Katrina: A timeline -- proof the Federal response was NOT SLOW

White House.gov; multiple news & other sources ^ | 9/3/05

[Wolfstar]

I cannot stand the MSM coverage of this disaster. All Bush bashing and duck and cover for the Louisiana Gov. and New Orleans Mayor.

You're welcome. And I'm sure with you on the sentiment you expressed above. Disgusting doesn't begin to cover it.

[hole_n_one]

The Federal response in force was much slower than the hurricane effort in Florida and much slower than on 9/11.

You have apparently yet to fully grasp the colossal magnitude of what Katrina wrought.

[Peach]

Can you answer Post #10 please.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[onyx]

Hi wolfstar. GOOD to see you too. Most excellent thread. Sorry for the duplicate posting of the WP article. I was a slower poster than Peach, but we had the same article, which is a gem.

[gondramB]

Thank you.

The levees were rated for Class 3 hurricane I think so I'm sure the Federal plan included the possibility of a break. I'm not convinced the Governor had a plan at all.

[Wolfstar]

I think they were kind of slow to get in there.

The first units from the federal government were in New Orleans the same day the hurricane hit. That was Monday. The levees were breached very early in the morning on Tuesday. When the sun came up, only then was the full extent of the devastation known. By Thursday FEMA's first convoy of 500 buses and other emergency units were at the Superdome and the first evacuees were in Houston. That's two days! The response kept building from there.

Personally, I believe people's expectations at a time like this are totally unrealistic.

[Paradox]

"The administration had sought control over National Guard units, normally under control of the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request, noting that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. State authorities suspected a political motive behind the request."

Is it just me, or is this kinda huge? Would almost warrant its own thread on Breaking news...

[gondramB]

I'm sure you are right. Although I "chase" one or two hurricanes each year for photography and surfing. I stayed the heck away from this one.

[heartwood]

Behind the scenes, a power struggle emerged, as federal officials tried to wrest authority from Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D). Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state's emergency operations center said Saturday. The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. "Quite frankly, if they'd been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals," said the source, who does not have the authority to speak publicly.

The article is dated Sept. 3. There is no specific date given for the Friday in question. The last sentence is odd, though - if the feds took over before the hurricane, they would have been blamed for everything that went wrong, and if they take it over now, that won't help in shifting the blame that's fallen on them.

[Dems_R_Losers]

Holy cow, I am glad I did not read that warning on Sunday or I would have completely freaked out, and I am 1000 miles away! That has to be the most dire warning ever put out by the NHC.

[arjay]

Did it ever occur to you that this crisis is infinitely larger than 9/11. You are looking at tens of thousands of square miles. It is much more than NO.

Add Ala. and MS. to the mix and you have an almost impossible situation. Frankly, it is amazing that as much has been done as has been done.

Plus the fact that in areas other than NO, the local leaders (Barbour for one) are much more capable and more willing to stand on their own feet rather than helplessly wait on the Fed. Gov't.

The Dems know only to wait on the Feds for help.

Could we have had better response? If the governor had agreed, certainly.

All plans can be better. All plans fail when faced with reality.

I am sick to death of the criticism of people who were and are doing their very best to help people in need, regardless of income or color.

To all those who are griping, Shut up and help or shut up and get out of the way.

[Hayley]

I am amazed that the MSM, and others on the Left don't seem to realize the incredible scale and the colossal projected expense of the relief effort. Not only is it unprecedented, it was mobilized and put into _effective_ action in two days following the flooding. They seem to be pandering to the large section of inner city inhabitants, who were largely wards of the state to begin with. I can see, er hear, unending whining for the duration of this ordeal, to be dutifully reported by CNN, MSNBC, and spun into talking-points by the Democrats, while the administration tries work-through this very difficult job. They oughta thank God Republicans were in office!

[Peach]

It deserves to be reposted. I've been spamming the threads with it. hehehe

[Wolfstar]

But, but wait, Bush should have stopped the storm when it was off the coast of Africa.

LOL! That, in a nutshell, is what those unattached to the real world DO expect.

[Diddle E. Squat]

11pm Friday NHC prediction:

There's another graphic without as much editorializing (LOL), if I find it I'll post it. Also would be good to get the 5pm and 11am, which showed a MS hit and a FL hit before that, thus the major westward shifting was evident by 4pm NOLA time (and earlier for authorities), in time to alert people on the news of the drive home from work, if the Gov. had made a suggestion for a voluntary evac, or at least strongly urge all persons to pay attention that weekend because the danger was real.

[Wolfstar]

Hi, Pol. There's always something else that could be added to a timeline like this. But I think it makes the point for anyone with an open mind.

[onyx]

Good. Keep spamming. This is stellar info, despite the misleading title.

President Bush MUST demand hearings before media complete the revisionism.

[LA Conservative]

That's easy. A leftist would have already have all the private resources under their control well before the hurricane even formed in the Atlantic.

[Wolfstar]

Re your #56, thanks for the good laugh. I've had a summer cold all week and am still coughing some. So I needed to smile and laugh.