[popdonnelly]

Question for all the dumbass Democrats - and there are so many of you: How are we supposed to help New Orleans, when the Governor keeps out the Red Cross, and the Salvation Army, and the National Guard, and the military, and won't let the Federal government take over disaster relief?

I already know what your dumbass answer is: "It's Bush's fault".

[ElephantinTexas]

If I owned a home or property in NOLA, you would have to shoot me too. I wouldn't leave because of

a) my home would be looted or even worse

b) eminent domain!!

It would be real easy now for huge land grabs from condemned property or.............dead people.

[lysie]

Wow.

[Maeve]

I raise my cup o' chicken soup to Major Garrett. Some good digging. Just wish this would get more press coverage than Geraldo and Alessandra Stinky.

[RavenATB]

But...but...but...the Superdome was full of people who were mostly blacks! That would mean that there are Democrats (Blanco, and those who worked for her) who wanted blacks to die.

That is the prevailing "logic" used lately by the left...correct?

Maybe the cries of racism from the left haven't been so much insane as they were PROJECTION!

[cricket]

Major Garrett (FN) has another big story and has shared it with Hurgh Hewitt; but so far this morning; listening to Fox and Friends and last night as well; the usual line-up; have heard no reference to this.

Seems this explosive story is not exploding; or maybe I just keep missing the fireworks. . .

Just listened to Tim Roemer (Congressman from. . ..?) on 'Fox' using the collective 'we' for not getting the water and supplies in as needed to these people. . .what IS the deal here?

[cricket]

a p.s. of sorts. . .

All CNN has to do (or MSNBC or CBS) is call the Red Cross and get a camera over there.

Perhaps this story is re th 'Red Cross' and not the Salvation Army. . .?

Just looked at the number of responses here (!). . .think I will start reading the 'rest of the story'. . .

[Delphinium]

unbelievable no wonder.

[handy]

Do your part. Email this story to your family, friends and business associates. If CBS, CNN, ABC, ETC. don't want to inform people, we can do it one address book at a time.

Red Cross FAQ

Hurricane Katrina: Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?
• Acess to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders.
• The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city.

The Political Teen
FOX News Correspondent Major Garrett reported that Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco denied the help of the Red Cross. Tonight, Garrett digs deeper in what looks to be a cover-up and finds out Blanco also denied The Salvation Army. I hope there is a Part 3 to this investigation. DOWNLOAD and view video here

Radio Blogger Interview #1 with Major Garret of Fox News
Thursday, September 8 Hugh hewitt interviews Major Garret after the initial Fox Report that LA. Officials prevented the Red Cross From delivering food & water to Superdome

• HH: You just broke a pretty big story. I was watching up on the corner television in my studio, and it's headlined that the Red Cross was blocked from delivering supplies to the Superdome, Major Garrett. Tell us what you found out.
• MG: Well, the Red Cross, Hugh, had pre-positioned a literal vanguard of trucks with water, food, blankets and hygiene items. They're not really big into medical response items, but those are the three biggies that we saw people at the New Orleans Superdome, and the convention center, needing most accutely. And all of us in America, I think, reasonably asked ourselves, geez. You know, I watch hurricanes all the time. And I see correspondents standing among rubble and refugees and evacuaees. But I always either see that Red Cross or Salvation Army truck nearby. Why don't I see that?
• HH: And the answer is?
• MG: The answer is the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security, that is the state agency responsible for that state's homeland security, told the Red Cross explicitly, you cannot come.
• HH: Now Major Garrett, on what day did they block the delivery? Do you know specifically?
• MG: I am told by the Red Cross, immediately after the storm passed.

Radio Blogger Interview #2 with Major Garret of Fox News (This link will get moved to the blog archives @ some point. You may have to scroll down until them)
Thursday, September 8 Major Garrett updates us on the Red Cross AND the Salvation Army being blocked from helping by Louisiana state officials

• HH: Making an encore appearance, and we're very grateful for it, Major Garrett of Fox News Channel. Major, you certainly made waves yesterday. Perhaps the most reported story in America was yours. You followed up on it tonight. What has your investigation into the Red Cross relationship with the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security revealed today?
• MG: A couple of things. First of all, it established on tonight's Special Report, that it wasn't just the Red Cross. It was the Salvation Army. Both agencies, both organizations were ready, prepared, pre-positioned, eager, but were thwarted in their efforts to bring supplies, basic supplies...not everything these people needed, but core supplies to the Superdome, and then eventually, the convention center. Why? Because the New Orleans Department of Homeland Security said look. Our plan is to evacuate these people. Marty Evans, the President and the CEO of the American Red Cross, said on camera...you don't have to believe me. Believe her. You can read her own eyes, saying look. We were told if we came in, we would create an atmosphere that would lead people to stay, and give them the feeling that they should stay. And the state did not want that.
• HH: Now you said the New Orleans Department of Homeland Security. Did you mean the Louisiana Department...
• MG: I'm sorry. Yes. Louisiana. Right. Because it is a state agency that is answerable to the governor, although the governor did not explicitly make this statement, I'm told so far.

