It was Bush that asked the Gov and Mayor to order a mandatory evacuation, NOT their idea at all.

CNN ^ | Sunday, August 28, 2005; Posted: 11:47 a.m. EDT | CNN's David Mattingly, Susan Candiotti, Jacqui Jeras and Rob Marciano contributed to this report.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

And how did they respond , by doing nothing until the flood waters had submerged hundreds of New Orleans school district busses, which they could have used to save thousands of lives.

http://tinypic.com/bijv9j.jpg

Yet, the MSM, liberals, and assorted race pimps are blaming Bush????

[RippleFire]

bump

[bethtopaz]

Thanks for this! I talked to three people today (while waiting to get my oil changed in Vacaville -- yes! Vacaville!). I had FOX News on the t.v. and all three people came out with the normal vitriol - blaming the President! I stood up for him and just told them the truth. Of course they didn't like it, but I wasn't about to let them go on and on with their poison unchallenged. The third guy came in when Bush was in Mississippi and speaking about Katrina. The third guy started saying, "Blah, blah, blah, we've heard all that before..." I cut him short and said, "Look, I like President Bush and I think he's doing a great job. I just want to let you know where I stand before you continue." We ended up having a really great talk and basically agreed to disagree. I felt like I was on the front lines -- well, I was! People are just so misinformed. I basically tell them not to mess with me because I spend hours researching what's going on. That usually makes them take a couple steps backwards. Most people just hear the ABCNBCCBS talking points, repeat them and think they know what they're talking about.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Or, maybe the gov and mayor declined to use what they had on hand to save thousand sof lives?

http://tinypic.com/bijv9j.jpg

[bethtopaz]

I read in some site today (comment by a lib) that the gov. of LA was a republican. I thought she was a dem.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

http://tinypic.com/bijv9j.jpg

[bethtopaz]

I cannot figure out, for the life of me, what BTTT means, but it must be good. Help!

[rit]

By mid-afternoon, officials in Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, Lafourche, Terrebonne and Jefferson parishes had called for voluntary or mandatory evacuations. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin followed at 5 p.m., issuing a voluntary evacuation. Nagin said late Saturday that he's having his legal staff look into whether he can order a mandatory evacuation of the city, a step he's been hesitant to do because of potential liability on the part of the city for closing hotels and other businesses. "Come the first break of light in the morning, you may have the first mandatory evacuation of New Orleans," Nagin told WWL-TV. St. Tammany officials ordered evacuations of the parish's low-lying areas by today at noon. Times-Picayune KATRINA TAKES AIM Sunday, August 28, 2005

[bethtopaz]

Rush was commenting on GWBush's speech about helping LA and pointed out all the regulations the GW had to jump over just to be able to help those people. All this govt red tape is a large part of the problem. And the mayor of NO is worrying about his liabilities? That's a very sad commentary.

[Minus_The_Bear]

BTTT

[Graymatter]

Of course Bush was on top of this. We all know that.

Yes, any thinking individual knows it. After last year's crop of hurricanes hitting Florida---his brother Jeb's turf---the President had better information than most, and better advice too.

What is astonishing to me is that even a dimwitted Democrat governor in LA was so unprepared and so lacking in basic leadership qualities, that it took a US president to get her off her @$$ --- to elicit the merely prudent, logical response to a threat which was visible from space (literally) well in advance, and which should have been factored---nay, embedded into the emergency planning of a state vulnerable to hurricanes.

I am inclined to give everybody the benefit of the doubt, to the point of absurdity, and even I think that the state govt of LA and the mayor of NO are criminally negligent here. Criminally!

[kalee]

THANK for posting! I need this ammunition for my lib friends who are blaming the Pres.
I spoke, I guess really it was listened in disgust, yesterday as one of them blamed the Pres for everyhing. The storm was his fault- global warming, the gas crisis was his fault - failure to have an energy bill and to explore alternative fuels, the delay in evacuation was his fault, the delay in sending in the Guard and supplies was his fault, the looting was his fault...everything was BUSH's fault.
I finally said "read the Constitution and then get back to me because you need a refresher".

[thackney]

bump to follow

[adorno]

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said that it was President Bush that had called and urged the state to order the evacuation.

Yeah, like a democrat governor is going to listen to a republican president and carry out hist orger or suggestion. Blanco was probably thinking: Who the heck does Bush think he is, the president? I am the governor and this is my state and I'll decide when to evacuate and what's best for my state!

