There are reports that Bush signed papers saying the Federal government would oversee the evacuation. This was supposedly signed on 08/27. I don't know if it is true but this is what many are referring to when they say the Federal government made mistakes. Also, there is the issue of taking away funding to help repair the levee. I'm not advocating the feds made mistakes but I have had discussions that included these issues as reasons. My biggest blame is on the local government and especially the governor.
"There are reports that Bush signed papers saying the Federal government would oversee the evacuation."
Bush signed off on having FEMA help the state and local governments. Bush doesn't have the authority to put FEMA in charge of the evacuation.
Let's see these papers he signed, but since the president doesn't have the authority to put FEMA in charge of the evacuation, it's pretty hard to believe rumors that he did so.
"Also, there is the issue of taking away funding to help repair the levee."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,168846,00.html
"But The Washington Post reports the Bush administration has granted the corps more funding than the previous administration over a similar period and that Louisiana has received far more money for civil works projects than any other state. The paper says much of the funding has been spent not on flood control, but on lawmakers' pet construction projects, including a brand new $750 million canal lock in New Orleans unrelated to flood control."
Also, any decrease in federal funding for levees would likely be an act of congress, not the executive branch.
Not to mention one very important issue. Why is the federal government funding levees to protect New Orleans? Louisiana already gets more federal dollars than any other state for such projects. These projects should be funded with local and state money.