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Eye of the Political Storm By / Newsweek — Permalink Sept. 10, 2005 - Hurricane Katrina claimed her first political casualty Friday. Michael Brown, the head of FEMA, the federal disaster readiness and response agency, was sidelined from the largest disaster relief project in the nation's history. | |
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Joe Gandelman: And the trend south continues: according to Newsweek, Bush's poll numbers have dropped to below 40 percent — into the political danger zone. Laura Rozen: Here's Newsweek on their new poll numbers: "Reflecting the tarnished view of the administration, only 38 percent of... Chris Bowers: Newsweek Has Bush At 38%; Dems Way Up for 2006 — No more flukes, Bush is really below 40% now: "In Katrina's wake,... |
Digby: The new Newsweek poll says: "Reflecting the tarnished view of the administration, only 38 percent of registered voters... Oliver Willis: In Newsweek's latest poll, the Republican path has the support of a measly 28%, which means not even the party's supporters are buying in. Taegan Goddard: Bush Sinking Fast in Another Poll — A new Newseek Poll "suggests the post-Katrina political storm may just be rising. |
| Also: Susie Madrak, TChris, Josh Marshall | |
Disarray Marked the Path From Hurricane to Anarchy NYT — Permalink The governor of Louisiana was "blistering mad." It was the third night after Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans, and Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco needed buses to rescue thousands of people from the fetid Superdome and convention center. | |
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Skippy: overview of a tragedy the nytimes has a fine piece, covering all the bases: fema appears to have underestimated the... Jeff Goldstein: "Disarray Marked the Path From Hurricane to Anarchy" — The New York Times—amid re-"reporting" some already discredited... Tom Maguire: The Times continues to probe the confusion amongst Federal, state, and local lines of authority that marred the New Orleans relief effort. |
Captain Ed: However, the article by a crew of Times writers instead inadvertently encapsulates the incompetence of Louisiana's... Steve Soto: Sunday's NYT Runs Good Account Of A Federal Government That Didn't Work — As for the GOP talking points of blaming the... Jeralyn Merritt: Katrina: What Went Wrong — The New York Times has an exhaustive article on Government foul-ups in the Katrina castastrophe. |
| Also: Thad | |
Police in Suburbs Blocked Evacuees, Witnesses Report By / NYT — Permalink Police agencies to the south of New Orleans were so fearful of the crowds trying to leave the city after Hurricane Katrina that they sealed a crucial bridge over the Mississippi River and turned back hundreds of desperate evacuees, two paramedics who were in the crowd said. | |
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Digby: The story of the EMTs (confirmed by the NY Times today) and the reports by Shepard Smith and Geraldo Rivera on Friday confirm that this was true. TChris: This is why some were unable to leave New Orleans: "Police agencies to the south of New Orleans were so fearful of the... Gary Farber: I DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT LONG POST OF BLOG QUOTES after all. You assholes. |
Tom Maguire: With the same confidence and candor that they cover race-based stories in their Metropolitan section, which is to say, they totally whitewash it. Hugh Hewitt: Another FEMA Failure, Right? Too bad no one from the MSM was there to get these photographs. Glenn Reynolds: THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS PICKED UP ON the Gretna bridge-blocking story. Tom Maguire, however, thinks that the Times is whitewashing the racial angle. |
| Also: Atrios | |
Firms with White House ties get Katrina contracts Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Companies with ties to the Bush White House and the former head of FEMA are clinching some of the administration's first disaster relief and reconstruction contracts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. | |
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PGL: It seems if one has White House connections, one may receive reconstruction contracts: "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Companies... Jeralyn Merritt: White House Doles Out Katrina Contracts to Cronies — This should be another public relations disaster for the Bush... Josh Marshall: From Reuters: "Companies with ties to the Bush White House and the former head of FEMA are clinching some of the... |
Suzanne Nossel: This story reports that Halliburton and Bechtel have already scored rich contracts for clean-up work on the Gulf Coast. David Sirota: Bush Helps His Corporate Cronies Feast on Katrina Disaster — Reuters reports that (big surprise) the White House is... John @AmericaBlog: REUTERS: Firms with White Houes ties get Katrina contracts — When life gives you lemons, make lemonade for your closest friends. |
Judge supports CNN request to cover Katrina's toll CNN — Permalink HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) — At the request of CNN, a federal judge in Texas Friday night blocked emergency officials in New Orleans from preventing the media from covering the recovery of bodies from Hurricane Katrina. | |
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Ed Driscoll: Glenn Reynolds writes: "THE PRESS WANTS TO SHOW BODIES from Katrina. It didn't want to show bodies, or jumpers, on 9/11, for fear that doing so would inflame the public." Tom Biro: Tonight, Taegan Goddard informs, that policy has been reversed in light of a lawsuit filed by CNN, herein "opening the... Joe Gandelman: UPDATE: The government has decided not to fight this battle in the face of CNN's lawsuit — and now the questions... |
Richard TPD: To the commenter who insisted yesterday that US news networks are simply corporate arms of the government, I say read this. John @PowerLine: I can't improve on it, so I'll just quote it: "THE PRESS WANTS TO SHOW BODIES from Katrina. Brian Stelter: "Abandons" Restrictions On Coverage Of Victim Recovery Following up on yesterday's lawsuit: "Rather than fight a lawsuit... |
| Also: Glenn Reynolds, The Mock Turtle, Donald Sensing, Taegan Goddard, Josh Marshall, Chris @AmericaBlog, Laura Rozen | |
Local FEMA chief had little disaster experience Seattle Times — Permalink John Pennington, the official in charge of federal disaster response in the Northwest, was a four-term Republican state representative who ran a mom-and-pop coffee company in Cowlitz County when then-Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn helped him get his federal post. | |
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Justin Gardner: A new story from the Seattle Times reveals that it's another Bush appointee who, like Michael Brown and Jim Allbaugh, has no previous experience in disaster management. Champollion: What we are starting to see now is real inertia. The press doing the job that blogs have been doing for most if the last four years, and it is about time. Josh Marshall: Seattle Times ... [snipped quote] Read the rest. |
Susie Madrak: Seattle Times: John Pennington, the official in charge of federal disaster response in the Northwest, was a four-term... Atrios: If, like g, you're from Seattle then your regional FEMA person is qualified to be a FEMA flunky because he was:: —... |
