Lou Dobbs, Official Organ of the Republican Party

[Zipper]

Just watched Lou on CNN trying to deflect blame to the mayor of New Orleans, the governor and State Legislature.

Is this guy for real?

 

[JPatrick]

Just watched Lou on CNN trying to deflect blame to the mayor of New Orleans,  the governor and State Legislature.

Is this guy for real?

In time that may well prove to be reasonably accurate.  Time will tell.
I doubt if Lou has converted

 

[maddythebeagle]

And you think the state and locals are doing their job? Command and control should have been setup by the state and locals. Pure incompetence.

 

[riskadverse]

Lou Dobbs is well past his prime.  He gets especially funny when he comments on why the markets do what they do.  He is someone who NEEDS to retire.  

 

[BigMoneyJim]

And you think the state and locals are doing their job? Command and control should have been setup by the state and locals. Pure incompetence.

I wouldn't be surprised if an investigation finds local incompetence, but from what I hear several police stations were flooded with the cruisers under water and over half the officers in the city quit the force and deserted the area in dispair. I am under the impression local police and fire services were more or less wiped out with respect to tactical ability.

 

[dory36]

One of the sad photos in the news lately -- hundreds of school busses in New Orleans that COULD have been deployed by the city officials when the evacuation was ordered, but were instead abandoned:

 

[moghopper]

I almost took this seriously until I realized that Zipper is the guy who said

I guess unclemick's chickens are coming home to roost after his comments on my "never build on a floodplain" post from a couple of months back!

 

[Craig]

If you're serious, I think perhaps you're overlooking the true duties of local, state and federal governments. Responsibility for this does start at the bottom.

 

[maddythebeagle]

I think the mayor of NOLA would say that it is FEMA's fault because they should have been driving the buses off before the storm . I dont remember police and fire department quitting in NY after 911?

 

[Craig]

Great point ... this evening they're telling the story on Fox of a great young man who "stole" a school bus, picked up over 70 people, and drove them all to the Astrodome.

An eighteen-year-old, young man named Gibbons, with apparently limited education (based upon his English) was plenty smart enough to figure out what the authorities could not, and brave enough to execute a plan ...


Great point also about 9/11 ... NYC made us proud with their brave response to their losses ... NOLA looks like a third world mess, in a display of a total lack of leadership.

 

[MJ]

This whole lawlessness in NOLA does make you wonder about dependability of some police departments around the country to help protect you and your property when a disaster of this magnitude occurs.
I hope NOLA is the exception although I doubt it. It make me both sad and concerned.

I am "currently" not a gun advocate nor do I play one on TV.

 

[sgeeeee]

Just watched Lou on CNN trying to deflect blame to the mayor of New Orleans,  the governor and State Legislature.

Is this guy for real?

Yes. . . the knee-jerk Republicans begin to circle the wagons to deflect blame from their leader pResident.

"The Story of the Hurricane Cowboy Who Fiddled While New Orleans Drowned
Amanda Lang

Why did Bush vacation - cut wood, clear brush, bike, and read -- for days while the world watched Katrina develop, then slam as a category 4 hurricane into the Gulf Coast? Just as he did on September 11, 2001, he froze. They don't have cable or telephones in Crawford? The unfolding catastrophe has Bush leadership skills, or lack thereof, written all over it. He treats his own citizens with the same contempt and callousness as he does the Iraqi civilians - as "collateral damage." If a category 4 hurricane is not a "bomb" dropping on American soil, what is? Bush remained on vacation one whole day after Katrina hit, WAITING FOR WHAT? The federal government was 'missing in action' and has failed its citizens abysmally. And Congress... where the hell are they? They rushed back to Washington over night for one woman's feeding tube, but can't seem to find the way back for a destructive hurricane that most likely killed thousands. Are these Americans too poor or not expounding the right religion to garner attention the Trade Tower victims received? They all sat and watched this train wreck, now they are screwing up the rescue and salvage, probably busy searching for the 'scapegoat' du jour. Did the Bush administration and Congress want to create a situation where they could declare martial law? Looks like it. New Orleans has become a war zone. Martial law declared. Since when is a policy of "you loot, we shoot" appropriate for people just trying to survive until help arrives? THEY ARE DYING."

