meme orandum
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FEMA Chief Waited Until After Storm Hit By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — The government's disaster chief waited until hours after Hurricane Katrina had already struck the Gulf Coast before asking his boss to dispatch 1,000 Homeland Security employees to the region - and gave them two days to arrive, according to internal documents. | |
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Venkat @BeggingToDiffer: Meanwhile, this AP report sheds a bright spotlight on some of that lawyering. Oliver Willis: We must demand the firing of Mike Brown and the other Bush administration officials responsible for these crimes against... Attaturk: "Brownie you're doing a heck of a job" — Whoops! |
Mary @LeftCoaster: Of course, Michael Brown knew right away Katrina was a huge deal, and so he let his boss know that it would be important... Josh Marshall: Off the — AP Wire: "The government's disaster chief waited until hours after Hurricane Katrina had already struck the... RandyMI @DailyKos: From the Associated Press comes a report that Michael Brown waited until AFTER the storm struck before he requested that DHS employees arrive on the scene. |
| Also: Lambert @Corrente, Joe @AmericaBlog | |
Murder and rape - fact or fiction? Guardian — Permalink There were two babies who had their throats slit. The seven-year-old girl who was raped and murdered in the Superdome. And the corpses laid out amid the excrement in the convention centre. In a week filled with dreadful scenes of desperation and anger from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina some stories stood out. | |
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John Cole: Unfortunately, this sort of undertaking is left to the foreign press, as the American press is busy emoting elsewhere... Dan Darling: Rumor-mongering and Katrina — With all the discussion as far as the racial delicacy of the situation in New Orleans, it... Jesse Taylor: As could be predicted, the endless stream of stories of criminal behavior pouring out of New Orleans in the wake of Katrina were exaggerated. |
Avedon Carol: The Guardian says there are a lot of rumors, but: New Orleans police have been unable to confirm the tale of the raped... Damian Penny: Katrina's urban legends — According to The Guardian, many of the worst horror stories about the people stuck in the... McQ: Super Dome violence: urban legend? It may be: "There were two babies who had their throats slit. |
| Also: Jan Haugland, Captain Ed, Michelle Malkin, Susie Madrak, Clayton Cramer, Matt Welch, Gary Farber, Mark R. Levin, Scared Monkeys | |
Frustrated: Fire crews to hand out fliers for FEMA Salt Lake Tribune — Permalink ATLANTA - Not long after some 1,000 firefighters sat down for eight hours of training, the whispering began: "What are we doing here?" As New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin pleaded on national television for firefighters - his own are exhausted after working... | |
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Mary @LeftCoaster: Why, gosh, its charter must be to coordinate skilled emergency responders to be cheerleaders and props for Bush photo-ops. Harry Shearer: Harry Shearer: Priorities and Accessibility — This piece from the Salt Lake Tribune adds another piece to the story of... Gary Farber: IS THIS THE BEST USE OF TRAINED FIREFIGHTERS? You decide. Read The Rest Scale: 3 out of 5. |
Josh Marshall: On the Al — Franken show this afternoon I mentioned this article from today's Salt Lake Tribune which tells the story... Hilzoy @ObsidianWings: "What Are We Doing Here?" by hilzoy From the Salt Lake City Tribune, via TPM: [snipped quote] Fire Brown. Fire Chertoff. Ed Cone: FEMA in action...more like FEMA inaction — FEMA in command: [snipped quote] (via Josh Marshall). |
FEMA Director Singled Out by Response Critics WaPo — Permalink Michael D. Brown has been called the accidental director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, caricatured as the failed head of an Arabian horse sporting group who was plucked from obscurity to become President Bush's point man for the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. | |
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Damian Penny: Moreover, there's a lot of evidence that President Bush knew - or should have known - that Brown was out of his depth... Steve Soto: Bush, Friday, complimenting FEMA Director and former horse attorney Michael Brown After enduring criticism that his... Faiz @ThinkProgress: Brownie Does His Best Nicholson Impression — MICHAEL BROWN, Director of FEMA, 9/6/05: "People want to lash out at me, lash out at FEMA. |
Judd @ThinkProgress: Top FEMA Deputies Make Brown Look Qualified — If Bush were to fire FEMA director Mike Brown the agency would be run by the Chief of Staff and the Deputy Chief of Staff. Joe Gandelman: Jeff Jarvis Glynn Wilson Michelle Malkin Donklephant (calls for firing after disaster relief is over) Restless Mania... Betsy Newmark: The Washington Post jumps in with front page criticism singling out Michael Brown, head of FEMA, and blaming him for much of the chaos after the hurricane. |
| Also: Laura Rozen, Rich Lowry, Gary Farber | |
Bob Denver, TV's Gilligan, Dead at 70 By / AP — Permalink (09-06) 14:20 PDT Los Angeles (AP) — Bob Denver, whose portrayal of goofy castaway Gilligan on the 1960s TV show "Gilligan's Island" made him an iconic figure to generations of TV viewers, has died. He was 70. | |
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Vanderleun: Noted "WORK!?!?" GILLIGAN TO MILLIONS, he'll always be Maynard G. Krebs to me: Bob Denver, TV's Gilligan, dead at 70. TheAnchoress: Bob Denver, of Gilligan's Island (and a short-lived series called Good Guys, co-starring Herb Edelman and Joyce Van... Don: CAN THIS BE BLAMED ON BUSH? No? Then how about this? |
Skippy: the worst hurricane news ever bob denver, tv's gilligan, dead at 70. Avedon Carol: You remember that other guy: Bob Denver, TV's Gilligan, Dead at 70 "Krebs, whose only desire was to play the bongos and... |
Bush to oversee probe into what went wrong By / MSNBC — Permalink WASHINGTON - Beset with criticism over the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, President Bush said Tuesday he will oversee an investigation into what went wrong and why — in part to be sure that the country would withstand more storms or even a weapons of mass destruction attack. | |
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Cernig: Meanwhile the breaking news is that even while Congress appoints an investigation, Bush has announced he wants one of his own. Gary Farber: PRESIDENT BUSH WILL INVESTIGATE HIMSELF and the failures of Katrina relief. Billmon: Dicked Again — "Bush told reporters today he's also sending Vice President Cheney to the Gulf Coast region on Thursday,... |
New Donkey: The Bush "Investigation" — As a follow-up to his administration's not-so-subtle efforts to blame state and local... Kos @DailyKos: Bush to investigate himself — What a dumbass. [snipped quote] Nope. Ain't gonna work. Laura Rozen: Is Bush promising to oversee an investigation into what went wrong with Katrina response sort of like his vow to fire... |
Bush Says He'll Find Out What Went Wrong By / AP — Permalink (09-06) 08:49 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Buffeted by criticism over the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, President Bush said Tuesday he will oversee an investigation into what went wrong and why — in part to be sure the country could withstand more storms or attack. | |
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Bob Cesca: And George W. Bush, the man responsible for appointing and/or supporting these criminally negligent excuses for... Greg Ransom: Bush to head investigation of Katrina disaster response disaster — President Bush tells the AP that he himself plans to... Josh Marshall: AP: Bush to lead investigation into his own failure ... [snipped quote] Sad. |
Sam Rosenfeld: Cue the Associated Press: "Bush also announced he is sending Vice President Dick Cheney to the Gulf Coast region on... John @AmericaBlog: Bush is going to investigate his OWN bungling of Hurricane Katrina. That's nice. |
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan White House — Permalink James S. Brady Briefing Room MR. MCCLELLAN: Good afternoon, everybody. The President has had a very busy morning, as he has continued to spend most of his time focusing on the Katrina response efforts and making sure that people in the region are getting the help that they need. | |
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Laura Rozen: Romenesko: "WH to press: The time for bickering, blame-gaming is later WhiteHouse.gov From today's White House press... Magpie @PacificViews: At today's White House press briefing, reporters were staying on press secretary Scott McClellan's case like junkyard dogs chewing on an intruder. |
Jim Romenesko: WH to press: The time for bickering, blame-gaming is later — WhiteHouse.gov McClellan From today's White House press... |
25 Dems could vote for Roberts By / The Hill — Permalink Members of the Senate Democrats' K Street inner circle are predicting that as many as 25 Democrats will vote to confirm John Roberts as chief justice of the United States. | |