A Shameful Proclamation NYT — Permalink On Thursday, President Bush issued a proclamation suspending the law that requires employers to pay the locally prevailing wage to construction workers on federally financed projects. The suspension applies to parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. | |
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Greg Ransom: Among other things, he's made the editorial board of the NY Times squeal like a stuck pig. Barbara O'Brien: And now that these people have just about been relieved of the onerous burden of paying their employees, sit back and watch those profits roll in! Susie Madrak: Such A Bargain Yeah, it's a shame what happened to New Orleans, but such bargains! |
Cernig: Its no wonder the New York Times today called the suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act a "shameful proclamation": By any... Avedon Carol: Where's it coming from, and where's it gonna go? Not to the people who do the work, it looks like. (More here.) Steve Antler: Tim Worstall points us toward some New York Times economic thinking truly worthy of Monty Python's dumb younger cousin. |
'Average' past trails troubled FEMA chief By / St. Petersburg Times — Permalink WASHINGTON - In 2002, a pair of FBI agents showed up at a small, well-known law firm near Oklahoma City, asking questions about Mike Brown, a former employee being considered for a job at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. | |
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Susie Madrak: From the St. Pete Times: Brown was pleasant enough, if a bit opportunistic, Jones said, but he did not put enough time and energy into his job. Kevin Drum: MIKE BROWN WATCH....I suppose that piling on FEMA chief Mike Brown will get old eventually, but this is too rich not to pass along: [snipped quote] Via Laura Rozen. |
Laura Rozen: Reader AR writes, "There's an excellent article by Anita Kumar just posted at the St. Pete Times website with new... |
Director of FEMA Stripped of Role as Relief Leader By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 - Under intense pressure to improve its response to Hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration on Friday abruptly removed the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Michael D. Brown, from oversight of the post-storm relief effort, and replaced him with Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen of the Coast Guard. | |
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Talking Dog: The President pocket-vetoed Mike "Brownie" Brown's continued service as coordinator of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts,... Steve Soto: Another Example Where It Must Be The Fault Of State Officials — As our resident trolls continue with their talking... |
Hugh Hewitt: The temptation for MSM will be to change the subject from their accuracy over the past two weeks to the latest round of... Andrew Sullivan: ANOTHER INCOMPETENT LOCAL: The mayor of Dallas is useless as well, it seems: "In Houston, local officials complained that FEMA's computer system kept crashing. |
Flight 93 memorial decried as Islam symbol By / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Permalink There's a growing outcry that one element of the newly chosen Flight 93 National Memorial represents Islam and is a slap in the face to the passengers and crew members who died on the hijacked plane four years ago. | |
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Michelle Pilecki: The intended symbolism, one of the architects told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, is that the of a circle broken by the crash of Flight 93. Michelle Malkin: He did not return my call, but he did speak with the Johnstown, Pa., Tribune Democrat, as quoted in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. |
Captain Ed: Flight 93 Memorial Intended To Offend — The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette continues its coverage of the Flight 93 memorial in... |
G.O.P. Sees Opportunities Arising From Storm By / NYT — Permalink HOUSTON, Sept. 9 - Republican leaders in Congress and some White House officials see opportunities in Hurricane Katrina to advance longstanding conservative goals like giving students vouchers to pay for private schools, paying churches to help with temporary housing and scaling back business regulation. | |
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Scott Shields: On the other side of the aisle, the Republicans see this tragedy as a way of furthering their own faith-based agenda of dismantling the federal government. Taegan Goddard: Politicians See Opportunities Arising From Storm — "Republican leaders in Congress and some White House officials see... |
Barbara O'Brien: The GOP sees big opportunities in the devastation of Katrina, writes Edmund Andrews in today's New York Times |
Firms with Bush ties snag Katrina deals Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Companies with ties to the Bush White House and the former head of FEMA are clinching some of the administration's first disaster relief and reconstruction contracts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. | |
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Cernig: Following on yesterday's announcement that Bush has suspended, by executive order, the law that requires employers to... Jayson @PoliPundit: The New Halli {gulp} Burton Meme has landed. |
Echidne: I read this and my teeth grind each other to white dust: [snipped quote] Just the firms I would have picked up for... |
New Orleans Executives Plan Revival By / NYT — Permalink BATON ROUGE, La., Sept. 9 - The New Orleans business establishment-in-exile has set up a beachhead in a government annex here, across the street from the state Capitol. From here, organizations like the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau have begun to plot the rebirth of the city. | |
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John Cole: I might have to make some vacation plans: The New Orleans business establishment-in-exile has set up a beachhead in a... |
Lorie Byrd: New York Times, Saturday September 10, 2005: "New Orleans's business leaders and power brokers are concocting big plans,... |
Rescuers collect dead, Cheney sounds upbeat By / Reuters — Permalink NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Emergency workers collected the dead of New Orleans on Saturday and the official death toll rose slowly, boosting hopes Hurricane Katrina would claim far fewer lives than the many thousands once feared. | |
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John @AmericaBlog: Newsweek poll: Bush approval at 38%! A failed presidency. "Bush's job approval ratings have hit all-time lows. |
Dave Pell: The Whole Katrina Exercise — Cheney demonstrates, once again, his command of compassion and language: [snipped quote] permalink | politics | send |
Will Bush wriggle out of this one? By / Boston Globe — Permalink IT'S AN ILL wind that blows no good. But how will the political winds shift as the enormity of the Katrina disaster sinks in? We face two opposite prospects. | |
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Barbara O'Brien: In this must-read editorial in today's Boston Globe, Robert Kuttner writes, "We face two opposite prospects. |