[Grampa Dave]

Hopefully this data plus the Red Cross data and the data below will get to some mean Trial Lawyers. Those who suffered thanks to the Gov and Da Mayor or had relatives who were killed by their miss deeds should have big lawsuits.

Then maybe the mediots and rats in Congress will be drawn in as abettors in these crimes.

Minutes From June 5 Meeting Of Orleans Parish School Board:

Using School Buses In Evacs

Meeting Minutes June 9, 2005

• Hurricane Preparedness Ms. Bartholomew: President Sanders indicated that he wanted this on the agenda because of the Hurricane season. Last year when schools needed to be closed, department heads were unclear because a lot of our school records are still in paper format and not in electronic format. So they didn’t know the proper procedure to follow with maintaining records.

In addition, President Sanders also indicated that the City would like us to work with them. If a hurricane should come to the City in order to save the school buses, those assets, the City had asked if we would loan the school buses to be utilized for those persons in New Orleans.

A lot of the citizens of New Orleans do not have transportation and have no way of evacuating from the City if a hurricane should come this way. He had been talking with Dr. Kevin Stephens from the Health Department because the Red Cross said that they would not commit to opening any shelters in the City of New Orleans if a hurricane comes this way. It would be all for naught.

They wanted to utilize school buses in order to transport those persons out of the City. I believe that the City had agreed to indemnify and hold harmless the School Board if any of those persons got hurt on the buses because that was one of my concerns. But after speaking with Ms. Bowers, who had spoken with certain persons at the City as well, they indicated they would release us of any liability.

He wanted the Board to be aware of what the City is doing with hurricane preparedness and I guess initiate the proceeding for the Administration to start taking steps now before we get on the door steps of a hurricane.

How are we going to preserve students records? If you cannot come back to the City, the children will need those records to go into new schools in other States
or other Parishes. She is here now; he can speak to it. Mr. Sanders: I first noticed that this current policy, 3651R, a 16 page policy, looks like it was drafted in July 1989. I don’t know if it has been reviewed since 1989 but it probably could withstand review on that sake along. It has a lot of titles in here Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes June 9, 2005 12 in terms of people in positions and I wonder if those same titles and positions are still operable. The larger issue is not with the records and that is a major issue.

The children are even more important in terms of making sure they are safe. We know many of our children and families don’t have transportation and even though it is a City responsibility to plan for emergencies and hurricane preparedness, we need to look at working even more cooperatively or seeking a more cooperative relationship with the City on behalf of the students that we serve.

I did talk with Dr. Kevin Stephens in the Health Department of the City. It is our interest to get buses and other vehicles that we may own out of the City in the event it is being evacuated. So those buses should not be empty.

It was also his suggestion and call that they should be filled with families and children that may need a ride out of City and may perhaps designate certain high schools in different neighborhoods as staging grounds for families to go to should the need arise for an evacuation. The City is working on arrangements with different Civic Centers in Houma and depending on where the hurricane is coming from, where we need to go. They are making arrangements with institutions in those areas such as Baton Rouge, Mississippi, or Hammond to wait out the hurricane. I just wanted to bring that to your attention.

In the last two years we had evacuations and with
this season it is predicted to be another big one. With last year’s storm, Mr. Jerome Smith over in the Treme’ area said there were a lot kids who were just stuck there.

They were going to break into or were willing to get in one of our schools in order to be safe. We completely understand. I informed him that a school would not have been a good place to be if a hurricane did come. Only about four or five of our schools would really withstand a category three or higher hurricane. Using our schools as shelters is really not an option. Getting out of the City is the best option.

We need to find ways to facilitate that for the kids we serve. Even though it is not our primary responsibility, as such, we need to facilitate those relationships. Mrs. Landrieu: I just wanted to remind you that if we are going to include buses, which are not part of this plan, then we need to include the personnel and communication with personnel. Ms. Bowers: We have been meeting with City entities about the hurricane preparedness and we have talked to them about our buses. We still have not defined how many they
want. They have agreed to indemnify the School Board for using the buses. They said if our bus drivers volunteer then they will make arrangements to take the families of the bus drivers and offer them secure places. They are talking about having City Officers on buses also. There is a good bit of planning that is underway.

Benita Cochran and the head of transportation and the head of Security have been participating in these meetings, too. We are trying to stay on top it. This does need review. Ms. Cochran is reviewing the Facilities plan.

[msdrby]

have you read this yet?

[stevie_d_64]

"Major General" Garrett ping...

[XHogPilot]

excellent post!

[Common Tator]

Major Garrett should be handed Shepard Smith's show and Shepard Smith should be handed a pink slip.

[ariamne]

ping

[Mrs Zip]

ping