Southern CA fires - Live Thread 10/27

10/27/03 | Myself

[cake_crumb]

Another thing Gray is doing on his whining tour is dragging loads of fire officials away from their jobs, to make HIM look good on camera...he's doing it now. I made the mistake of unmuting it for a second, then looking at it to see who was being introduced. He's sourrended by them. He should be letting them fight the fires.

[bonesmccoy]

However, Davis is on TV and in person in front of the hurting people.

That's precisely the thinking that gives him the governor's office and the GOP politicians ZERO.

GOP politicians always think that they can send staff.

They can't.

They need to show up in person.

The reason Clinton was re-elected was that the voters were seduced by his presence.

Bush needs to win California.

He's shooting the '04 election by not showing up in person.

[slimer]

CYA - doing what he does best - deflect and blame.

[Cindy]

LINKS Of Interest:

CURRENT WILDLAND FIRE INFORMATION

USFS FIRE & Aviation LINKS

EMERGENCY NETNEWS

[Deo volente]

The governor has experienced firsthand the effects of fire:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/breen/archive/20031008_breen.gif

[GOPrincess]

Well, do you think it's that they're on the *scene* or that they're on TV? (Tangentially on the scene, i.e., the San Bernardino Airport.) To me it seems more about message than presence. I definitely agree the Dems are using this to grandstand, based on what I have heard here today. I know there is a sector of the public (those that tend to vote Dem) that will uncritically buy what the Dems are dishing out, but I hope there's a *leetle* more to it than that. What about Bush maybe getting on TV in person and not only outlining the help but explaining exactly *why* he's not coming out right now?

On the other hand, I agree with you, I think we definitely should be seeing/hearing from the man who will be governor in a few days/weeks. We need to know how he would lead during this contrasted with Davis. To me it seems like it's almost more an issue of Arnold v. Davis than Bush v. Davis...and if Arnold does well, that bodes well for Bush down the line...

[SCalGal]

Davis is a first class Clymer -- blaming the Feds for not getting people on the ground right away -- he didn't ask for them until late yesterday afternoon.

You know that, I know that, and the people reading this thread know that.

Who else knows that?

If either Bush or Arnold will stand up NOW and say something, they will be believed. If they wait, it may be too late.... That Clymer is out there with people who are hurting, offering his sympathy, false though it is, and his shoulder.

He's making it look like Bush doesn't care. Unfortunately, the general consensis out here is that Washington doesn't care. This needs to be corrected, and now is the perfect time.

[GOPrincess]

"The reason Clinton was re-elected was that the voters were seduced by his presence."

I think you're right about it, a lot of people bought into the "I feel your pain" stuff. It's just that it was all so phony to me, and I hate to see Bush milking it the same way Clinton did, although I believe he, of course, is sincere.

[GOPrincess]

Yes, I think that's a good point, the Dems could turn Bush showing up around on him and turn it into Clinton getting a haircut on the tarmac at LAX...

[cake_crumb]

"Simi Valley fire is also arson"

Yep. I don't know if it's Arab terrorists...we have enough local wackos who like to burn things down, but this sure seems like it was coordinated. One official today was saying he was afraid the reports of so many fires being arson would spark copycats, and that police patrols have beeen increased. I also heard there were a few arrests of looters. Unbelievable.

[bonesmccoy]

How many times do you have to be told that a Presidential visit requires a lot of advance people and those folks are most likely involved in all of this disaster?

If the WH can not move the POTUS on a dime, it makes me wonder about whether or not the POTUS can really respond to a natural disaster. Sending a FEMA bureaucrat is weak.

The excuses I'm hearing flown are weak.

This entire issue is the VISIBILITY of the leader.

The GOP has let the lead go Democrat in this state.

Why?

Care to explain why Arnold isn't out at the disaster shelters?

These guys need to fire their handlers...they only consume cash and return no "Win"s.

I want this POTUS to return to the WH... you guys are solidifying the opposition. With Davis rounding in the disaster areas, he's pulling in Garamendi for press conferences, referring to Boxer's office for support.

When people are hurting, they don't give a rats patootie about the politics...they want to see the leader in person.

