Mr. David Corn,

Another real good post. You are rockin'.

If irony killed we would all be dead already.

So much that I gag on it daily.

Thanks

Kirk

The only hope for Anerica is that the administration just doesn't do anything, given that they will fail in "the execution". I am praying for the confirmation hearings for Roberts to go on for 2+ years. If only Bush would go out on another social security publicity tour for a year or so, just to beat that dead horse senseless until the '06 midterms, when we might be able to move the house and senate enough to get some impeachment hearings started. The incompetence is proven, they can leave now. peace, jim

911?? what's that??

"until the '06 midterms, when we might be able to move the house and senate"

That is IF the elections are not being rigged. I fear they are and have been. If so I predict the "new" terror attack in August of '06 will be the reason they claim the whole country went for the GOPhers in a landslide. They will call it a mandate and complete vindication of the failed policies that have been such a treat.

capt

What's next?

Contracts for Halliburton.

Medals for Chertoff and Brown.

A Chief Justice of the Supreme Court with two years of experience as a judge.

A wingnut Supreme Court nominee.

The shaft for the American people.

Some things never change!

So Bush isn't so hot on "execution" - a minor flaw, it seems, in Bill Kristol's eyes.

But wait - isn't it called the "Executive Branch?"

Isn't the President the "Chief Executive?"

He was sure hot on execution as the governer of Texas!

Chad

What can I say...

Still no word of Jill's DMAT deployment....

Tum DE Dum Dum, Tum DE Dum...Tum DE Dumdum DE, De DUM, Tumhdadadadum, Tum DE Dum Dum, Tum DE Dum...Tumh, Dedumdum, dum, dum .....DUMB! (boom boom)

Sorry, I forgot linking to another blog was bad ettiquat....etiquit....uhm a NO-No.

-T

"Irony or insult?"

Both. The Bush administration has been one big "fuck you" to America, Iraq, Germany and France, the UN, the poor, the ignorant, the intelligent - shit, the whole fucking world!

I have been harrassing those who voted for Bush lately. I want them to realise they are also responsible for his inaction; the deaths of thousands is on their hands. Their sense of righteousness and moral superiority is to be destroyed. If they go mad in the process, well, so be it.

How do you explain FEMA's abysmal response to Hurricane Katrina only one year after its swift action in the four storms of 2004?

Well, Louisiana isn't Florida. And Kathleen Blanco isn't Jeb Bush.

For the full story on the politics of Bush-era disaster relief, see:

"FEMA: Florida Election Management Agency."

What Chad said!

Hajji,

Ask Jill to keep a journal chronicling the misapplication of resources of which she is aware. This info will be crucial in the mid-term elections.

And this from Kristol in today's Times:
William Kristol, the conservative publisher of The Weekly Standard, said of Mr. Bush: "I do think people think he could have showed stronger leadership." But Mr. Kristol expressed doubt that the hurricane would have much lasting effect on the president's personal and political fortunes, because "people are capable of saying, 'The president kind of screwed this one up, but I still basically agree with him.'"

Mr. Kristol added, "I think the Clinton administration would have done a better job in handling Hurricane Katrina, but I'm also glad Bush is president and not a Democrat."

He obviously prefers tax cutes for the rich over the lives of the poor!

That's TAX CUTS for the rich. Doh!!

CAPTIAN CLUELESS STRIKES AGAIN!!!!!

The seeming definition of our time and our leaders had been their insistence on slashing federal budgets for projects that might've saved New Orleans. The seeming characterization of our government that it was on vacation when the city was lost, and could barely tear itself away from commemorating V.J. Day and watching Monty Python's Flying Circus, to at least pretend to get back to work. The seeming identification of these hapless bureaucrats: their pathetic use of the future tense in terms of relief they could've brought last Monday and Tuesday -- like the President, whose statements have looked like they're being transmitted to us by some kind of four-day tape-delay. Keith Olbermann

"irony or insult?"

Both. First impressions last a lifetime. John Roberts once clerked for the bigot and no doubt learned much from him about how to speak with effective nuance about ones bigotry as well. I believe that he will be confirmed and that Bush will not nominate another Oconnor replacement until he is confirmed. It should make for great theater in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"irony or insult?"

Both. First impressions last a lifetime. John Roberts once clerked for the bigot and no doubt learned much from him about how to speak with effective nuance about ones bigotry as well. I believe that he will be confirmed and that Bush will not nominate another Oconnor replacement until he is confirmed. It should make for great theater in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

It should be noted that federal professional employees, e.g. Veteran Administration doctors, do not need state licenses to practice their profession. Thus there is no legal excuse, as Lawyer Chertoff alluded, for not bringing such people to the areas of need.

Bush: The two big lies.

After 9/11
1. We didn't see it coming.

After 9/1
3. We didn't see it coming.

The crimes of George W. Bush and his administration are almost enough to change my opposition to capital punishment.

How can you Be In Charge, and then in the next breath It's Not My Fault? WTF is going on with this bozo? Well it is only three more years, to put up with his sorry ass, wonder how far down the US can go in that time? Going to be really interesting times.

Here in Houston I'm seeing the overwhelming flow of survivors.

Seriously, I wonder what we pay our taxes for? This admin had 5 years to get the Dept of Homeland Security right, and now, after the effects of a forseeable disaster, they're bungling around behind the scenes looking at who to shift the blame to.

When are the American people going to wake up? The Bush administration doesn't give a damn about the plight of the survivors, aside from the impact this incident could have on their political legacy.

Heck, they can't even BEGIN to relate to their plight, what with Bush and Cheney on vacation, Rice watching a Broadway play last Wednesday (the same person who ignored the PDB about Al Quaeda using planes for terrorist attacks)

The American people should DEMAND an immediate accounting, in light of the present response, as to what our government has been doing post 911 to make security better.

That means holding BOTH the executive and legislative branches to acccount.

Unfortunately, I fear that the proposed commission and the "investigation" by this administration is just going to be a public show and whitewash, in an attempt to buy time and hope the public forgets this latest debacle.

What with all the lies and failures, I'm really surprised that the key figures haven't been taken to task more severely.

Have we as Americans become so complacent?

WTF,

Cognitive dissonance is standard operating procedure on this ship of fools.

Isn't it great to see reporters back to work?

Lets hope they remember how to cover simultaneous stories.

37 million in poverty and 45 million uninsured.

Roberts as Supreme Court Chief. As David would say, 'do you let a law clerk run the supreme court?'

Sheehan's 24 city trip to Washington.

Fitzgeralds investigation into the leaking WH penis.

Not that they don't have the prince of neverland in a strangle hold over this. Robert Swartz link to Olbermann an example, as was David's remarks of Kristol.

There are similarities to the Roberts Appointment and the Grisham novel, The Pelican Brief. The coincidence of this lifetime appointment at the moment that New Orleans is under siege is troubling. There are no coincidences with the Bush Administration. The precedent for the appointment to Chief Justice of a jurist with such brief experience as an appeals court judge, and none prior to that also lends to the intrigue. The Senate has an obligation to put this man under the microscope. Should our highest court to be led by an advocate of the last three Republican presidencies, and with the apparent conflict of having ruled in favor of Bush at the appeals court level at the same time Bush was courting him for a vacancy not yet created. The illusion is that of quid pro quo. What then, is the deception?

I'm posting this site again because this really concerns me. It is about the marshal law that is occuring now in New Orleans. The survivors are being treated like criminals. New Orleans has been taken over by the United States Government. Look at the picture in this article. It looks like war.
The message I get from this article and the actions of my government is that, not only does the Bush administration not care about the people they are afraid of them. The Bush administration is afraid of the poor.

