THE BEAT GOES ON...C.Y.A. TIME IN LOUISIANA. #297

In President Bush's final depressed conference, he firmly defended the Federal governments response to Hurricane Katrina. Any objective observer knows that the response at all levels was not stellar. But heh folks...this is GOVERNMENT we're talking about, and it is not designed to work well!

So, in the wake of Bush's defense, the usual suspects down here in Louisiana had to chime in. From Bobby Jindal (who was a New Orleans Congressman at the time...and really one of the few pols to actually physically get in the emergency response mix), to the very competent former Governor Kathleen (BlankCheck) Blanco, and New Orleans Mayor Ray (G.D. Greyhound) Nagin.

I have grace for everybody involved really. We had not seen a disaster like that, at least in my lifetime. And, if those stinkin' levees had held nobody would be pointing fingers to this day. But they did not, and therefore Houston, Atlanta, Jackson, Dallas, and all points north and west had the fine citizens of New Orleans foisted upon them...many for good.

From WWL-TV's story:

Reaction to the president's remarks came swiftly from current Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Former Governor Kathleen Blanco, along with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and U.S. Senator David Vitter.

"I understand he's trying to go out and maybe not have people not focus on that as much, but I think the documentation suggests that the federal government could've done a whole lot better," Mayor Nagin said.

"Too many Americans, watching on TV, couldn't believe that could happen right here in our country," Governor Jindal said. "So, it's obvious to any of us that lived through it that it was not an acceptable response."

"He's absolutely wrong about timeliness, of course," Former Governor Blanco said. "He didn't send the military assistance until the Saturday after the storm, when we needed so much help in those crucial first days."

“On the Friday morning after Katrina, I said publicly that I would grade the initial government response at all levels - local, state, and federal - an F. I stand by that assessment,” said Vitter in a statement.

Gov. Blanco credited state agencies, local law enforcement, volunteers and the Coast Guard for the initial water rescues. In the months following the storm, she added, the state still faced red tape from the federal government.

"I didn't like the idea of having to prove and re-prove every single need," Governor Blanco said, "but I am grateful that help finally came when it did."

"It continues to be slow. We're still struggling with FEMA," Mayor Nagin said. "We only have 40 percent of the dollars that we need to rebuild lots of our buildings.

Waaa...Waaa...Waaa...