Residents not allow back in their homes. But Bush.....

Many residents in our area are not allowed back in their communities so that there is no "interference" with authorities assessing the damage and searching for missing people. However, Smirky Bush is arriving with his circus in a couple of hours. What could be more disruptive than that? Its a naked attempt to grab some votes if you ask me. Jeb was here yesterday to give us "hope". Thanks Jeb, I feel better now.

I think this is going to be one of his most collosal (don't care if I spelled that right; need more coffee) screw ups on the campaign trail.

It's pretty obvious that Jebbie boy is upset because there was some sort of massive fuckup in communications down there, and people are dead. The man looks more upset than if his favorite golf course got destroyed--- He is bringing in that "popular war pResident" to try to control his image....and it isn't going to work.

If anyone disagrees with me about the massive fuckup in communications in the area that was hit...tell me why we are hearing about "makeshift morgues" and yet no numbers are being released to the media.

Stephanie

Under Command.. He wants to be the HERO of the DAY....

Wonder if he'll wear his flight suit.

Steph

The Spandex Prez oomes to the rescue.????

I lived through it. Until 2 hours before Charley hit, it was headed to Tampa Bay and was a Category 2. Then Charley turned right, our local forecasters caught it before NOAA did. Charley increased in strength from a 2 to a 4 in the last hour to 90 minutes. Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda have a huge elderly population who had not been urged to evacuate based on all the forecasts. By the time Charley changed course, it was too late for many to get out. Our local news was literally screaming, "If you live in ___________, you're next, get in the bathtub or a closet and cover yourself with blankets." The reason the numbers aren't being released is because it the disaster teams are having to go door to door and search the rubble. I keep hearing reports of bodies being found, the unofficial death toll in Punta Gorda yesterday was 30, but it will increase substantially as the crews make it into the hardest hit areas. Our area was hard hit by Charley and we are over 100 miles from Port Charlotte. There is a large area to search.

down on their knees and thank their God for culling the elderly population of Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda. These people are pure evil.

Was the national guard called out before the storm? On know on the MS Gulf Coast they have been used during the Hurricanes to assist evacuations (Camille, Georges). Are they not used in FL that way?

and they always said it cost him a lot of votes.
That is probably why Dubya was dispatched there before the winds had completely died down.
Now Rove is going to whine that Kerry is insensitive to Florida so nobody there will be voting for him on them thar Diebold machines.

and aid in other emergency work.

For Andrew, 7,000 NG and 22,000 reg. Army troops were deployed.

Now, Jeb says there are 1,200 NG, but no one has seen them.

will use the money saved from their tax cuts to help their neighbors in the trailor park.

hmm... so was Andrew and this latest one alike? i mean in strength? which was "worse"? tia

This is a Category 4 hurricane. Andrew is reported to be a Cat 5 hurricane, but it was probably worse than that. I think they went off the devastation because Andrew knocked out the monitoring equipment.

I don't think we'll ever see a storm as expensive as Andrew, because after Andrew the Dade County building code was changed. Now you have to use hurricane ties. You must use windcode doors--it's even illegal to sell non-windcode doors there. You have to use materials approved by the Metro Dade testing laboratory.

Now if we could only get the Carolinas to do the same thing.

Note to Carolinas DUers: never, ever, buy a garage door off the floor at a home improvement warehouse. Always special order a windcode door.

I keep hearing reports that "Help is on the way" thanks to Jeb and Shrub. I can't tell you how many times, I've heard that in the past 3 days :puke:

No NG in Fla???

I don't know where the NG is coming from. I haven't seen any evidence they're here on tv or radio. I did hear that a small contingent from Tampa is heading to the hardest hit areas.

OH well, play with odds, pay the price.....

his daddy underwent severe critisism for his apparant lack of interest regarding Hurricane Andrew

CNN reported yesterday that ANDY CARD was busy making arrangements for smirk-boy to "survey the damage" following Hurrican Charlie -- these arrangements were being made a few days BEFORE Hurrican Charlie actually hit

So once again - smirk-boy handlers are telling smirk-boy what to do and when to do it

that is one of the sickest things I have heard in a long time!!! Seeing bush on the 9/11 rubble was bad but this may be worse...premeditated use of disaster to forward political gain....sick.. thanks for posting this is there a link to a trans or clip??

You can see the little sorry assed jerk attempting to both win votes and cover up his brother's ineptness on just about any channel. If you want a sure bet, try FAUX.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

no luck so far

:toast:

and only a handful of seniors (whose votes he wasn't getting anyway) in the trailer parks.
It seems they had this all planned in advance for Bush to go down there and be the hero.
They must be disappointed.

right now?