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Ezra Klein: So for 25 Democrats to already be hinting themselves in the "aye" column, hearings unheard, is a pretty sad commentary... California Yankee: The fact that the polling numbers have stabilized with over 50 percent favoring Roberts's confirmation, along with The... James Joyner: 25 Dems could vote for Roberts (The Hill) [snipped quote] While such craven political calculations may be unseemly in... |
Sam Rosenfeld: Suffice it to say that Democrats might want to take the few extra days of preparation for the hearings to finally rid... Scared Monkeys: That is the word coming from Elana Schor over at the The Hill,. a newspaper that bill itself as The Newspaper for and about the U.S. Congress. |
Craig Martelle: FEMA is not a first responder Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Permalink As one who has received training by FEMA in emergency management and also training by the Department of Defense in consequence management, I believe that the federal response in New Orleans needs clarification. The key to emergency management starts at the local level and expands to the state level. | |
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Barbara O'Brien: Via Memeorandum, I see they are still linking to anything they can find that either (1) blames the victims, (2) blames... McQ: Our authority is defined by the Louisiana Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993, Chapter 6 Section 709,... Forkum: From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Craig Martelle: FEMA is not a first responder. |
Jesse Taylor: Craig Martelle attempt to defend FEMA's response is a lot of fluff around this central point: "The folks in New Orleans... Ace: Stating the obvious, but well: FEMA is not a first-responder. That's on the local police and government (duh!) . Betsy Newmark: From another perspective, Craig Martelle writes, using his own background, to explain exactly what the role of FEMA is. |
| Also: MarkInMexico, Kathryn Jean Lopez | |
Grim Mission in New Orleans CNN — Permalink THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Carol. I'm Miles O'Brien. A grim mission in New Orleans. Teams going house-by-house to find the victims of Katrina who couldn't escape in time. | |
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MarkInMexico: In this CNN interview, Mayor Culpa, er, Nagin himself first defends his and his city government's actions with, [snipped quote] Ok, that's easy, a big easy. Marc @USSNeverdock: Katrina - Blame Game Continues — This CNN transcript provides some interesting insight. Kevin Aylward: From the CNN transcript:S. O'BRIEN: There are people who say your evacuation plan, obviously in hindsight, was disastrous. |
Captain Ed: On CNN yesterday, even Mayor Ray Nagin now recalls his civics classes, although he still hasn't done much to take... TheAnchoress: In an interview with CNN's Soledad O' Brien, Nagin remarked defensively: And as a last resort, once this thing is... Forkum: N.O. Blame — From a CNN interveiw between anchor Miles o'Brien and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (via Little Green... |
| Also: McQ, Betsy Newmark, Lorie Byrd, Michelle Malkin, Kathryn Jean Lopez, Scared Monkeys | |
US lawmakers prepare Katrina probe, financial aid By / Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - The Republican senator leading a Senate investigation into the government's response to Hurricane Katrina said on Tuesday it was "woefully inadequate" and it had raised doubts about the U.S. ability to cope with a terrorist attack. | |
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Captain Ed: The Senate Homeland Security Committee announced earlier today that they would start an investigation into the... |
Hugh Hewitt: The Collins Moment — Maine's Senator Susan Collins chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and along with... |
Small signs of progress in New Orleans CNN — Permalink NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) — Crews worked to drain the putrid floodwaters out of New Orleans on Tuesday, as authorities warned of the horrors still submerged in the city. Mayor Ray Nagin told NBC's "Today" that he did not know how many bodies would be revealed once the waters recede. | |
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Jeralyn Merritt: Forced Evacuations to Begin in New Orleans — New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has issued a new order tonight: Everyone must... Michelle Malkin: Via Steve J. at Angry in the Great White North, CNN is reporting that the Superdome may be torn down Ann Althouse: The good news from New Orleans. Here. Ordinary people, I assume, will eagerly consume the good news. |
Last Night: Louisiana officials have told CNN within the last two hours that the Superdome may be torn down. [snipped quote] Was it damaged that bad? James Joyner: Official: E. Coli bacteria detected in floodwater (CNN) [snipped quote] This isn't really surprising but does make the situation even worse. |
New Orleans myths: The numbers tell a different story American Thinker — Permalink There will be plenty of time to argue about who was responsible for the slow response in New Orleans this week in dealing with those who did not choose to leave, or were unable to leave the city before the hurricane hit. | |
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TheAnchoress: Betsy links to a great piece with a slightly different take on things. Betsy Newmark: If you have sensed that the media is putting out a skewed story about the hurricane tragedy and political blame, you must read Richard Baehr's column today in the American Thinker. |
Steve Antler: LIbels debunked... Richard Baehr addresses the myth that rich whites were the ones who got out of town, leaving only... Lorie Byrd: UPDATE: Those in the media should be reporting these numbers. |
Bob Denver, TV's Gilligan, Dies at 70 AP — Permalink LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bob Denver, whose portrayal of goofy first mate Gilligan on the 1960s television show ''Gilligan's Island,'' made him an iconic figure to generations of TV viewers, has died, his agent confirmed Tuesday. He was 70. Bob Denver died on Friday. | |
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Charles Kuffner: RIP, Bob Denver — Goodbye, Gilligan. "Bob Denver, whose portrayal of goofy castaway Gilligan on the 1960s TV show... Glenn Reynolds: HE FINALLY ESCAPED THE ISLAND: [snipped quote] Future scholars will regard the show as a profound critique, and celebration, of mid-20th Century America. |
Gary Farber: THE MANY LIVES OF DOBIE GILLIS are over. As is his part in this tale. If only the Professor had been there! |
Bob Denver, TV's 'Gilligan,' dies at 70 AP — Permalink LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — Bob Denver, whose portrayal of goofy castaway Gilligan on the 1960s TV show "Gilligan's Island" made him an iconic figure to generations of TV viewers, has died. He was 70. | |
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Ann Althouse: So soon after failing to make a public demonstration of mourning upon the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist, I'm... James Joyner: Bob Denver of 'Gilligan's Island' dies at 70 — Bob Denver, who starred in the 1960s situation comedies "Gilligan's Island" and "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," died Friday. |
Scared Monkeys: Bob Denver, best known for his portrayal of Gilligan, on Gilligan's Island passed peacefully September 2nd, 2005 surrounded by his family . |
Looking the other way By / Townhall.com — Permalink On August 6, as her 15 minutes of fame was just beginning, Cindy Sheehan used an odd term in a TV interview with Mark Knoller of CBS. She referred to the foreign insurgents and terrorists in Iraq as "freedom fighters." | |
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Patterico: John Leo's latest column states: On August 6, as her 15 minutes of fame was just beginning, Cindy Sheehan used an odd term in a TV interview with Mark Knoller of CBS. Scott @PowerLine: Leo's column is "Look the other way." Whom exactly was she speaking for? Mike Rappaport: Objective Journalism — John Leo notes how the MSM behaves as arm of the Democrats: "On August 6, as her 15 minutes of... |
Jeff Goldstein: You realize that, right?" * "Sure. And the neocons are just lucky that Kung-fu mysticism doesn't work on hurricanes. Ed Driscoll: The Ultimate Airbrush — John Leo looks at how the press airbrushed the most extreme language out of quotes by Cindy Sheehan (hey, remember her?) Glenn Reynolds: JOHN LEO writes that the press is looking the other way. |
Hundreds Refuse to Evacuate LAT — Permalink NEW ORLEANS — Search teams pressing to evacuate the living and find the dead after a full week under the high-water sway of Hurricane Katrina found their efforts complicated Monday by the refusal of hundreds of residents to leave the paralyzed city. | |
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Ken Masugi: The Magic Marker Strategy for NO Holdouts — Hundreds of New Orleans residents refuse to leave their flooded houses (LAT). Gary Farber: But some folks really don't want to leave: "A senior New Orleans police official said Monday that some 10,000... |
Norm Geras: > Staying: "On Monday, the crew rescued 183 people but was turned away by 150 more, said Billy Parker, manager of the Texas Task Force One Water Strike Team. Lambert @Corrente: Katrina: OJ's going to find the real killer! No, no. Wrong headline. Sorry about that. Bush is going to investigate Katrina! |
Throwing out the thugs By / Townhall.com — Permalink This famous, selfless cry for the safety of others is best associated with the tragedy of the Titanic, when thousands lost their lives in the frozen waters of the sea so many years ago. | |
