NationStates Jolt Archive

After Failures, Government Officials Play Blame Game (http://www.military.com/earlybrief/0,,,00.html)

By SCOTT SHANE
Published: September 5, 2005

This article was reported by Scott Shane, Eric Lipton and Christopher Drew and written by Mr. Shane.

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.

While rescuers were still trying to reach people stranded by the floods, perhaps the only consensus among local, state and federal officials was that the system had failed.

Some federal officials said uncertainty over who was in charge had contributed to delays in providing aid and imposing order, and officials in Louisiana complained that Washington disaster officials had blocked some aid efforts.

Local and state resources were so weakened, said Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary, that in the future federal authorities need to take "more of an upfront role earlier on, when we have these truly ultracatastrophes."

But furious state and local officials insisted that the real problem was that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which Mr. Chertoff's department oversees, failed to deliver urgently needed help and, through incomprehensible red tape, even thwarted others' efforts to help.

"We wanted soldiers, helicopters, food and water," said Denise Bottcher, press secretary for Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Louisiana. "They wanted to negotiate an organizational chart."

Mayor C. Ray Nagin of New Orleans expressed similar frustrations. "We're still fighting over authority," he told reporters on Saturday. "A bunch of people are the boss. The state and federal government are doing a two-step dance."

In one of several such appeals, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat of New York, called on President Bush on Sunday to appoint an independent national commission to examine the relief effort. She also said that she intends to introduce legislation to remove FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security and restore its previous status as an independent agency with cabinet-level status.

Mr. Chertoff tried to deflect the criticism of his department and FEMA by saying there would be time later to decide what went wrong.

"Whatever the criticisms and the after-action report may be about what was right and what was wrong looking back, what would be a horrible tragedy would be to distract ourselves from avoiding further problems because we're spending time talking about problems that have already occurred," he told Tim Russert on "Meet the Press" on NBC.

But local officials, who still feel overwhelmed by the continuing tragedy, demanded accountability and as well as action.

"Why did it happen? Who needs to be fired?" asked Aaron Broussard, president of Jefferson Parish, south of New Orleans.

Far from deferring to state or local officials, FEMA asserted its authority and made things worse, Mr. Broussard complained on "Meet the Press."

When Wal-Mart sent three trailer trucks loaded with water, FEMA officials turned them away, he said. Agency workers prevented the Coast Guard from delivering 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and on Saturday they cut the parish's emergency communications line, leading the sheriff to restore it and post armed guards to protect it from FEMA, Mr. Broussard said.

One sign of the continuing battle over who was in charge was Governor Blanco's refusal to sign an agreement proposed by the White House to share control of National Guard forces with the federal authorities.

Under the White House plan, Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré would oversee both the National Guard and the active duty federal troops, reporting jointly to the president and Ms. Blanco.

"She would lose control when she had been in control from the very beginning," said Ms. Bottcher, the governor's press secretary.

Ms. Bottcher was one of several officials yesterday who said she believed FEMA had interfered with the delivery of aid, including offers from the mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley, and the governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson.

Adam Sharp, a spokesman for Senator Mary L. Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, said the problem was not who was in command. FEMA repeatedly held up assistance that could have been critical, he said.

"FEMA has just been very slow to make these decisions," Mr. Sharp said.

In a clear slap at Mr. Chertoff and the FEMA director, Michael D. Brown, Governor Blanco announced Saturday that she had hired James Lee Witt, the director of FEMA during the Clinton administration, to advise her on the recovery.

Nearly every emergency worker told agonizing stories of communications failures, some of them most likely fatal to victims. Police officers called Senator Landrieu's Washington office because they could not reach commanders on the ground in New Orleans, Mr. Sharp said.

Dr. Ross Judice, chief medical officer for a large ambulance company, recounted how on Tuesday, unable to find out when helicopters would land to pick up critically ill patients at the Superdome, he walked outside and discovered that two helicopters, donated by an oil services company, had been waiting in the parking lot.

Louisiana and New Orleans have received a total of about $750 million in federal emergency and terrorism preparedness grants in the last four years, Homeland Security Department officials said.

Mr. Chertoff said he recognized that the local government's capacity to respond to the disaster was severely compromised by the hurricane and flood.

"What happened here was that essentially, the demolishment of that state and local infrastructure, and I think that really caused the cascading series of breakdowns," he said.

But Mayor Nagin said the root of the breakdown was the failure of the federal government to deliver relief supplies and personnel quickly.