And by the way, whoever writes the Bush administration's cue cards needs to be fired. How can so many stupid statements come out of their mouths? Don't answer that. It is abysmal. How could we know? We didn't know. That's it. Rove needs to be fired.

Bush to lead inquiry into Katrina

US President George W Bush says he will lead an investigation into how the Hurricane Katrina disaster was handled.
"I'm going to find out over time what went right and what went wrong," he said in reply to criticism that the authorities were too slow to respond.

The US Senate is to hold two inquiries of its own into the disaster which hit the Gulf Coast and New Orleans.

Officials in New Orleans have urged its last residents to leave the swamped city, saying it is now uninhabitable.

The city's Times-Picayune newspaper has demanded the sacking of top officials at the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema).

One allegation levelled at Fema is that at the height of the crisis it turned away water and diesel because of bureaucracy.

*****end of clip*****

OM effin G!

Talk about irony killing? I am absolutely apoplectic.

The cause of the biggest screw ups is going to investigate and convict himself? When Donkey fly. .

Is it just me or is this WAY too much?

I investigate myself many times and have never disagreed with much of anything I have done or said. Jeeze, who on the planet could believe this sh*t!

capt

All of this and with Osama Been Forgotten waiting in the wings, must be laughing his ass off at the bungler in chief. Hell he could throw spitballs and bring this country to it's knees. Or better send the bozo in the white house a bag of pretzels and let him take himself out.

It comes as no surprise that the Bush Administration's response to the annihilation of New Orleans is an utter cock-up. They live in an ideological fantasy world; some of their BS may work in that world but this is the real world. Bush may have just run into the first item in his presidency that won't respond to the usual treatment of lie after lie after lie until even he believes it.


Earlier this morning I read a piece somewhere that made an interesting point. The tragedy here was caused by or at least contributed to by government ineptness and greed. The writer chided any and all who had tuned out of the political system and placed at least some of the blame on the self-disenfranchised. In other words, if you want better government you have to work for it.


This topic has been troubling for anyone who has ever battled in political trenches. Americans in general are too lazy, disconnected, apathetic, or indifferent to put in the time necessary to shape and control their government. The appalling corruption and lies of the last 4 years wasn't even enough motivation for the Dems to field an electable ticket or the Repubs to shamefully admit that their boy is an ape.


If it turns out that the root cause of X thousands of deaths was levee failure due to insufficient maintenance, will the Bush Administration face any consequences for slashing the budget ($45 million as recently as June)? I'm guessing probably not. Americans may get their backs up if they have to pay $90 for a tank of gas, but Bush will weasel out of any responsibility for NO on a technicality.


Just like he always does.

Wait for W. to realize that he can now use the devastation and cost to re-build as his exit strategy from Iraq.....perfect timing. Here comes the "cut and run" just in time for the 06 elections...so you know the congress will be all over it....Karl Rove is already plotting it out....$3.00 a gallon, its all good for the Bushies...Halliburton will probably win a no bid contract for the reconstruction of New Orleans...
Jonnyboy

I am saying again, they expected civil unrest when the Supreme idiots got involved in the 2000 election.

They have expected wide-spread civil unrest with every bone headed move they have made since.

They do not fear the poor, this is intentional to bring about more civil unrest. They know how to handle insurgents, that is what they want. If they manage to fracture America in two they figure they will come out ahead as the losers in that contest will be the people, the government will survive and flourish (they have the army and the big guns).

I am convinced they are far better prepared for the American insurgency than we are.

I posted a piece where the military are already using the nomenclature of war and terror. It has been so drummed into the heads of our troops that is all they can say.

Bush is going to investigate himself. That really says it all.

We are SO F'ed.

I hope I am wrong but lately I have been wrong because I never really thought it was the worst case scenario I could imagine. Well, it is not, it is FAR worse then I thought.

AAAAEEEEEERRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHH!

capt

A followup to my earlier comments about the screwed up federal government.

Again, being in Houston and seeing the human afteremath, I am also ashamed at the reluctance of the neighboring states to take in the overflow of survivors.

It was only after TX governor Rick Perry went on the air and publicly blasted the governors of the neighboring states for not stepping up to the plate, that the other states began to open their doors. But the response still hasn't been enthusiastic.

That is shameful. As it stands, Houston has the vast majority of the survivors, of all the TX cities.

I'm afraid, beyond the criminal indifference and incompetence of the Bush admin, this tragedy shows an uglier side of the larger American society.

Halliburton has already gotten the contract when the Dutch offered their EXPERT help with below sealevel flood management for FREE~!@%^%^&#%^

I posted it days ago?

capt

Fed up,

Incorrect sir, Bill Richardson had mobilized buses to go south and was rebuffed.

This was before the hurricane hit. He also made an offer of our (Albuquerque) convention center and was told they did not need it, this was like yesterday.

Facts are facts.

I believe Bill was in there first, and Perry is a tool. No hero in that slug.

IMHO

capt

Geof01,

I think the current "reporters" have never known how to report.

It has been since before 2000, five years and all of the "old guys" are gone. The "newsrooms" are run by guys in suits from corporate and profit is the only story they want to hear.

They will squeeze the ratings and drain every penny they can from whatever they do. That will not include anything political that might hurt them or their sponsors.

Not going to happen.

capt

The BBC noted criticism of the government's (i.e. Bush Administration!) slow response -- Lt. Commander Sean Kelly explained that NorthCom was ready to go well in advance of Katrina making landfall, but he suggested the president didn't make the right call at the right time.
________________________________

"Northcom started planning before the storm even hit. We were ready when it hit Florida, because, as you remember, it hit the bottom part of Florida, and then we were planning once it was pointed towards the Gulf Coast.

"So, what we did, we activated what we call 'defense coordinating officers' to work with the states to say, 'OK, what do you think you will need?' And we set up staging bases that could be started.

"We had the USS Bataan sailing almost behind the hurricane so once the hurricane made landfall, its search and rescue helicopters could be available almost immediately So, we had things ready.

"The only caveat is: we have to wait until the president authorizes us to do so. The laws of the United States say that the military can't just act in this fashion; we have to wait for the president to give us permission."
______________________________
More evidence that bush f**ked up and should be held accountable. Can a president be impeached for criminal negligence?

MSM the McMedia is a propaganda vehicle for the rich and elite. It will play whatever entertains them. They will abuse the power as a lark and if people die it is all too real and delicious for them to not play.

What they do is sick and evil and it is always "done" to us.

I have been lied to for the last time with the BS game they played as the election in 2004.

It was a frat prank between two guys from the same club. We should never lose sight of that fact. The whole GD war, terror, fear, fomenting hatred for Gays, Lesbians, baby killers for pity sake.

It is all too predictable. I can read the future, Bush et al are not even trying to lie about it either: It will get worse. That has been the plan all along.

I thought a "plan" was suppose to makes things better?

capt

capt,

I meant my comments in general. Anyway, what you say is news to me. I hadn't heard anything of that in any of the news last week, aside from Texas being the only state taking in the survivors.

If Gov Perry did turn down Richardson's offer, then that was a Stupid A** thing to do, but then again that wouldn't surpise me at all, since he's aligned to the same morons up in Washington.

I heard FEMA turned away shipments of diesel fuel and other essentials. God, this makes me furious!

Our politicians, at the federal, state and local levels should ALL be evaluated, and those who don't cut the mustard should be fired, and possibly be brought up on criminal charges.