I'm really sorry for those People in Punta Gorda who didn't get the warning to evacuate in time.

"authorities" take days to let people back to their homes.

and, is there any local news on casualties? CNN is reporting 13 dead. actually less that yesterday.

Note that the number of dead from Punta Gorda aren't being reported; however, that is where the makeshift morgue has been set up.

A team of 25 medical examiners has been sent in...and cadaver dogs are searching.

As a former paramedic on a fire department, I gotta tell you: the buzzwords I am picking up aren't good---

Stephanie

and a couple of news stories don't mention a county. make it sound like that's a statewide number... given the devastation, it just doesn't seem possible.

now, if you're saying NO deaths have been reported in Punta Gorga, that's unbelievable. they were just starting to search the trailer parks (there were 31 of them, one with 1200 units)

Like I wrote yesterday, we're still pissed about the way it all went down. Professional "talking heads" giving advice about how to prepare for the storm yammering about Tampa for three goddamn days and lulling everyone into believing that THAT'S where Charley was going.
Now the political death sniffers are about to transcend on the scene. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOLKS! Watch me assess the situation! Watch me pretend to care. Watch me avoid any questions about where the fuck the NG is and how we're gonna pay for all this (there goes Social Security!) and what about THE NEXT STORM, A WEEK AWAY PERHAPS!!!

If looters knew all those homes were wide open....

I have not seen any evidence of them being here as of yet. That doesn't mean they aren't here, only that I haven't seen them or heard anything on radio and tv about them being here. Hell, after 3 days without sleep I think they could be lining the roads and I might not notice them. Got hold of a generator so I'm hoping to sleep at home tonight.

BEFORE the thing hit? to assist with evacuation. to secure evacuated communities?

p.s. glad to hear you got the generator. sleep well!

about the hurricanes path have helped to create another event in order to help make the pRes look good. Or is the just one more example of how everything has gone to hell since this bunch took charge.

The hurricane forecasters were 100% right about Charley's path, right up until it made a sharp, unexpected turn.

I am the FIRST one to suspect ill intentions, skullduggery and outright malfeasance behind absolutely everything in this administration. But this one doesn't work. Really.

I sure hope people who post things like that one are joking or high.

To question the integrity of the NOAA or any other Hurricane forecasting group of scientists is simply unblievable. Cripes, everything does not revolve around politics folks!

No one can predict with complete accuracy where these monster storms will go. The real problem is that Florida, like so many other states is shorthanded with Nat Guard, troopers, police, etc. because of the debacle in Iraq that the warnings, preparation and search and rescue, protection and clean-up were severely hampered.

And two more storms are bee-lining towards us again...

to forecast. in 1973, i was with my family on south padre island when hurricane celia was in the gulf. all the forecasters were saying it was going to slam into houston, but then it took a turn to the west & headed straight to brownsville. the day we evacuated from the island, it looked like the storm was going to hit us at any second as we sat on the small causeway watching the shrimp boats come in. we got home in time to secure our house in mcallen. sometime during the night, however, celia kept heading north, intensified, then slammed into corpus christi, 180 or so miles away.

dg

First of all, let me say, what an experience that was!! I had lived in Florida for about three years before S.C. Lived in Punta Gorda for a while, actually. I went through 4 hurricanes while I was in FL and nothing had prepared me for Hugo!
Hugo was a bigger, nastier storm than Andrew, but you don't hear as much about it because the damage had a lower dollar amount than the damage from Andrew. I didnt know anyone who didnt lose something in that hurricane.

It took fully a week before Washington had ANYTHING at all to say to the people of S.C., then all of a sudden there were National Guard crawling all over the place. No water or food yet, mind you, but thousands of NG troops with machine guns, etc...
My son was only 4 months old at the time, and on the same night that the troops moved in, I decided to move out. We had no water, no power, no grocery stores, and no gas stations open and I had an infant who I had to feed.
My parents drove down from N.J. to get us, and luckily, they were able to find a gas station in North Carolina where they filled up. They made it to Charleston and, by some miracle, had just enough gas to get us back to that little town in N.C. where we could fill the tank again.
Martial law had been instituted and there was a 7pm curfew. My parents had gotten there just before then, and by the time we got everything packed in the car to leave, it was about 10pm. I had NO formula for my son. We didnt even have anymore bottled water, so it was impossible for us to stay even for another night. In the time it took us to drive about 5 miles through my little town to the onramp for I95, I had to fight with three NG troops, with their guns pointed in my face, NOT willing to let us leave. I was so harrowed and just plain pissed off by the time we were stopped by the third guard, that after telling him my whole story, (infant to feed, no food, no water, etc...)I finally said, "Look, if you think I'm a looter, shoot me, but I intend to drive to that onramp down there, and leave this hell hole." I was scared to death, shaking, and more pissed off than I can ever remember being, but he backed down. He just shook his head at me and moved away from the car. I ended up staying in N.J. for almost a month because it took them that long to restore power and water.

