I know this is going to sound strange but many officials in these kinds on things do not listen to public news to get there status update... there communication with there own local people to get info and assume there internal information is the most informed and to watch or monitor the TV news is behind the curve ..I'm not being flippant here..
There are numerous inaccuracies flying about. The Convention Center was not a designated shelter for this storm. It seemed that some of the populace headed that way when they observed the National Guard searching those who wanted entry to the Superdome.
Mary L. did not appear with Vitter, she appeared in an airconditioned studio in D.C. with Chris Wallace. Vitter was in the Astrodome parking lot.
Actually, I suspect that you are wrong in this case. The news networks have people and cameras on-site. I'd bet that most crisis centers have TV's monitoring the three major cable news outlets - at least.
That way they don't have to rely solely on verbal reports, which may or may not be accurate. They can see the pictures.
Regardless, if you read the time-line in the article, you will see that Chertoff and Brown knew about the convention center just about the same time as the news media. But the MSM is trying to make it look as if they were totally out of the loop.
You mean that these guys don't park in front of the TV and just wring their hands in worry? /sarc
"I want what I want and I want it now, damnit", is the expectation being inculcated by the media now.