Don: According to Robert Kuttner in the Boston Globe today, the expression "blame game" was used White House spokesman Scott McClellan "15 times at Thursday's press briefing." |
Judge Roberts, the Committee Is Interested in Your View on . . . By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON - As it unfolds before a national television audience, any Supreme Court confirmation hearing offers a window on the legal debates of the day. It is safe to assume that there is a reason for every question the senators ask in the limited time they... | |
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Armando @DailyKos: Linda Greenhouse, the prominent Supreme Court reporter for the New York Times, provides a neutral report of what to... |
Betsy Newmark: Linda Greenhouse has a handy guide of the contentious issues that will come up in Roberts' hearings next month. |
Casualty of Firestorm: Outrage, Bush and FEMA Chief By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 - To Democrats, Republicans, local officials and Hurricane Katrina's victims, the question was not why, but what took so long? Republicans had been pressing the White House for days to fire "Brownie," Michael D. Brown, director of the... | |
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The Poor Man: Black people are scary Oy. Susie Madrak: The Harvard MBA Takes Charge By kicking Michael Brown upstairs instead of firing him. Oliver Willis: White House Feared Black Reaction — This is all you need to know One prominent African-American supporter of Mr. Bush... |
Harry Shearer: Harry Shearer: Now He Believes in Government — Elizabeth Bumiller in Saturday's NYT, in a backgrounder on Michael... Jo Fish: His boss, Michael "Ming the Merciless" Chertoff made this comment: [snipped quote] Damn, is he one perceptive motherf**ker, or what? Brad DeLong: But this seems extreme even for her: Casualty of Firestorm: Outrage, Bush and FEMA Chief - New York Times : By... |
| Also: Joe @AmericaBlog, Laura Rozen | |
Some GOP Legislators Hit Jarring Notes in Addressing Katrina By / WaPo — Permalink Some lawmakers are still struggling to find the sympathetic but diligent tone that a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina — and the lagging government response to its victims — would seem to call for. | |
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Hugh Hewitt: (HT: Matt Jones) Not satisfied with Michael Brown's recall, the Washington Post today tries to widen the political impact of Katrina —on Republicans, of course. John @AmericaBlog: What is the Washington Post's problem? The latest anti-Democrat smear from the Washington Times' sister paper. |
Thad: Before you get too excited, though, the John Aravosis catches the Washington Post reverting to type — they can't resist... Gary Farber: RICK SANTORUM FOCUSES ON THE PORK by lying his head off, it's worth noting. |
Death Toll of 10,000 Now Called Unlikely WaPo — Permalink NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 9 — City officials said Friday that the death toll from Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath may be far lower than originally feared, as troops and police shifted their attention from rescue of the living to recovery of those who died here in the past 11 days. | |
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Jeff Goldstein: From the Washington Post: "City officials said Friday that the death toll from Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath may... |
FrancoAlemán: SOME GOOD NEWS: [snipped quote] No figures yet, but it could even be in the high triple-digits. Which is still terrible, of course. |
The Case for a Cover-Up By / NYT — Permalink At last there is a light in the darkness. Washington was slow to respond to Katrina's victims, but now Congress has finally sprung into action. It has bravely promised to investigate the situation. Unfortunately, the members haven't figured out exactly how, because Democrats want it to be done by outsiders. | |
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Jon Henke: John Tierney: "My daring prediction is [a Congressional invetigation into the Katrina aftermath] would make two discoveries. John Cole: Laying on the Snark Tierney hammers Congress for their lousy priorities: At last there is a light in the darkness. Michelle Malkin: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), for example, reportedly said, "Everybody anticipated the breach of the levees, Mr. President." |
Randall Parker: John Tierney of the New York Times points out that the Army Corps of Engineers was not lacking for funds but Congress... Pejman Yousefzadeh: Let's Have An Investigation Of Katrina And The Response To It — I nominate John Tierney to head it Glenn Reynolds: JOHN TIERNEY thinks a Katrina investigation might turn up some uncomfortable facts for the investigators |
| Also: Armando @DailyKos | |
Make It an Island By / NYT — Permalink AFTER the victims are interred and public officials held to account for the destruction of a great American city, Congress must determine what to rebuild and what to abandon to the encroaching waters of the Gulf of Mexico. | |
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Donald Sensing: Update: Former interior secretary Bruce Babbit is saying essentially the same thing - that building NOLA back like it was would be a bad mistake. |
Ace: Rebuild New Orleans... As An Island — In the New York Times, by Bruce Babbit, former Secretary of Something That Doesn't Matter. |
Shlomo and Dina Jin of China joined in matrimony in Jerusalem By / Jerusalem Post — Permalink A journey that began nearly a thousand years ago ended Wednesday evening in Jerusalem as Shlomo and Dina Jin, of Kai Feng, China were joined in matrimony according to Jewish law. The two have been married as non-Jews for about two decades but on Wednesday night they tied the knot again, this time as newly converted Jews. | |
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Alcibiades @KesherTalk: Mazel Tov - um, how do you say that in Chinese? A well deserved Mazel Tov all around. [Hat tip: Norm Geras] |
Norm Geras: Old Jews, new Jews — It's an item about Shlomo and Dina Jin of Kai Feng, reconnecting with a Jewish past: [snipped quote] On Jews in China, see further here. |
Defenseless On the Bayou By / Reason — Permalink In the nearly two weeks since Hurricane Katrina, the government of New Orleans has devolved from its traditional status as an elective kleptocracy into something far more dangerous: an anarcho-tyranny that refuses to protect the public from criminals while preventing people from protecting themselves. | |
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Glenn Reynolds: HERE'S MORE ON THE NEW ORLEANS GUN-CONFISCATION, from Dave Kopel: "The good gun-owning citizens of New Orleans and the... |
Donald Sensing: Here's another angle by Kopel on Reason.com. |
Nick Coleman: The new American experiment: No heart Minneapolis Star Tribune — Permalink Everyone is playing the blame game on Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans, and we at the top end of the Mississippi River can join the fun by pointing fingers close to home. Part of what drowned New Orleans is a political ideology determined to shrink government and ignore scientific evidence of global warming. | |
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John @PowerLine: But in his most recent column he attacks Riggs, an old friend, as well as the Center, of which I am fond. |
