Bush faces new questions on relief

Reuter via Yahoo News ^ | September 9, 2005 | Paul Simao

[goarmy]

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Rescue crews prepared to speed up the retrieval of the dead from Hurricane Katrina on Friday amid reports that President George W. Bush chose unqualified political supporters rather than disaster experts to head the agency leading the relief effort.

(snip)

The Washington Post reported that five of the top eight FEMA officials had little experience in handling disasters and owed their jobs to their political ties to Bush.

As political operatives took the top jobs, professionals and experts in hurricanes and disasters left the agency, the newspaper said.

FEMA director Michael Brown, already under fire for his performance as the disaster unfolded, came under further pressure when Time magazine reported that his official biography released by the White House at the time of his nomination exaggerated his experience in disaster relief.

Brown was a friend of former Bush campaign director Joe Allbaugh, the previous FEMA head. Brown had also headed an Arabian horse association. Last week, as criticism of his response to the disaster swelled, Bush gave him a public vote of confidence, saying, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."

(snip)

[Puppage]

Bush faces new questions on relief

I guess they weren't getting any traction out of the others. They need to come up with some BS.

[jch10]

I do not remember any complaints against Brown last year during our four hurricanes. Could it be because our leaders actually "lead" and followed the guidelines set for disasters? Or that people did as directed by officials?
We were told to evacuate twice. We did so, not knowing if we would have anything left when we returned. I certainly didn't expect the government to take care of us before or after the storm!!
Mistakes were made in NO but I don't see the blame falling on Brown!

[kcvl]

Paul Simao must have gotten his DNC talking points memo late.

[eyespysomething]

Brown. Brown. Hmmm. Is this the guy the Senate approved 98-0?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Why...yes.

[goodnesswins]

I suggest these idgits be careful.....we'll start asking about the backgrounds of people attached to Democrats......let's start with Hillary....

[appleharvey]

And while we're at it, how about that fellow who worked on the FEMA board that used to pimp out woman for the President when he was governor. Oh wait! Sorry! Wrong administration.

[Loyal Buckeye]

Brown's results are directly tied to two goofs, the mayor and the governor; I would not like to be in that position.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Rescue crews prepared to speed up the retrieval of the dead from Hurricane Katrina on Friday amid reports that President George W. Bush chose unqualified political supporters rather than disaster experts to head the agency leading the relief effort.

So apparently the dead people are stuck in these reports. See, it's all Bush's fault, he was so incompetent that even the REPORTS Of his incompetence caught people unawares and killed them, and now their bodies have to be retrieved from amid them.

But seriously, Brown was not chosen because he was a Bush supporter. He was chosen by the previous head of FEMA to be a deputy. There he did well enough that when the head position opened up, he was nominated and confirmed by the senate as being up to the task of being the head, based on his performance as a deputy.

[colorado tanker]

I do not remember any complaints against Brown last year during our four hurricanes.

That's because the MSM spin was last year's hurricanes were a "test" for Jeb Bush. But you see, that rule only applies if the Guv is a pubbie. If a Dim is the Guv, then it becomes a "test" for the feds and FEMA.

[roses of sharon]

For the leftist media history begins when they wake up in the morning.

[deport]

Brown. Brown. Hmmm. Is this the guy the Senate approved 98-0?

---

Have you got a link to that vote?.... I've seen that number used a lot but have been unable to document it via the Senate web site..... Is this an unamious consent confirmation thus no recorded vote?

[ntvsn57]

what's the story with brown padding his resume? i can't tell if this is true or just more MSM bullsh&*^%t

[sgtbono2002]

If the Washington Pst says it , then it has to be true, they wouldnt say anything against the administration that wasnt true. LMAO

[deport]

I think it deals with some questions regarding what is listed on his resume/bio in some Time article. From a CBS story......

1. FindLaw web site bio:
"It said he was a professor at Central State University in political science. We called Central State (now known as the University of Central Oklahoma, in Edmund). They said he had never been a professor there, that he had been a student. … But his FindLaw bio says he had been an outstanding professor in political science."
[FEMA has issued a statement challenging Time's findings. It reads in part, "Time's misleading online report on Undersecretary Mike Brown's background is based on online information Mr. Brown has never seen. The Web site used as a primary source by the magazine states clearly: 'We try to provide quality information but we make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy.' ... It's disappointing this magazine relied on unconfirmed information."]

2. "His bio, the White House press release, and a number of sources list him as assistant city manager in Edmund, Okla.," Miranda says. " When we called the folks in Edmund, they told us that, no, his position in fact had been assistant to the city manager, which is a purely administrative job, a very different job. He was an administrative assistant. It's sort of an entry-level, intern-type job for somebody who's interested in learning about government. …When he began that job in 1977, he was still a college student. He didn't graduate with his B.A. until 1978."

[deport]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/09/earlyshow/main829303.shtml

Link for info in previous post......