I am so sick of watching the media portray Bush as the reason aid was delayed into the NO area. Bush said he was "ready to move" and Gov. Blanco stonewalled Bush and said she needed 24 hours to make a decision. Nagin said it himself in this interview (transcript and video below).


Link to video interview---see 1:35 seconds timestamp into interview


Mayor Nagin Praises Bush, Blames Gov. Blanco For Failures in New Orleans
9/05/05

In a harried, fast-moving interview with CNN’s Soledad O’Brien this morning, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin had many words of praise for President Bush, while pointing much blame at Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco:

Nagin>> I got promises too.  I can't stand any more promises. I don't want to hear any more promises. I want to see stuff done. That's why I'm so happy the president came down here because I think they were feeding him a line of bull also. They were telling him things weren’t as bad as it was, he came down and saw it and he put a general on the field. His name is general Honore. When he hit the field, we started to see action. What the state was doing, I don't friggin' know but I tell you, I am pissed. It wasn't adequate. The president and the governor sat down. Air force one, I said, Mr. President, Madam governor, you two have to get in sync. If you don't get in sync, more people are going to die.

O’Brien>> What date was this?

N>> I don't know.

O>> When did you say that?

N>> Whenever air force one was here.

O>> Okay.

N>> And this is after I called him on the telephone two days earlier. And I said, Mr. President, madam governor, you two need to get together on the same page because the lack of coordination people are dying in my city.

That's two days ago? Easement I don't know the exact date. They both shook their head, said yeah. I said great. I said everybody in this room is getting ready to leave. There was senators and his cabinet people, you name it, they were there. Generals. I said everybody right now, we're leaving. These two people need to sit in a room together and make a doggone decision right now.

O>> Was that done?

N>> The president looked at me. I think he was a little surprised. He said, no, you guys stay here. We're going to another section of the plane and we're going to make a decision. He called me in that office after that and he said, Mr. Mayor, I offered two options to the governor. I said -- I don't remember exactly what -- two options. I was ready to move today. The governor said she needed 24 hours to make a decision.

O>> You told me the president told you the governor said she needed 24 hours to make a decision?

N>> Yes.

O>> Regarding what? Bringing troops?

N>> Whatever they had discussed. As far as what the -- I was advocating a clear chain of command. So that we could get resources flowing in the right places.

O>> The governor said no?

N>> She said she needed 24 hours to make a decision. It would have been great if we could of left air force one, walked outside, and told the world that we had this all worked out. It didn't happen. And more people died.

Someone is going to end up with a lot of egg on their face.

They are turning on each other -- as is typical in this type of thing. Nagin is going to try to do whatever it takes to save his own skin now.

Isn't it amazing how libbies criticize Bush for being too pushy and assertive (which he isn't...) and then criticize him for not being that in the middle of this hurricane?

What was Bush supposed to do? Roll troops down there to evacuate everyone by force without the cooperation of the local and state authorities?

As soon as he would have, they would have been screaming bloody murder about how unconstitutional of an evil tyrant he was for overstepping local authority.

Quoted: Nagin is going to try to do whatever it takes to save his own skin now.

He is siding with the President. When in CYA
mode, glom onto the most powerful player.

Quoted: Quoted: Someone is going to end up with a lot of eggs Benedict on their face. This is New Orleans we're talking about. Or, possibly, eggs Hussarde...but never, ever...just eggs. Eric The(BrenennsForBreakfast)Hun

Sadly... no Banana's Foster for a while, huh?

So the message is that Nagin doesn't know anything about anything?

Got some bad news for ya Ray....  you aint walking away from thousands of dead people clean as a whistle yourself bud.   Blanco is going take a hit and you are going to take sledgehammer to the forehead.

Quoted: Got some bad news for ya Ray....  you aint walking away from thousands of dead people clean as a whistle yourself bud.   Blanco is going take a hit and you are going to take sledgehammer to the forehead.

I hope so. But I'll wait and see.

Nagin is the kind of slimy weasel turd that would go so far as to even change parties to try and save his own neck.

Quoted: So the message is that Nagin doesn't know anything about anythingnuthin 'bout nuthin?

fixed it for ya.