Out on the barrier islands (very wealthy people) the NG, were NOT letting people back into their homes, and in fact it took almost a month of people shouting from the rooftops before they let them return. When they finally did, they found widespread evidence of looting, which resulted in much more shouting and complaining, all to no avail. Nothing was ever done about it.

Finally, Poppy got wind of it all, and decided to swoop in and make a grand entrance at a house right down the street from mine which had literally been cleaved in two by a huge oak tree. As I remember it, these people were so hopeful that once he saw the kind of damage that had been done, they would finally get some kind of help from the govt.
He stayed for about 15 minutes, had his photo op, and never once offered help to these people. Amazing.

I guess my point is, I don't think it much matters whether the NG, the Governor or the President are there or not. From personal experience, they did more harm than good, and only served to piss people off even more than they already were.

A LOT of what happened down there could have been avoided if we had been given better information and if Poppy's govt. had cared enough to be prepared to act immediately. I mean, we had DAYS of warning, there was simply no excuse for their inaction.
Thats why I think Jeb and Georgie are trying to portray themselves as being on top of it so quickly, but if I know the Bushes like I think I do, when it comes time for the funding, those poor people down there might as well be whistling in the wind.

-chef-

I live in that area now. I have heard lots of stories of what happened. The same stories I'm hearing now like the shelters falling apart and people at the last moment had to run for their lives.

Because of stories like yours and other living here I always leave. I don't trust the weather guys to be able to spot on any Hurricane so I just pack up the family and the pets and we head for Atlanta.
We have done it twice now. The idea of sitting in a home without a roof or water for a month is not something I could handle. I amazing anyone could.

I see that area in Florida and think of all the retired people who are just trying to survive down there and it's heartbreaking. My in-laws were in Tampa and it took us days to get them out of their home. My mother in law was crying because she didn't know what to take. Of course Charley turned west hours earlier and that saved my in-laws but harmed someone else's.

after a disaster to aid in evacuation, cleanup and to prevent looting.

When I mentioned the barrier islands, the ONLY people that were on those islands WERE the National Guard. They were the ONLY ones who could possibly have been doing the looting. Both bridges that gave access to those islands were damaged in the storm, and the only way to get across was on pontoon boats constructed by the NG.

Thats why I said, the NG pissed people off more than they already were. And nothing was ever done about the looting.

-chef-

the NG to be there.

That's what a lot of the people on the barrier islands thought too.
I'm not saying that ALL the NG troops behaved that way, but far too many of them did, and thats unacceptable.

I can't tell you how many people after that adamantly said they would NEVER leave their homes again for that reason.

-chef-

were you in?

I went through Hugo in Charlotte; my Dad's territory was Charleston, and I have very different memories than you do. (I am 40 now....25 years old for Hugo)

However, I wonder if we have different memories because of the areas we were in.

I lived in Sommerville, just a short distance from the I95 exit for North Charleston. We were so close to the coast that when Hugo first hit the barrier islands (ironically, no barrier at all) we were the very next to be hit.

Charlotte was not hit as hard as Charleston was, from what I remember.
There was a 16ft storm surge in Charleston proper, in the historic section, just off the battery. Just a few miles inland, where we were, the bulk of the damage was wind damage.

Of course, the shelter which was designated for people in my area, flooded so badly that people were having to remove the tiles from the drop ceiling and lift the children up above the grid. There were two people from that same shelter who were sucked out of the window and found, dead, miles away. I opted to stay in my home because my son was so young and the immediate area where I lived was on higher ground than most of the rest of the town. It was a decision I was glad I made. A tree came through the roof on the outer side of my dining room wall, and my car was trashed, but I was one of the lucky ones.

-chef-

NC and where I live...and I was without power for 10 days in the middle of Raleigh...

Hugo was a huge disaster which got very little coverage. My relatives in SC didn't recover for years the damage was so massive from falling trees and destruction. Insurance doesn't cover much. Folks lost small businesses, too.

Those here who havent' lived through it have no idea...no idea how living in what seems to be a war zone is. When you have no power and have to cook on a campstove eating out of cans and all your food rots because you can't get ice or get out to find any when you can't flush a toilet or take a shower...things never look the same to you ever again. :-(

Virgin Island National Guard looted like crazy. Eventually PR NG had to go over to protect island businesses from the Island Guard.

