FNC's Major Garrett: Red Cross Blocked by Order of the Louisiana State Government

Hugh Hewitt ^ | 9/7/05 | Hugh Hewitt

[finnman69]

The Red Cross Blocked

The Fox News Channel's Major Garrett was just on my show extending the story he had just reported on Brit Hume's show: The Red Cross is confirming to Garrett that it had prepositioned water, food, blankets and hygiene products for delivery to the Superdome and the Convention Center in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, but were blocked from delivering those supplies by orders of the Louisiana state government, which did not want to attract people to the Superdome and/or Convention Center. Garrett has no paper trail yet, but will follow up on his verbal confirmation from sources at the highest levels of the Red Cross.

The transcript of the interview will be available at Radioblogger later this afternoon.

And here is a very interesting article from Septmber of 2004:

Debate continues over Superdome as potential hurricane shelter

Seems that the debate over using the Superdome goes back almost a year, and that no one in New Orleans thought it would be a great place in a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane.

Key graphs:

"If we were to lose power, if we were to lose plumbing facilities, if a storm were to hit and create flooding in the area; the Superdome would not be a desirable place to be," he said.

The American Red Cross admits it would not stay in town for a severe hurricane. Workers would offer supplies and training to the Dome but would then leave to ensure aid for the hurricane's aftermath.

Kay Wilkins, spokesperson for the American Red Cross, said, "While we're saying we;re going to move our volunteers and staff out of the risk area into areas where its safer for them to be it doesn't mean we're not going to be here ahead of time for others."

Mayor Nagin said the city has more than 80,000 people without transportation access, and when the next hurricane evacuation there will be thousands of people who will not, or cannot, leave, highlighting the city's urgency of finding the most suitable place for shelter.

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[del4hope]

The RC has only moderately redeemed themselves to me. I was furious to have them quoting Jesse on their web page(I believe yesterday or the day before). I will never donate to a charitable organization that allows that man a voice.

[Dog]

Thanks Red.

[KavMan]

I don't see anything in the article where the Governor is pointing fingers at the Mayor. That article is sort of what I saw on ABC WNT yesterday when they had a segment on who's to blame.

[conservativewasp]

"People should face jail time"

I've been thinking for several days that there is CRIMINAL negligence here, and it's not a national figure(s) that should go down.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

On WWL a reporter asked Blanco whether she was in communication with the mayor. She couldn't recall the last time she talked with him.

Meanwhile the Chief of NOPD is claiming that NOPD evacuated everyone out of the dome. Disgusting.

[goodnesswins]

LOL....when all this talk of an "investigation" started.....I laughed....thinking the Dems better be careful what they ask for.....!!!

[shield]

Red Cross is way to corrupt for me...I've heard some stories on this organization...I'd only give to SALVATION ARMY or OPERATION BLESSING.

[Republican Red]

Meanwhile the governette was in NO saying she wasn't gonna play the name game

My kids and I played the Name Game with our family names the other night. I almost had a heart attack when I realized that my eight year old was singing about our cat named Tuck. I just about jumped out of my skin to put an end to the song. lol

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

She was in NO today trying to put on a happy face. Her head of HS was with her but trying hard not be shown near her side.

[Ken H]

Thanks for checking.

[gpapa]

the state department of Homeland Security and the state National Guard. Both of which report to the governor

The person that oversees Homeland Security and National Guard is the Adjutant General of the State of Louisiana, Major General Bennett C. Landreneau. MG Landreneau reports directly to the Governor.

[Semi Civil Servant]

I guess it is an indication of how few people watch Larry King that everyone is taking this as a just breaking story.

Drudge can't be easily ignored, even by the MSM. They're so busy trying to nail down the impeachment of GWB that they aren't paying attention to the true story coming out. This story is blowing up in the left's/MSM's face big time.

[xzins]

The libs are going to rue the day they attacked George Bush on Katrina and NewOrleans.

Rove is going to eat their lunch.

This governor will not be reelected. This mayor is a nut and shouldn't be reelected, but just might be. Even Landrieu's presence has been less than satisfying.

Heaven help those who unfairly attack the President.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

The link must be sizzling. I can't get it to work at all. Meanwhile Blanco is blaming Nagin. Let these two rip each other up. Bush is just gonna watch the fur fly.

[hole_n_one]

It's great that FNC is getting the story out, but this was actually broken on CNN five days ago. Marty Evans, the president of the Red Cross, told the exact same thing to Larry King on his Friday show.

Partial transcript of LKL 9/2/05..........

KING: We're back.

Joining us now in Washington is Marty Evans, the President and CEO of the American Red Cross. She traveled with the president today. The Red Cross is not in New Orleans, why?

EVANS: Well, Larry, we were asked, directed by the National Guard and the city and the state emergency management not to go into New Orleans because it was not safe. We are not a search and rescue organization. We provide shelter and basic support and so we were depending, we are depending on the state and the agencies to get people to our shelters in safe places.

[del4hope]

"The libs are going to rue the day they attacked George Bush on Katrina and NewOrleans."

So true.

They can throw pies all day long at conservatives....who are the ones with the figurative pie on their faces now? And it is just starting. The victims really should be the focus now. And all this fingerpointing and racebaiting at a time when the victims should be the priority will just add fuel to the coming bonfire.

[mhking]

I'm going to take a leap: Was Kathleen Blanco attempting genocide?

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[Wiseghy]

The shreaders are warming up in Blanco's office now.

"Oops, these memos fell in! Darn!"

[Soul Seeker]

FEMA and the Red Cross are owed the Truth of what happened told. They've had their reputation trashed unfairly. There may be things they deserve blame for, I don't know, but people (and this includes some conservatives) jumped down their throat without the facts on this one.

[Irish Eyes]

Thanks for the post.

I do not believe that people are aware that the state of Louisiana has a Department of Homeland Security, or that the state of Louisiana has control of its National Guard.