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Bob Cesca: Maybe Bush will summon proof that a few bad apples were to blame for the torture and execution of those who, as Rebecca... Tbogg: Posted by Picasa Rebecca Hagelin likes writing "gangsta": Could it be that in a pop culture where the gangsta style is... Roger Ailes: And The Bigots Played On — Rebecca Hagelin asks why the poor don't have the courtesy to shut up and drown, like the underclass passengers in steerage on the Titanic did. |
Avedon Carol: Roger Ailes finds the view from those people who still love Bush: Rebecca Hagelin asks why the poor don't have the... Jesse Taylor: Shorter Rebecca Hagelin: The people in the days of the Titanic had the right idea—drown all of your poor people so there's no one left to get angry. Greg Ransom: See also Rebecca Hagelin, "Throw out the thugs", John Tierney, "Magic Marker Strategy" and Mark Steyn, "The Big Easy Rocked." |
| Also: Susie Madrak | |
President Meets with Cabinet White House — Permalink THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming. My message to the Cabinet this morning is this: This administration is not going to rest until every life can be saved; until families are reconnected; until this recovery is complete. | |
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Arianna Huffington: Arianna Huffington: George Bush, David Caruso, and Katrina: Why Now Is Precisely the Time for Finger-Pointing — Here's... Gary Farber: Transcript here: "Q Do you intend to replace any from your administration who are leading this recovery effort, who... |
Derek Chollet: Here's his statement in full: "Q Do you intend to replace any from your administration who are leading this recovery... |
Native ingenuity By / Boston Globe — Permalink LIKE EVERY AMERICAN schoolchild, I learned the story of the Pilgrims in school—how half of the Plymouth colonists died of starvation in the first winter, the remainder surviving only by squatting on an abandoned Indian village and ransacking Indian homes and graves for caches of food. | |
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Brad Plumer: Now that that's over and done with, here's a fun piece by Charles C. Mann in the Boston Globe, asking whether the... |
Ezra Klein: Guns vs. Longbows — In case you need a break from Katrina... |
Jewish Agency urges New Orleans college students to study in Israel By / Haaretz — Permalink The Jewish Agency has invited university students in New Orleans - Jews and non-Jews alike - to study in Israel. According to the Jewish Agency, some 20 college students have taken an interest in the offer. | |
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Hugh Hewitt: From Volokh.com's David Bernstein: Opportunity for Katrina-Affected Students to Study in Israel: Some details here. |
David Bernstein: Opportunity for Katrina-Affected Students to Study in Israel: Some details here. |
Police Vow to Get Remaining Residents Out of New Orleans By / NYT — Permalink BATON ROUGE, La., Sept. 6 - As a handful of pumps toiled to drain the water out of a sprawling city today, the New Orleans police said they would force the 10,000 or so residents left in the city to leave and Louisiana officials warned of long-term damage to the area's environment. | |
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Arianna Huffington: Sixty percent of the city remains underwater; up to 160,000 homes in the state of Louisiana have been submerged or... |
John Cole: Police/Military to Forcibly Remove Residents The people who refuse to leave no longer have a say in the matter: As a... |
New Orleans Didn't Just Go Nuts -- It's Been Nuts By / Human Events — Permalink Where to even begin in being one more idiot talking about Hurricane Katrina? I hate the subject. It should be a news item and a humanitarian cause —a huge recovery and reconstruction effort joined in by all. It should not a political issue fit for "commentary." | |
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Clayton Cramer: While it appears that some of the worst news reports may have been exaggerated or even made up, it does not seem that... Steve Antler: Ever expanding opportunities for humour... Mac Johnson, in the aftermath of Katrina, writes: Nobody has any power in this world other than George Bush. |
Ace: Nice takedown at Human Events Online: "First out of the gate were the Holy Men of the Cult of Global Warming, who... Greg Ransom: UPDATE: See now also Mac Johnson, "New Orleans Didn't Just Go Nuts — It's Been Nuts." Johnson has lots on the demoralized New Orleans police department. |
Missouri Condemnation No Longer So Imminent By / WaPo — Permalink SUNSET HILLS, Mo. — When David Wright retired from his factory job in 1997, he poured just about all his savings into a handsome brick house in the Sunset Manor subdivision here. "This was our dream," said David's wife, Lorraine. "We were set here for the rest of our lives." | |
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Jo Fish: By passing legislation that forbid the kind of 'takings' that Kelo specifically allows...except (and you knew there was an exception, right?) Virginia Postrel: Kelo Backlash, Cont'd T.R. Reid reports in today's WaPost. |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: The Kelo Backlash Continues Apace — Via Virginia Postrel, we have this extremely encouraging bit of news |
Katrina rekindles adversarial media USA Today — Permalink Reporters covering Hurricane Katrina on the scene showed their human — and often angry and frustrated — face as they questioned the slow response over the weekend. Man on the street: Fox News reporter Shepard Smith provided a first-hand, personal view of the chaos in New Orleans. | |
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Terry Heaton: Katrina and the media — Peter Johnson of USAToday thinks aggressive reporting in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina... Guest Blogger: The USA Today's Peter Johnson says its brought back media's adversarial edge. |
Jeff Jarvis: See also Alessandra Stanley and David Carr in the Times and Peter Johnson in USA Today. Brian Stelter: Aftermath: Media "Rose To The Occasion" shepsept6.jpg"Reporters covering Hurricane Katrina on the scene showed their... |
Tom DeLay: No support to roll back gas tax Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Republican Leader Tom DeLay said on Tuesday there was no support for rolling back the federal gasoline tax to offset higher prices. "Absolutely not," he told reporters after a meeting with President George W. Bush on issues related to Hurricane Katrina. | |
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Steve Soto: He gave this response: [snipped quote] Really? So we will need that government revenue to rebuild the affected areas, and have an economic recovery? |
Armando @DailyKos: He gave this response: [quote] "Absolutely not.[end quote] |
The Anti-Theorists: What Bush and Rehnquist Had in Common By / TCS — Permalink George W. Bush has lost his favorite Supreme Court Justice. No, Antonin Scalia has not quietly resigned. (Does Scalia quietly do anything?) And yes, Bush does like to say that Scalia is his favorite Justice. But I have a sneaking suspicion his heart beats faster for William Rehnquist. | |
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Steve Bainbridge: Stuntz on Bush and Rehnquist — Harvard law professor Bill Stuntz proves once again why he is quietly becoming one of... Paul @PowerLine: Our favorite Harvard law professor strikes again — I don't agree with everything in this piece by William Stuntz... |
Glenn Reynolds: UPDATE: Related thoughts on Rehnquist from Bill Stuntz. |
Newsview: White House Falls Out of Step By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush White House is known for its ability to remain in control of its message and image, sliding out of crises with barely a scratch. Not this time. | |
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Chris Bowers: Media Narrative Consolidating Against Bush — Check out the following excerpt from a new AP story: "Even as Katrina... |
Joe @AmericaBlog: AP: Bush stayed on vacation and played politics — Finally, it's being reported in one place: [snipped quote] NEVER... |
Salazar calls for Brown to resign Rocky Mountain News — Permalink Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar today called for President Bush to seek the resignation of Michael Brown as director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "I have been very concerned about the federal government's reaction to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. | |
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Jeralyn Merritt: Sen. Ken Salazar Calls for Resignation of Mike Brown — Colorado Senator Ken Salazar today called for the resignation of FEMA director Mike Brown. |
Josh Marshall: Sen. Salazar calls on President Bush to fire Michael Brown. |
Newest Peril From Flooding Is Disease By / LAT — Permalink NEW ORLEANS — Authorities said Monday that some of Hurricane Katrina's evacuees have contracted a bacterial disease that is considered a more benign cousin of cholera, but is potentially fatal in people whose immune systems have been compromised. | |
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Michelle Pilecki: It's not cholera, but a "more benign cousin," vibrio vulnificus, that is being diagnosed among Katrina survivors, according to a story in the Los Angeles Times. |