"They kept promising and saying things would happen," he said. "I was getting excited and telling people that. They kept making promises and promises."

*Points finger at Bush* :D

[/joke]

Actually, his cock-up came later, after FEMA and that state governor woman had done theirs.

I really wish people would quit blaming others and start helping others. My grandma always said "be a worker not a whiner".

My grandma always said "be a worker not a whiner".
I'm sure Stalin would have approved. :D

Sorry, couldn't resist capitalising 'Worker'.

I've been reading that relief workers are desperate for all kinds of supplies but FEMA is constantly turning away help. I see that FEMA really has peoples best interests in mind. :rolleyes:

Eutrusca, has anyone let you know that we want to roast you, and if not, do you care? We're roasting Tink, Melkor, and hopefully you on another forum to allow for maximum vulgarity.

Don't you know? Wal-mart is to blame with its suppression of the proletariat!

Did you really expect a government official to come out and say "yea, I fucked up."? I mean whether it was Bush himself, or the governor, or some guy in FEMA that the majority of skrewups came from, they're not going to admit it. I mean that's far too honest and transparant.

You know, I swear on my life that if an official came out and said - "yea, I and Persons X Y and Z dropped the ball. We're sorry and for what it's worth, we're going to make amends to the best of our ability," I would vote to keep that guy in office, just because he's at least honest.

Eutrusca, has anyone let you know that we want to roast you, and if not, do you care? We're roasting Tink, Melkor, and hopefully you on another forum to allow for maximum vulgarity.

How come nobody wants to roast me? :(

Well Eut your beloved leader does pull some crap.

My mother-in-law saw a news blip where they were talking to a guy driving a rig with water supplies. They held him up for a couple days so there could be a nice convoy for the shrub could have a political op.

In one of several such appeals, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat of New York, called on President Bush on Sunday to appoint an independent national commission to examine the relief effort.



Great, another fucking waste of time...

Go Hilary! Go waste more of our taxpayer dollars to find 'folly', when you and all of your compatriots (conservative and liberal) in the government are our true 'folly'.

Hilary seems to like creating commissions to investigate shit. Annoying as hell.

At least this investigation is more significant than whether or not 5 year olds should play GTA:San Andreas.

Let's face it, the blame comes down to one organization FEMA. They are there so local, state & federal authorities work together and the job gets done without the specific problems that occured at NO.

EDIT: Wrong "there" used.

I'm not surprised at all.

I wish they could have waited just a wee bit longer till the situation actually improves to play the blaime game.

How come nobody wants to roast me? :(

Because you don't match well with wine.

Let's face it, the blame comes down to one organization FEMA. They are there so local, state & federal authorities work together and the job gets done without the specific problems that occured at NO.

EDIT: Wrong "there" used.

Of course, there is also the $10 million that has been asked for and *supposed to* go to NO so that they could attempt to prevent such problems for about 4 years now. It's all been going into Homeland Security instead.

I'm sure Stalin would have approved. :D

Sorry, couldn't resist capitalising 'Worker'.
actually my Grandma was very much a capitalist. She was constantly annoyed by people who whined because they didn't have as much as she did. "why shouldn't I have more if I am commited to working hard and saving?" I agree with her. Sometimes people do need help, but if I am smarter and work harder why should I have to support someone who isn't interested in even trying to help themselves?

sorry to get off topic

I'm certain that if you looked, you could pick nits with the way the state and local governments handled the response to Katrina. But with the Bush administration, especially FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, you don't have to pick nits. The screwups are out there in the bright wide open for everyone to see.

Remember--Bush/Cheney ran on the platform that they could protect you and Kerry/Edwards couldn't. Well, if this is how they respond to a crisis, good luck. Cronies don't make good administrators, and that's all Bush has ever appointed. Elections have consequences, people--remember that at election time, and remember who put this little fiasco together.

A Washington Post-ABC survey found that the president is not seen as the villain the nutcake left is trying to make him out to be, but keep trying.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/pruden.htm

I'm certain that if you looked, you could pick nits with the way the state and local governments handled the response to Katrina. But with the Bush administration, especially FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, you don't have to pick nits. The screwups are out there in the bright wide open for everyone to see.

