[ohioWfan]

think the problem is that FEMA assumes states know what they're doing, and is there to help, not take over.

That is exactly what they have said. They are there to "assist"..........not to control.

It is the state and city who have primary responsibility.

[Types_with_Fist]

It is the state and city who have primary responsibility.

I could have sworn I heard Chertoff say yesterday that the Feds were pretty much taking over everything. In any event, it should be obvious to all by now that Blanco can't do anything but go on TV and whine. The mayor is stranded and cannot communicate with other authorities and I doubt anyone even wants to talk to him. The FEMA guy, Brown, is saying that this is an "on-going disaster." He's right about that but now the "on-going disaster" is thousands of people dying in the street for lack of water that FEMA -- apparently -- cannot get to them.

[bvw]

Re the Convention Center: The FEMA director has to address in his remarks what the public sees and has seen, and not make statements that appear to deny what we have seen and heard. He has to affirm the legitimacy of what we all have seen and heard, otherwise we then come to deny what he says.

He can say something like "I understand what people have seen ...[say what that is]... and the situation we see on the ground is thus ...[make amore positive statement covering the same situation]... and to address that situation we are doing this ...[list of actions underway, to come, and that have been done]" PR 101.