Gary Farber: CHOLERA'S COUSIN COMES TO VISIT flood victims. [snipped quote] So: good luck with that. |
Magic Marker Strategy By / NYT — Permalink It was the climax of George W. Bush's video introduction at the Republican convention: the moment at Yankee Stadium during the 2001 World Series when he threw a pitch all the way to home plate. The video ended, and the conventioneers cheered as Mr. Bush strode onto a stage shaped like a pitcher's mound. | |
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ArchPundit: He compares New Orleans system of evacuation with that of the Hampton Roads area surrounding Newport News, Virginia. Barbara O'Brien: Today's Head-Up-His-Butt Award goes to John Tierney of the New York Times, who actually wrote that the post-Hurricane... MarkInMexico: Main Page Self Reliance John Tierney writes in the NYT that only the cities and states that practice self reliance... |
McQ: Centralized planning and the abdication of local responsibility — John Tierny writes a good article in the NY Times about the "Magic Marker Strategy". Steve M.: And, of course, the criticism rallies right-wingers in the mainstream and irregular media to do what they do best, which is to try to shift blame to Democrats. Don: THE MAGIC MARKER METHOD — How long will the New York Times permit John Tierney to run wild with subversive brilliance like this? |
| Also: Armando @DailyKos, Greg Ransom, Mitch Berg, James Joyner, Judith Weiss, Kathryn Jean Lopez, Tbogg, Glenn Reynolds | |
In Europe, High-Tech Flood Control, With Nature's Help By / NYT — Permalink On a cold winter night in 1953, the Netherlands suffered a terrifying blow as old dikes and seawalls gave way during a violent storm. Flooding killed nearly 2,000 people and forced the evacuation of 70,000 others. Icy waters turned villages and farm districts into lakes dotted with dead cows. | |
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Cookie Jill: it's more than putting a thumb in it, awol there are other cities in the world that lay below sea level. Susie Madrak: How To Do It Interesting article on high-tech European levees in today's Times. |
Gary Farber: HOW OTHERS DO IT. What's that, Marthee? Ya say other folks know sumpthin' 'bout flood control? Cain't be! John Cole: Flood Control The NY Times has a pretty interesting piece on the types of flood control employed all over the world. |
Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers NRO — Permalink Bush-blaming derangement. Back when NPR and other news outlets were reporting that New Orleans had "dodged the bullet" on hurricane Katrina I made an ill-conceived joke in The Corner about how the Superdome was going to hell-in-a-hand basket. I wrote: | |
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Damian Penny: There were no armed hordes." (via Captain's Quarters) Many of these reports were enthusiastically promoted by... Jonah Goldberg: I find this irksome and say so in a G-File today. |
Kevin Roderick: Here's the invitation getting prominent play online at the magazine's website: [snipped quote] I wonder if... |
Not much traction with the abuse Washington Times — Permalink George W. finally gets it — in more ways than one. The tardy president was back on the Gulf Coast yesterday, bucking up the spirits of the damned and stiffening the resolve of the slackers. | |
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Jeff Goldstein: "If ever a slip-of-the-tongue defined a government's response to a crisis, this was it." Translated Keith: Who cares what he does. Scott @PowerLine: The possessed, take 2 — The weekly Washington Times column by Wesley Pruden notes the "blame Bush" theme of the... |
Eric Boehlert: And the Washington Times' Wes Prudent today writes with an odd swagger, "A Washington Post-ABC survey found that the... |
Disaster used as political payoff NY Daily News — Permalink The Federal Emergency Management Agency has done it again. Already under fire for its woeful response to Hurricane Katrina, the federal disaster agency appears to have turned hurricane relief donations into a political payoff - until it was challenged. | |
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Kriston @BeggingToDiffer: Rozen links to this NY Daily News piece describing how, in 1994, Operation Blessing diverted money intended for Rwandan... |
Laura Rozen: But what's truly shocking is that it has been well documented that Robertson's Operation Blessing diverted charity funds... |
Rebuilding New Orleans -- and America By / Townhall.com — Permalink The physical devastation caused by hurricane Katrina has painfully revealed the moral devastation of our times that has led to mass looting in New Orleans, assaults on people in shelters, the raping of girls, and shots being fired at helicopters that are trying to rescue people. | |
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Avedon Carol: Jesse Taylor watches a horror show featuring monsters like Bill Kristol and Hackula. Jesse Taylor: Shorter Thomas Sowell: Take pity on Our Lord the Shrub, because unlike the people of New Orleans, he is a human being with failings. |
Amanda Marcotte: When the unobstructed flow of liberalism runs its course...when the unfettered destruction of moral values runs... Greg Ransom: Thomas Sowell on the meaning of New Orleans — This is the one I've been waiting to read: "Forty years ago, an electric... |
SUV-hating agent drives odd bargain NY Daily News — Permalink Hollywood superagent Ari Emanuel - the model for Jeremy Piven's character in the HBO hit "Entourage" - was a major player in the Detroit Project, the controversial media campaign that equated driving gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles with aiding and abetting terrorists. | |
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Guest Blogger: > And here's an item that any other news cycle would have warranted a full court press: Lloyd Grove has tension between Bob Woodward and the Post. Jim Romenesko: Washington Post would love to buy the Wall Street Journal — New York Magazine Franklin Foer writes |
Taegan Goddard: Woodward Wanted Book Done First — The New York Daily News reports on an article in next month's Vanity Fair by Carl... |
NBC News President Shapiro To Exit Broadcasting & Cable — Permalink After months of speculation that he would be replaced, Neal Shapiro is stepping down as president of NBC News. Shapiro asked to be released from the gig last May, though network executives believed that NBC Universal Television Group President Jeff Zucker was poised to swing the ax. | |
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Brian Stelter: Shapiro Steps Down, Capus Steps Up: Changes At The Top Of NBC News — NBC News president Neal Shapiro resigns: > The... |
Jim Romenesko: Shapiro steps down as president of NBC News — Broadcasting & Cable | TV Newser Neal Shapiro, who was named NBC News... |
It's Your Failure, Too, Mr. Bush By / WaPo — Permalink BATON ROUGE — After a tragically incompetent beginning, the effort to give urgent care to the multitudes from New Orleans whose homes and livelihoods have been obliterated is finally in high gear. The problem now is that nobody knows where it's headed. | |
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Jo Fish: I wonder how that will affect their view of metaphorical bathtubs and drownings in the 2006 elections and beyond? quote from the Eugene Robinson Jack Cluth: Stupid, clueless, insensitive- and built to stay that way — Bush: chilling lack of empathy, stunning inefficiency It's... |
Laura Rozen: "It's Your Failure Too, Mr. President" — The Washington Post's Eugene Robinson: "...a few days in and around this... |
Houston Finds Business Boon After Katrina By / NYT — Permalink HOUSTON, Sept. 5 - Perhaps no city in the United States is in a better spot than Houston to turn Katrina's tragedy into opportunity. And businesses here are already scrambling to profit in the hurricane's aftermath. | |
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Avedon Carol: Laura Rozen notes that Pat Robertson's nasty little organization has been removed from the FEMA page, and hopes we can... Josh Marshall: Now, look at this article from Tuesday's Times about the boom town atmosphere in Houston as people and business from New... Gary Farber: Read The Rest Scale: 1 out of 5. Meanwhile, a business boom in Houston. |
Laura Rozen: Can we get a bipartisan commission appointed to oversee Katrina reconstruction, to prevent the worst sort of corruption, abuses, and fraud we saw in Iraq? Don: IT WAS INEVITABLE — Yes, the New York Times has linked Halliburton to Katrina. Echidne: The Bright Side of Life After A Hurricane — From New York Times: [snipped quote] (Bolds mine.) |
Cut the red tape, Lott says CNN — Permalink POPLARVILLE, Mississippi (CNN) — Sen. Trent Lott berated both the Federal Emergency Management Agency and his own state's emergency management, MEMA, for being mired in red tape at a time of urgent need given the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina. | |
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Michael J. Totten: Even Trent Lott, who doesn't exactly suffer from Bush Derangement Syndrome, has had it with FEMA. John Cole: The Problem With Government "Execution" I can't believe this s**t is still going on: Sen. Trent Lott berated both... Michelle Malkin: FEMA IN THE CROSSHAIRS — Another Republican Senator is criticizing FEMA's performance in the wake of Hurricane Katrina,... |
