Posted on 01/01/2006 1:47:08 PM PST by Libloather
Clothes also make the woman trying to look smart amid disaster
Leonard Pitts Jr. / Syndicated columnist
New Orleans cultural ambassador, Irvin Mayfield, plays a tribute to first responders as Mayor Ray Nagin, left, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, second from left, Lt. Gov Mitch Landrieu, and Gov. Kathleen Blanco, center, listen during an Interfaith Celebration in front of the Superdome in New Orleans, La., Sunday Jan. 1, 2006. The event was sponsored by Louisiana Rebirth celebrating the strength of those dedicated to the rebirth of Louisiana. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Apparently, Brownie wasn't the only one.
You remember the grief that fell on Michael Brown, former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, last month after the release of some embarrassing e-mails. They revealed that as Hurricane Katrina was submerging New Orleans and shredding Biloxi, Brown and his aides were exchanging e-mails on trivial matters, including the question of which clothes would make him "look more hard-working" on television. The e-mails were released at the request of a Democratic congressman to embarrass Brown, whose agency is widely felt to have bungled the federal response to the storm.
Now, as a means of ensuring the goose is served sauce similar to that presented the gander, Republican aides to a House panel investigating that response have released e-mails sent by subordinates of Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Suffice to say, they do not present her administration in a heroic light. Rather, they prove — not that proof were needed — that shallowness is not solely a GOP value.
"Please put (Blanco) in casual clothes, a baseball cap, etc.," wrote Liz Mangham, a PR consultant to the governor on Sept. 2, four days after the storm. "She needs to visit a shelter in prime time and talk tough, but hug some folks and be sensitive."
Mangham added that Blanco "looks ... too comfy in her suit. Please put the secretaries in caps and jeans. ... I don't care if they are in the field or not ... they should look like they are."
Kim Fuller, another gubernatorial flack, echoed that theme two days later, suggesting that Blanco "might dress down a bit and look like she has rolled up her sleeves. I have some great Liz Claiborne sports clothes that look kind of Eddie Bauer, but with class, but would bring her down to (the) level of getting to work."
Fuller also thought it would be good if the governor could be seen "doing something 'physical.' ... Maybe if she is with the troops she can put a few bags of ice in the hands of the citizens who need it. Make sure she is not wearing a suit, and make sure she has rough-looking shoes."
For the record, people were dying as these e-mails were being sent. In that context, they are nothing less than vulgar.
I'm reminded of a T-shirt I once saw in church. Front side: Jesus is coming. Back side: Look busy. Not "be" busy, you understand. What matters most is simply to look the part.
Is it really necessary to point out that when people — your countrymen, no less — are homeless, hungry and dying in the face of natural disaster, your first duty as an official, not to mention as a member of the human race, is not to do political calculus or worry about how you look on camera? It is to give help.
Apparently, that no longer goes without saying. If there's more damning evidence of how superficial, one-dimensional and petty our political life is in this country, I can't name it.
I am neither unaware of nor unsympathetic to the ways in which television has changed politics in the past half century. Nixon lost a presidential debate and a presidential campaign, some say, because he looked haggard onstage next to the handsome and virile Kennedy. Kennedy understood the importance of television imagery. His opponent did not.
That importance has only grown as television news — to say nothing of Internet news — has morphed into a communications megaplex that never sleeps.
Perception becomes more important than reality, so perception has to be micromanaged, even at reality's expense. Remembering to wear Liz Claiborne sports clothes that look kind of Eddie Bauer, but with class, comes to seem an issue of life-and-death importance.
But where Katrina was concerned, life and death were not about perception. They were about, well ... living and dying. They were about a reality that could not be stage-managed.
It is shameful that some of us even tried.
Wass up with Mary? Pondering her reelection chances?
A new murders row.
Classic democrat hacks.
One of the most unfortunate aftermaths of the Katrina and Rita hurricanes has been citizens and neighborhoods refusing to allow trailer parks to open on properties throughout the state of Louisiana. So far, the argument has been the trailer parks would upset the neighborhood balance, could be placed in compatible areas and would increase crime in the neighborhoods.
Governor Blanco of Louisiana has issued a statement regarding the housing situation which will be made worse as FEMA curtails payments for hotel housings in early February. Here is Governor Blanco’s statement:
"With the close of 2005, we still have our citizens of Southeast and Southwest Louisiana dislocated throughout the State and the Nation. It remains our goal to bring all of our people home. I want to thank all of you who have hosted and cared for our citizens.
"As the recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita moves into the fifth month, it is important that we continue to give priority to providing temporary and long term housing for all of our displaced citizens. It is equally important that we provide housing opportunities statewide in a fair and equitable way. Each Parish and Municipality should evaluate every option available within each jurisdiction to provide assistance to FEMA and the State housing initiatives.
"I will not tolerate discrimination nor should any compassionate citizen of our state. These citizens are our friends, families, and neighbors who have lost everything through no fault of their own. We should want to help them return to their homes. Every state in this country has opened its arms to our evacuees. It is truly disheartening to hear that some people in Louisiana are reluctant to assist its own citizens during these extraordinary times."
Reports of suspected violations should be reported immediately to either the Attorney General´s Office at 1-800-273-5718 or the US Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-888-560-8913.
"Please put (Blanco) in casual clothes, a baseball cap, etc.,"
Please put (Blanco, Nagin, and Moon's kids) in orange jumpsuits, flip-flops, etc., and ask the guy with the horn to play "The Cheese Stands Alone".
Hear, hear. Amazing this is from the Seattle Times. He must be the usual token "fair and balance" writer included by most papers from time to time.
How the heck would a trailer park increase crime??
I don't know about you, but I am going to report Blanco to the authorities for failure to assist her own residents during Katrina.
Wow, doesn't this sound exactly like J. Effin Kerry during the 2004 campaign, from the L.L. Bean field coat (Whar kin Ah find me a huntin' license?) to touch football on the tarmac to waving corn cobs out the bus window - in other words, all "image" and no substance?!
Except for the "compatible areas" statement sounding racist, elitist, and insensitive, the concerns are totally valid.
There's no such thing as "temporary housing"....someone will always need those homes, and it will be the most needy and least able to take care of themselves who will end up in them....in areas that will not be properly planned with utilities, leisure space, schools, security, access to services, etc. It'll be like the HUD housing complexes that become their own little third-world countries.
It would make much more sense for the building to involve a plan where small clusters of permanent housing put displaced people near their cultural lifelines, jobs, and needed services. Building slums will not help stimulate the rebirth of New Orleans.
You know those useless Sociology majors of the '60s? (The stuff I know is just from helping a roomate with papers) Well, it's about time those who earned them got involved with the problems that are in the aftermath of all of the natural disasters that have occurred.
She and Nagin both got caught with their pants down and proceeded to blow their tops.
ping
But, ya gotta love it. Verification, again, of what Rush calls symbolism over substance.
I like your way of thinking!
Please put (Blanco, Nagin, and Moon's kids) in orange jumpsuits, flip-flops, etc.,
----Amen
What f_cking ghouls!
Well we could have a picture of Bill Clinton with his pants down around his ankles at half mast with a intern on her knesss couldent we
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