[GOPrincess]

I think this is a "winning point" for the GOP (if we must drag politics into the fire, which the Dems seem to be doing) -- the GOP should be pointing out to the media they are intentionally trying to stay out of the way.

[bonesmccoy]

is that CHP dispatch?

[BurbankKarl]

Yes, the Simi valley fire was caused by an arsonist, the Cedar fire by a hunter shooting a flare, the Pendleton fire by the U.S. Marines, the Old Fire by teenagers.

I feel sorry for our country if Al Qaeda has penetrated us that far...


>>FBI: al-Qaeda detainee spoke of fire plot

[xusafflyer]

You don't know the politics of the inland valley very well.

Check the Recall election stats. SB and Riverside were the highest in the state over 70% each. Those counties are very heavy conservative. Jim Brulte is from that region. Tom McClintock is from the Thousand Oaks area (near the Simi fire).

[slimer]

The governor has experienced firsthand the effects of fire:

Yeah right! He just had his a$$ burned by the voters in CA.

[Dog]

fyi..

[Toidylop]

OMG. We just saw a tanker coming down our way!!!

[maggief]

Sorry if this is a repost:

GOP attacks Davis on wildfires

UNION-TRIBUNE and SIGNONSANDIEGO

1:05 p.m. October 27, 2003


Republican politicians charged the Democratic Davis administration today with failing to move quickly enough to send in military assets to help fight the numerous blazes raging in the area.

The allegation brought a sharp retort from the governor's press secretary, Steve Maviglio, who called the grousing "the worst kind of political maneuvering" and said the critics are "not helping put one fire out."

Republican Assemblyman Jay La Suer of La Mesa, County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon and several other East County Republicans gathered at La Suer's La Mesa offices to call for the state to quickly approve a request to bring in a military firefighting unit from Colorado Springs.

Hunter said Gen. Richard Myers, the Joint Chiefs chairman, offered use of the Colorado Springs-based Military Aerial Firefighting wing to assist in combating fires, but that the required request from the governor's office for that help has not been made. Another, similar unit at Point Mugu, has already been released to help fight the fires.


"This (Colorado Springs) help has been available since yesterday, around noon,'' said Wendell Cutting, Hunter's chief of staff. Cutting called the California Governor's Office the "epitome of a beauracracy.'' Gov. Gray Davis, speaking to reporters in Santa Monica before leaving for San Diego, said he had called the president's chief of staff last night to impress upon him the need to sign a presidential disaster declaration as soon as possible. Davis said he has asked Gov. Kenny Guinn of Nevada and Janet Napolitano of Arizona to provide 50 fire engines each, most of which will be deployed in San Diego County, where "most of the deaths have occurred.''

Davis said every state agency is involved in helping with the fire-related problems, from the National Guard (helicopters, cots) to the CHP (12-hour shifts, helping with evacuations), mental health (for those who lost homes), Caltrans (moving cars, trucks and livestock).

Davis said what he really wants to see is the federal government set up one-stop "shops'' like those established after the Northridge earthquake in 1994, where local, state and federal aid was available under one roof, "`making it as easy as possible for the victims of this disaster.''

He said he was briefing Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger on an hourly basis. He said Schwarzenegger will be going to Washington, D.C. tomorrow to ask for federal assistance.

Davis said putting the fires out is the state's top priority, then helping people put their lives back in order.

(snip)

[medscribe]

Oh yeah...great political move there! Let's bring Bush out...let's throw more chaos on the situation by having POTUS tie up highways, shut down streets, etc as he moves around the areas just so he can get a photo-op. Can anyone honestly think that the Secret Service will allow him anywhere NEAR the affected areas?! Let's play politics while people's lives are being destroyed. Frankly, if I'm in the middle of some evacuaion, I would want POTUS and anybody else to get the hell out of the way and not step in my face just to say "I feel your pain."

Just as the Dems tried to make political hay out of the blackout in August (remember Dan Blathermouth saying Bush should cancel his fundraiser and address the nation?), this too will fail because people have common sense. Doofus can play politics all he wants...he's a political dead man walking. Bush should stay where he can do the most good, at the White House to run the country, and not play pandering feel-good politics.