Did I just hear on CNN from their reporter in Baton Rouge ...

that Governor Blanco had to invite herself to accompany Bush on his "tour" today? Her office was not even informed of this visit.

She said that Blanco was headed to Houston but then "found out" that Bush was arriving in Baton Rouge and she had to invite herself to his entourage.

More interesting was when she said that according the sources in the governor's office, George W. Bush played hardball with disaster relief, DEMANDING that Blanco federalize the National Guard. She refused. Bush then had papers sent to Blanco's office and pressured her to sign them before his Rose Garden speech last Thursday. Blanco would not be strongarmed. She maintained control over the National Guard for obvious reasons.

This is implying that Bush intentionally withheld aid in a power play to get Blanco to do his will.

That's when Blanco hired James Lee Witt. This is a political war between Bush and Blanco. Blanco will win this one.

The losers are the evacuees and dead.

it's the governor who's snubbing the president. It's very much the other way around."

How's that for presidential leadership at a time of great need?

their sole savior and this is more in the attempt to cast blame on the governor and the mayor. The mayor has obviously been co-opted and is now applauding Gen Honeree who is following the taliking points very well. He didn't get to General by bucking the chain of command in any way.

I like what Honore did re: telling his soldiers to quit acting like it was Iraq and sling their weapons. So I can't fault the mayor for respecting the General's ability to establish some control over a chaotic situation.

That said, during a press conference yesterday, the General was spinning himself senseless to kiss *'s butt. I guess the only thing to be said is what you did: this guy is pure military and his chain-of-command line is clear.

He's a vindictive little shit and needs to be removed from office NOW.

It's always about HIM. :mad: :argh: :grr: :banghead:

It would turn into Iraq Jr. if Bush took over.

cooperate and organize the relief effort between the Feds and the State. He told them to meet together privately RIGHT then and make an agreement. * went inot a room w/ Blanco and came out and said he'd offered her two options and Blanco needed 24 hours to decide. What he did was offer her two options, both of which involved the Feds taking over the State's Nat'l Guard and other authority.

* is such an ass. States rights my ass. He doesn't believe in states rights. :grr:

smart voters in Louisiana to elect her!

political future.

He's very conservative.

He's about 35 or 36. He's a Rhodes Scholar, was president of the LSU system (I forget the title), and was a secretary of something in the Bush II administration. He's also very christian.

731,358 52% Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, D Elected
676,484 48% "Bobby" Jindal, R Defeated

is vulnerable.

and she only has a 10,000 vote cushion.

The next election is in 2007.

rebuilding New Orleans, then they just might get a lot more N.O. votes.

Very interesting.

after Nov 2007, and/or, when it does reopen there's no room in the new inn for Democratic demographics.

are chilling. And it's all starting to play out now, even before the country has buried its dead.

Jindal for governor:

New Orleans Mayor Nagin Endorses Jindal

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin today endorsed Bobby Jindal for governor today, stating “Bobby Jindal understands that all of Louisiana benefits from and needs a strong New Orleans. With Bobby Jindal as Governor, New Orleans and the rest of the state will be partners, not adversaries – which is critical because we can only move this state forward together.”

http://www.politicsla.com/press_releases/November/11030...

Thanks The people are only pawns there as are we everywhere else.

Bully the female governor of Louisiana, try to federalize her state, but praise the male governors of MS and AL.

From the Washington Post:

Behind the scenes, a power struggle emerged, as federal officials tried to wrest authority from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D). Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state's emergency operations center said Saturday.

Blackmail, pure and simple. Playing "I Hate Democrats" while people were DYING!!!

:mad:
rocknation

Did they let the people of NO suffer/die due to political wrangling?

and a leader!

around him, but can't handle them like a real man. Notice that when he is in deep s*** trouble, he brings out Babs and Laura so they can "soften" the public's ire, while he hides behind their skirts. Unfortunately, he doesn't get the same mileage out of those daughters of his...they have their own problems.