Fortunately for him, Bush doesn't have to run again, so he and his father are probably going take to the lecture tours. His father and mother have expressed outrage at the criticism leveled at their son.

The following article deals with Barbara Bush's reaction to the scene of chaos at the Houston Astrodome:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/thenation/20050906/cm_thenation/120080_1

Shouldn't be surprised, since the elder Bush was also faulted for his delayed reaction to Hurricane catastrophe in Florida during his term.

God, how could we put such people in elected office?

hey guys! I haven't posted in a few days so I wanted to hop in for a 'quickee'. I have 5 relatives staying with me so it's a little hectic 'round here. I'm still reading almost everything posted (when I can), so keep up the good work and let's not let them mutha-fkrs get away with the whitewash! Some idiots are writing in to the local paper (Houston) worried about "crime" and "property values", etc... with the influz of all them "refugees". What utter empathy-challenged idiots! I've already gotten a 'talking points' email from one of my 'other side' friends... and it was all made up shyt, for sure! Like the one where Louisianna used the federal dollars for the levees on "cigars" and "whores" instead of repairing infastructure. *see snide remark about "idiots" above
Ok, I'm outtie again, but I'll be back later to read some more. Stay on 'em Capt, Pande, et al!

HI FOLKS!

Good to be back! My ex-wife's peeps went to New Orleans to get her granny and fam last Thursday to bring to Houston and Beaumont/Port Arthur(my kinfolks went there too). Her pops came Sat night to Houston from N.O. ,so all are safe, with some never going home again. My kinfolk also went to Shreveport,Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, and Texas, to D/FW, and Tyler/Longview, probably never to return home, either.

Hey FED UP #23, we have a guy from the Houston Area named ALAN who's a regular poster, and a real,cool cat. I am plenty pissed off, too! We have people gittin' high post hook-ups at FEMA who have no disaster prevention experience(Mike Brown only knows about horses and My Pretty Ponies). All of this godamn pork-barrel spending,Halliburton's $11bil+ hook-up, and the $200bil plus spent on the Iraq War Follies chaps my ass!

The levee situation should've been fixed decades ago with surplus from years past, but it's gone now. Money on BS is bushco's thang.

I just dropped off some food, snacks for the kids,and case of juice at the Wilkinson-Grienes Gym(a Ft.Worth Public Schools basketball gym),that's used as a shelter.

PLEASE HELP!! Every lil' bit helps, and I know that you all have,'cause you are kind people who really give a damn about your fellow man, unlike bushco & his f$%kin' sheep!

May GOD/ALLAH bless all of us who care for others!

Your soul brother #1
bro.tex

The only plan is the plan for the new american century all the rest is just a side show. We are fucked but on the other hand people don't respond well to that kind of stimulus, and if they are as inept in the execution of this plan as they are in all others, there is hope, after all how screwed up can they make it and still have any form of control?

Found this on an art website. I was concerned about the museum. I'm an art lover.
http://www.codart.nl/news/

Hurricane and flood damage to the New Orleans Museum of Art seems to be limited
Hurricane Katrina and the flood that followed took their toll on the cultural riches of New Orleans and the cities in its orbit. However, the major art museum of the city, the New Orleans Museum of Art, seems largely to have been spared so far. Staff members defied the evacuation order to protect the museum holdings. The danger is not abated: the prints and photographs are still vulnerable. From the International Herald Tribune.

The Chicago Tribune reported that a huge assault ship, the USS Bataan, had been deployed in the Gulf of Mexico when the hurricane struck. Despite the fact it had six operating rooms and 600 hospital beds, and was willing to help, FEMA did not use it all week.

Hey CAPT, pops is o.k. and pissed as ever at bushco& his b#$ches. What's up ALAN? Hey, I was in H-Town at the same time that Brother Corn was having technical problems on the website(damn, I missed you again!).To my fellow Texans PANDE,GOOB,and RIFF: I'll say it again,"f#$k Rick Perry". Hey SALADIN: how'ya doin, homegrrrl? Hey JAMES HA ,HAJJI,WTF,CORKY,GERALD,JOSH,MICKI,JONNYBOY,WM.WEXLER,Geof01,DON,JEANNE,ROBT.SCHWARTZ and others!
Keep on postin'! What's our goal? Taking out trolls!

Some of William Kristol's comments stun me. If Kristol even hints that he disagrees with Bush it is huge news. Kristol is one of the real Nazis of the War Party.

Bush is meeting with his cabinet to discuss what went right with Katrina. Nothing went right. It started first with his cuts in funding for NO projects.

Let us look closely at Bush. He is a liar, murderer, war criminal, loves photo-ops, he's a psycho, corrupt, greed, depraved; I will stop there. I could print endlessly about the worst emperor in history and someone who is on par with Hitler.

Things weren't grim enough with bush at the helm - now this reminder of John Roberts' legal history:

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/090605.html

"Roberts & "The Apex of Presidential Power"

Im 57 years old. I remember my profound anger when Nixon sent troops into Cambodia.

Compared to how I feel about Bush and his whole White House, is so far beyond simple anger its not even possible for me to describe.

My father was a decorated vet of two wars, and I never thought Id ever say this, but Im so glad he didn't live to see this Great Country acting as it has throughout this disaster.

As an American, I have never been ashamed of my country for this long, or to this extent.

This is not the same country my dad fought for, not the same at all.

I want my Country BACK!! Right the hell now.

Between this and all the lies building up to the illegal war he has waged GEORGE BUSH NEEDS TO BE IMPEACHED. Him and his whole damn crew.

As I've seen so many failures of our government, esp this gov't, both legislative and executive, I can't help but think that those who founded the country would probably be rolling in their graves.

Heck, they had a revolution for a LOT LESS than what we put up with today.

Not to say that I'm advocating a violent overthrow of the gov't, though with the way things are headed, the unimaginable may just be imaginable.

But even now, a recent poll done by ABC on Sunday show that very few blame the Bush admin. Bush isn't taking a hit (??!!)

I just can't believe that. And other Republican pundits are saying that people won't rememeber when they go to the polls next year.

This country is for the rich by the rich, with the vast majority left out. I wish that majority would wake up, and send a strong message on the nice little entitlement schemes going on in Washington such as the ridiculous pensions, golf vacations abroad and other perks paid by lobbyists.

No wonder they're so tone deaf up there. They live in a totally different world. They could care less as to how the rest of America is living. They're only beholden to the corporations.

Government is supposed to defend us at times of calamity, that's what we pay taxes for. But instead, it fails us each time, and the task falls to average everyday people.

The Legacy

What kind of legacy is the Republican Party leaving our children and our children's children? A party that was strong on moral issues now supports decadence and sodomy. A party that stood for fiscal responsibility, balanced budgets, and a smaller federal government has spent money like drunken sailors; the budget deficit will be $10 or more trillion by 2014; and under Ronald Reagan and George W Bush, four cabinet positions have been added to the federal budget. These actions are from a party that controls Congress and the Presidency. Where does the Republican Party really stand on any issue? Can we really trust a party that talks with a fork tongue?

The Republican Party stood for privacy and citizen rights and it also stood for states' rights over federal rights. Let us not forget that the Republican Party also stood for strong local control over federal control. With the Patriot Act the law of the land citizens no longer have their freedoms and their rights. The Republican Party appears to have gone schizophrenic on many issues. Is the party also willing to sell its soul to all the special interest groups for votes? The Republican Party has left us a sad legacy. All we have now are the memories of a once great party. I ask the party leaders, "Why, oh why, have you forsaken America and me."