Mitch Berg: Let Ryan Do It — I thought about Nick Coleman column... [snipped quote] But I really needn't - Ryan Rhodes already did a great job. |
Gonzales Is Defended As Suitable for Court WaPo — Permalink Supporters of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales have launched a campaign to rebut criticism that he is not reliably conservative enough to serve on the Supreme Court, a move likely to intensify a rift within Republican circles over one of President Bush's closest confidants. | |
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Captain Ed: Today's Washington Post analysis clearly indicates that a significant effort has begun to support Gonzalez' credentials... John @AmericaBlog: Looks that way. And the best part, White House allies are calling the religious right "misguided and ill-informed." Uh oh. |
Patterico: "No" on Gonzales Note to those who are continuing to defend Alberto Gonzales as a viable Supreme Court nominee: No. Armando @DailyKos: Conservative Insiders: Gonzo Really Is A Wingnut — WaPo: [snipped quote] I believe them. Gonzo is one of them. |
In Storm's Ruins, a Rush to Rebuild and Reopen for Business By / NYT — Permalink BATON ROUGE, La., Sept. 9 - Private contractors, guided by two former directors of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other well-connected lobbyists and consultants, are rushing to cash in on the unprecedented sums to be spent on Hurricane Katrina relief and reconstruction. | |
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Randall Parker: The New York Times reports that the overreaction of federal disaster relief spending has created conditions for big wasteful federal contracts. |
Jack Cluth: In Storm's Ruins, a Rush to Rebuild and Reopen for Business But will they come? |
Gore airlifts victims from New Orleans AP — Permalink KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — Al Gore helped airlift some 270 Katrina evacuees on two private charters from New Orleans, acting at the urging of a doctor who saved the life of the former vice president's son. | |
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John Cole: Unabashed Silliness John Aravosis, reacting to this CNN story about Al Gore financing a plane flight from a New... Taegan Goddard: Gore Airlifts Katrina Victims — Al Gore "helped airlift some 270 Katrina evacuees on two private charters from New Orleans," CNN reports. Roger Ailes: The President Takes Action |
Dwight Meredith: Saving lives: [snipped quote] Al Gore had only his personal financial resources and an abundance of leadership ability. James Joyner: Gore airlifts victims from New Orleans (CNN) [snipped quote] Damned nice of him. Sure, he can afford $100,000 without batting an eye. John @AmericaBlog: Al Gore personally saved 270 people in New Orleans — All it took was one guy saying God damn it, I'm getting the planes and saving these people. |
Texas Fires Lawyer After Story on Rove By / WaPo — Permalink A staff attorney with the Texas secretary of state said yesterday that she was fired this week for violating press protocols when she spoke to a Washington Post reporter who was working on a story about presidential adviser Karl Rove. | |
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Jo Fish: Long Arm of The Rove — Young Texas attorney tells the truth about Karl Rove and loses her job for it. |
MarkInMexico: Main Page MSM claims another victim In their neverending attempt to get Karl Rove, an effort that has consumed tens... |
Iraq hurt Katrina response, general says AP — Permalink BAY ST. LOUIS, Mississippi (AP) — The deployment of thousands of National Guard troops from Mississippi and Louisiana in Iraq when Hurricane Katrina struck hindered those states' initial storm response, military and civilian officials said Friday. | |
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The Poor Man: Opinions differ: The deployment of thousands of National Guard troops from Mississippi and Louisiana in Iraq when... Matthew Yglesias: Wars of Choice and Emergency Response — Faced with some pretty clear evidence that the Iraq War impeded the Katrina... Richard TPD: US General: Iraq drained resources for Katrina — Clearly this general must be a shill for the irritating liberal echo chamber. |
James Joyner: (Update: Interestingly, Iraq War critic Kevin Drum does not "consider this a very strong argument against the war in... Justin Gardner: Did Iraq Hurt Hurricane Katrina Response? The answer is simply: yes. Kevin Drum: KATRINA AND IRAQ...From CNN today: [snipped quote] To be honest, I don't consider this a very strong argument against... |
| Also: Steve Bainbridge, Jim Henley | |
Council member took bribes, affidavit alleges Minneapolis Star Tribune — Permalink Minneapolis City Council Member Dean Zimmermann took $7,200 cash in exchange for support on zoning changes, according to a federal affidavit filed Friday. The search warrant affidavit claims the FBI had probable cause to believe Zimmermann violated the law by accepting "bribes in exchange for official acts." | |
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Captain Ed: Now the Strib and the AP confirm that federal agents have their eyes on Zimmerman for the same kind of behavior,... |
Mitch Berg: "Politically Motivated" — The local Green Party was right, sorta; the federal investigation of Minneapolis City... |
John Roberts: The Nominee By / New York Review of Books — Permalink The most intriguing question about John Roberts is what led him as a young person whose success in life was virtually assured by family wealth and academic achievement to enlist in a political campaign designed to deny opportunities for success to those who lacked his advantages. | |
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Avedon Carol: Assorted links — William L. Taylor in The New York Review of Books, John Roberts: The Nominee: The most intriguing... Stirling Newberry: Taken in by looks when they should realize they are picking a supreme court justice, not the star for the next "7th Heaven". Amanda Marcotte: Nope, it's refreshingly honest. |
Susie Madrak: The Nominee The New York Review of Books on John Roberts (and why oh why do we have to depend on literary journals instead of newspapers to explain our national political scene?) Scared Monkeys: Good to see that the New York Times Book Review endorses means testing. Posted in Supreme Court | No Comments » Joran Leaving Prison and Aruba, Revisited. |
Iraq in faceoff with airport security firm Guardian — Permalink Iraqi troops were ordered to reopen Baghdad airport yesterday after a British security company halted commercial flights in a pay dispute, cutting one of the country's few outside links. | |
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Juan Cole: A private company has shut down Baghdad International Airport because it has not been paid for supplying security there. |
Lambert @Corrente: The government threatened a showdown with Global Strategies Group, saying the London-based firm overstepped its powers... |
Cops trapped survivors in New Orleans By / Washington Times — Permalink Police from surrounding jurisdictions shut down several access points to one of the only ways out of New Orleans last week, effectively trapping victims of Hurricane Katrina in the flooded and devastated city. | |
