Talk:George W. Bush: Hurricane Katrina

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Jon Stewart's Daily Show

If you haven't seen recent episodes, it might be a good idea now. Stewart even has a Bush timeline segment.

Photo-Sh-Ops

Babs

"Barbara Bush: Things Working Out 'Very Well' for Poor Evacuees from New Orleans"
 Editor and Publisher, September 05, 2005

"Almost everyone I’ve talked to says
we're going to move to Houston. What
I’m hearing which is sort of scary is
they all want to stay in Texas.
Everyone is so overwhelmed
by the hospitality. And so
many of the people in the arena here,
you know, were underprivileged anyway,
so this--this (she chuckles slightly)
is working very well for them."
--Babs Bush

NEW YORK Accompanying her husband, former President George H.W.Bush, on a tour of hurricane relief centers in Houston, Barbara Bush said today, referring to the poor who had lost everything back home and evacuated, "This is working very well for them."

The former First Lady's remarks were aired this evening on National Public Radio's "Marketplace" program.

She was part of a group in Houston today at the Astrodome that included her husband and former President Bill Clinton, who were chosen by her son, the current president, to head fundraising efforts for the recovery. Sen. Hilary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama were also present.

In a segment at the top of the show on the surge of evacuees to the Texas city, Barbara Bush said: "Almost everyone I’ve talked to says we're going to move to Houston."

Then she added: "What I’m hearing which is sort of scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality.

"And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this--this (she chuckles slightly) is working very well for them."

--Hugh Manatee 06:24, 6 Sep 2005 (EDT)

More on Babs

Quote Texas Observer, November 3, 2000: "...Governor Bush talks like his father, who was equally prone to malapropisms and non sequiturs, but he thinks like his mother, whom Nixon admired because, he reportedly said, 'she knows how to hate.' Which is a way of saying that George W. believes grudges should be transgenerational and involve corruption of blood and children avenging the wrongs visited on their parents...."

Artificial Intelligence 07:24, 7 Sep 2005 (EDT)

Bush's Anti 9/11

Time magazine's Matthew Cooper noted that Hurricane Katrina was George W. Bush's anti-9/11 in more ways than one:

"But last week offered no New York bullhorn moment. He can't threaten to get Katrina 'dead or alive.'"

Commentary removed from article

I've deleted the following first-person, unsourced commentary from the article. Since it is unreferenced and written in the first person, it does not conform to Sourcewatch editorial standards. Whoever added the commentary also deleted a paragraph that had references, so I've reinstated that.--Sheldon Rampton 12:10, 1 August 2008 (EDT)

First off, let me say that it is the states job, not the federal government's, to respond first to a natural disaster. When the natural disaster Katrina hit New Orleans, where was the governor? Ther governor was no where to be seen. The national guard was not activated for days after the initial strike of the hurricane. Also, my state along with three others offered our national guard soldiers to help in the efforts of evacuation and relief. They were not called up. And the bad thing is, the other states were the ones that initiated the request, not the governor of LA. The federal government did not receive a request for declaration for days after Katrina. Due to an act imposed by congress, the President of the united states is not allowed to go into a state with soldiers or massive aide without the request of the states executive branch, unless certain documents are created, including plans and goals for going in. The states have fought the feds time and time again to stop interfering with state affairs. The state had plenty of time and resources before asking for help, yet they did not use or ask for nearly enough. Plenty of warning was given, but the state did not give a mandatory evacuation. To pin the blame on the President is absurd and ignorant of the laws of this country and the responsibilities of the state legislative. The President should not be the one to blame, nor should he have accepted blame. Why werent my states national guard and Texas' national guard called up before the hurricane? They were offered. The state executive branch has the power and responsibility to react in certian ways. Place blame on the governor and mayors, not the persident.
As far as the president sending in national guard soldiers, the president is not allowed to order national guard solders unless they are federalized, which in that case, they are not allowed to obtain a status of law enforcement within the borders of the United States. Because of this, President Bush tried to change the law, allowing quicker access through the military for natural disasters. Congress denied it. The said that the ability for the President to use the federal army as law enforcement would undermine the law enforcement abilities of the state and the state's authority.
Only when the state requests that the federal government take the role of the state's executive branch can the federal government assume control and do what needs to be done bring relief. Since the requests were not made, the federal government can and should not be held to blame for an incompetent mayor and governor.
Whoever wrote this article can hate President Bush all they like, but to put out lies to misdirect people that do not know, thats sad.
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