Let us look carefully at Bush and his legacy. His insensitivity is well documented: he is a psycho; he lies constantly; he permitted 9/11 to happen; invading Iraq was stupidity beyond belief, he is a murderer and a war criminal; he was appointed emperor by fraud; he is lazy; and Katrina reveals the true emperor who is incompetent, inept, clueless, pathetic, useless, and worthless. Bush is even a sorry excuse for an amoeba.

Volunteers outnumber refugees in NM

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) – Evacuees from the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast are receiving one-on-one attention in Albuquerque, where volunteers outnumbered them.

New Mexico welcomed 93 evacuees Sunday and about 30 of them have decided to go to hotels instead of remain in the Albuquerque Convention Center. A few have gone to hospitals for treatment.

The state is preparing to receive additional evacuees.

New Mexico Homeland Security director Tim Manning says the stream of evacuees is slowing, but still more could arrive Tuesday. He says people have been working statewide to help out with any refugees.

In Farmington, volunteers have set up 500 cots with blankets and pillows at the San Juan County Convention Center.

In Albuquerque, the victims of Katrina Hurricane had the opportunity to enjoy some basics possible taken for granted before, such as getting a haircut or attending a football game.

Brothers Kevin and Vincent Williams of New Orleans say they’re going to make the best of their visit to Albuquerque, so they attended Monday’s UNLV-UNM football game football game.

*****end of clip*****

Fed-up, I did not mean to be flaming you. I am just so GD pissed off . . .

Above is today, I posted the other stuff.

Check the last thread or two, I posted the older stuff there a day or two ago (I think), the messed up FEMA has been turning down or stopping relief efforts for day with no reason.

AAARRRGGHH!

capt

that would be days, not day. So mad I cannot type!

Katrinagate' fury spreads
This artical is story after story of reporters lashing back.
06/09/2005 17:59 - (SA)
Gabrielle Chwallek

Washington - "For God's sake, are you blind?," a woman shouts at the head of the federal emergency management agency (FEMA), Michael Brown.

"You're patting each other on the back, while people here are dying."

The woman is not a victim of Hurricane Katrina. She is a reporter with US television network MSNBC who is so affected by the misery she has witnessed she can hold back no longer

New Mexico team sent to provide hurricane relief

Last Update: 08/29/2005 7:52:20 AM
By: Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - The New Mexico Disaster Medical Assistance Team has been sent to provide relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The 35-member team sponsored by the University of New Mexico is one of nine such teams activated across the nation.

The team drove Saturday night to Houston where members are waiting for the hurricane to pass.

DMAT travels with medical equipment and supplies, food, water and shelter and other equipment needed to provide care at a disaster area.

The team was last deployed to Stuart, Fla., when Hurricane Frances hit last September.

*****end of clip*****

Note the morning of the 29th? Before they even knew where the storm would hit.

They were held up just as Jill is even now, today.

The failure is not on a state level. Bush rewrote the regulations concerning disaster preparedness in 2004. The changes we suppose to be a way to address any type of emergency and was intended to facilitate communications between city, county, state and federal levels and it is the plan that Bush made that failed (big surprise).

Of course ALL levels of government have failed the people they claim to represent. Enough blame to go around. I am sure when Bush investigates "what went right and what went wrong" it will be a blame-fest of biblical proportions.

capt

ANOTHER REMINDER OF BUSH'S INCOMPETENCE AND INDIFFERENCE:

James Lee Witt, during the Clinton Administration, gave FEMA a complete overhaul -- he inherited an ineffective agency and turned it into an efficient, smoothly running operation that had Cabinet Level status. GWB was so impressed he even admitted in a presidential debate with Al Gore:

"You know, as governor, one of the things you have to deal with is catastrophe. I can remember the fires that swept Parker County, Texas. I remember the floods that swept our state. I remember going down to Del Rio, Texas. I have to pay the (Clinton) administration a compliment. James Lee Witt of FEMA has done a really good job of working with governors during times of crisis."
_________________________________
Then bush is SELECTED as president and gives the FEMA job to an unqualified "loyal" Texas buddy and they turn FEMA into a hell-hole of incompetence, buried inside the bowels of Homeland Security.

Gerald you can't compare Hitler to Bush, hitler has success in his war at the beginning. IT is an insult to hitler to put him in the same class as this clown, he had an army the population was behind him and he actually had success, sure he invaded defensless countries but so did bush, he enslaved millions but so has bush, and he bankrupted his country and looted the counquered ones, so did bush, so what do we have from this? Fascism is on the rise, and US uber alles?

Fed-up,

"Not to say that I'm advocating a violent overthrow of the gov't, though with the way things are headed, the unimaginable may just be imaginable."

It is that bad and I am right there with you!

capt

#49 titchaba, America under Bush is truly in a sad state. My perception of Bush is that he hates American soldiers, our middle class, and our poor people. There is something wrong with Bush's thinking processes and psyche. Bush is really a head case. He is a crazy person.

NEW RATING SCALE:

bush is downgraded into a CATEGORY ZERO SUB-MINUS MORON.

Me, you, and a lot of other people capt. No offense taken.

At any rate, and I think I've made it clear by my latest posts, my tirade is directed more to the politicians, and the type of people we put in elected office, as a reflection on American society, like it or not.

Good, hardworking people everywhere are doing what they can to help, but the politicians are playing the blame game and squandering resources.

I can't believe Bush was reelected last year, but then again, look at who was running against him.

We "think" we elect our representatives, but we don't. It's all a sham.

Americans need to take control back, and stop the political operatives like Rove from exploiting issues that divide us.

They know that so long as Americans remain divided, the people won't be able to put up any meaningful resistance ("divide and conquer"). And so far, that's worked.

Maybe, hopefully, this'll be a wake up call.

The Iraq war, higher prices, Katrina (and don't forget the hurricane season isn't over yet), maybe this'll be a tipping point.

And although we need to hold Bush admin responsible, it would be a mistake to just put their feet to the fire. A lot of the problems (esp with the levee problems in New Orleans) have been carryovers from the last several administrations way back to Carter.

Congress is to blame every bit as much, since they regularly divert much needed monies meant for the troops and for essential projects like the levees in New Orleans, to useless pet projects based on who's chairing the committees.

It would be a mistake to look at this as anything but a system wide failure of government.

After listening to Pres. Bush's 1st speach it sound so similar to his speaches about Iraq, Iran, 911 etc., I was prompted to say, Bush thinks the Axis of Evil now includes Mother Nature!!

#57 WTF, one great thing about posting, we have people who can really think and can make excellent comparisons to various historical people. You are right; Bush is the loser between him and Hitler. Bush does win the prize of the most hated and evil person in the history of our planet. What is so obvious is how insenitive Bush is toward people and their feelings. He is not just a crazy person but he is also a very cruel person.

The Bush administration executes just fine, you are just looking at things incorrectly. The job is to give as much money as possible to corporate interests and the associated flaks. They have been superb at that, better than anyone expected.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1033904,00.html
------------------------------------------------
If you have time, please read this piece from The Guardian, dated September 2, 2003. I remembered it and looked it up after hearing Barbara Bush's callous, ELITIST remarks about the people in Houston's Astrodome "doing very well." She has a mean streak a mile wide. I wish she'd choke on her pearls (and not of wisdom!).

"So George, how do you feel about your mom and dad?

