NYP: LET'S HEAR ABOUT THE HEROES

New York Post ^ | September 6, 2005 | DEBORAH ORIN

[OESY]

Katrina created so many hurricane heroes, but we hardly hear about any of them.

Start with the amazing Coast Guard rescue teams who dangled from the sky to pluck thousands to safety, gently cradling old women and terrified children hour after hour after hour, all through the night.

In just a few days, they did more rescues than they normally do in a year, each one a test of skill and courage. Now ask yourself: How many interviews with these heroes have you heard?

All across the country, civic groups and churches are jumping into action to shelter refugees from the killer storm "Welcome friends," said a scrawled sign held by a little kid in Lubbock, Texas, as shell-shocked victims arrived.

...Americans are doing what they always do in times of crisis — rallying together to raise lots of money, volunteering, comforting strangers and helping.

But a lot of the media seems to have decided that's not the story — the goal is to turn Katrina into Iraq II, so nothing but bad news is worth reporting and all bad news must be President Bush's fault.

Which is why most of the press has conveniently ignored the appalling incompetence of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco....

Thousands of New Orleans residents still trapped, thousands dead, the city destroyed and the mayor's top priority is getting his police officers a vacation?

No doubt there are plenty of heroic New Orleans cops. But... 200 of the 1,500 simply walked off the job....

Or consider the fact that it appears the only reason any mandatory evacuation order was issued... was that Bush pressed feckless local officials to do it.

That's not White House spin. It's in the Associated Press story on Aug. 28, the day before the storm....

[Piquaboy]

All I have heard is a bunch of whining from the liberals saying it is all the fault of Bush.

[OESY]

"{W]idely circulated [photos show] hundreds of New Orleans school buses parked useless and now ruined by floodwaters. Nagin and Blanco were yelling for more buses from elsewhere — but didn't even try to use what they had on hand.

Apparently, they saw their prime role in an emergency as yelling for help. And venting on television.

At first, Blanco just threw up her hands at the looting. By contrast, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour warned that looters could be shot — and his state had a lot less trouble. Blanco reportedly resisted a federal takeover of the rescue even after her own incompetence was all too obvious.

Local incompetence doesn't excuse federal mistakes, but it's worth remembering that not every city can count on a Rudy Giuliani when catastrophe hits."

[Bahbah]

I really like Deborah Orin.

[GianniV]

Deborah, because President Bush "hates black people." Didn't you get the memo?

Democrats will probably run Blanco for President; that's how you get promoted in Democrat circles - display utter incompentency.

[Dust in the Wind]

"How many interviews with these heroes have you heard?"

I would hope very few. Let them work eat and sleep in peace from the m-hounds.

[The Sons of Liberty]

I think a lot more people are beginning to appreciate Rudy's superb leadership after 9/11.

[cyclotic]

The media is a miserable failure.

Jabbar Gibson (20 year old bus "borrower") is the only here with a name that I've seen so far.

However, the thousands of ordinary citizens and first responders meet the requirements of here as well.

[MEG33]

God bless the Coast Guard and all the other heroes..Thank you!

[biff]

Agree, send Jabbar to the 'Honore School of Leadership' and keep him on the fast track.

[CBart95]

You and Deb have a lot in common. It might be called "sitcom mentality".
It goes something like this: 1. Start with a peaceful scene. 2. Enter Villan doing harmful things. 3. Find and hang the beaurocrats who let villan do bad things. 4. Have John-Boy say goodnite with a bedtime story to all the saved refugees. Roll credits to you are the Wind beneath My Wings. Do it all in 30 minutes.
That's all fine. Except when you have a tragedy like the one still happening for the last week or more and still going on.
Be assured that you and Deb are not the Lone Ranger. Most everyone is incapable of grasping the enormity of this calamity. The difference in this one is that you and Deb and everyone else is directly involved in this disaster and it ain't over.

[OldFriend]

Not a single elected official from Louisiana has had the decency to go on the air and thank the people of America for their outpouring of money and effort in the relief effort.

Rather, they get on the air to whine, complain, and place blame.

And that includes Jindal and Vitter, both republican.

SHAME ON ALL THE OFFICIALS FOR THEIR INGRATITUDE.

And to top it off we have Landrieu complaining that the military brought attitude and no resources.

[chgomac]

I'm awaiting the interviews & debriefing of the medical people from the two NO city hospitals. They were truly on their own....left to fend for themselves.

Here are my questions:
1) Was there a disaster plan for your facility & if so, what was it?
2) Did the mayor of NO or his reps contact you before the hurricane made landfall & if so, what were you told?
3)News reports stated that hospital security guards were the only security available and that there were incidents of criminals terrorizing the hospital workers. Please describe the security conditions in your facility.

[Wil H]

Media credo.....Hey, it works in Iraq, let's do the same in New Orleans...