Avedon Carol: John Cole notes that even Trent Lott is complaining about the strange behavior of FEMA. Lambert @Corrente: "Lott said he appreciated Bush's visit, but stressed to the president the need to cut through the bureaucracy. (via CNN)" Well, sure. Gary Farber: TRENT LOTT HAS COMPLAINTS 'bout things: [snipped quote] At least he has a personal guarantee from the President of his house being rebuilt. |
| Also: ArchPundit | |
Police Officers Tell of Pain and Pressure NYT — Permalink NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 5 - Sgt. Jeff Sandoz, dressed in black SWAT team fatigues with an assault shotgun nearby, took a break on Monday afternoon for a cheeseburger, his first hot meal in a week, in the breezeway at the shuttered Harrah's casino on the edge of the French Quarter. | |
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Ken Masugi: In Katrina's wake, "about 500" police have absented themselves from work, with two committing suicide (Treaster and DeSantis, NYT). |
Gary Farber: THE SOGGY BLUE LINE. The suckyness of being a cop in the Gulf: [snipped quote] Thanks for what you've done. |
It 'doesn't just have legs, it has tentacles' By / USA Today — Permalink The media shelf life for natural disasters is notoriously short: Within two weeks of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which cut a $30 billion destructive path through south Florida and the Louisiana coast, the story virtually disappeared from network newscasts. | |
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Terry Heaton: The New York Times has set up a bureau in Baton Rouge, and other media outlets plan to be there indefinitely, according... |
Jim Romenesko: Hurricane story "doesn't just have legs, it has tentacles" — USA Today That's what Bob Lichter of the Center for Media and Public Affairs tells Peter Johnson. |
The Big Easy rocked, but didn't roll By / Telegraph — Permalink Readers may recall my words from a week ago on the approaching Katrina: "We relish the opportunity to rise to the occasion. And on the whole we do. Oh, to be sure, there are always folks who panic or loot. But most people don't, and many are capable of extraordinary acts of hastily improvised heroism." | |
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Jan Haugland: New Orleans police walked off the job — Mark Steyn admits having been proven utterly wrong. Arthur Chrenkoff: As Mark Steyn writes, "New Orleans is a party town in the middle of a welfare swamp and, like many parties, it doesn't look so good when someone puts the lights up." Chris Bertram: So I've been looking out for his reponse to Katrina and in today's Telegraph he lets us have it. |
MarkInMexico: Main Page Mayor Culpa Mark Steyn has begun to zero in on who let down the citizens of New Orleans. Forkum: From The Telegraph: The Big Easy rocked, but didn't roll by Mark Steyn: "Readers may recall my words from a week ago on... John Hawkins: Singer Claims 'They're So Poor They've Never Touched Anything In Their Lives'" [snipped quote] "Sean Penn's Rescue Bid... |
| Also: Ed Driscoll, Greg Ransom | |
Channel 5 Rejects Anti-Bush Ad of Borough President Candidate By / NYT — Permalink A local television station, WNYW/Channel 5, is refusing to run a provocative advertisement promoting a Democratic candidate for Manhattan borough president. And the campaign of the candidate, Brian Ellner, is charging that the station is doing so because the spot takes a swipe at President Bush. | |
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Ann Althouse: On the web, it's "Channel 5 Rejects Anti-Bush Ad of Borough President Candidate." |
Pudentilla: fox affiliate censors political ad because it criticizes awol — [snipped quote] someone needs to tell fox shareholders... |
UPDATE 1-US judge approves US Airways pension claims deal Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - A federal bankruptcy judge on Friday approved a settlement between US Airways Group (UAIRQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) and the U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. that resolves about $2.7 billion worth of claims. | |
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David Sirota: In having taxpayers pick up the tab for the pension shortfall, the court gave the federal government a direct ownership stake in the airline. |
Nathan Newman: Posted by Nathan at 11:22 AM | Comments () | TrackBack () US Buys an Airline in Bankruptcy Court This is actually a... |
Public Most Interested in Hearing Roberts' Views on Abortion By / Gallup — Permalink PRINCETON, NJ — Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, scheduled to begin Tuesday, have been delayed because of the passing of Chief Justice William Rehnquist. | |
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California Yankee: Majority Favor Roberts' Confirmation — A recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll finds a majority, 52 percent, of Americans... |
Taegan Goddard: Majority Favor Roberts Confirmation — "Nearly 6 in 10 Americans say they plan to follow the Senate hearings on Supreme... |
Along Gulf, Aiding the Living and Counting the Dead WaPo — Permalink NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 5 — Federal officials opened a vast morgue to collect the dead and health officials scrambled to create a health care network to help the living, while states across the country struggled to find housing and other provisions for the more than 1 million people driven from their homes by Hurricane Katrina. | |
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Norm Geras: > In Louisiana: "Federal officials opened a vast morgue to collect the dead... Across the state, doctors and nurses... |
John Cole: This WaPo piece suggests we will store them in morgues, but I think the length of the flood is going to create a... |
America's Most Successful Communist By / City Journal — Permalink It was no surprise last year when rock stars, led by Bruce Springsteen, barnstormed battleground states for John Kerry, and no surprise that, save for a handful of country singers, George W. Bush could count on no similar support from pop performers. | |
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Steve Antler: Former useful idiot reviews his life... I'm slowly and uncomfortably working my way through this article. |
Scott @PowerLine: The media cover-up of Sheehan's views puts me in mind of the famous lyrics written by "America's most successful Communist": "When will they ever learn?" |
Bush and Katrina Opinion Journal — Permalink The White House is slowly recovering from its first-week stumbles responding to Katrina, with President Bush taking his second trip to New Orleans yesterday. His quick elevation of John Roberts to Chief Justice is another welcome sign of energy. | |
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Brendan Nyhan: More WSJ sophistry on tax revenues — The Wall Street Journal editorial page has implied yet again that the Bush tax... |
Dean Esmay: Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal notes questions people in Washington DC need to be asking, and that we should be asking of them. |
Multiple failures caused relief crisis By / BBC — Permalink The breakdown of the relief operation in New Orleans was the result of multiple failures by city, state and federal authorities. There was no one cause. The failures began long before the hurricane with a gamble that a Category Four or Five hurricane would not strike New Orleans. | |
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Tom Maguire: UPDATE: Good multi-directional finger-pointer from the BBC. Kathryn Jean Lopez: A pretty fair piece from—are you sitting?—the Beeb. |
Marc @USSNeverdock: Katrina - Bloggers Improve BBC Reporting — Well at least one reporter in at least one report seems to have taken heed... Gary Farber: A BBC VIEW. [snipped quote] Ya think? Read The Rest Scale: 0 out of 5. |
BUSH MOM: EVERYONE WANTS TO MOVE TO TEXAS Drudge Report — Permalink Former first lady and mother to President Bush said Monday that evacuees from New Orleans have found a home in Houston. "Almost everyone I've talked to says we're going to move to Houston," Barbara Bush told NPR. "What I'm hearing is they all want to stay in Texas. | |
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Jack Cluth: BUSH MOM: EVERYONE WANTS TO MOVE TO TEXAS "Almost everyone I've talked to says we're going to move to Houston," Barbara Bush told NPR. John Hawkins: Daily News For Sept 6, 2005 — Hurricane Katrina "Mayor: Katrina Death Toll May Hit 10,000" "City To Offer Free Trips to Las Vegas for Officers (WHAT? |
Joe Gandelman: Barbara Bush Thinks Refugees See Texas As Move Up — We get this unique, look-for-the-silver-linin g perspective on the... Andrew Sullivan: "LET THEM MOVE TO TEXAS": Barbara Bush has her Marie Antoinette moment: "And so many of the people in the arena here,... |
Clinton: Government 'failed' people CNN — Permalink HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) — Former President Bill Clinton on Monday said the government "failed" the thousands of people who lived in coastal communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and said a federal investigation was warranted in due time. | |
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Avedon Carol: Bill Clinton says, "Our government failed those people in the beginning, and I take it now there is no dispute about it. Last Night: CNN.com also has a story Clinton: Government 'failed' people with a video link. Justin Gardner: Clinton On Hurricane Katrina Response CNN: [snipped quote] Well, maybe not 100% of the people, but let's just say a good majority. |