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Will Collier: Tales From The Crescent City Connection — Regarding the story about the Gretna, Louisiana police chief closing the... Tom Maguire: Here, for example, is a story from the UPI telling us that the suburban police blocked the bridge leading from New Orleans across the Mississippi River to Gretna. Susie Madrak: If You're Black, Stay Back Funny, how matter-of-fact white people are about things like this: Lawson said that once... |
Digby: Yesterday UPI was able to get an interview with Arthur Lawson the chief of the Gretna police whom the EMTs accused of... Baldilocks: However, the facts coming out of the (mis)management of this disaster are too fascinating, appalling, laughable,... Richard TPD: Update: While I'm on the topic of Katrina, I have to point out this story, which perhaps constitutes the most shocking, depressing, inexcusable news out of New Orleans yet. |
| Also: Damian Penny, Hilzoy @ObsidianWings, Teresa, Rogers Cadenhead, Jeff Goldstein, John Podhoretz, Magpie @PacificViews, Glenn Reynolds, Marc @USSNeverdock, Betsy Newmark, Kevin Drum, Gary Farber | |
FEMA chief relieved of Katrina duties By / MSNBC — Permalink BATON ROUGE, La. - Amid harsh criticism of federal relief efforts, Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff announced Friday that Michael Brown, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is handing over Hurricane Katrina relief duties to a Coast Guard official and returning to Washington to oversee the national office. | |
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Justin Gardner: Michael Brown Out; Praised By Chertoff — So he's out, but apparently it was his decision… First this from CNN Kos @DailyKos: 'Brownie, you're doing a helluva job' — Well, maybe he isn't. [snipped quote] He isn't being fired, just removed from doing his job. Last Night: (Typical!) Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen takes over. Another update: MSNBC is reporting with video that he is out. |
Jan Haugland: FEMA boss relieved of duties — FEMA boss Michael Brown has been sent back to Washington DC, where he presumably can't do too much damage. Chris Lawrence: Brownout — Michael Brown is apparently being pushed aside at FEMA in favor of his deputy. Steve Clemons: How Many Deaths is He Responsible For? FEMA Chief Michael Brown is reportedly being relieved of his duties. It's about damned time. |
| Also: Jeff Jarvis, Edward _, Matt Singer, Glenn Reynolds, Will Baude, Gary Farber | |
FEMA Chief Relieved of Katrina Duties By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is being relieved of his command of the Bush administration's Hurricane Katrina onsite relief efforts, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced Friday. | |
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Joe Gandelman: The other shoe —or rather, the FEMA director — has dropped in the controversy over the federal government's... Steve M.: UPDATE: Here's the AP story. Brown stays in his FEMA job, but is no longer working on Katrina recovery. Kevin Drum: But perhaps this clue from the Associated Press is more meaningful: "A source close to Brown, speaking on condition of... |
Scared Monkeys: According to the AP, FEMA director Michael Brown relieved of hurricane responsibilities. Steve Soto: Unable to admit error, Bush doesn't have the guts to fire Brown, so he is relieving him of command over the Katrina... Lambert @Corrente: "You're doin' a heckuva job, Brownie"—faking your resumé, that is — Yep, it looks like Inerrant Boy is... |
| Also: Joshua Claybourn, John @AmericaBlog, Kriston @BeggingToDiffer, Joe @AmericaBlog, Zoe Kentucky, Michael Young | |
DomeBlog Houston Chronicle — Permalink DeLay to evacuees: 'Is this kind of fun?' U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's visit to Reliant Park this morning offered him a glimpse of what it's like to be living in shelter. | |
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Kevin Drum: Tom DeLay, chatting with a couple of young evacuees who are now living in a tent in Houston: "Now tell me the truth boys, is this kind of fun?" Taegan Goddard: House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), quoted by the Houston Chronicle blog, talking to three young hurricane evacuees in the Astrodome. Lambert @Corrente: Delusional Republicans — Put this one next to Bab's comment about Katrina "working very well" for the poor "underprivileged": [snipped quote] What a sick f**k. |
Last Night: As noted on Domeblog of the Houston Chronicle and picked on Raw Story he talked with two young boys Teresa: From the Houston Chronicle's DomeBlog: U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's visit to Reliant Park this morning offered him a glimpse of what it's like to be living in shelter. Thad: Even better than Kamp Krusty! Linked all over already, but still: DeLay to evacuees: 'Is this kind of fun? |
| Also: Frederick Maryland, Steve Clemons | |
How Reliable Is Brown's Resume? Time — Permalink When President Bush nominated Michael Brown to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 2003, Brown's boss at the time, Joe Allbaugh, declared, "the President couldn't have chosen a better man to help...prepare and protect the nation." | |
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DC Media Girl: The recent revelations in The New Republic and Time about Brown's background got me thinking about last year's... Jan Haugland: Luckily, it appeared Time magazine provided Bush with a good excuse by disclosing Brown had been less than honest in his resume. James Joyner: Katrina: FEMA Director Mike Brown's Resume — TIME magazine asks, "How Reliable Is Brown's Resume?" Apparently, not very. |
Baldilocks: (He was replaced by Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen.) â How Mr. Brown may be a political appointee and may... Tbogg: Posted by Picasa From joke to major embarassment: Before joining FEMA, his only previous stint in emergency management,... Oliver Willis: Fire Mike Brown: Time Reveals Brown's FAKED Resume — Get rid of him, now. |
| Also: La Shawn Barber, Garance Franke-Ruta, Damian Penny, Jo Fish, Joe Gandelman, Steve Soto, Hilzoy @ObsidianWings, Christy @ThinkProgress, Judd @ThinkProgress, Mark Kleiman, Joshua Claybourn, Michael @AmericaBlog, Betsy Newmark, Steve M., Brendan Nyhan, Josh Marshall, Jesse Taylor, Taegan Goddard, Faiz @ThinkProgress, Soonergrunt @DailyKos, Jane Galt, Jeralyn Merritt, The Mock Turtle, Matt Singer, Echidne, Rob @AmericaBlog, Jeff Goldstein, Matt Welch, Andrew Sullivan, Dave Pell, Last Night, Laura Rozen, Gary Farber, Jonah Goldberg, ArchPundit, Atrios, Kathryn Jean Lopez | |
FEMA director Brown recalled to Washington CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen will replace Michael Brown, the embattled FEMA director, as the on-site head of hurricane relief operations in the Gulf Coast, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced at a news conference in Baton Rouge Friday afternoon. | |
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Scared Monkeys: From CNN, "Chertoff would not allow Brown to answer a reporter's question." Last Night: Update: It is now posted on CNN.com. CNN itself says he's history: "He wasn't the right guy for the job." Paul @PowerLine: FEMA director Michael Brown has been recalled to Washington, D.C. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen is now in charge of the on-site Katrina relief effort. |
