Replies

Subject: US PRESIDENTS IN HURRICANES:

President: Nixon
Danger: Category-5 Hurricane Camille (August 1969)
Area: About the same area as that affected by Katrina
Response: Nixon prepared the National Guard in
advance, ordering rescue ships from Tampa, FL and Houston, TX to stand
waiting along with over a thousand regular military, 24+ helicopters to
assist the Coast Guard and National Guard about as soon as the hurricane
passed.

President: Bush the Elder
Danger: Hurricane Andrew (August 92)
Area: Florida
Response: In the middle of a re-election campaign, Bush ceased
campaigning the day before the hurricane, went to Washington, and
assembled one of the largest military forces ever mustered on U.S. soil.
Seven thousand National Guard and 22,000 regular military were sent in
with the necessary equipment shortly after the hurricane passed through.

President: Clinton
Danger: Category-3 Hurricane Floyd (September 1999)
Area: Virginia and Carolinas
Response: Meeting with China's president Jiang in New Zealand, Clinton
immediately declared the hurricane-affected areas as federal disasters,
allowing the military and National Guard to move in and help. Clinton
flew home immediately, one day before the hurricane hit, to help
coordinate the rescue.

President: Bush the Lesser
Danger: Category-5 Hurricane Katrina (August 2005)
Area: Gulf Coast
Response: National Guard troops are down about 8,000
members because they are in Iraq with much of the necessary rescue
equipment needed. Bush was on vacation, riding his bike for two hours
the day before the hurricane lands. On the day Katrina landed, Bush
attended a birthday party for John McCain. The levees began to crack.
While emergency 1.5-ton sandbags were ready to be placed! to steady
the levee and absorb water, there were insufficient numbers of
helicopters and pilots to set them before the levees break. Nagin, the
mayor of New Orleans, pleaded for federal-level assistance and got none.
Bush went to San Diego to play guitar with a country singer and end
his vacation early -- but not until the next day, because he had
tickets to a San Diego Padres game.