Jack Cluth: More dispatches from the Southern Front — Clinton: Government 'failed' people "Our government failed those people in... Cookie Jill: "our government failed those people in the beginning, and i take it now there is no dispute about it," clinton told cnn. Lambert @Corrente: Katrina: Clinton: 100% of the people recognize "government's" failure — Well, 99.99% do, except for the gang of... |
| Also: Gary Farber | |
Violence rages in Iraq hotspots CNN — Permalink BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Violence in several Iraqi hotspots Monday claimed more coalition and insurgent deaths in pitched battles and ambushes up and down the war-torn country. | |
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Juan Cole: Other Iraqis died fighting US troops at Tel Afar and Balad, where the US killed 11 suspected guerrillas. |
Bill Roggio: A camp was established to screen citizens and identify insurgents. |
Black L.A. Feels Pain, Anger of 'Sister City' LAT — Permalink The ties that link the African Americans here to Louisiana run deep, in good times and bad. At Inglewood's Faithful Central Bible Church, parishioners called out names of the missing and prayed for fortitude and God's grace. | |
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Kevin Roderick: • Some Katrina links: Los Angeles blacks feel New Orleans' pain...LAist found a server at Swingers who did her... |
Jayson @PoliPundit: 4. From USA Today. 5. From the Washington Post. 6. From the Los Angeles Times. Echo, echo, echo, echo, echo, echo. |
Need fed probe into crisis - Hil NY Daily News — Permalink WASHINGTON - With many blaming the growing scope of Katrina's devastation on the Bush administration, Sen. Hillary Clinton called yesterday for a 9/11-style probe into how the federal government responded to the crisis. | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: The sins of (a) commission — The inevitable happens: [snipped quote] After the water is pumped out and the mud hosed... |
Taegan Goddard: Clinton to Introduce FEMA Legislation — Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) [snipped quote] the New York Daily News reports. |
Yes, you can still get a drink in New Orleans Reuters — Permalink NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Reuters) — At least two bars in New Orleans' fabled French Quarter are honoring the tradition that drinking establishments in the boisterous tourist district stay open during hurricanes, even apocalyptic monsters like Hurricane Katrina. | |
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Johnathan Pearce: The good times can still roll — Apparently, according to this great story over at CNN, it was still possible to get a... |
Kerry Howley: Imperfect Storm — If God did indeed send Katrina to purge New Orleans of its bacchanalian tendencies, He missed a spot:... |
Insurgents Seize Key Town in Iraq By / WaPo — Permalink BAGHDAD, Sept. 5 — Abu Musab Zarqawi's foreign-led Al Qaeda in Iraq took open control of a key western town at the Syrian border, deploying its guerrilla fighters in the streets and flying Zarqawi's black banner from rooftops, tribal leaders and other residents in the city and surrounding villages said. | |
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Ross @TheTalentShow: You'll forget just how terrible it is when you read that fighters loyal to militant leader Abu Musab Zarqawi asserted... Kevin Edit This: Not well at all. John Hawkins: (Free LAT Reg Req)" "Sen. Chafee Likely To Be Challenged From Right" "Insurgents Seize Iraqi Town (Free WAPO Reg Req)"... |
Bill Roggio: In a Washington Post article titled Insurgents Assert Control Over Town Near Syrian Border, the authors claim al Qaeda... Michelle Pilecki: The Washington Post reports that an al-Qaeda force has taken over Qaim, an Iraqi town near the Syrian border, proclaiming "an Islamic kingdom liberated from the occupation." Dan Darling: In case you hadn't heard, Zarqawi seized al-Qaim in northwestern Iraq. |
| Also: Steve Soto, Gary Farber, Dr. Steven Taylor, Amanda Marcotte, Daniel Drezner, John @PowerLine, Ed Cone, Jo Fish, Attaturk, Ann Althouse, Jeralyn Merritt, Stephen Green, Jason Van Steenwyk, Lorie Byrd, Armando @DailyKos, Andrew Sullivan, Laura Rozen | |
He Held Their Lives in His Tiny Hands By / LAT — Permalink BATON ROUGE, La. — In the chaos that was Causeway Boulevard, this group of refugees stood out: a 6-year-old boy walking down the road, holding a 5-month-old, surrounded by five toddlers who followed him around as if he were their leader. They were holding hands. | |
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Avedon Carol: Of course, everybody's hero is Deamonte Love, the six-year-old who took care of a baby and a few other little kids when they were separate from their mothers. Laura Rozen: "In the chaos that was Causeway Boulevard, this group of refugees stood out: a 6-year-old boy walking down the road,... Jan Haugland: A great responsibility forced onto a 6-year-old boy — Heartbreak and very young heroism amidst the disaster: In the... |
Kos @DailyKos: Little heroes — Sometimes, we have happy endings. Barbara O'Brien: Six-year-old saves baby and five toddlers. From blogs: AMERICAblog—Bush stayed on vacation and Do your bleeping jobs! Kieran Healy: Love Story Go read this L.A. Times report about seven children—mostly toddlers, the eldest, six years old—who were lost and found in New Orleans these last few days. |
| Also: Amanda Marcotte, Echidne, Charles Kuffner, Scared Monkeys, Michelle Malkin, Ann Althouse, Gary Farber, Arthur Silber, Jeralyn Merritt | |
Viewpoint: Has Katrina saved US media? By / BBC — Permalink As President Bush scurries back to the Gulf Coast, it is clear that this is the greatest challenge to politics-as-usual in America since the fall of Richard Nixon in the 1970s. Then as now, good reporting lies at the heart of what is changing. | |
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Gal Beckerman: "Amidst the horror, American broadcast journalism just might have grown its spine back, thanks to Katrina," the BBC declared. Guest Blogger: . It all causes the BBC's Matt Wells to wonder, "Has Katrina saved US media?" The USA Today's Peter Johnson says its brought back media's adversarial edge. Patrick: While it's right and important to point out how unprecedented the tone of the coverage of the catastrophe has been—this... |
Jeff Jarvis: The BBC said said reporting on Katrina "was public service journalism ruthlessly exposing the truth on a live and continuous basis." Jim Romenesko: (LAT) > Journalists stepped into the role of advocates for the voiceless (Sun) > US broadcast journalism just might have grown its spine back (BBC) Susie Madrak: Saving the Media The BBC asks the question: Has Katrina saved the U.S. media? |
| Also: Gary Farber, Kevin Drum | |
City to Offer Free Trips to Las Vegas for Officers NYT — Permalink NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 4 - A day after two police suicides and the abrupt resignations or desertions of up to 200 police officers, defiant city officials on Sunday began offering five-day vacations - and even trips to Las Vegas - to the police, firefighters and city emergency workers and their families. | |
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John Cole: Vacation for NO Police Free vacations for New Orleans police: A day after two police suicides and the abrupt... Betsy Newmark: That is why it seems so questionable for the Mayor to decide that one of the first expenses he wants to take on is paid... Dan Darling: My own suspicion is that the behavior of the police, ranging from the loss of 2/3 of the police force to innumerable... |
Jack Cluth: New Orleans to offer free Vegas trips to police, firefighters, city emergency workers These are the real heroes…. TheAnchoress: Meanwhile, Mayor Nagin thinks this is a good time to help his cops and firefighters to de-stress. Kevin Aylward: I'm sure that will go over well at the Astrodome... NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 4 - A day after two police suicides and the... |
| Also: Bryan Preston, Gary Farber, McQ, Kathryn Jean Lopez | |
Why FEMA Was Missing in Action LAT — Permalink WASHINGTON — While the federal government has spent much of the last quarter-century trimming the safety nets it provides Americans, it has dramatically expanded its promise of protection in one area — disaster. | |
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Gal Beckerman: Newspapers haven't done a lot better, though they have occasionally dug beneath the surface; a piece in yesterday's Los... Nick Gillespie: Between rising gas prices and the perception of failure to prepare for Katrina—and mid-term election wrangling swinging... Barbara O'Brien: Peter G. Gosselin and Alan C. Miller write in today's Los Angeles Times: "Under the law, Chertoff said, state and local officials must direct initial emergency operations. |
Susie Madrak: Drowning Government in a Bathtub Why FEMA didn't work: The agency's staff has been reduced by 500 positions to 4,735. Joe Gandelman: What the LA Times now tells us is that after Sept. 11 "Washington's attention turned to terrorism to the exclusion of almost anything else." Brad DeLong: Why FEMA Was Missing in Action — Peter Gosselin and Alan Miller of the LA Times explain what went wrong with FEMA: ... |
| Also: Kevin Drum, Laura Rozen, Jeralyn Merritt, Gary Farber | |