Remember--Bush/Cheney ran on the platform that they could protect you and Kerry/Edwards couldn't. Well, if this is how they respond to a crisis, good luck. Cronies don't make good administrators, and that's all Bush has ever appointed. Elections have consequences, people--remember that at election time, and remember who put this little fiasco together.
from what I understand the govenor of LA resisted federal help in the begining. She should have asked for federal help in the begining or even before the storm. asked for help getting NO evacuated. Just think all the people who had no way out on busses before Katrina made land fall instead of still waiting for help because now that it is flooded access is a nightmare.

from what I understand the govenor of LA resisted federal help in the begining. She should have asked for federal help in the begining or even before the storm. asked for help getting NO evacuated. Just think all the people who had no way out on busses before Katrina made land fall instead of still waiting for help because now that it is flooded access is a nightmare.Ray Nagin, the mayor, ordered a "mandatory" evacuation a day late, but kept the city's 2,000 school buses parked and locked in neat rows when there was still time to take the refugees to higher ground. The bright-yellow buses sit ruined now in four feet of dirty water. Then the governor, Kathleen Blanco, resisted early pleas to declare martial law, and her dithering opened the way for looters, rapists and killers to make New Orleans an unholy hell. Gov. Haley Barbour did not hesitate in neighboring Mississippi, and looters, rapists and killers have not turned the streets of Gulfport and Biloxi into killing fields.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/pruden.htm

ANd now the nutjob mayor is blaming the nutjob governor. and claming that he told the president and the governor what to do. What an asshole. He should get the hell out the way and let the competent people run the show.

http://wizbangblog.com/archives/006994.php

Antre_Travarious']Ray Nagin, the mayor, ordered a "mandatory" evacuation a day late, but kept the city's 2,000 school buses parked and locked in neat rows when there was still time to take the refugees to higher ground. The bright-yellow buses sit ruined now in four feet of dirty water. Then the governor, Kathleen Blanco, resisted early pleas to declare martial law, and her dithering opened the way for looters, rapists and killers to make New Orleans an unholy hell. Gov. Haley Barbour did not hesitate in neighboring Mississippi, and looters, rapists and killers have not turned the streets of Gulfport and Biloxi into killing fields.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/pruden.htm
thank you. that was what I was trying to say however your statment is much clearer.

Both of those statements are bullshit, plain and simple. Blanco asked for help from the federal government on the 26th, two days before the storm hit, and Louisiana has no provision for martial law in its constitution. And the busses don't do you much good without somewhere to take the people in them--now, if FEMA had made a few closed military installations available or something, you might have more of a gripe with Nagin.

Now as I said, it's certainly possible to find fault with Nagin and Blanco--I'm not saying they did everything right--but the widespread incompetence is far more apparent on the federal level than on the state and local level.

And now Bush is saying he will lead the inquiry (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4220246.stm). Surely he should put an independent crony in charge?

Both of those statements are bullshit, plain and simple. Blanco asked for help from the federal government on the 26th, two days before the storm hit, and Louisiana has no provision for martial law in its constitution. And the busses don't do you much good without somewhere to take the people in them--now, if FEMA had made a few closed military installations available or something, you might have more of a gripe with Nagin.

Now as I said, it's certainly possible to find fault with Nagin and Blanco--I'm not saying they did everything right--but the widespread incompetence is far more apparent on the federal level than on the state and local level.
really? I have to disagree. I happen to be from a state that sustains multiple natural disasters (though not one on this scale) and has withstanded a terrorist attack. My first reaction to the suffering in New Orleans was that the local government needed a better plan. FEMA never showed up same day here, but we didnt' have looting, killing, ect. Heck we didn't even have to wait for help. The people just started working on what needed to be done. I Know that things are different there, but if you live in a place that it is even remotley possible for there to be a natural disaster it is your responsiblility to be prepared. The local government in LA weren't paying attention and weren't thinking of the best course for thier citizens.

Both of those statements are bullshit, plain and simple. Blanco asked for help from the federal government on the 26th, two days before the storm hit, and Louisiana has no provision for martial law in its constitution. And the busses don't do you much good without somewhere to take the people in them--now, if FEMA had made a few closed military installations available or something, you might have more of a gripe with Nagin.

Now as I said, it's certainly possible to find fault with Nagin and Blanco--I'm not saying they did everything right--but the widespread incompetence is far more apparent on the federal level than on the state and local level.
Whatever, calling the statements bullshit because you are a partisan leftist and hate the Bush administration is pathetic.

Obviously, you know better than the author of the cited article, so maybe you should call him up and demand a retraction.

