This mayor and governor caused this problem.
They allowed a criminal subculture to get out of control in this city. When authority was removed, they went berserk. This problem was years in the making.
This is not "looting". These were gangs and a criminal element doing what they have always done - preying on the weak and taking what they want.
Guiliani understood this. He stopped this from happening in NY, which is one reason he has the undying respect of NYers.
And notice what was the response from every "right winger" from NRO to Savage "Shoot the looters, Restore order" but of course the break down of authority in the City of NO and the State of Louisiana will be ignored so the Dinosaurs can spew their hate at Bush. The "News Media" including Fox News and such "Right wing" Luminaries as Peggy Noonan don't even merit an F on their coverage. They have sunk to an I. Incompetent and Ignorant. How is it I can find out more hard data in 25 minutes using my Internet then I can get from 4 hours of watching ANY new outlet or reading ALL the major dailies? Why do I know more about most news events then the "professional journalists" who are PAID to report the "news"? Don't suppose it has anything to do with the ideological filter our "news" is strained thru do you?
Does the failure of the local government of New Orleans remind anyone of the 2000 election debacle in Broward and Palm Beach Counties? Democratic local governments not providing basic oversight and then blaming the republicans. The attitude seems to be that the federal government is all knowing and all seeing and can predict and take care of anyone and anything. Secularzation of society makes the federal "state" God with the attendant attributes. Bush obviously failed because he didn't blink and divert the storm, fix the levee, provide food, water, shelter and know that the populance would turn criminal.