Sounds like the spin the dems put on this thing is starting to fall apart under it's own weight.

The blame everything on Bush defense is falling apart.

CRC

Quoted:He is siding with the President. When in CYA mode, glom onto the most powerful player.

Basically.

I think both Nagin and Blanco are finished politically.  Not just for their failure to prepare but because their voter base has been either drowned or shipped to the far corners of the USA.

GunLvr

i heard that Blanco and her cronies in control of the levee committee spent all the money and resources they got on private jets and things for themselves...not to mention the fact bush told her he could take control of the city and she failed to act..then she blames it on him...i have a feeling bush knew what the situation in NOLA was going to deteriorate to, and he wanted to prevent it or at least help in any way he could...Blanco is a lying beeitch re-tard...i hope her carrer is destroyed and she becomes a social pariah, eventually killing herself for all of the blame and tragedy she has passed off on bush to save her own ass...worthless, just worthless

Nagin is as much to blame as the governor

tag

Quoted: i heard that Blanco and her cronies in control of the levee committee spent all the money and resources they got on private jets and things for themselves...not to mention the fact bush told her he could take control of the city and she failed to act..then she blames it on him...i have a feeling bush knew what the situation in NOLA was going to deteriorate to, and he wanted to prevent it or at least help in any way he could...Blanco is a lying beeitch re-tard...i hope her carrer is destroyed and she becomes a social pariah, eventually killing herself for all of the blame and tragedy she has passed off on bush to save her own ass...worthless, just worthless

Does anyone have something to back this?  I've done some searching but come up empty.

tay-ugg!

thx for the link.  I just emailed it to all the people in my address list.

tag

Quoted: Quoted: Got some bad news for ya Ray....  you aint walking away from thousands of dead people clean as a whistle yourself bud.   Blanco is going take a hit and you are going to take sledgehammer to the forehead. I hope so. But I'll wait and see.

Ooh,  I'd pay a dollar to see that.

Does anyone have something to back this? I've done some searching but come up empty.



Assuming that the levees are the responsibility of the US Army Corps of Engineers (As a lot of pre-hurricane documents appear to indicate), it would seem to me that the budget for that would come from the Dept of Defense and not go through State hands at all.

NTM

dumb ass was just on foxnews, probably taped from earlier talking shit about "those who are trying to shift blame"
he needs to look in a mirror

Quoted: Does anyone have something to back this? I've done some searching but come up empty. Assuming that the levees are the responsibility of the US Army Corps of Engineers (As a lot of pre-hurricane documents appear to indicate), it would seem to me that the budget for that would come from the Dept of Defense and not go through State hands at all. NTM

AFAIK the levee(s) that failed were not the responsibility of the US Army Corps of Engineers. I believe they were under control of the Board of Commissioners of the Orleans Levee District.

www.legis.state.la.us/boards/board_members.asp?board=211

Orleans Levee District, Board of Levee Commissioners

6 members appointed by the Governor; must be qualified electors of Orleans Parish. Mayor of New Orleans or his designee and 1 other member of N.O. City Council, appointed by Mayor, serves Ex-Officio.

Quoted: dumb ass was just on foxnews, probably taped from earlier talking shit about "those who are trying to shift blame" he needs to look in a mirror

I don't see how either Blanco or Nagin could look at themselves in the mirror. They were the ones that had the primary responsibility for hurricane planning and evacuation. They both failed miserably. If they had a plan they sure didn't execute it.

Quoted: Quoted: dumb ass was just on foxnews, probably taped from earlier talking shit about "those who are trying to shift blame" he needs to look in a mirror I don't see how either Blanco or Nagin could look at themselves in the mirror. They were the ones that had the primary responsibility for hurricane planning and evacuation. They both failed miserably. If they had a plan they sure didn't execute it.

Sure they did, perfect execution, they had everyone that needed shelter from the hurricane to go to the SuperDome with 3 days worth of food and water, and wait. Well the people show up with just the clothes on their backs and nothing else. The city/state had zero people to keep order there, and people were murdered, raped, and beatend. So next time they need to be a little more planning and forethought.

