Gulf Coast Isn't the Only Thing Left in Tatters; Bush's Status With Blacks Takes Hit

NY Times ^ | 9/12/05 | Elisabeth Bumiller

[Crackingham]

From the political perspective of the White House, Hurricane Katrina destroyed more than an enormous swath of the Gulf Coast. The storm also appears to have damaged the carefully laid plans of Karl Rove, President Bush's political adviser, to make inroads among black voters and expand the reach of the Republican Party for decades to come.

Many African-Americans across the country said they seethed as they watched the television pictures of the largely poor and black victims of Hurricane Katrina dying for food and water in the New Orleans Superdome and the convention center. A poll released last week by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center bore out that reaction as well as a deep racial divide: Two-thirds of African-Americans said the government's response to the crisis would have been faster if most of the victims had been white, while 77 percent of whites disagreed.

The anger has invigorated the president's critics. Kanye West, the rap star, raged off-script at a televised benefit for storm victims that "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said in Miami last week that Americans "have to come to terms with the ugly truth that skin color, age and economics played a significant role in who survived and who did not."

At the White House, the public response has been to denounce the critics as unseemly and unfair. "I think all of those remarks were disgusting, to be perfectly frank," Laura Bush said in an interview with the American Urban Radio Network, when asked about the comments of Mr. West and Mr. Dean. "Of course President Bush cares about everyone in our country."

[RockinRight]

The 2/3 that didn't aren't exactly GOP voters, anyway...

[Condor51]

***Is Elizabeth Bumiller the same person who said she would get on her knees and service Bill Clinton just for keeping abortion legal?***

I don't believe so.

When I saw your post and one like it further down positing the same question I Googled her (it's okay I wore protection). In any case, she's detested by the moonbat left and the MSM, oops that's the same thing, my bad. But get this, she is seen as a Bush Lapdog!

In one item that popped up she gets ripped for asking _sKerry tough questions. One being "are you a Liberal?". He dodged the question, naturally, so she kept asking it.

Ergo, me thinks it must be another NY Slimes reporterette who said the "Lewinsky" thing.

[D1X1E]

"Many African-Americans across the country said they seethed as they watched the television pictures of the largely poor and black victims of Hurricane Katrina dying for food and water in the New Orleans Superdome.."

Yet many of those shown begging for food and water had cigarettes....

[eureka!]

I trust you're all registering as 'rats now. ;^)

IMHO, the NYT is engaged in wishful thinking. Ken Melman is operating under the radar and will continue to do so. Je$$e Jack$on et al sound off, doing nothing. And the people know it...

[tcrlaf]

*** the Administration may have solidified its support among whites, as a reaction to the criminal conduct of blacks in New Orleans,***

Went to a mixed-race wedding this weekend, and the subject of the Hurricane WASN'T MENTIONED AT ALL, which really got to me...

Talking with my best friend, the Black Groom, he stated that even the Black Ministers are embarrassed by it....

[Enchante]

What should make blacks 'seethe' is that the 'Rats have fostered such complete mindless dependency for 40+ years that there could be 100,000+ blacks living in the most vulnerable spot in the Americas with no means of evacuation and a city led by a BLACK mayor and city council members who ignored their own emergency plan. What should make blacks seethe is that a 'RAT governor had no plan to save the 100,000 most vulnerable of her constituents, even though she had the legal power to commandeer buses from all over the city and state to save them.

[section9]

Someone on another thread pointed out what Bush is doing that is very smart. What is happening is that Reconstruction (ahem...) will be conducted by the National Government, headed as it is by Republicans. Don't be terribly angry with what Bumiller is writing today. She's describing the state of play today. Bush is interested in the state of play for 2006 and 2008. As such he's done a curious thing.

He knows that the Donks can't help but cast Mayor Nagin into the wilderness because of his previous support of Bobby Jindal. He is quite craftily making an ally of the Mayor, and an enemy of Governor Deer In Headlights. As the facts begin to come to light about what really happened, Governor Deer In Headlights will look less attractive as time goes by, as will her ally, Senator Landrieu. Nagin, on the other hand, is black and fiery, and will naturally encourage a "rallying around the beleagured black politician" effect that has historically occurred among black voters (to wit: Adam Clayton Powell in the '60's and Alcee Hastings in the '80's).

Bush picks his allies and enemies well. He will come out on top and the media will not understand why. Strangely enough, Black America will notice that Republicans are directing their anger less at Mayor Nagin and more at Governor Deer In Headlights (that's her Tribal Name, by the way...).

I know that Nagin is a loudmouth with competency questions, but Bush has figured out that he has his uses.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[ohioWfan]

Been here for hundreds of years - born, fed, and housed for free in many cases yet unwilling to get out of the way of the biggest storm in memory. Yet it's someone else's fault?