Joe Gandelman: "But a source close to Brown, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the FEMA director had been considering leaving..." James Joyner: FEMA director Brown recalled to Washington (CNN) "Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen will replace Michael Brown, the... Dave Pell: Throwing Out the Baby with the Bayou Water — Michael Brown, who was doing a great job according to W's comments, has... |
Political Issues Snarled Plans for Military Help After Hurricane By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 - As New Orleans descended into chaos last week and Louisiana's governor asked for 40,000 soldiers, President Bush's senior advisers debated whether the president should speed the arrival of active-duty troops by seizing control of the hurricane relief mission from the governor. | |
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Avedon Carol: The return of conspiracy theories — Down in Comments, David Sucher (of City Comforts) thinks I've gone off the deep end... Cori Dauber: "Political Issues Snarled Plans for Troop Aid." Michael Young: Avoiding Insurrection — George W. Bush may have behaved like a twit after Katrina, but the New York Times is suggesting... |
Abel Rabinowitz: Some within the media are straying from the status quo and trying to ascertain facts, as evidenced by Simon's post yesterday and today's New York Times. Susie Madrak: The court system is in shambles because all their records are obliterated (so much for "law and order Republicans"), and... Josh Marshall: I'd really like to hear more about today's article in the Times about troop delays in NOLA from people who have knowledge of the relevant law and/or history. |
| Also: Damian Penny, Andrew Sullivan, Laura Rozen, Gary Farber | |
A Barrier That Could Have Been LAT — Permalink Congress OKd a project to protect New Orleans 40 years ago, but an environmentalist suit halted it. Some say it could have worked. In the wake of Hurricane Betsy 40 years ago, Congress approved a massive hurricane barrier to protect New Orleans from storm surges that could inundate the city. | |
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Jayson @PoliPundit: Well, that should be nearly as *shocking* as low student test scores in big liberal cities controlled by Democrats: [snipped quote] (Emphasis added.) Jay Tea: Adding fuel to the fire — Via the esteemed Michelle Malkin, we find this account by Professor Bainbridge about a news... Gary Farber: Perhaps, but, then, I really don't know the opposing issues, so I'm reserving judgment for now. But read about the case for it. |
Michelle Malkin: ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAVE WETLANDS, NOT PEOPLE — Via Stephen Bainbridge, the Los Angeles Times uncovers strong evidence... Steve Bainbridge: The LA Times quasi-buried this story on page 10, but at least they reported it: [snipped quote] The group in question is called Save Our Wetlands. Ken Masugi: Might the environmentalist movement be to blame for halting construction of a barrier? |
Flight 93 marker design picked By / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Permalink WASHINGTON — It will serve as a living tribute. With each wind, each breeze, a set of chimes housed in a 93-foot tower will create a different song in memory of the 40 people who sacrificed their lives trying to save the lives of others. | |
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Gateway Pundit: GP 9-11 Memorial — You probably heard about how the Flight 93 Memorial planned in Pennsylvania complete with maple... Scott @PowerLine: How else explain the "Crescent of Embrace" memorial to the heroes of United Flight 93, discussed by Michelle Malkin yesterday here and this morning here? Michelle Malkin: FLIGHT 93 MEMORIAL: CONTROVERSY ***scroll down for updates*** The Flight 93 Memorial design, titled "The Crescent of Embrace," was unveiled this week. |
MarkInMexico: Main Page Crescent of Embrace A design has been selected for the United Airlines Flight 93 memorial in Pennsylvania. Captain Ed: In what seems to be a typical case of cluelessness among memorial designers, the site will prominently feature the... Justin Gardner: From the story: "Four years after United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a reclaimed strip mine near Shanksville,... |
| Also: Kathryn Jean Lopez | |
The Over-Responders By / Townhall.com — Permalink Hurricane Katrina not only covered New Orleans in toxic goo, it also flushed out a large, vocal and potentially pestilential cadre of First Over-Responders. Rep. Bob Wexler set the stage just minutes after the first levee burst by accusing President Bush of gross incompetence. | |
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Steve Bainbridge: Tony Snow on the reaction to Hurricane Katrina: "Let's face it, the political left — aided and abetted by Pat Buchanan... McQ: Quote of the Day — It comes from Tony Snow, who blasts the extremists of both the left and right who've done their... |
Michelle Malkin: Question #1: Does this make President Bush a member of the "bed-wetting right," too? |
Announcement Follows Barrage of Criticism; New Chief Is Named AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, the principal target of harsh criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, was relieved of his onsite relief command Friday. | |
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Joe Gandelman: The AP reports: "WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is being relieved... McQ: Brown Out — I wonder what effect this will have on the baying of the wolves. Increase or diminish it? Ezra Klein: Message: I'm In Charge — FEMA Chief Michael Brown is leaving to spend some more time with his family/the horses/people who like him. |
John Cole: Brown Out, Allen In Brown replaced by Coast Guard honcho: Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael... Jeff Goldstein: BREAKING: FEMA head Michael Brown removed from Katrina relief, recalled to Washington — Revelations over... |
Embattled FEMA Chief Removed From Hurricane Relief Efforts By / LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — Michael Brown, the embattled head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was removed today from a direct role in running the relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Michael Chertoff, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, announced. | |
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Steve Bainbridge: At the risk of being accused of being a candidate for Depends, let's review some basic facts: The head of the National... Echidne: Quasi-Firing — Michael Brown has been quasi-fired from his FEMA job: [snipped quote] Why wasn't he kicked out on his arse? |
Kevin Drum: On the contrary: "The department said Brown was returning to Washington to manage FEMA's national operations because it is still hurricane season." |
Storms of Stupidity on the Op-Ed Pages By / TCS — Permalink The tragedy and travesty of Katrina and New Orleans has three basic parts: (1) very, very bad weather hitting a perilously situated city; (2) government failure at the local, state, and federal level; (3) the poverty of New Orleans, ensuring a large population unable to leave town. | |
