Posted on 09/10/2005 7:25:02 AM PDT by jrusty101
Edited on 09/11/2005 5:24:32 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
St. Bernard Parish officials say that 32 of the home's roughly 60 residents died on Aug. 29, more than a week ago.
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Update 9-11-11
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"..And finally, on the question I raised a few days ago about Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussards tearful story about his emergency managers mother drowning in a St. Bernard nursing home, I think the evidence shows pretty clearly that Broussard was embellishing the story. Readers helpfully pointed me to the following news accounts:
New York Times: In nursing home, a fight lost to rising waters.
Newsday: Desperately seeking survivors.
MSNBC: This anger comes from watching death.
From the MSNBC item:
The man he was talking about is Thomas Rodrigue, who told Dateline that his 92-year-old mother was one of 32 elderly people found dead at the St. Ritas nursing home.
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MSNBC Quote:
"..The man he was talking about is Thomas Rodrigue, who told Dateline that his 92-year-old mother was one of 32 elderly people found dead at the St. Ritas nursing home..."
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But the 32 people who died at St. Ritas nursing home didnt die on Friday; they died earlier in the week, when the floodwaters first inundated the low-lying facility. Rather than being attributable to the federal authorities slow response (which was pretty much the point of Broussards version of the story), the death of those senior citizens was more the fault of local authorities (who failed to evacuate them) than of federal officials (who wouldnt have been there in time to rescue them under the best of circumstances).
So, assuming the MSNBC story is accurate, Broussards story was at least significantly embellished. The tear-jerking account of the repeated calls to momma were fictional (or at least were displaced from their actual time of occurrence, which would have to have been before or during the storm, not during the several days afterward when FEMA was MIA). And if that part was fiction, it would mean that Broussard, for all the apparent sincerity in his emotional on-air breakdown, was willing to lie in order to make his story work better as political theater, which in turn makes it harder for me to credit the rest of the slow-FEMA-response anecdotes he described .."
I agree but Bush winning re-election(the only poll that really counts) helps my perspective. Especially since I'm in Lalaland(left coast).
"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."
Mark Twain
In another thread it came out the Broussard is Gov. Blanco's uncle - that might be part of what was behind his disgusting display and lies on Timmy's show.
bttt
Gov. Blanko...WHY DIDN'T YOU EVACUATE THE SICK AND OLD PEOPLE????
"What I want to know is why the son did not go and evacuate his mother when he knew the storm was coming."
I want an answer to that question too, especially since the son was the head of the state or local emergency management office. At least, why didn't the son send someone after the hurricane to rescue the entire nursing home?
Which thread?
This one:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1482602/posts
See post #29, she's related to the Broussards.
Thanks.
Well the home can bil for the two extra days.
Hers my email to Meet The Press, the Main Stream Media and several of my friends:
To: Meet The Press, the Media and Friends
For those of you who are out of the country, Aaron Broussard, Jefferson Parish President appeared on Meet The Press with Tim Russert. At the beginning of the interview Mr. Broussard had a loud crying meltdown blaming FEMA for the death of a coworker and friends aged mother in a Parish nursing home. Many feel that Mr. Broussard's antics sealed the fate on how the federal FEMA folks and George Bush was viewed as doing or not doing their job.
With just a little fact checking and common sense it comes to light that Mr. Broussard was not only incorrect but was embellishing and lying about what really happened.
Another point that comes to the front burner was why a parish emergency official like Tom Rodigues did not see that his mother was evacuated when the mandatory evacuation order was first given. Many, including myself feel that Mr. Rodigues and Mr. Broussard were not only irresponsible in their duties as officials but negligent to the point of abetting in the deaths of many of their parish constituents.
I now believe that Mr. Broussard's impassioned breakdown on Meet The Press was more a covering action than a true outburst of emotion about FEMA's lack of action.
I believe that before the Katrina disaster is put to bed the lawyers will sort out who really did what to whom. I think many of these local and state officials will wind up with massive lawsuit's for incompetence and dereliction of duty.
At the least Mr. Russert and Meet The Press own we Americans and his viewers a deep apology for the misinformation.
That was a good email. Thanks for sharing it. There was a lot of blame to go around, but I'm glad so many have stepped forward to help. The volunteers have been great in my state. One thing that people can't say is that people don't care about black people. Those who have said it haven't seen the help.
I meant Email.
That's neat that you volunteered and a great letter you got. I volunteered to help too, but there has been a real flood of volunteers here, so many that I was told I wasn't needed.
Bears repeating.
My initial thought was that Broussard was lying - he was too theatrical. 2nd thought was why didn't he or the lady's son get in a boat and go get her. I don't believe there is a FReeper here who would not. There are boats aplenty in south LA. I suspect he had a couple of stiff ones prior to his performance.
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