 

[xavion]

One of the sad photos in the news lately -- hundreds of school busses in New Orleans that COULD have been deployed by the city officials when the evacuation was ordered, but were instead abandoned:

Sad indeed.  In addition to the 200 or so school buses pictured, there were also at least 350 transit buses that should have been used to evacuate the poor and elderly.  The buses would not have been able to evacuate everybody, but 550 buses is about twenty thousand people that could have been spared this misery. 

Instead of utilizing these resources, the leadership of New Orleans decided to go this route... http://drudgereport.com/flash3kt.htm

I'm curious to see how the venomous Bush/FEMA bashers will reply to this.   I see a few possibilites:  They'll continue to ignore this and just hope it goes away, or the replier will change the subject and rehash the Bush-bashing talking points.

 

[justin]

Just watched Lou on CNN trying to deflect blame to the mayor of New Orleans, the governor and State Legislature.

Is this guy for real?

Are you for real?

The city and state did almost nothing. Then they wonder why nothing got done. Who's responsible for that? Is George Bush responsible for ensuring (insuring) the competency of the elected officials of NO and LA?

I don't know how you do things in Canada, but it must be different than what we do in the U. S. of A. Do you ask your prime minister to wipe your ass in the morning when you get done with your daily visit? Oh noes, I'ves got an emergencies! I crappeded my pantss and I needs more T.P. and some clean undies... Quick prime minister! Where's the federal assistance!!??!!! I am having a severe emergency.

(not making fun of Canadians. )

 

[Zipper]

Well justin, when history looks back on this, in 10, 20, 30 years, Bush is going down as the guy who wasn't up to the job! He's gonna wear this for the rest of his life.

You have to be kidding eh? The greatest natural disaster in the history of the USA, and you are trying to deflect the lack of action to the locals? It should have been quarterbacked from Washington from day 1!

As far as Canadians go, there is one hell of a lot of aid headed to the Gulf!

 

[justin]

Well justin, when history looks back on this, in 10, 20, years or so, Bush is going to still be wearing it!

If we criticize him enough and demonize him enough and keep telling ourselves that Bush caused Katrina to hit New Orleans, then maybe in 10 or 20 years we can brainwash ourselves into believing Bush is at fault for all the damage and loss of life.

 

[Cal]

If we criticize him enough and demonize him enough and keep telling ourselves that Bush caused Katrina to hit New Orleans, then maybe in 10 or 20 years we can brainwash ourselves into believing Bush is at fault for all the damage and loss of life.   

Hey - it worked for Bush - how many times did they say Saddam and 9/11 over and over and now enough smucks actually believe Saddam had something to do with 9/11.

 

[moghopper]

This thread is informative in that it restores my faith in the principle that it isn't just Americans who can be jag bags. I was half convinced that ole zippy doo dah was from Montana or something, but nope... Maple Syrup Guzzler.

Well, at least we haven't been beset by French Canadians Canadiens.

 

[HFWR]

Re: subject of this thread, I thought the media was liberal...

Seems to me that there's plenty of "blame" to go around. If those in positions of responsibility, whether local, state, or national, whether elected, appointed, or civil service, cannot, will not, or are unable to perform said responsibilities, let's find someone who can/will/ is capable.

 

[Brat]

The NOLA incident is a leadership and planning issue.  I have listened to the COE folks (my DD Father was a hydrologist for the COE), they knew that the flood walls wouldn't hold against a level 4 hurricane and that is what broke.  Evidently they didn't put out the alarm.. probably the folks who knew didn't have the authority to scream the alert.  Frankly I don't understand why COE retirees didn't sound the alarm.  For the lack of alarm I blame the Feds. 

Evidently city, Parish and State officials did not know that the flood walls were likely to fail.  While NOLA could have done more to evacuate before the storm they actually did evacuate a high % of the residents.  Obviously all thought that the stadium and convention center shelters would be in use for only the storm's duration and the hospitals were safe, local officials did not plan for the flood.  Once the flood happened they were unable to respond as resources were wiped out too. 

The next level of responsiblity would be Parish and State.  Nearby Parishes were in the same situation as NOLA, too hurt to help. 

Disaster planning should be a State and Federal responsibility that uses local resources as needed.  Although both knew the risk to NOLA neither put in place resources to execute a plan.  The COE should have put out an alarm, FEMA should have had their staff on alert in advance.  The State is a partner in this mess.