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Betsy Newmark: Will Wilkinson takes on the idea that the problems we saw in New Orleans were the result of the ideology of limited government. Julian Sanchez: "What Katrina Proves" (Autorefuting Editorials Edition) I see that Will Wilkinson is as annoyed as I was by the spate of... Will Wilkinson: Storms of Stupidity — I've got a piece up at TCS on the surreal claim that the tragedy in New Orleans was the result of "limited government" and "economic libertarianism." |
John Cole: Amen. See also Will Wilkinson, who appears to be at the end of his rope with some of this stuff. Greg Ransom: Krugman, Dowd and Meyerson — Will Wilkinson dismantles the lies and fallacies of the "best and the brightest" at the NY... |
FEMA Chief Relieved of Katrina Command By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, the principal target of harsh criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, was relieved of his onsite relief command Friday. Earlier, Brown confirmed the switch. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Add to that questions about his qualifications (his background with a horse organization made him seem most qualified to... Jo Fish: BrownOut — Was it the power of the press? Or just hoist on his own petard of marginal competance? Brown? Gone. |
James Joyner: Update: FEMA Chief Relieved of Katrina Command (AP) "Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is... Laura Rozen: From the AP: "Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is being removed from his role managing... |
Leaders Lacking Disaster Experience By / WaPo — Permalink Five of eight top Federal Emergency Management Agency officials came to their posts with virtually no experience in handling disasters and now lead an agency whose ranks of seasoned crisis managers have thinned dramatically since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. | |
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Barbara O'Brien: Congress promises to shovel billions of dollars to federal agencies staffed with Bush cronies. Jeff Goldstein: As it is , I hope he's having a few extra belts of Glenlivet, or at the very least inviting a lovely young escort to... Brad Plumer: Now we hear that FEMA itself, led by Michael Brown and other assorted GOP operatives, will get to dole out the reconstruction slush fund. |
Brendan Nyhan: In fact, as the Washington Post and Knight Ridder report (via Josh Marshall and Kevin Drum), the leadership is dominated by cronies and hangers-on. John Cole: In addition, the WaPo has another piece about the backgrounds of top FEMA officials: Five of eight top Federal... Steve Soto: This poll confirms that in a way, when you see that even with these low overall approval numbers for Bush and the... |
| Also: Kevin Drum, Glenn Reynolds, Laura Rozen, TChris, Andrew Sullivan, Stirling Newberry, Frederick Maryland, Josh Marshall, Justin Gardner, ArchPundit, John @AmericaBlog | |
Storm Warning By / Slate — Permalink It has long been a tenet of American foreign policy that politics stop at the water's edge. The tradition is that too much is at stake to allow partisan interests to take precedence over the national interest. | |
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James Joyner: Storm Warning - How the flood compromises U.S. foreign policy (Slate, Sept. 9) "The images seen around the world... Laura Rozen: Richard Haass: "...Hurricane Katrina has delivered a painful but important warning. |
Daniel Drezner: In Slate, Richard Haass talks about the current foreign policy costs of Katrina: [snipped quote] Read the whole thing. |
In Poll, Most Say Abandon Flooded Areas By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — More than half the people in this country say the flooded areas of New Orleans lying below sea level should be abandoned and rebuilt on higher ground. An AP-Ipsos poll found that 54 percent of Americans want the vast sections of New Orleans that were flooded by Hurricane Katrina moved to a safer location. | |
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Donald Sensing: My question is: should we taxpayers have the right to demand that certain areas of New Orleans be abandoned? Greg Ransom: A majority of American's don't want the N.O. death trap rebuilt — Americans don't want to put more lives at risk by rebuilding the parts of New Orleans which lie below sea level. Josh Marshall: AP: "President — "Bush's job approval was at 39 percent, the first time it has dipped below 40 percent since AP-Ipsos began measuring public approval of Bush in December 2003." |
Mark Blumenthal: Katrina: AP-IPSOS and More from SUSA — Two news polls today on the response to Hurricane Katrina: another one-night... Joe @AmericaBlog: AP-Ipsos: Bush approval at 39% Lowest so far: "President Bush's job approval was at 39 percent, the lowest point since... Glenn Reynolds: NOT SO EASY ON THE BIG EASY: [snipped quote] "But the fourth one stayed up!" |
Almost 5 Million Serving By / NRO — Permalink Let's call it Bowyer's Law: The emphasis that the mainstream media give to unemployment while a Republican is in the White House is directly proportional to the rate of unemployment. | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: You Are Your Own Best Press Agent — Jerry Bowyer calls upon the Bush Administration to be more proactive in advertising the robust state of the labor market. PGL: Unemployment: Bowyer's Law — More proof that the only thing the National Review cares about is excusing the failures of... |
Will Franklin: America's Resilient Economy. The American economy is powerful, and resilient, both as a rule, and today specifically. |
Political Issues Snarled Plans for Military Help After Storm By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 - As New Orleans descended into chaos last week and Louisiana's governor asked for 40,000 soldiers, President Bush's senior advisers debated whether the president should speed the arrival of active-duty troops by seizing control of the hurricane relief mission from the governor. | |
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Baldilocks: And, yes, this does give the looting of food and water some perspective, though there was never anything wrong with... Rod Dreher: That said, I was startled to see a quote from a "senior administration official" in a Times story today, explaining why... |
Jeff Goldstein: "Political Issues Snarled Plans for Troop Aid" — From The New York Times: "As New Orleans descended into chaos last... |
Coast Guard admiral assumes Katrina relief responsibilities AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown is being relieved of his command of the Bush administration's Hurricane Katrina onsite relief efforts, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced Friday. | |
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Skippy: usatoady: brown is being sent back to washington from baton rouge, where he was the primary official overseeing the... |
Michelle Malkin: Via USAToday/AP: "FEMA, the federal government's lead disaster management agency, has been accused of poor planning, a... |
Police made their storm misery worse San Francisco Chronicle — Permalink Larry Bradshaw and Lorrie Beth Slonsky, two San Francisco paramedics trapped in New Orleans for five days last week, have a different story to tell than many of the tales that have come out in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. | |
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Mark Kleiman: There are worse faults than corruption and incompetence. Belle Waring: The Gretna Police Chief (Chief B.H. Miller, UPDATE: Arthur Lawson, guilty as charged.) ? The mayor (Ronnie Harris)? |