Barbara may say she tries to stay out of the President's business, but never forget that her apron strings are long and strong. Georgie Porgy "ain't" gonna let those apron strings get too far away and he sure "ain't" gonna invite the wrath of Momma, `cause he can't handle it when she gives him that eagle eye!

he's pissed that she didn't fall for his bullshit.... federalizing the National Guard.

SMART LADY! He's going to pay for this. BIG TIME. He let people DIE while he was arm twisting. Of course that was AFTER he ate cake, attended fundraiser, strummed on a guitar and played golf. :grr:

Governor Blanco. She has the best interest of her citizens to protect. Bush and feds are there to rob them.

At a time when we are all Motherless Children, she has enabled her daughters to step forward with strength and courage in the face of a dying male dominance.

If Bush asked for it you know Haley Bulbous kissed his ass.

But was that done? Or was it just requested in Louisiana for political advantage?

I wonder that myself.

What's behind it is his band of crooks wanting to control everything, including who gets the money for clean-up.

I am keeping my fingers crossed.

She had to be punished for not letting shithead federalize the LA NG because the adults are in charge. :sarcasm:

are perfectly content with the command and control situation as it is.

This is a pissing match between Bush and Blanco with the hurricane victims as the pawns.

in civilian politics. They just follow their orders.

She should spend the day actually passing out water, helping in food lines, hugging her people - in short, getting out there and doing some real work helping her people.

Juxtaposed against Bush's posing, her actions would speak volumes.

All of the Louisiana politicians should snub him - they all should get the hell out there and do shit today, show the bastard up.

she refused to let him push her away from the table. She has unique insight into the needs of the state, and she refused to let him fly in there for a photo-op without representing the people (her job).

<tinfoilhat>
Model for imposition of martial law piecemeal across the country. NOLA is a laboratory experiment for what they have planned for all of us as we descend into the inevitable triple disaster of peak oil/global warming/water shortage that they have know was in store for us for 30 years and have done NOTHING about other than militarize the police and create an ideologically prepared and motivated army. They have spent billions on the development of domestic counter insurgency weapons and training. They are ready.
</tinfoilhat>

Supposedly Bush either DID or was thinking about "suspending" Posse Comitatus.

Now there was no apparent reason for him to do that at the time, so I highly doubted it. But now Im not so sure - Posse Comitatus says that the military cannot be used to enforce the law. This INCLUDES the NG EXCEPT when the NG is acting under the authority of a state Governor, which is why the NG can be used like this in NO - cause they are under the authority of Blanco.

If Blanco had agreed to allow the federalisation of the National Guard, then the NG could not be used in a law enforcement capacity UNLESS Posse Comitatus was suspended or repealed all together.

Is it possible that Bush was trying to use this disaster a means of justifying the destruction of Posse Comitatus?

That would explain why he gave her a 24 hour deadline - any later than that and the security situation would no longer be serious enough to justify the transfer of authority and suspension of Posse Comitatus.

Forget Hillary... if any woman deserves to be President, it's Kathleen Blanco!!!

:kick:

I had no idea this was going on. Are there any news article links related to this issue?

This is beyond belief.

:grr:

:kick:

saying how badly the state had failed and that the effort needs to be federalized. The meme has begun!

Natalie Morales of MSNBC just came on a minute ago and stated James Lee Witt said that there could be 6,000 dead!

The PCA generally prohibits U.S. military personnel from direct participation in law enforcement activities. Some of those law enforcement activities would include interdicting vehicles, vessels, and aircraft; conducting surveillance, searches, pursuit and seizures; or making arrests on behalf of civilian law enforcement authorities. Prohibiting direct military involvement in law enforcement is in keeping with long-standing U.S. law and policy limiting the military’s role in domestic affairs.

now hand over your National Guard."

this hurricane causing people to die who could have been saved, if proved trued, make him a mass murderer. This is how history will see him after the truth emerges.

Okay, Congressional Senators and Representative, time to start an investigation. You can go on holiday after that.

The thought of the common good never enters their evil craniums.

take over yet another person's job and ineptly mismanage it too...

in miss. says the natl. guard there has not been federalized, however, he just got his electric on after six days, so may not be the best source...