HEY, FR! Don't Let the Media "Spin" Hurricane Charley Against FL Gov Jeb Bush and GW!

WINK-TV, SW FL ^ | Aug 15, 2004 | summer

[summer]

HEY, FR! Don't Let the Media "Spin" Hurricane Charley Against FL Gov Jeb Bush and GW!

Here are the TRUE facts!

by summer

I have to say I chuckled when I read My Favorite Headache's editorial about people he knows spinning this hurricane disaster against Gov Jeb Bush.

But, tonight on COUNTDOWN on MSNBC TV, I saw a "political analyst" doing the same thing in his interview with Keith Oberman.

Folks, don't let such false "spinning" continue in this important election year. I will tell you the truth here, and anyone in this area who also watched the weather reports right up to the last minute also knows the truth.

This hurricane was predicted by all the experts to make a direct hit onto Sanibel Island, and this prediction was being broadcast by the area's weathermen right up to less than an hour or two before the hurricane hit.

However, at literally the last minute, the weathermen I saw on WINK TV and WBBH TV, the local news stations in this area, suddenly went wild, saying this hurricane has now unexpectedly turned NORTH.

Consequently, instead of slamming into Sanibel Island, which was under a mandatory evacauation, the hurricane proceeded north to Punta Gorda. There were mandatory evacuations all over FL's west coast, but no one thought this hurricane would suddenly turn directly to Punta Gorda, including the expert weathermen tracking this storm just minutes before it it hit land.

Here are some news reports from WINK TV showing you what I am saying is true. This late breaking report still wasn't predicting it would make a direct hit on Punta Gorda, and was instead poredicting "within 20 miles" of that town:

Charley's track will bring it within 20 miles of the coast of Charlotte County, producing 115 mph winds and battering waves, sustained for periods of one hour or more.

They thought it would hit Sanibel:

Critical Police Alert From Sanibel Island Police

All emergency medical and fire services have evacuated Sanibel Island and will not respond until recovery efforts after the storm.

But, the hurricane suddenly swerved and hit Punta Gorda in Charlotte County:

Hurricane Charley struck the Florida mainland at Charlotte Harbor as a dangerous Category 4 storm Friday, pounding west-central Florida with 145 mph winds and a wall of water expected to exceed 10 feet.

People on this forum probably have more news reports and other info they can add to this true sequence of events.

But the evidence with the greatest impact may be the live weather reports as the hurricane was approach in its final hour, with weathermen on tv going crazy seeing their predictions were wrong -- as the hurricane was suddenly turning north at the last minute.

Just be aware that such evidence exists.

Don't let these tv pundits spin this as if Gov Bush was not prepared for this hurricane. He constantly attends hurricane preparedness seminars and he was ordering evacuations up and down the west coast.

As he correctly said in the NYT, a hurricane's path is unpredictable. And, that's what happened here.

PS The response has been quick and thorough. The AP is reporting the following as of Friday HERE:

AP) President Bush declared a major disaster in the state of Florida and says his prayers are with those affected by Hurricane Charley. Bush, who was campaigning in the Northwest, ordered federal aid for the recovery effort just two hours after Charley hit the mainland.

Federal funding will be available to Charlotte, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota counties. People affected by the storm in those areas are eligible for temporary housing grants and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to aid in their recovery.

State and local governments can also receive 75 percent federal funding for debris removal and emergency protective measures. FEMA says more counties and forms of assistance may be designated after the storm's damage is assessed.

The Office of the Governor has declared a Major Declaration for the entire State of Florida for disaster relief as a result of the direct effects of Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley. These events have produced, and are expected to produce, significant damages associated with coastal storm surges, high winds, torrential rainfalls, and inland flooding. This request is for direct federal assistance and emergency protective measures.

The following counties affected are: Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, DeSoto, Monroe, Hardee, Manatee, Polk, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Sumter, Lake, Citrus, Marion, Levy, Dixie, Lafayette, Suwannee, Hamiliton, Gilchrist, Alachua, Putnam, Flagler, St. Johns, Clay, Bradford, Union, Columbia, Baker, Duval, Highlands, Osceola, Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Flagler, Nassau

They are also asking for the individual assistance program for those counties listed above which are expected to experience hurricane or tropical storm winds. They are also requesting other additional programs.

Also see www.myflorida.com for many more links to info about Hurricane Charley and its aftermath.