New Orleans scene recalls African flood CNN — Permalink What Is This? United States Coast Guard helicopters are busy making dramatic rescues of citizens from the roofs of waterlogged buildings across this flooded city. It reminds me of a similar scene five years ago in the southern African nation of Mozambique, where severe flooding left half the country submerged in water. | |
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John Cole: This will make you want to scream: I am stunned by an interview I conducted with New Orleans Detective Lawrence Dupree. Brian Stelter: Aftermath: CNN's "Camp Site" At Airport — CNN's Ed Lavandera blogs from the airport: "The last four nights my... Atrios: Ticket — How the underclass sees things: Rescue 'ticket' I am stunned by an interview I conducted with New Orleans Detective Lawrence Dupree. |
Ogged @Unfogged: Sad — Another stunning reminder that poor blacks live in a different reality from most of the rest of us: "I am stunned... Gary Farber: NOLA SCENES from the CNN blog: "At another church, the Christchurch Baptist Fellowship, I walk into a nursery where kids are playing. Magpie @PacificViews: No comment needed. From CNN's Katrina blog: [snipped quote] Via Atrios. |
| Also: Lindsay Beyerstein | |
Killed by Contempt By / NYT — Permalink Each day since Katrina brings more evidence of the lethal ineptitude of federal officials. I'm not letting state and local officials off the hook, but federal officials had access to resources that could have made all the difference, but were never mobilized. | |
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John @PowerLine: Paul Krugman is one cog in the Times' wheel; on cue, he chimed in with a strident denunciation of the Bush administration's response to the hurricane. Greg Anrig: Paul Krugman broached this idea yesterday when he wrote about the Katrina response that, "for 25 years the right has... Brad DeLong: Paul Krugman proposes an answer: Killed by Contempt - New York Times: Each day since Katrina brings more evidence of the lethal ineptitude of federal officials. |
Jacob Sullum: George Bush's Lethal Hostility to Big Government — Paul Krugman offers the least plausible explanation I've seen so far... Steve M.: Paul Krugman in today's New York Times ...the United States, after a generation of tax-cutting and downsizing, has... Radley Balko: Don't Let Paul Krugman Win This Debate — Paul Krugman says the last week's tragedy was caused by people who don't believe in government. |
| Also: Skippy, Barbara O'Brien, Attaturk | |
French Quarter Holdouts Create 'Tribes' By / AP — Permalink NEW ORLEANS (AP) - In the absence of information and outside assistance, groups of rich and poor banded together in the French Quarter, forming ''tribes'' and dividing up the labor. As some went down to the river to do the wash, others remained behind to protect property. | |
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Jack Cluth: French Quarter Holdouts Create 'Tribes' If it sounds like a "Mad Max" remake come to life…it is. Acidman: I don't think tribes is the right word to use in this story. Glenn Reynolds: Meanwhile, here are some people who are members of Bill's tribe, whether they know it or not: [snipped quote] It happens that way, sometimes. |
John Hawkins: (Free LA Times Reg Req)" "French Quarter Holdouts Create 'Tribes'" "Rescuers Pluck Residents From Hellish Waters. Arthur Chrenkoff: Two tribes — [snipped quote] Nothing surprising. Gary Farber: WE BECAME MORE CIVILIZED as tribes formed. |
| Also: Matt Welch | |
White House Enacts a Plan to Ease Political Damage NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 - Under the command of President Bush's two senior political advisers, the White House rolled out a plan this weekend to contain the political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina. | |
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Steve Soto: It will happen again this time, and it is all the more disgusting when you consider that the Times made it clear over... Michael @AmericaBlog: Then I see this NYT article about Karl Rove taking control and it lays out exactly what I'd been expecting — they don't... Joe @AmericaBlog: In the NY Times piece that Michael expounds upon below, there is a key passage: "As is common when this White House... |
Steve M.: A problem requiring a response from government departments and agencies that actually do things becomes a problem... Chris @AmericaBlog: Now that Rove and Barlett are working on their latest smear campaign (but didn't they say no politics now?) and the... Hunter @DailyKos: Media Failures, Media Truths [I'm bumping this from earlier today because of Olbermann's well-spoken editorial condemnations. |
| Also: Susie Madrak, Michelle Pilecki, Bob Cesca, Brendan Nyhan, Nico @ThinkProgress, Barbara O'Brien, Joe Gandelman, Avedon Carol, Duckman GR, Arianna Huffington, David Sirota, Amanda Marcotte, Tim Dunlop, Taegan Goddard, Attaturk, Amy Sullivan, Mark Kleiman, Echidne, Josh Marshall, Hilzoy @ObsidianWings, Gary Farber, Laura Rozen, Mark Kilmer, Kash, Cookie Jill, Armando @DailyKos | |
Bush Nominates Roberts to Replace Chief Justice Rehnquist NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 - President Bush nominated Judge John G. Roberts Jr. today to replace Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, whose death late Saturday opened a second vacancy on the Supreme Court and a new front in the ideological battle over the judiciary. | |
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Justin Gardner: So what do the Democrats say about John Roberts? James Joyner: Bush Nominates Roberts to Replace Chief Justice Rehnquist (NYT) "President Bush nominated Judge John G. Roberts Jr... John Cole: This is interesting: President Bush nominated Judge John G. Roberts Jr. today to replace Chief Justice William H... |
Jack Balkin: The Roberts (Re)Nomination: A Short Term Tactical Ploy JB President Bush's nomination of John Roberts to be Chief... Ezra Klein: Chief Justice Roberts — Bush has tapped Roberts as Rehnquist's successor, making his hearings a combined affair. Taegan Goddard: Bush Nominates Roberts for Chief Justice — President Bush nominated Judge John Roberts to replace Chief Justice William... |
| Also: Armando @DailyKos, Gary Farber, Last Night | |
Bush Nominates Roberts as Chief Justice By / WaPo — Permalink President Bush announced this morning that he will nominate John G. Roberts as the 17th chief justice of the United States. If confirmed, Roberts will replace William H. Rehnquist, who died Saturday from cancer. Roberts clerked for Rehnquist in 1980 when Rehnquist was an associate justice. | |
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Justin Gardner: From the Washington Post: "Although the chief justice has no more votes than his eight brethren, he presides over their... Jo Fish: My one question is, how will Fat Tony and perhaps Curly Pubes Thomas take this? Steve Soto: Bush's surprise this morning, when he shifted gears and put John Roberts up as Chief Justice for the late William Rehnquist is an act of political weakness and a miscalculation. |
Barbara O'Brien: As Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's resignation takes effect only when her replacement is confirmed, the Court would have... McQ: Bush nominates Roberts to fill Chief Justice slot — In a move that has surprised many (myself included), Bush has... Steve Bainbridge: Bumping Roberts Up — President Bush has decided to nominate John Roberts as a replacement for the late Chief Justice... |
| Also: Joe @AmericaBlog | |
Spreading the poison of bigotry By / Chicago Tribune — Permalink BATON ROUGE, La. — They locked down the entrance doors Thursday at the Baton Rouge hotel where I'm staying alongside hundreds of New Orleans residents driven from their homes by Hurricane Katrina. "Because of the riots," the hotel managers explained. | |
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Digby: We Always Worried This Would Happen "Spreading the poison of bigotry BATON ROUGE, La. — They locked down the entrance... Gary Farber: THE VISIBLE SEAM as viewed by Chicago's Howard Witt: [snipped quote] Read The Rest Scale: 0 out of 5. |
Matt Welch: [quote]"By Thursday," the Chicago Tribune's Howard Witt reported, "local TV and radio stations in Baton Rouge ... were breezily...[end quote] |
Celine Dion, Harry Connick slam N. Orleans suffering, as Sean Penn sinks AFP — Permalink LOS ANGELES (AFP) - An emotional Celine Dion rounded on US authorities over their slow rescue effort in hurricane-crippled New Orleans, while actor Sean Penn's personal crusade to save victims took on water. | |
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Guest Blogger: So far, Hurricane Katrina seems to have brought out the best in journalism: dogged perseverance, invaluable on the scene... Clayton Cramer: Sean Penn, good leftist actor, demonstrates his concern for the suffering of New Orleans, and his generally high... |
Blackfive: Instead it's...Pathetic and sad. Glenn Reynolds: LIKE BOB HOPE IN WORLD WAR II, Sean Penn is able to take a devastated nation and make it laugh: [snipped quote] Thanks, Sean! |
Father figure weathers it all to save family By / Oregonian — Permalink HOUSTON — Ronald Miller couldn't sleep. He woke up Saturday, dressed and shuffled out of the small downtown hotel room where eight other members of his family, six of them children, were warm and safe. "We gotta start a whole new life," he said. | |