Psychologist Oliver James analyses the behaviour of the American president

Tuesday September 2, 2003
The Guardian

As the alcoholic George Bush approached his 40th birthday in 1986, he had achieved nothing he could call his own. He was all too aware that none of his educational and professional accomplishments would have occured without his father. He felt so low that he did not care if he lived or died. Taking a friend out for a flight in a Cessna aeroplane, it only became apparent he had not flown one before when they nearly crashed on take-off. Narrowly avoiding stalling a few times, they crash-landed and the friend breathed a sigh of relief - only for Bush to rev up the engine and take off again...."

#62 Ruffian1973, people can only give what they have. Bush is consumed by total evil so he can only give total evil and he sees the world as evil because he is evil. He is not a Christian because he is willing to kill his brothers and sisters. Do you honestly believe that he gave much thought about invading Iraq? Do you think he even cares about the misery he has inflicted upon Americans and the Iraqis? Bush has surrounded himself with evil people. They are engaged in an evilfest, a constant evilfest.

Yep,

"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"

More trouble to come. This stuff, all of the bad things that have happened are not because of the accidental preznit. All is going according to the plan.

No Doubt!

Now when do we actually storm the Bastille?

I will clear my calendar.

capt

Another "Catastrophic Success" for the Bu$h gang!! That Butterfly ballot in Fla. fall 2000 is really starting to look like the infamous butterfly of Chaos theory

#65 micki, good post! Does Bush have latent death wish? Is he placing our planet on the brink of a nuclear holocaust because he wants to die, especially in a nuclear holocaust? Bush is a psycho who engages in psycho babble. We need to pay careful attention to Bush's death wish for himself and the American people.

"You don't just luck into things as much as you'd like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it's friendships or opportunities." ~Barbara Bush (1925 - )

How to achieve world domination one step at a time.

I am looking for a quote from her to Dubya about choosing to be a cheerleader at Andover.

capt

Cornposters, this is serious. We have a crazy person as emperor. If Bush has to deal with with any more catastrophes, he will either be ready for the insane asylum or he will push the button to start a nuclear holocaust.

A few quote from the Kitty Kelly book courtesy of Slate.com

Page 72-73: Barbara Bush's nickname explained: During World War II gasoline rationing, the Bushes navigate Kennebunkport, Maine, in a horse-drawn carriage. Prescott Bush Jr. notices that the family's horse, Barsil, looks a bit like George's then-girlfriend. He gives them both the nickname "Bar."

Page 191: At Yale, George H.W. asks Bar find a job to pay for her smoking habit.

Page 437: On a 1986 trip to Israel, Barbara visits the Holocaust Museum. "She had worn a blue flowered cotton housedress and open-toed sandals," says the wife of the U.S. consul general. "I couldn't believe it. Here she was the wife of the Vice President of the United States, for God's sakes, and she looked like she was going to a Sears Roebuck picnic."

Page 467: An associate on Barbara: "She can make a clean kill from a thousand yards away. … [W]hen she delivers the life-taking blow, she does it with a thin-lipped smile. … Have you ever seen an asp smile?"

Page 534: After Bush loses the 1992 election, Barbara holds a White House rummage sale and hawks her lightly used ball gowns to staffers.

Page 381-82: Sharon Bush on Barbara: "She can be a tyrant. That's why her boys called her 'The Nutcracker.' "

****

Still looking for the other one.

Just a little on the nice old Bar.

capt

I have my Bible next to the computer. I keep looking at it but I find it difficult to not be relentless in my attacks on Bush. Maybe I am enamored by the shock and awe words that were so plentiful on March 19, 2003 and forever after.

I probably should be a nicer person but I find that Bush is a complete idiot.

I say the time for storming the bastille is long overdue.

We should first vote out everyone in Congress who's been beholden to corporate interests and lobbyists.

Then we should eliminate the big ticket influence on elections, by making all elections only publicly funded.

That way, we get less billionaires and corporate surrogates buying seats, and get some decent candidates, and not someone just offered up by the system.

Finally, we should completely rewrite the rules by which the Federal gov't and the members of Congress pay themselves and conduct business.

One thing, do away with these closed door meetings and committees. These people are notorious for saying one thing in front of the cameras and doing something else totally opposite when they know they won't be exposed.

Make no mistake, behind the rhetoric, they're saying and doing something different behind closed doors right now.

They always say it's for "security", but does a true democracy conduct the business of the people like that?

How Bush Will Use Katrina

A Sneak Preview of the Coming Damage-Control Campaign

by Dr. Teresa Whitehurst

"Already, many Americans don't remember Bush's initial halting response to 9/11, from which he recovered after a few days with his iconic moment shouting through a bullhorn atop the rubble at ground zero. Still, recovering politically from Katrina is likely to take more effort. There is no foreign enemy against which to rally." -- For Bush, A Test of Political Skill, 9/6/05

I'm always suspicious when I hear people like Newt Gingrich and other conservatives criticize the Bush administration, because it's nearly always a ploy, a tactic used when overwhelming public discontent threatens to rain on the Bush parade. When the whole nation gets up in arms about something, there's no point trying to justify or excuse one's actions; in fact, that would be a stupid thing to do because it would escalate public anger that's already at the boiling point. A brief mea culpa is in order, quickly followed by a brilliant defensive campaign that the mainstream media will be obliged to support.

I'm always suspicious when I hear people like Newt Gingrich and other conservatives criticize the Bush administration, because it's nearly always a ploy, a tactic used when overwhelming public discontent threatens to rain on the Bush parade. When the whole nation gets up in arms about something, there's no point trying to justify or excuse one's actions; in fact, that would be a stupid thing to do because it would escalate public anger that's already at the boiling point. A brief mea culpa is in order, quickly followed by a brilliant defensive campaign that the mainstream media will be obliged to support.

To rescue Bush from nation-wide disapproval, one has to be careful. To turn that disapproval onto an expendable scapegoat, or two, one has to be smart. To turn collective fury into positive PR, however, one has to be a genius. That's where Karl Rove comes in.

*****end of clip*****

I am and have been just as circumspect of even the dems talking about Bush. I will judge them all on their acts not their words.

Their acts are evil, not just inept or dumb.

capt

The Constitution of No Autonomy

Is the US drafting the Iraqi Costitution so it can be a model that Bush will embrace for the American people.

I've always found Newt Gingrich's criticism laughable, since he was part of the same government that caused these problems.

Southerners, Devastated

Here is an article from one of my favorite writers.

The 'right-wing conspiracy' is moving forward nicely with the dissolution of the left-leaning N'Orleans; too many electoral votes were lost in the ugly mud of the south.

We can see the sealing off of tax impediment with the realization of the end of estate taxes; soon the previous Bush cuts will be made permanent and there were be no money for more unnecessary people comforts. If the right social levers are pulled and less money is available to the poor, and with bankruptcy a thing of the past, we should soon be seeing a progressive tightening of a program of indentured slavery.

Things look nice indeed for the 'right-wing conspiracy.'

I hear "Newt" and think salamander. Always have.

Clearly an insult to salamanders but a synapse connection I cannot change.

capt

Then, lest we forget, we also have gas gouging by oil companies and retailers who are already benefitting from unheard of profits and freebies/tax giveways recently passed by Congress and the administration.

As if they didn't have enough incentive to search for more oil.

You know how I used to say stuff like: " While I might not agree with what you say, I would defend to the death your right to say it."

You know how I used to keep an open mind. You know how I used to believe in the two party system. No more. I have finally had enough with these greedy, insane, delusional, lying, bastards. No more.