Whoa there! They were 'fed and housed for free' as slaves for hundreds of those years. Are you accusing blacks of freeloading during those years?

And there was no effort to evacuate these people (black or white) prior to the storm. There were thousands who wanted to evacuate and had no means because of their poverty, and not their color.

And you're also talking about a small minority who refused to leave (black and white)............I agree with you that their dire situation is all their fault.

But your sweeping comments are highly inaccurate, and even more highly offensive.

There's enough racism on the left. We don't need it coming from conservatives.....

[wildbill]

If the Democrats WANT to make the country's political partys racially divided, they do so at their own peril. You don't win the nation with a monolithic voting bloc of 12%, many of whom don't vote anyway.

Especially if you work for policies that doom that voting bloc to eternal victimhood and poverty, supervised by their elite white masters and a few demagogues who serve as overseers.

[trubluolyguy]

"Bush' status with blacks takes a hit"


Gee, he better be careful, they might not vote for him next time!

ROFLMAO!!!!!

[CharlesWayneCT]

Are there any confirmed cases of anybody dying after the Hurricane because of a "lack of food and water"? I'm sure a few people died because of a lack of medical supplies, or because they were sick and didn't get treatment.

But did anybody really starve in a mere 3 days, when in fact there was food and water available? Did anybody dehydrate to death in 3 days.

This spring the nation watched a person die of lack of food and water. Most of the people complaining now were all for THAT travesty. But more importantly, it took almost TWO WEEKS for her to die.

So, does anybody believe that anybody died because of a lack of food and water in New Orleans?

[Congressman Billybob]

Thank you for your heartfelt and thoughtful comments.

John / Billybob

[WasDougsLamb]

Many African-Americans across the country said they seethed as they watched the television pictures of the largely poor and black victims of Hurricane Katrina dying for food and water in the New Orleans Superdome and the convention center


**Seething with rage at that or because they couldn't believe so many of thier peeps were to friggin ignorant to get out of town SOMEWAY, knowing there was a BIG HURRICANE coming?

**Seething with rage over the fact thier peeps were looting and raping and killing and embarassing thier race on National TV?

[Katya]

"LOL. The fact that 1/3 of Blacks see through the MSM's attempt to make this racial is hopeful. "

You're right...it looks like Bush is actually making inroads.

[winston2]

Whoa there! They were 'fed and housed for free' as slaves for hundreds of those years. Are you accusing blacks of freeloading during those years?

No

And there was no effort to evacuate these people (black or white) prior to the storm. There were thousands who wanted to evacuate and had no means because of their poverty, and not their color.

I have my doubts about the accuracy of your opinion on this- and - even if you are right - where is it written that the government is responsible for ferrying every indigent from harms way? I have read that the constitution guarantees the right of liberty - not protection from every danger nature throws at us.

And you're also talking about a small minority who refused to leave (black and white)............I agree with you that their dire situation is all their fault.

Nice that we agree about something.

[Interesting Times]

The NYT is voicing, in the lying sort of way that is its only means of expression, deep fear that significant numbers of black Americans will suddenly see through their anti-white fear-mongering and tell the Democratic Party to pound sand.

[ohioWfan]

where is it written that the government is responsible for ferrying every indigent from harms way?

And where are you getting your information that all of the people there were 'indigent?' (Be careful to not let any more of your thinly veiled prejudice seep out accidentally again).

The mayor has just said that the method chosen to 'evacuate' them was to get them to the SuperBowl, not to get them out of the city. But the city's evacuation plan said no such thing.

Are people who are physically or mentally disabled 'indigent' in your view, and should be left to fend for themselves? Are people in nursing homes 'indigent?'

At what point does your desire to keep power out of the hands of the government (even the city) negate your ability to see things as they really are, and help those in legitimate need?

And why did you make that absolutely stupid statement about blacks' being 'fed and housed for free for hundreds of years.' if you are now denying that those 'hundreds of years' included slavery? (Can't wait to see how you try to wiggle out of that disgusting comment.....)

[relictele]

O'Reilly has professional finger-pointer and excuse-maker Michael Eric Dyson on right now. Dyson is abhorrent. He has been on radio shows previously and tries to shout down any opposition - a very intellectual tactic. When one host asked him - "Do you live with your kids in these low-income, high-crime areas you claim to support?" Dyson refused to answer.

I have some stronger names for him but decorum prevents.

[No Surrender No Retreat]

Hye CBB,
You are welcome.
Democrats are not patriots,
NSNR-CSAOTL

[ClaireSolt]

Of course, one looks to the world class expert on race relations, Elizabeth Bumiller, for insight. What a crock!