[TaxRelief]

Some weathermen (including Jeff Masters of Weatherunderground.com) predicted it perfectly. link

Katrina has continued to expand in size, and now rivals Hurricane Gilbert and Hurricane Allen as the largest hurricanes in size. When hurricanes reach such enormous sizes, they tend to create their own upper-air environment, making them highly resistant to external wind shear. The global computer models are not really hinting at any wind shear that might affect Katrina before landfall, and the only thing that might weaken her is an eyewall replacement cycle. Even if one of these happens in the next 12 hours, the weakest Katrina is likely to get before landfall is a Category 4 hurricane with 145 mph winds. Katrina is so huge and powerful that she will still do incredible damage even at this level. The track forecast has not changed significantly, and the area from New Orleans to the Mississippi-Louisiana border is going to get a catastrophic blow. I put the odds of New Orleans getting its levees breached and the city submerged at about 70%.

This scenario, which has been discussed extensively in literature I have read, could result in a death toll in the thousands, since many people will be unable or unwilling to get out of the city. I recommend that if you are trapped in New Orleans tomorrow, that you wear a life jacket and a helmet if you have them. High rise buildings may offer good refuge, but Katrina has the potential to knock down a high-rise building. A 25 foot storm surge and 30 - 40 foot high battering waves on top of that may be able to bring down a steel-reinforced high rise building. I don't believe a high rise building taller than six stories has ever been brought down by a hurricane, so this may not happen Monday, either. We are definitely in unknown waters with Katrina.

I have focused on New Orleans in much of my discussions about this storm, but Katrina will do tens of billions in damage all along the coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Mobile Bay could well see a 10-foot storm surge. And inland areas will take heavy damage as well; Katrina will still be a hurricane 180 miles inland, and cause widespread flooding throughout the Tennessee Valley.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you in Katrina's way, and I urge all readers of this blog to do the same.

Jeff Masters (The day before Katrina hit.)

Earlier on Saturday he posted this comment:

I'd hate to be an Emergency Management official in New Orleans right now. Katrina is pretty much following the NHC forecast, and appears likely to pass VERY close to New Orleans. I'm surprised they haven't ordered an evacuation of the city yet. While the odds of a catastropic hit that would completely flood the city of New Orleans are probably 10%, that is way too high in my opinion to justify leaving the people in the city. If I lived in the city, I would evactuate NOW! There is a very good reason that the Coroner's office in New Orleans keeps 10,000 body bags on hand. The risks are too great from this storm, and a weekend away from the city would be nice anyway, right? GO! New Orleans needs a full 72 hours to evacuate, and landfall is already less than 72 hours away. Get out now and beat the rush. You're not going to have to go to work or school on Monday anyway. If an evacuation is ordered, not everyone who wants to get out may be able to do so--particularly the 60,000 poor people with no cars.

[Reborn]

I also remember Haley Barbor pleading - err "I BEG YOU TO LEAVE" in Mississippi yet in LA they let the party go on all night & didn't clear out French Quarter.

EXACTLY! Anyone who was reading/posting here at FR during the approach of Katrina KNEW that it was Dubya who forced this issue in NO. We had weather men going rabid, Barbor PLEADING with the poeple to leave, FReepers warning folks in the Gulf to get out, and all the while we were watching the Party atmosphere continue on in NO. After going through Betsy I couldn't BELIEVE what I was seeing before my eyes down there. The local/state government didn't even have a clue. How many MORE deaths would there be had Blank-0 not heard from President Bush?

I'd like to see a thread posted here (and if there is one please ping me) that is strictly a recap of the Failings of the local/state government from the beginning on. AND it would include the NO/State laws that show why Dubya was WAITING on the idiots in local/state government to do their thing correctly. Some folks act like the President shoud've just gone in there with guns blazing 5 minutes after Katrina passes, sheesh.

[bethtopaz]

I'm still relatively new to FR. What's bump to the top? And thanks!
Beth

[Yellow Rose of Texas]

Shelters have been set up at 10 sites, including the Superdome, for people who cannot leave the city for medical or other reasons, but Nagin said they should be used only as a "last resort." (See video from New Orleans, where not all are ready to leave)

He said people who must stay in the shelter should bring enough food, water and supplies to last several days

They were told to bring their own food and water? How is that planning?