I hereby declare war on Neoconservatism.

I've just recieved a call from the SC1 DMAT team, being held back, against their will in Baton Rouge. The Docs, midlevels, EMT's pharmacist, RN's and support staff have all decided to encourage their friends and families and all to begin to call, write, e-mail and semaphore all the PTB's about the stupidity and frustration. Over 350 medical professionals are being paid 24hrs a day to sit idle.

So anybody with a voice, a pen or a computer.....
RELEASE THE HOUNDS!

(just don't use Jill's name, if possible)

-T

Mr. Corn

What would Harry Truman think. For this President its " The buck stops anywhere but here." Why can't he just admit that slashing FEMA from a cabinet level position was probally not too wise given the unreal number and power of recent storms. The spin has started before the dead are even recovered. God help us!
Windell in Austin

How much do you want to bet that the reason the Bush administration was so slow to move on the Hurricane planning was that they were setting up contracts with their pals? $40 billion dollars in aid. Treasure for the taking.

Hey corky let's expand it to include bushbots too. Let them live in NO for a few days to get the feel of it.

And keep in mind that all of these companies are offshored. No taxes.

I'm told that the LA Governor has personally asked the DMAT teams to deploy, without orders from the feeble and fecless FEMA fucks...

-T

capt -- didja see this one? this may explain the moron-in-chief's lack of response:

Page 309: At Harvard Business School, which W. attended from 1973 to 1975, a professor screens The Grapes of Wrath. Bush asks him, "Why are you going to show us that Commie movie?" W.'s take on the film: "Look. People are poor because they are lazy."

Once a bully, always a bully:

GWB = GREAT WHITE BULLY

Page 257: At Andover, W. proves a poor athlete. He rides the bench in basketball until a starter falls ill, and he is given the chance to enter the lineup. Bush smacks an opponent's face with the ball and winds up back on the bench.

Speaking as a forklift operator, I can tell you there is no way Bush could ever drive one, as there is a drug test involved...

Great work. Keep fighing the good fight.

Capt.
This is hard to say, but this feeds the Freeps, and Stormfront folks. There is much to be learned from imperial Russia, how to keep a corrupt monarchy in power, how to divide the opposition. The Nihilists were destroyed by openness; the Bolsheviks were silent, largely because they knew the Okrana was watching. Fear the Whites as much as the actual imperial agents.

My son just heard on the news that FEMA director Brown was a lobbyist for Halliburton. How is that not illegal.

How is torture not illegal? Why can't Americans wake up and smell what Rove is shoveling?

Why!!?!!

spun the right way you can jusify all sorts of nastiness to the masses

another pearl of wisdom from John Gibson
"You can't have Cuba offering to help Americans in need"
I really hate that guy

and he finds time to blame the Democrats for the relief effort, at least he's consistent LOL

So, Condi went to Mobile (was she wearing her new shoes?) and went to service at the Pilgrim Rest AME Zion church. Condi nodded in agreement as the reverend advised the congregation, "Wait for the Lord."

"There are some things the president can do; there are some things the government can do," the preacher told the worshippers during a rollicking two-hour service. "But God can do all things. I want you to know he's never late. He's always on time."

Rice later echoed the call for patience.

"The Lord is going to come on time — if we just wait," she said.
_____________________________________________
Holy crap! Can't you just see it? Karl is working up a spin cycle to say they were just waiting for the Lord. Yeah. That'll work.

I dunno, I'd say God was a day late and a dollar short on this one

Hajji,
I did some writing to senators.

then again between witing for FEMA and waiting for God...I'd take the latter

Hmm, Big Bill Haywood?

You'll get by in the sky when you die.
and the next line is?????

Just Give Me A Better Idiot.

The Jefferson Parish president, Aaron Broussard, told CBS news that government would have to be held accountable for what had happened.

"Bureaucracy has murdered people in the greater New Orleans area and bureaucracy needs to stand trial before congress today," he said.

"Take whatever idiot they have at the top, give me a better idiot. Give me a caring idiot. Give me a sensitive idiot. Just don't give me the same idiot."

Jeanne,

Please Copy me?!

-T

Pat Robertson declares Katrina a good thing for John Roberts...back to that God bit from earlier, let us prey
Dear Lord
Please strike down Pat Robertson
I never ask for much and he really, really deserves it
In fact if you do me just this I will go back to church on Sundays
Then again, with God as a hitman, I may want to aim a lil higher up the Right totem pole

Hajji,
Ok, ummm, what does that mean? (blushing)

Hajji,
I'm assuming you want the article. I found it on Raw Story. Wake America Up.
Damage exposure will 'wake America up'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/katrina/story/0,16441,1563650,00.html

Copy me with the letters to your congressmen...I'm loading up all ammunition..

The article's fine, too!

-T

If condi wants to wait for the lord to come and save these folks I say we get her right down there up to her neck in good old new orleans water and wait for the lord to get her out, so what if it takes about three weeks to drain that cesspool it would be worth the wait for her.

Excellent article David.

You know you would think that with all of the lives lost in this misguided, senseless war in Iraq and now with the horrific hurricane that has devastated New Orleans and with all of the calamity it has caused on the Gulf Coast communities, you would think this feckless administration would have the decency and put an end to the mendacity?

God only knows what they'll bungle next! I do hope it's not Iran.

Has anyone seen these excellent posts by Larry C. Johnson?

BUSH vs. BLANCO: BUSH DROPPED THE BALL & CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE AND KATRINA?

http://www.tpmcafe.com/author/ljohnson

Mr Corn,

Do you have ANY NEW INFORMATION about Fitzgeralds case?? Can you update us with a post about it?? Thank you, I want ACTION against this failure gang in the White House, as I am sure you do.

Hajji,
I sent the email of the letter directly to you. Hope you got it.

Oh, by the way the former head of FEMA became a lobbyist for Halliburton. My son had told me that Brown was a lobbyist. No No No.

From Daily Kos
Halliburton hires former FEMA chief; gets Katrina contract
by Goldy at HorsesAss
Sun Sep 4th, 2005 at 23:16:32 PDT
When current FEMA chief Mike Brown is eventually forced to resign from this job too, chances are his old college buddy Joe Allbaugh will once again help him land on his feet, this time with a cushy job at Halliburton. That's where former FEMA chief Allbaugh landed, and surprise... now Halliburton subsidiary KBR has started landing big contracts to participate in the recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

As reported last week by Halliburton Watch, the US Navy has asked Halliburton to repair naval facilities damaged by Katrina under an existing $500 million contract. Earlier this year the Navy awarded KBR and three other companies $350 million in contracts to repair facilities damaged in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan. And according to the New York Times, Halliburton is planning to profit further from Katrina:

Goldy at HorsesAss's diary :: ::

Although Halliburton has not yet been asked to work on installations around New Orleans, it said on Friday that it would begin performing damage assessments there "as soon as it is deemed safe to do so."

No doubt helping out with both the assessments and the bids will be Allbaugh, who Halliburton hired in March as a consultant and lobbyist. Allbaugh's lobbying disclosure form states that he will "educate the congressional and executive branch on defense, disaster relief and homeland security issues." And who better to educate Brown, the current head of FEMA, than Allbaugh, his predecessor, benefactor and college roommate?

[Cross-posted at HorsesAss.org]

I don't have a link for this, so I am sending this, in its entirety, which I got from my friend Eva.

