Senator: Did Bush vacation delay response?

AP ^ | 09/07/05

[eyespysomething]

Why did you reply to zot also?

[eyespysomething]

Actually, Bush was running his leaf blower on his Crawford lawn, thus stirring up a small wind gust that eventually merged with tropical storm Katrina and turned it into a Cat. 5 hurricane.

Oh the humanity!!

[CyberAnt]

Me too! Are these people really this stupid - or are they just vying for some title of "stupid statement of the day" ..??

[God luvs America]

is this the same Harry Reid??

But in May 2004, then Senate Minority Whip Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he had visited the levees as a guest of Landrieu and believed them adequate.

He praised the ancient water pumps for keeping the waters from cascading into the city, proclaiming them "these old, old pumps that hadn't been changed since before the turn of the century, that still keep New Orleans dry."

"It was as clean as a restaurant," he added. "These big old pumps work."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/20050904/ts_latimes/despitewarningswashingtonfailedtofundleveeprojects

[television is just wrong]

FEMA is SECONDARY help to local and STATE governments.

Go figure. They have a democrat mayor and governor who are blaming Bush for their lack of competence.

[Zacs Mom]

Yo Harry ....

[McGruff]

President Bush's declaration means nothing. He should have been in New Orleans supervising the evacuation before Katrina was ever declared a hurricane.

Good one, you forgot the [/sarcasm] tags though.

[Primetimedonna]

"Actually, Bush was running his leaf blower on his Crawford lawn, thus stirring up a small wind gust that eventually merged with tropical storm Katrina and turned it into a Cat. 5 hurricane."

Shhh! Don't let the libs know! They'll use this since it's more credible than any of their theories!!! ;>)

[Trajan88]

Re: "Actually, Bush was running his leaf blower on his Crawford lawn, thus stirring up a small wind gust that eventually merged with tropical storm Katrina and turned it into a Cat. 5 hurricane."

Ahhh the psudo-"butterfly effect."

Hey Dingy Harry... shut up fool.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Except that FEMA responded better than ever. Only place there was any complaints was New Orleans, and the complaints were not about things FEMA had control over.

And Senator Reid, we don't need an investigation for your questions. We already KNOW the answers:
1) They didn't think the levy would break because they HADN'T broken after the storm had passed. And what broke wasn't a levy, it was a canal wall.
2) The spending on the levees was not to blame. The wall that collapsed had just been rebuilt. The levees to be rebuilt with they money were not broken, and were not critical. Other levees with problems had money to fix them, but it was spent by local officials on other items.
3)Yes, troops were dispatched promptly, if by "troops" you mean FEMA people. Troops of course are under control of governors, and are not directly controlled by the federal government.
4) Bush spent enough time during his "vacation" on Katrina to issue appropriate orders BEFORE THE STORM EVEN HIT. Might as well ask if the Senate being in recess delayed the passage of the 10 bllion dollar aid package.
5) If the government response to a disaster is dependent on the location of the President, that would indicate a serious problem with the millions of government workers responsible for day-to-day operations.



Senator Clinton: Who is raising legitimate questions? You didn't raise a question, you simply asserted that FEMA would be better as a cabinet agency.

Brown had experience, he was the deputy. He is managing FEMA just find, he simply isn't the best public speaker around.

[Frank_Discussion]

That's what bugs me. This is very much like the whole "Sheehan" thing: She would try any tactic to get close to the president, it seemed so important to her to be physically close. I really think the left wants to physically harm the man.

[Cowboy Bob]

"How much time did the president spend dealing with this emerging crisis while he was on vacation? Did the fact that he was outside of Washington, D.C., have any effect on the federal government's response?"

Bush declared Louisiana a "disaster area" BEFORE the hurricane even hit. How can that be considered a slow response?

[MNJohnnie]

Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevad

Hey Harry. How about this. Instead of pressing for an investigation of JUST the "Federal Response" how about we investigate the WHOLE system. Let's start and go step by step thru EACH phase of the disaster. Let's look into why despite billions in Fed Dept of Homeland Security aid give to the City of NO and the State of LA to PREPARE for this sort of disaster both failed so UTTERLY to deal with THEIR responsibilities in the Disaster Response plan? How about we look at the 1st Responders (City of NO) and the 2nd Responders (State of LA) instead of just freaking out about the Third Responders. BTW, Harry, why do you NOT also explain why CONGRESS did not return to Washington until President Bush ASKED you to.

[Corin Stormhands]

These people are imploding.

I saw a clip of Nancy Pelosi on FOX this a.m. She was standing at a podium with Hastert and some other congresscritters in the background. When she started calling for the firing of Michael Brown, Hastert and the others vey sloooooooowly slipped out of the camera shot.

[Reaganghost]

" Of course, that would require that the Republicans grow a backbone."

In keeping with their history as the stupid party, they hired Frist when they actually needed a transplant surgeon.

[IamConservative]

Why is it the President was on vacation but the Congress was at recess?

Grown ups don't get recess, just the kindergarten..??.. :)

[Voteamerica]

He declared the emergency early, that put FEMA in charge. You don't hear about that work he accomplished while on vacation, do you?


For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary August 27, 2005
Statement on Federal Emergency Assistance for Louisiana

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the parishes located in the path of Hurricane Katrina beginning on August 26, 2005, and continuing.

The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, Catahoula, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn. Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.

Debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.

Representing FEMA, Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Department of Homeland Security, named William Lokey as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600.


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050827-1.html

[FlipWilson]

Oh, there will be an investigation, but it will be run by a Republican congress and there will be real answers. 9/11 type commission. . .well, you better hope not.

And P.S. dems, don't think that the 9/11 commission is going to get a free pass, Able Danger is going to come up and the 9/11 commish is going to get grilled. Will you still want a 9/11 type commission then?

Assholes.

[GretchenM]

Same old same old. When you don't have the power, snipe at the one who does. Reid sounds like a second grader criticizing the teacher over how rapidly, and in what order, students formed lines for lunch after the lunch bell rang. Also, did the teacher direct the children to the correct entry to the cafeteria. And why didn't he buy lunch tickets for students who didn't purchase them already. In fact, why weren't the children already in the cafeteria when the lunch bell rang?

[MNJohnnie]

President Bush's declaration means nothing. He should have been in New Orleans supervising the evacuation before Katrina was ever declared a hurricane

YEAH! Why the hell wasn't he PERSONALLY driving people out on the Buses the City of NO owned instead of leting them get flooded!!!!! BEcause Bush wasn't driving those buses that PROVES he don't care about Black people!

Is the Hate Left getting this desperate? I use to think no way but after the last week, I am not so sure.