Quoted: Someone is going to end up with a lot of egg on their  HER face.

Mayor Nagin will slide, he is elected by the people who will never fault him.  But Blanco?  That name ALONE will get her slammed.

Some one like Lee P. Brown will rise to face her in the next gubernatorial election.  Mark my word...he will get the ghetto welfare queen vote.

But the rest of the State?  I doubt they will vote for Blanco.  Ever.

Quoted: Quoted: Someone is going to end up with a lot of egg on their  HER face. Mayor Nagin will slide, he is elected by the people who will never fault him.  But Blanco?  That name ALONE will get her slammed. Some one like Lee P. Brown will rise to face her in the next gubernatorial election.  Mark my word...he will get the ghetto welfare queen vote. But the rest of the State?  I doubt they will vote for Blanco.  Ever.

Uh-Huh

It looks as if under the law ONLY the Governor had the powers to fully execute the NO evacuation plan and she simply did not. AND she continued to put her political position over the recovery effort after the fact.

Quoted: Sure they did, perfect execution, they had everyone that needed shelter from the hurricane to go to the SuperDome with 3 days worth of food and water, and wait. Well the people show up with just the clothes on their backs and nothing else. The city/state had zero people to keep order there, and people were murdered, raped, and beatend. So next time they need to be a little more planning and forethought.

The SuperDome was never designed as a hurricane shelter and was only used as a last resort along with the convention center. If the State and City had a proper evacuation plan there would not have been a need for anyone to have been located at either the dome or the convention center. Had Katrina hit New Orleans directly instead of just a glancing blow the SuperDome roof system would have failed completely instead of only partially.

The city made absolutely no preparations to use the SuperDome in the days prior to Katrina. It had no food, water and extremely limited emergency electrical power which failed almost immediately after the power went off. Where were the NOPD security details that should have been assigned to the dome and convention center?

Nagin and his administration spent more time planning for Mardi Gras then for Katrina. There are no "do-overs" in disaster planning and execution when the disaster becomes a reality.



 

tag

ok, so basicaly we have learned.
1. Bush hates blacks
2. Bush had a hurricane machine
3. Bush halted aid to kill blacks
4. Bush cut funds to beef up the levee where it failed
5. Bush told all the idiots not to evac New Orleans Lake Darwin
6. Bush started the riots
7. Bush started storm with his environmental policies

did i miss anything?

Quoted: Quoted: Someone is going to end up with a lot of egg on their  HER face. Mayor Nagin will slide, he is elected by the people who will never fault him.  But Blanco?  That name ALONE will get her slammed.

Benny Blanco, from the Bronx.

Ahh, once again the Democrats will fall on themselves.

Even the best troops will break when they have ineffective/piss poor leadership and no supplies. Remember the American debacle in the opening days of the Korean Conflict? Tell me the difference between that situation and being a NOLA cop that has their weapon+ammo taken away from them in such a situation?

Would you as a member of the 103rd Chairborne go into a situation with no weapon+no ammo? Even if you were to be given the much coveted 'Blackwater Operations' cap???

Even mediocre troops will do incredible things when well led; just that these cops did not have this.

My 2¢,

wganz
¶

Quoted: The SuperDome was never designed as a hurricane shelter and was only used as a last resort along with the convention center. If the State and City had a proper evacuation plan there would not have been a need for anyone to have been located at either the dome or the convention center. Had Katrina hit New Orleans directly instead of just a glancing blow the SuperDome roof system would have failed completely instead of only partially.

The city and state had a proper evacuation plan.  They completely ignored it.  Also, reported on WOAI San Antonio, NOAA contacted the state on Friday asking for mandatory evacuation following the destruction of one of its buoys 200 miles offshore.  Apparently, it was recording 68 foot waves prior to destruction.  The Governor and Mayor "took it under advisement."

The levee board of New Orleans has been heavily involved in the construction of the infrastructure for riverboat casinos (barges tied up to the levee with casinos on them - they are not intended to actually move under their own power) and a marina.  I'm not sure the last time they actually spent any money on the levees in and of themselves.

I wonder if either of these two will still be alive at years end.