It's all the far-left Democrats' fault!

It's all the far-left Democrats' fault!

No! It's the far-right Democtrats' fault!!

really? I have to disagree. I happen to be from a state that sustains multiple natural disasters (though not one on this scale) and has withstanded a terrorist attack. My first reaction to the suffering in New Orleans was that the local government needed a better plan. FEMA never showed up same day here, but we didnt' have looting, killing, ect. Heck we didn't even have to wait for help. The people just started working on what needed to be done. I Know that things are different there, but if you live in a place that it is even remotley possible for there to be a natural disaster it is your responsiblility to be prepared. The local government in LA weren't paying attention and weren't thinking of the best course for thier citizens.
I don't think you can even begin to imagine the kind of widespread damage this storm caused--it was phenomenal. Also, you have to remember that the chaos didn't start for a couple of days--the looting that took place early was for food and other necessities. The armed gangs didn't take to the street until it was obvious that the police were outmanned and that the Guard and other military reinforcements weren't going to be coming right away. The city did the best it could with what it had to work with, and it obviously wasn't enough.

But why weren't there military assets ready to move in as soon as the storm passed? The state asked for help 2 days before the storm hit--New Mexico offered to send Guard units on the 28th and they got held up by federal paperwork. And that type of story gets retold over and over again--Louisiana officials knew this was going to be bad and that they weren't going to be handle it and yet the feds let it all go to hell rather than moving quickly.

But it's not the feds in general--Northern Command had assets in place and only needed to be given the go-ahead to put them into action, and they never received the orders. They had the Navy ship Bataan in the Gulf following the hurricane ready to assist, and it sat anchored out there for days because they didn't have orders. And who was supposed to give tose orders? FEMA and DHS and Bush.

That's where the majority of the blame lies.

And Stinky Head Cheese--if your remark was directed at me, as I'm fairly sure it was given your history, save it. You're on the old ignore list.

And Stinky Head Cheese--if your remark was directed at me, as I'm fairly sure it was given your history, save it. You're on the old ignore list.
Great, revel in your cowardice and pathetic partisanship.

I don't think you can even begin to imagine the kind of widespread damage this storm caused--it was phenomenal. Also, you have to remember that the chaos didn't start for a couple of days--the looting that took place early was for food and other necessities. The armed gangs didn't take to the street until it was obvious that the police were outmanned and that the Guard and other military reinforcements weren't going to be coming right away. The city did the best it could with what it had to work with, and it obviously wasn't enough.

But why weren't there military assets ready to move in as soon as the storm passed? The state asked for help 2 days before the storm hit--New Mexico offered to send Guard units on the 28th and they got held up by federal paperwork. And that type of story gets retold over and over again--Louisiana officials knew this was going to be bad and that they weren't going to be handle it and yet the feds let it all go to hell rather than moving quickly.

But it's not the feds in general--Northern Command had assets in place and only needed to be given the go-ahead to put them into action, and they never received the orders. They had the Navy ship Bataan in the Gulf following the hurricane ready to assist, and it sat anchored out there for days because they didn't have orders. And who was supposed to give tose orders? FEMA and DHS and Bush.

That's where the majority of the blame lies.

my point is that they should have been prepared with necessities. and no sometimes the local government isn't able to help everyone and no the federal government didn't show up right away, they were blocked by the govenor of LA.
This entire discussion is reminding me of what happens when the government does anything, if they would have rushed in against the govenors wishes and declared marshall law (and that is what should have happened) you would all be throwing a fit about "Bush's cowboy mentality"
The local government screwed up.

btw I did say that the disasters I have lived through were not on this scale but that in general you should be prepared.
I have lived through 6 tornados F3 and F4 and one F5 and too many to count that where less. I have lived through floods that reached 20 ft deep, and storms that caused power outages for millions and a tree through my living room and a car on top of it. so don't tell me that I don't know suffering and widespread damage. I have seen entire cities blown away, I have lost everything 3 times and have had relatives who have seen worse.

Well the mayor is pointing fingers at the governor, and the governor is (of course) pointing fingers at Bush, when the governor refused the Federal governments help.

What a joke. Just help the goddamn people, please.

Great, revel in your cowardice and pathetic partisanship.

Hello pot; meet kettle.

Welcome to the ignore list as well....

Most of the criticism has been about the government reaction after the storm. I suggest that Mayor Nagin failed in not being prepared for the evacuees of the storm. Preparation is worth more than relief.