[summer]

I really don't like it when the media pundits get on tv and blather on about things they know nothing about. Don't let them spin this, because every local person who knows anything is saying it's amazing how much they learned from Hurricane Andrew - the SW FL Airport is already open, stores are reopening, roads are clear, etc. (And, this is not what happened in Andrew. During Andrew it was chaos.) So, don't let them spin it falsely -- and against Gov Bush and GW!!! Thanks, summer :)

[summer]

I have a lot to do, and I gotta go, but I had to write this editorial tonight. I was really upset at the negative and uninformed remarks by that political analyst.

[Dustin Hawkins]

Yeah, I had a few people at work who were saying Jeb needed to be fired for telling people if they didnt leave, he wasnt sending in people to save them... bahhh

[summer]

This MSNBC analyst was saying stuff like this: "Well, people want to know why JEB didn't know the hurricane would hit Punta Gorda. It's gonna be some fall out for the governor - and, for his brother." It was just a bunch of crap.

[My Favorite Headache]

Yep...all the "armchair rocket scientists" know more than the people at the National Hurricane Center and the NOAA. NOAA was issuing alerts for 24 hrs non-stop from tornados to sever thunderstorms and high wind and flood warnings.

These idiots (my own friends included)and the media people sitting in places like NYC,Washington D.C.,Chicago,LA,and Seattle...know jack shit about Hurricanes in Florida. I am a native Floridian and I lived in a direct path from Andrew and was in Charley plus dozens of other storms.

The media and anyone else can kiss my ass on this. You can never be 100% EVER on the exact landfall of a hurricane.

[summer]

You can never be 100% EVER on the exact landfall of a hurricane.

That's right - and these tv weatherman who have been in this area for decades were going bananas on tv AS THIS HURRICANE WAS ABOUT TO HIT FL because they realized: it is turning sharply, and turning north; Sanibel is now not the place where this hurricane will land...

To see pundits blame this on Gov Bush is disgraceful, just disgraceful.

[summer]

FYI, and thanks for your post to me on the other thread.

[SheLion]

I lived in Florida for three years. As big as this hurricane was, coming into the Gulf, I would have left the state no matter where I lived in that state. I am even surprised that Miami didn't get a hit.

That storm was massive and anyone with any sense would have headed north days ago.

It's a wonder that hurricane didn't take out the whole state. And how on earth can even the best of weathermen predict how it was going to move. I commend the meteorologists for predicting as close as they did.

Some say it's an act of God. Well, that is another sign that no man can actually predict the precise movement of such a massive storm.

If the Rats want to spin it and place blame on Gov. Bush, etc, then anyone with an ounce of sense will realize the truth.

I also commend the Gov. and all the emergency workers for getting in there as fast as they did.

I think they are doing a fantastic job at helping the people out.

[summer]

BTW - How You Can Help Floridians Suffering From Hurricane Charley [instructions from FL Gov Jeb Bush]

[Miss Marple]

Thanks, summer! I will be sending e-mails tomorrow!

[summer]

FYI.

[summer]

Thank you, because I almost fell over when I heard this idiot on tv saying what he was saying!!!

[Dolphy]

The junior Senator from Florida, on Fox, praised the state government's preparation and response. Of course the national media will look for other, "better informed" Democrats to better make their political point.

[My Favorite Headache]

Link to the thread Summer is talking about

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1191628/posts?q=1&&page=201

[summer]

Thanks for your post, SheLion. The problem though with evacuating is that people in FL are constantly told: a hurricane might be coming. So, they rarely hear "a hurricane might be coming AND evacate" because they hear about hurricane constantly.

And, I agree with you - they are doing a great job down here right now.

[summer]

RE post #14 - Thanks for posting that link, MFH. I gotta reun, but I'll be back.

[summer]

RE post #14 - Thanks for posting that link, MFH. I gotta run, but I'll be back.

[scouse]

Hi Summer: I watched that idiot Craig Crawford trying to lay the blame on JEB. However considering all the precautions that were taken, prior to Charley making landfall, I don't think any of it will stick.

[Normal4me]

I just left my ex-girlfriends house after covering her roof with plastic. She lost all her roofing material last night and it was down to bare wood. Did I have to do it? No. I would have done the same for anyone who needed help. This is not a political issue, this is a community issue. Her entire neighborhood is without power and I saw neighbors sharing food, ice, chainsaws, etc....everybody was helping each other. If the media has become so shallow as to not see the good in people, then I have no use for them anymore.

[metesky]

We still haven't heard from my cousin in Punta Gorda. His ex works in the hospital that got it's roof blown off.