If he was to come near me in Lakeland I'd like to hand the asshole a bag of pretzels.

What politician doesn't run to the scean of a disaster for the photo op? Like a Dem would sit in their office? There is plenty to complain about, but this isn't one IMHO

give him hell...where is the Guard, where were the warnings?

This is only the beginning of a long horrible hurricane season. And with massive shortages of Nat Guard, state troopers, police and firefighters to help in these natural disasters (because they are all rebuliding - ha - Iraq)...there will be continued looting, vandalism, lack of water and timely rescues. Florida will not thank Smirky for money that won't get to them any time soon, they will remember the lack of help from people on the ground.

And they'd have the media doing for them too.

So this is the one disaster he chooses to visit? That's why it stinks if that report was accurate. Which other disasters has he visited? I mean besides Iraq when he served up that plastic turkey.

Kerry isnt doing it.

He rightly concluded that his presence would create even more difficulties in an already difficult situation. So he is staying away. No, it's the repugs who are looking for the photo-op here.

After all, that is what made him the hero of 9/11.

.. only it took him less than 48 hours to get to Florida, it took him several days to get to Ground Zero. New York isn't a battleground state.

Isn't that whole area mostly conservative? Maybe God is getting tired of Bush claiming to speak for him ! LOL
Hope the Bush storm passes as quickly as Charley..What a perfect name for the torm..the same thing the vets called the enmy..I think we should start calling W and Jeb..Charley !

When the Marine helicopter set down, it stirred up a storm of yellow insulation ripped from homes by the hurricane. Several small planes at the airport were flipped upside down.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-815bushtour,0,500634.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

So I guess the Nat'l Guard is nil?

to help people rebuild their lives, while wiping tears from his eyes. Reporters were grilling him on his father's lack of response to Hurricane Andrew. That was then. This is now.

Gee, I wonder what clip we'll see on the evening news re this "altruistic" visit.

"Cowboys" don't cry.

The only thing that would make that asshole shed genuine tears would be a much deserved life sentence.

the way it should be." *george says.

They're surging equipment in. Odd choice of words.

Wonder how much clean-up had to be done -top priority- for his motorcade to rush through.

Old Jeb said well meaning people should not send food or clothes or anything like that. SEND MONEY ! That is what he said. Don't you just love them !

for him to walk on so his shoes didn't get dirty.

an' he gave Jeb Florida. Like our plantations, you understand. Because we believe in old fashioned family values. And frankly, my dears, I don't give a damn. Jeb sez it looks cool on his plantation - kinda like what I mighta seen if i'd been stupid enough to see any combat - stuff all tore up an' people runnin' around cryin' "please help me. please help me."

After I look at some of the cool busted up stuff, me n' Jeb're gonna get out the "George" (Dickel, that is) an we're gonna git drunk an' laugh at all those freaks runnin' around cryin'. We'll be safe and comfortable the way presidents and plantation owners have to be according to the book of Exorcist. In the Bible, you know. Betcha the little people in Floreeda ain't thinkin' about voter fraud now!

Have a pic saved somewhere of *his royal cleanfootedness.

http://www.unknownnews.net/insanity031104.html

it's a photo op. They are sickening beyond words.

Its a photo Op to look good....

But where is the NG to help out??

I remember we had lots of NG, red cross, and Fema..and I didn't think about it at the time but we had Clinton, too.

at least 4 DMAT teams are cooling their heels in Ocala since last night. Told to sit tight for another 24 while they get coordinated, prob fighting over who goes where. What a waste of time, money and manpower.

Fear red alert.......This would be it. Geez, they keep saying the evildones are coming and all I see is a much of hurting people and Jeb beggin for money instead of Protection.

Damn....

That, or babysitting the Bush twins. This administration's priorities are so far out of whack it isn't funny.

What presidential candidate John Kerry was doing less than 48 hours after 16 people were killed and thousands were left homeless from a devestating hurricane in Florida:

<img src="" />
Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., rides his bike in Ketchum, Idaho on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2004. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)

What presidential candidate and current president George W. Bush was doing less than 48 hours after 16 people were killed and thousands were left homeless from a devestating hurricane in Florida:

<img src="" /> Nickols, background, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2004, in Punta Gorda, Fla. Bush was touring the area to view damage from Hurricane Charley. (AP Photo/Stephen Hayford, Pool)

Personally I prefer a man who cares about his nation's people after such a disaster and would spend his day consoling the victims instead of riding his bike at one of his many homes.

--------- WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP!