Snopes debunks the blaming of Nagin-Blanco

http://www.snopes.com/politics/katrina/nagin.asp

According to the St. Petersberg Times, Max Mayfield of the National Hurricane Center contacted government officials in Louisiana and Mississippi on Saturday night (27 August), not Friday night.

According to the New Orleans Time-Picayune, President Bush's first communication with Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco occurred on Sunday morning (August 28), just before a 9:30 AM press conference called by Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin to announce the latter's mandatory evacuation order for New Orleans.

On Friday (26 August), Governor Blanco did indeed declare a state of emergency for the state of Louisiana in advance of Katrina's making landfall in the Gulf Coast.

On Saturday (27 August), Governor Blanco asked President Bush to declare a state of emergency at the federal level for the state of Louisiana.

It will come in handy.

This part of the lie was interesting: Just before midnight Friday evening the President called Governor Blanco and pleaded with her to sign the request papers so the federal government and the military could legally begin mobilization and call up. He was told that they didn't think it necessary for the federal government to be involved yet. After the President's final call to the governor she held meetings with her staff to discuss the political ramifications of bringing federal forces. It was decided that if they allowed federal assistance it would make it look as if they had failed so it was agreed upon that the feds would not be invited in.

We know that bushie likes his pillow and goes to bed early -- so we know this part is a lie. More than likely he was sleeping off a drinking binge -- after all Cindy Sheehan was on his doorstep. And this sort of stress is enough to drive a wet drunk to the bottle.

Also it is unlikely that bushie would call personally.

Anyway in the liars desperation can be seen in the email sample because they had to make bushie seem like he was acting on FRIDAY -- so they had to set the time as close to Saturday as possible.

Another lie:
bushie pleaded with her (Blanco).

bushie would never put himself into a position to plead with a mere woman -- he is a sexist bastard. And it is highly doubtful that he cared enough to lose any sleep over poor folk.

We SAW how concerned he was -- there was NO urgency as he continued his vacation as people were drowning and dying from lack of water and medical care.

But the faithful/cult members will believe this crap.

federal assistance?

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given 24-36 hours notice, to evacuate 134,000 people via city transportaion facilities. Local transportation WAS mobilized and DID assist people who needed same, but the best of efforts was woefully inadequate, as everyone knew it would be. It simply isn't doable.

But of course you know that. Carry on though, sow those seeds of doubt. If you can.

Here's a report from before the storm hit.


Sunday, August 28, 2005

Around 112,000 Orleanians do not own cars, according to census data. Nagin urged those people to seek rides with friends, family, neighbors and church members. Those who could not find rides were urged to get to the Superdome as quickly as possible.

Regional Transit Authority buses were scheduled to ferry people to the dome from 12 locations around the city beginning at noon today.

Meantime, to make sure word of the mandatory evacuation gets out, Nagin said that police and fire crews would be driving through neighborhoods Sunday with bullhorns, directing people to leave.

The evacuation order contained exemptions for certain people, including city, state and federal officials, inmates of the parish prison, those in hospitals, tourists staying in hotels and members of the media.

An emergency order Nagin announced Sunday in declaring the mandatory evacuation gives authorities the right to commandeer private buildings and vehicles — including boats — as they see fit.

The mayor did not say which buildings might be seized for public use. For the time being, the Superdome will be used as a “shelter of last resort” for those unable to evacuate the city. If the dome fills to capacity, other buildings could be appropriated, Nagin said.

Nagin said the dome’s availability to residents doesn’t mean that going there is a good idea.

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_08_28.html


BTW: Welcome to DU :hi:

:)

I sent them the link to the PDF of Blanco's letter, etc.

that she didn't ask for help until Katrina hit, and that she refused to allow the Nat'l Guard in. And of course, he went unchallenged by Matt Lauer.

He read extensive passages of an article by some repug that was putting all the blame on the governor and the mayor. The exact stuff that Snopes has now debunked. Brian, also, read from several newspaper editorials all "supporting" the Chimp. Basically everything he cited was sum up with governor and mayor bad, Chimpy good. I tried to get through on the phones with no luck.

I was going to ask Brian when he became an "excusologists" for this administration. (Apologists just doesn't cover what Rove has going right now.)