?

[stopem]

"I cut off a few this morning--people angry and snarling into cameras that they are uncomfortable in their folly and "Bush should have done something". Before too long, they'll be angry and ungrateful, and that won't fly.

Yes and now all those "angry, ungrateful" masses have been brought to TX and now TX has this lib mess and will begin to look like LA did minus the flood. Now they have new "digs" to trash.

[Dane]

Think whats happening in New Orleans can't happen in your area?

I don't live in an area with 500,000 people, 6 feet below sea level and in a hurricane prone area.

Everybody knew that this was a situation of when a disaster would happen, not a situation of if.

My hearts go out to all the people who got caught in this disaster, but it's not like they didn't have any warnings decades before.