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TheAnchoress: Read this beautiful - but brutal - story about Rescuer Ronald and read about how big-hearted some ordinary people can be…even in the face of their own grief. Michelle Malkin: Go read about Jabbar Gibson and Ronald Miller and the Rev. Bennie Newton for exemplars of how we all should act in times of crises. |
Dan Darling: Perfect Storm — I haven't been blogging much on Katrina on Winds of Change, in large part because I've been too angry to express myself coherently. |
U.S. Appears to Have Avoided Massive Oil Supply Problems By / NYT — Permalink As Americans began heading home from the Labor Day weekend, gasoline stations today continued to report spot shortages, but the country appeared, at least as of this afternoon, to have avoided the massive supply problems that some had feared. | |
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James Joyner: U.S. Appears to Have Avoided Massive Oil Supply Problems (NYT) [snipped quote] While the damage to our refineries will be... |
Gary Farber: Read The Rest Scale: 3 out of 5. Also: U.S. Appears to Have Avoided Massive Oil Supply Problems. |
After Failures, Government Officials Play Blame Game By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 - As the Bush administration tried to show a more forceful effort to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, government officials on Sunday escalated their criticism and sniping over who was to blame for the problems plaguing the initial response. | |
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ArchPundit: But FEMA did get involved when the State didn't want FEMA to act [snipped quote] It appears that the State and Feds were... Barbara O'Brien: Rescuers find silence. Government officials play blame game. Reporters get emotional. Six-year-old saves baby and five toddlers. Last Night: The NY Times has a devastating article today entitled After Failures, Government Officials Play Blame Game. |
Brendan Nyhan: Failed leadership at FEMA and the White House — This is unconscionable: [L]ocal officials, who still feel overwhelmed... RJ Eskow: he used two new terms over and over yesterday (this times article is one example; the russert interview was another). |
World press: Katrina 'testing US' BBC — Permalink In newspapers across the world, commentators believe Hurricane Katrina marks a profound change in the way the US is perceived at home and abroad. Some speak of the American "myth" being shattered by the poverty and racial divisions which they say the disaster has revealed. | |
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Oliver Kamm: In that respect, though in nothing else concerning this issue, I am at one with the European press, whose expressions of... Gary Farber: INTERNATIONAL VIEWS PRESENTED BY the BBC: [snipped quote] Read The Rest Scale: 0 out of 5. |
Magpie @PacificViews: Katrina from abroad. The BBC has compiled a sampling of world press reaction to the Katrina disaster. |
Bush nominates Roberts as chief justice CNN — Permalink WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Bush on Monday nominated Judge John Roberts to succeed the late William H. Rehnquist as chief justice of the United States. "It is fitting that a great chief justice be followed in office by a person who shared his deep... | |
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Justin Gardner: Let the "fun" begin. (Also, more from CNN and the AP; HT: memeorandum) Barbara O'Brien: Beyond Incompetence — Our take-charge president wasted no time today nominating his boy John Roberts for the position of Chief Justice of the SCOTUS. James Joyner: Update: CNN has an actual story now: Bush nominates Roberts as chief justice "President Bush on Monday nominated Judge... |
RCox: Miles O'Brien interviewed Jeffrey Toobin by phone this morning to discuss the passing of Chief Justice of the United... Ed Brayton: Well That Was Fast — This morning, President Bush nominated John Roberts for the Chief Justice position directly. Jay Tea: Wizbang news flash: Bush to nominate Roberts to Chief Justice spot — Fox News and CNN are both reporting that President... |
| Also: Todd Zywicki | |
Bush Nominates Roberts for Chief Justice By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON — President Bush on Monday nominated John Roberts to succeed William H. Rehnquist as chief justice and called on the Senate to confirm him before the Supreme Court opens its fall term on Oct. 3. Just 50 years old, Roberts could shape the court for decades to come. | |
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John @PowerLine: Roberts Nominated as Chief — President Bush announced just a few minutes ago that he is nominating John Roberts to fill Rehnquist's position as Chief Justice. James Joyner: Update: Bush Nominates Roberts As Chief Justice (AP) "President Bush on Monday nominated John Roberts to succeed... Scared Monkeys: President George W. Bush this morning nominated John Roberts to succeed William H. Rehnquist as chief justice. |
Joe Gandelman: Bush Names Roberts For Next Chief Justice — President George Bush has moved swiftly to name a replacement for the late... Jan Haugland: John Roberts is now nominated to the Chief Justice post, and Sandra Day O'Connor will remain on the job until another replacement is picked. Echidne: Let us be thankful for small mercies. Why so quick? Could it be because: [snipped quote] Maybe. |
Roberts Hearings Likely to Enter Religious Territory By / WaPo — Permalink Faith has factored into previous Supreme Court confirmations, but the John Roberts hearings may be the first to take place on consecrated grounds. Evangelical minister Rob Schenck secretly blessed every piece of furniture in the three Senate hearing rooms where the Judiciary Committee will consider the Roberts nomination. | |
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Betsy Newmark: The Washington Post had an article yesterday, before Bush nominated Roberts for the Chief Justice seat, about how... Michelle Malkin: WaPo analysis declares "Roberts Hearings Likely to Enter Religious Territory." Gary Farber: The WashPo looks at the Christian angle here: "Faith has factored into previous Supreme Court confirmations, but the... |
Ramesh Ponnuru: ROBERTS AND RELIGION — Shailagh Murray reports: "The issue for both sides is not so much what Roberts believes is right or wrong. Taegan Goddard: The Washington Post focuses on the upcoming confirmation hearings, noting "the degree to which Roberts's religious... |
Muslims ransack Christian village By / Jerusalem Post — Permalink Efforts were under way on Sunday to calm the situation in this Christian village east of Ramallah after an attack by hundreds of Muslim men from nearby villages left many houses and vehicles torched. | |
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Scott @PowerLine: Another story missing from the current World Press Review news feed is a classic, this one courtesy of the Jerusalem Post: "Muslims ransack Christian village." Tom Paine: What hideous provocation did the Christians stage to deserve such righteous fury from the Relgion of Peace? Kathryn Jean Lopez: NO HONOR — An "honor killing" is capped off with an attack on a Christian village east of Ramallah. |
Captain Ed: Islamists Conduct Pogrom Against Christians In West Bank — The city of Taiba, long a center for Christians in the West... Andrew Sullivan: RELIGION OF PEACE WATCH: A Christian West Bank town is ransacked by a Muslim mob because of an inter-faith relationship. |
Military Providing Full-Scale Response to Hurricane Relief Effort By / DefenseLINK — Permalink WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2005 - Joint Task Force Katrina is setting up today at Camp Shelby, Miss., as the Defense Department's focal point to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's relief efforts along the Gulf Coast, Air Force Maj. Eric Butterbaugh, a U.S. Northern Command spokesman, confirmed today. | |
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Michelle Pilecki: The military had announced its multi-pronged Joint Task Force Katrina, but the confusion, rumors and frequent... |
Jon Henke: "So why didn't the president issue the orders?" Why didn't Bush issue the orders? Well, here's the thing: he did. |
Fonda will join Galloway's anti-Bush tour By / Washington Times — Permalink LONDON — Jane Fonda will join George Galloway, the most radical member of the British parliament, on a tour of the United States to accuse the Bush administration of spending money on Iraq that should be spent to help the poor of New Orleans. | |
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John Cole: Dumb and Dumber Coming to a town near you: Jane Fonda will join George Galloway, the most radical member of the... Kathryn Jean Lopez: THE CIRCUS IS COMING TO TOWN — WashTimes: [snipped quote] BTW: Nice "W" background there in the Washington Times photo! |
Greg Piper: Jane Fonda to hang with British MP Galloway on U.S. tour — Cross posted at The Smoking Room Jane Fonda, whose antics in... |
Democrats seek increased scrutiny of Roberts By / Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Key Democrats called for greater scrutiny of John Roberts on Monday after President George W. Bush nominated him to head the U.S. Supreme Court rather than be an associate justice. | |
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McQ: UPDATE: As I mentioned and quite predictably: "Key Democrats called for greater scrutiny of John Roberts on Monday... |
Jayson @PoliPundit: Yawn — The media says it wants "more scrutiny" of John Roberts before he becomes Chief Justice of the United States. |