He forgot to go shopping - insufficient water and food for people in shelters he designated. Insufficient security. No generators. That's why the Superdome and other shelters had to be evacuated.

It's called being prepared. If NO had been properly prepared and bussed its citizens to shelter, the speed of federal relief wouldn't even be in question.

Antre_Travarious']Well the mayor is pointing fingers at the governor, and the governor is (of course) pointing fingers at Bush, when the governor refused the Federal governments help.

What a joke. Just help the goddamn people, please.
No, what the governor refused was turning over complete control of the state to the federal government--there's a hell of a difference. Blanco has a responsibility to her citizens to continue her position of authority and not cede all control to the feds, and considering the bangup job the feds have already done, that's not a bad idea in my book.

And Stinky Head Cheese--if your remark was directed at me, as I'm fairly sure it was given your history, save it. You're on the old ignore list.

Hello pot; meet kettle.

Welcome to the ignore list as well....

Well, arn't you two just holier than thou. This is a debate forum, not an exclusive club of those who think that Bush stole the election. :rolleyes:

No, what the governor refused was turning over complete control of the state to the federal government--there's a hell of a difference. Blanco has a responsibility to her citizens to continue her position of authority and not cede all control to the feds, and considering the bangup job the feds have already done, that's not a bad idea in my book.
well considering the bang up job that Blanco has done. ( hundreds of thousands of people still in a city that had a "manditory evacuation" and a shelter that didn't have supplies or manpower to deal with a disaster, where would you suppose that the help would come from if not from the FED government?

I do have to ask though, what exactly are you doing to help?

Eutrusca, has anyone let you know that we want to roast you, and if not, do you care? We're roasting Tink, Melkor, and hopefully you on another forum to allow for maximum vulgarity.

I'd prefer to be battered and deep fried. :)

I really wish people would quit blaming others and start helping others. My grandma always said "be a worker not a whiner".

Bravo. Well, said. Always time to lay blame later.

Antre_Travarious']Well, arn't you two just holier than thou. This is a debate forum, not an exclusive club of those who think that Bush stole the election. :rolleyes:

You're right this is a debate forum- and the election and whether Bush stole it or not, wasn't brought into it until you. What did you add to this argument by saying that?

Nothing.

Its a bit too early to tell where the fault really lies- but wasn't it FDR that said :
The buck stops here.

(maybe not FDR but you know what i mean :p )

You're right this is a debate forum- and the election and whether Bush stole it or not, wasn't brought into it until you. What did you add to this argument by saying that?

Nothing.

Its a bit too early to tell where the fault really lies- but wasn't it FDR that said :
The buck stops here.

(maybe not FDR but you know what i mean :p )

for the record, Bush stole neither election

2000 - Gore tried to steal it, getting the Fla Sup Court to overturn Florida election law and allow the recount to continue well past its statute-mandated deadline.

2004 - Bush won quite comfortably.

...leave it to the Dems to lose sans dignity.

hehe (half-serious post)

...and it was Truman who said "The buck stops here."

(i don't agree with him... there's no way the president can control everything, nor should he)

Antre_Travarious']Well, arn't you two just holier than thou. This is a debate forum, not an exclusive club of those who think that Bush stole the election. :rolleyes:
And if you can't see that Stinky Head Cheese's comment were nothing more than flamebaiting, you have to understand that flamewars are not proper debating.

The ignore list is your friend. It helps you to keep a civil tone, it lowers stress and it keeps debate from degenerating.

I'm sure that if someone on my ignore list says something worth debating, it will be quoted by another poster for me to see. That is the purpose of the ignore list: ignoring those you deem not worth the bother. And Stinky Head Cheese is definitively not worth my time.

Great, revel in your cowardice and pathetic partisanship.
Ummm, unlike the voice of political moderation and ideological centrism that is the Stinky Head Cheese, right?

...and it was Truman who said "The buck stops here."

(i don't agree with him... there's no way the president can control everything, nor should he)

Truman! Rats... :p

That saying just means that the inevitable responsibility ends with the boss/C-in-Chief/President. One cannot shift the blame any further way up. I tend to agree- the ultimate responsibility falls to the man in charge.

Antre_Travarious']Well, arn't you two just holier than thou. This is a debate forum, not an exclusive club of those who think that Bush stole the election. :rolleyes:


Wow and you comment on something that you know nothing about. :rolleyes:

Debate is something SHC does not......