EQUAL JUSTICE SOCIETY OPPOSES NOMINATION OF
JOHN ROBERTS AS CHIEF JUSTICE OF U.S. SUPREME COURT

-------------------------------------------
Statement by Eva Paterson, President
-------------------------------------------

The Equal Justice Society opposes the nomination of Judge John Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court and encourages the Senate to withhold its consent of his nomination, as is their right according to the Constitution.

Our organization was formed in part to advance a progressive view of the law and the Constitution consistent with the efforts of the attorneys who fought to eliminate de jure segregation. One of EJS's goals is to shape a Supreme Court that is fair and independent in order to reverse the destructive legal legacy of those that seek to restrict our most basic civil and human rights.

For the past quarter-century, another group of advocates, including the Federalist Society and attorneys in the Reagan and Bush Justice Departments, has attempted to devolve jurisprudence to the era before Brown and the civil rights movement. The nomination of Judge Roberts marks another signpost along the Rightward path blazed by the Federalist Society. The Equal Justice Society stands squarely in favor of a progressive vision of justice and rejects the judicial ideology represented by his nomination.

First, his record - that we know of - reveals a hostility to the values held by the majority of Americans. Of even greater concern, neither the Senate nor the public has been told the full story of Judge Roberts' record. What we do know of him leads us to believe that his presence on the court will further roll back the federal government's ability to protect the rights of Americans.

As early as 1981 -- when the robust implementation of Brown was less than a decade old and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was still in its infancy -- Roberts expressed contempt for affirmative action and other progressive efforts to undo the present effects of past state-sponsored discrimination.

It is unclear what status Judge Roberts thinks that people of color should enjoy in the United States, yet he apparently views as illegitimate any forthright or effective attempt to remedy the history that has generated the present state of profound inequity.

In the mid-1980s - when the disparity between the pay earned by men and by women for the same work was even greater than it is today - Roberts levied enthusiastic criticism at the implementation of the Equal Pay Act, criticizing members of his own party, including then-Congresswoman Olympia Snowe, for their public support of Washington state employees who were seeking equal pay. He compared their efforts to Communism, surely the most derogatory comparison in his vocabulary, given his apparent value structure.

Judge Roberts lent his enthusiastic efforts to the Reagan administration's unrelenting efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade and leave poor women once again to the brutal ministrations of back-alley abortionists. The ability of women to have safe and affordable control over their reproductive lives, free from punitive state interference, is one of the most important civil rights issues of our generation. Although observers have noted that Roberts was acting in his capacity as a lawyer and representative of the administration in those cases, we believe that Roberts made a choice in aligning himself with an administration that was bent upon rolling back reproductive rights, and he contributed his efforts to that cause over the course of years. He is responsible for the positions that he promoted, whether or not they represent his personal views.

While the nominee's record provides ample cause for concern, the larger story here is that we do not have full access to his record. We have been provided only with portions of his writings that have been screened and selected by the Administration. As is well known, this President - who won only a bare majority in one of his two elections - has governed as an unrepentant and unrelenting extremist. Having consistently used his office to mislead and misinform the American people whenever it has suited his purposes to do so, this President has not earned any trust on the matter of this nomination.

There is much at stake. For the past 13 years, the Supreme Court has engaged in a silent revolution by rolling back the power of the federal government to provide for the needs of the American people and to enforce its laws against the States. Relying upon 19th century precedents that lent their implicit sanction to practices like Jim Crow and systematic lynchings, this Court has seriously curtailed many of the progressive victories secured in the halls of Congress over the last 50 years. There is every indication that Judge Roberts will join this trend and continue imposing unwarranted constraints on the power of Congress to provide for the welfare of the nation and its people.

There are still a majority of Americans who believe that people of color are entitled to fair opportunities, that women are entitled to equal pay for equal work, and that the States should be just as accountable as private corporations to their employees and their citizens when they violate federal law.

The person who will become the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court should be a person whose willingness to abide by the precedents that have given voice to these values is clear and unambiguous.

The Chief Justice is also the leader of the Court. Chief Justice Earl Warren helped persuade all nine Justices to strike down 'separate but equal.' The person who holds this position must be someone who respects the rights of all.

Judge Roberts is not that man.

Micki,
We need groups like that to represent the average American. Our representation has been lost. I don't understand how this administration and the group surrounding it has become so powerful since they obviously lack leadership skills and sound judgment A perfect example is the Bolton nomination. Bolton was about as bad a pick for that job as anyone out there and yet he was enthusiastically endorsed. John Roberts clearly is not representative of the people and yet he is chosen to represent the nation on the Supreme Court. Everyday this administration is in the White House is an insult to the nation.

Jeanne -- copy and paste Eva's remarks and send them to your US Senators, all of your like-minded friends, your local newspaper, your "unlike-minded" aquaintances, and spread the word.

Do it ASAP. Namaste. Micki

This is a tiny section of a segment on Democracy Now. They were discussing Judge Roberts and the Gitmo - Geneva convention ruling.

MICHAEL RATNER: Then it would be -- either they would re-argue the whole case or they would assign another Judge or it would be 1-1 and have no precedential value and the issue we're really concerned about, the application of Geneva, to the Guantanamo detainees.

AMY GOODMAN: Bruce Shapiro, your comment on that and then I want to quickly ask you about Roe vs. Wade and reproduction rights under if Roberts were to be confirmed as Chief Justice, a Roberts court.

BRUCE SHAPIRO: There is no doubt that the Hamden case represents a massive, massive blind spot and should be an ethics scandal for someone about to be appointed as Chief Justice of the United States. What's crucial in what Michael was saying here to understand is that while, yes, Judges who are getting promoted have to meet with the justice department all the time even though the justice department is bringing cases before them, what makes this different is the stakes on both sides. On the administration's side, this is a case central to the entire legal strategy for the war on terror. As far as the Bush administration is concerned. And on Roberts' side, the stakes are just as high. This is for a lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. At that time we didn't know it was going to be Chief Justice. And you have to ask, a reasonable person has to ask, does anyone think that president Bush would have been standing in the Rose Garden introducing Judge Roberts if his opinion had come down the other way? After all of these secret meetings which were not revealed to the lawyers for Hamden. This is an ethics scandal. And I suspect it will make at least some waves in the hearings next week, especially given the new job that Roberts has been proposed for.

Excerpt from White House Press Conference
today. Man, the Press Corp are starting to smell blood. It's too damn bad that it takes something like this to get them to do their job...

=================================================
Q One last question. The person who says that he found out about the Convention Center seeing it on the media -- that is to say the FEMA director -- is still in place. Is that satisfactory that somebody would have responded like that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, this is getting into -- we're somewhat engaged in a blame game. We've got to --

Q It's not a blame game. That's accountability --

MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, we've got to --

Q It's accountability.

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q Is "Brownie" still doing a "heck of a job," according to the President?

MR. McCLELLAN: We've got to continue to do everything we can in support of those who are involved in the operational aspects of this response effort. And that's what we're going to do. There will be plenty of time --

Q If he fails at it, he's not going to be good at it going forward. That's what Bob is saying.

MR. McCLELLAN: There are people working round-the-clock with FEMA. The Secretary, the FEMA Director and many others who are working round-the-clock. And we've got to do everything we can in support of their efforts to make sure people are getting what they need.

Q Does the President really believe we could respond to a terrorist attack with any -- amount of weeks, months?

MR. McCLELLAN: We've actually done a lot of exercises, David, to prepare for possible attacks, but --

Q Do you think most Americans agree, based on --

MR. McCLELLAN: But the most important thing we've got to do is focus on --

Q You mean exercises for Hurricane Katrina.