Skippy: the john carpenter film we'd like to see: escape from n'awlins via atrios who linked us to workbench, we find this... Rogers Cadenhead: Two San Francisco paramedics who were staying in the French Quarter for a convention have written a first-hand account... |
Holdouts on Dry Ground Say, 'Why Leave Now?' By / NYT — Permalink NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 8 - Ten days ago, the water rose to the front steps of their house. Four days ago, it began falling. But only now is the city demanding that Richie Kay and Emily Harris get out. Addie Hall and Zackery Bowen prepared dinner in a darkened New Orleans Wednesday night. | |
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Laura Rozen: It's hard not to admire these people, as crazy as they are. And maybe the need to evacuate at this point is overblown? Ann Althouse: Don't you kind of love the holdouts? Don't you feel as though you've already seen a movie about them? Jacob Sullum: High Ground in New Orleans — A New York Times story about New Orleans residents who don't want to leave the city... |
Andrew Sullivan: NEW ORLEANS LIVES: Some traditions never die: [snipped quote] Normality is returning. Gary Farber: How very traditional: [snipped quote] Also: [snipped quote] Read The Rest Scale: 3 out of 5 for more on the holdout/evacuation issue. |
Oil for Food as Usual Opinion Journal — Permalink "The scandal, quote, unquote, is, in my view, nonsense." Thus did Denis Halliday, a former United Nations Assistant Secretary General, opine in November 2004 on the U.N.'s Oil for Food program. | |
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Jan Haugland: UNSCAM - Oil-for-food IS the UN — The Wall Street Journal publishes a scathing editorial on the United Nations and the oil-for-food scandal. Roger L. Simon: From today's WSJ editorial on the Volcker Comittee Report... Oil for Food offered a lifeline of cash and influence to a regime that was starving its people. Betsy Newmark: The Wall Street Journal blasts the U.N. and the oil for food scandal. |
Scott @PowerLine: Coincidentally, the lead editorial in the Wall Street Journal bears on a related point: "Oil for food as usual." Ted Belman: The Security Council is to blame — Opinion Journal of WSJ takes a look at the Volcker Report on Oil for Food Scam and... Mike Rappaport: Oil for Food — The Wall Street Journal explains the nature and significance of the Scandal. |
| Also: Glenn Reynolds | |
Voluntary evacuations just about finished AP — Permalink NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) — Authorities said their systematic sweep of New Orleans to get voluntary evacuees out was nearly complete, and far fewer bodies than expected or feared were found during the operation. Estimates of the death toll have ranged up to 10,000. | |
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Daniel Drezner: This AP report (link via Instapundit) offers some hope that this will also happen post-Katrina. |
Glenn Reynolds: THIS MAY BE GOOD NEWS: [snipped quote] Let's hope it turns out that way. UPDATE: An I told you so. And another. |
President Faces Series of Challenges WaPo — Permalink Washington Post associate editor Robert G. Kaiser was online Friday, Sept. 9, at noon ET to discuss the current issues challenging President Bush , from the Supreme Court to Hurricane Katrina to the war in Iraq. The transcript follows. Albany, N.Y. | |
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Mark Kleiman: Just when I was going to write a gloomy post about how the Bushites had managed to achieve down-the-memory-hole status... Josh Marshall: Bob Kaiser thinks they should look into it ... [snipped quote] From an online Q&A this morning at the Post website. |
Jim Romenesko: Will WP's Kaiser ever rise to "a more reputable position"? |
Detention of Enemy Combatant Upheld By / LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court ruled today Jose Padilla, the so-called "dirty bomber," can be held forever in jail as an enemy combatant and never allowed to defend himself at trial, although he is an American citizen and was arrested in this country. | |
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Patterico: L.A. Times on Al Muhajir Padilla v. Hanft The Los Angeles Times runs a surprising same-day online editorial on the... |
TChris: Padilla Can Be Detained Without Trial Forever — The Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit did the Constitution no... |
A dubious resume Newsday — Permalink WASHINGTON — New questions surfaced yesterday about whether the White House inflated FEMA chief Michael Brown's past work experience when he took over the agency, where several of the most senior managers bring little or no disaster-response experience to their posts, including Brown. | |
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Mark Schmitt: They made the appointment with a total lack of interest in any qualification other than loyalty, and as this article suggests, may have been complicit in the exaggeration. |
Kevin Drum: Meanwhile, in other Mike Brown news, Newsday reports on yet another piece of resume padding from his 2003 nomination to head FEMA. |
Fewer Bodies Than Expected Found in Sweeps By / AP — Permalink NEW ORLEANS - Authorities said Friday that their first systematic sweep of the city found far fewer bodies than expected, suggesting that Hurricane Katrina's death toll may not be the catastrophic 10,000 feared. Ebbert declined to give a new estimate of the dead. | |
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Josh Marshall: And this morning there's this off the AP wire: [snipped quote] Obviously, the numbers are certain to be horrific even if they're far less than 10,000 dead. Don: THIS WAS INEVITABLE — Suddenly we're getting guided down in Katrina New Orleans death toll expectations. |
Edward _: The better news is that initial sweeps of New Orleans revealed far fewer dead bodies than was previously estimated |
Announcement Follows Barrage of Criticism; New Chief Is Named By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 - Michael D. Brown, the embattled head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, today was relieved of his duties overseeing recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announcing the decision to send Michael Brown, the FEMA chief, back to Washington. | |
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Last Night: Another update: MSNBC is reporting with video that he is out. The NY Times take on it. "Brownie, you're doin' a heck of a job." |
Gary Farber: TIME TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH THE FAMILY. Heh. |
FEMA to Halt Debit Cards, Use Bank Deposit By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON - The federal government's relief agency said Friday it will discontinue its program to distribute debit cards worth up to $2,000 to hurricane victims, two days after hastily announcing the novel plan to provide quick relief. | |
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La Shawn Barber: Where do they find these government clowns? Wait a second…got a link. Here it is. FEMA will do direct deposits instead. |
Steve Soto: Two days after making a big deal about issuing $2000 debit cards to the victims of Katrina, FEMA announced just now that... |