MR. McCLELLAN: We've got to focus on prevention, and that's what we're doing by staying on the offensive.

Q Well, let's talk about it. Are you saying the President is -- are you saying that the President is confident that his administration is prepared to adequately, confidently secure the American people in the event of a terrorist attack of a level that we have not seen? And based on what does he have that confidence?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, and that's what he made clear earlier today, that obviously we want to look and learn lessons from a major catastrophe of this nature.

Q Yes, but you're telling us today there will be time for that somewhere down the road. Well, what if it happens tomorrow?

MR. McCLELLAN: We can engage in this blame-gaming going on and I think that's what you're getting --

Q No, no. That's a talking point, Scott, and I think most people who are watching this --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, that's a fact. I mean, some are wanting to engage in that, and we're going to remain focused --

Q I'm asking a direct question. Is he confident --

MR. McCLELLAN: We're going to remain focused on the people.

Q -- that he can secure the American people in the event of a major terrorist attack?

MR. McCLELLAN: We are securing the American people by staying on the offensive abroad and working to spread freedom and democracy in the Middle East.

Q That's a talking point. That's a talking point.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, that's a fact.

Go ahead.

Q No, it's not. And you think people who are watching this think that's -- from what does he derive that confidence, based on the response --

MR. McCLELLAN: David, I'm interested in the people in the region that have been affected and getting them help. We can sit here and engage in this back and forth --

Q The whole country is watching and wondering about some --

MR. McCLELLAN: The time for bickering and blame-gaming is later. The time for helping people in the region is now.

If the time to help is now then why are supplies and personal sitting around?

"...The whole country is watching and wondering.
The whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering..."

"They're not REFUGEES, they're AMERICANS!!!"
-GWB

The whole country is watching and wonderingThe whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering The whole country is watching and wondering..."

Are they? Or is it just US?

-T

The more I read articles like these and read about the press attacking Scott McClellen the more the small glimmer of hope stays with me that people will WAKE UP to the fact that this administration is totally incompetent. The question is, will anyone do anything about it? What do you think? Here you go...

Newsview: White House Falls Out of Step

"I think it's clear we're in damage control now," said Norman Ornstein, political analyst at the American Enterprise Institute think tank. It's a troubling position for Bush, already suffering the lowest approval ratings of his presidency.

The mistakes have come one upon the other.

...""It's going to be almost impossible to overcome the perception about the president that he didn't show compassion and didn't get control of the policy failures," American University political scientist James Thurber said. "The vivid images that are coming across the television are really destroying his image as a leader."

This Chris Hitchens guy is starting to sound reasonable again: "The President is supposed to care about and nurturing the South, so is Karl Rove. What were they thinking? What were they thinking? I have no answer to that question that doesn't come up with a revelation of the most, really, catastrophic incompetence and insouciance."

Aaaah, more wit and wisdom from the Grand Ol' Lynching Party (via the National Review online):
"Under the circumstances, to say, as Steve Sailer does, that African Americans "tend to possess poorer native judgment than members of better-educated groups," and "need stricter moral guidance from society" does not seem to me very outrageous."

Check out the headline in Spanish (even Pagliacci would understand that one): Mas Payola.

These FEMA guys are real jewels. One's a toady and one's a flak; and neither tried very hard to help the folks in NOLA.

What did they train the first responders to do? Wait till the storm hits then pass out flyers and this:
"But as specific orders began arriving to the firefighters in Atlanta, a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment: to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas."

Photo Op: say sleeeeeeeze:
"Bush didn't venture into New Orleans, which he also skipped on his first visit. But after days of televised suffering by African Americans in the city, White House officials ensured that the television pictures of Bush's trip would include shots of the president with African-American survivors.

As someone pointed out before: doesn't he need to be in charge for him to assume responsibility? Chimpy's just a fabulous Photo Op waiting to happen.

How much more of this miserable news do we have to endure? Hey, I heard gas prices dropped three whole cents at the pump. Wooohooo!

You bet their watching. It might be them next. Will FEMA be there for the next early spring flooding? I think Fargo Morehead is watching. I think Oklahoma City is watching. I think any place they have big tornadoes, they are watching. I think California is watching. I wouldn't have confidence now. Not when the example of what the administration is capable of doing is plastered on the TV everyday. What can they do? Nothing. And I don't think the residents of a ruined city and the next of kin are going to let this administration of the hook.

Pagliacci, what happened to the happy little clown of yesterday? You've turned into such a bitter little sourpuss. You're getting to be a real drag, dude.

Pocho scratches his head and wonders:
"Why would you all make fun of something that is true?"

Because it is so incredibly easy and, in the end, illustrative of the frivolity of your posts.

Later, Pocho whines:
"Is there some reason to believe that a person couldn't have suffered the type of physical and financial problems I have and persevered?"

Absolutely not. Funny thing is that most of us have endured worse and can laugh about it instead of wearing it on our lapel for the world to salute.

Pocho continues:
"Are your own lives so jaded that you resent the success of others?"

Again, many of us are just as successful and have achieved this success against longer odds. That's why I said you're a HOOT, Pocho.

Again, Pocho lays it on the line:
"Do you understand that we all don't need, don't use "safety nets" in our lives?"

Do you understand how unforgivably cruel it is for those of us who don't need them to begrudge "safety nets" to those who do (need them)?

More whining from Pocho:
"Pande gives sophomoric responses to a legitimate situation"

No one doubts the legitimacy of the situation, only the uniqueness. As I said before, many of us have been through worse and have achieved far greater success.

Pagliacci groans:
"They are trite, boring, insipid, prosaic grunts of truly angry, bitter little people, with angry, bitter little minds."

You on the other hand are a radiant beam of sunshine on a rainy day. LOL. Seriously, you’re as much fun as a bucket of bloody leeches. If I had a nickel for each hypocritical statement that you made, I could rebuild New Orleans all by my lonesome.

More silliness from Pocho:
"Is it fair to say that none of you have accomplished anything in life?"

About as fair as it would be to say that you're a pathetic whiner and the biggest loser to hit this blog since "Arrianna has small boobies" started posting here.

Pocho laments:
"Is it fair to say that none of you have asked the Lord Jesus Christ into your hearts?"

I would enumerate all of the posts regarding that very issue on this blog that prove you to be a moron par excellence; but since you lack the intellectual ability to find these facts on your own, suffice it to say, you are the quintessential ignoramus, unwilling to lift yourself out of the shabby wormhole that you inhabit.

Pocho unbelievably queries:
"Is it fair to say that you are all living lives of quiet desperation?"

There isn't anything quiet or desperate in all of the giggles that we get from pinheads like you, Pagliacci. You are a never-ending electronic treat, with your juvenile jibes and your polysyllabic vapidity.

More tonterias:
"Is it fair to say that the failures in your personal and/or professional lives have caused this bitterness?"

The comedic value of that interrogative statement alone is almost enough to ameliorate the cataclysmic effect that the Cheney administration has had on our country’s treasury, legal system, health care system and the dwindling middle class. Almost.

And can you believe Pagliacci called Bro-Tex a "cracker?" If that ain't the height of hilarity in a tsunami of humor . . . :
"You are all probably closet crackers willing to keep black folks down on the welfare plantations."

Pocho posits:
"You want the government to do things that you yourself are afraid to do or are incapable of doing personally."

You have it backwards dimwit, most of us are personally doing what the Cheney Administration was charged with doing but is too inept to accomplish.

"You talk about a war in the Middle East from which you want to run? Well, with what option?"