Posted on 03/03/2006 10:50:38 AM PST by MikeA
Maryland Democratic leaders are aiming to tie Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele to the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina to dampen his appeal among black voters in his U.S. Senate bid. "I think it's one of President Bush's major failings as president, and I think it symbolizes a very disturbing approach to governing," said Derek Walker, executive director of the Maryland Democratic Party. "Bush has wrapped himself around Steele's campaign, and Steele has wrapped himself around Bush. Steele needs to address that," Mr. Walker said. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat and House minority whip, said: "I don't think the African-American community is going to want to give a stamp of approval to the Bush administration." Mr. Steele, a Republican who became the first black to win statewide office in Maryland in 2002, is campaigning to replace Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes, a Democrat who is retiring. He has held fundraisers with President Bush and the president's top political adviser, Karl Rove. Regarding the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Steele said that, as the lieutenant governor of a non-Gulf state, "I have not been in a position to do anything about this. "But when I get to the U.S. Senate, I will take the lead on this issue. Trust me," he said. In addition, Mr. Steele said, "My words on Katrina have been very clear." "I've freely addressed this issue from the beginning," he said. "It was an incredible failure of the government to recognize and execute its responsibility on all levels. I've said it in print, on the radio, in public settings." Maryland Democrats have cited Hurricane Katrina in the Steele campaign to help secure the black vote -- a large and historically loyal bloc.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
But then the lapdog media furthered the Katrina lie this week by totally misrepresenting the videotapes the AP released, which the administration gave them way back on August 28th to prove the president was engaged and taking an active role in disaster planning before the storm ever hit. Instead the lying media echoing their Democratic patrons misrepresented what the tape purported to have shown to turn a positive tape into a negative against Bush. To whit:
Friday, March 3, 2006 11:54 a.m. EST
Bush Didnt Lie About Levee Breaching News sources have reported that President Bush lied when he said he wasnt warned that the levees in New Orleans could be breached during Hurricane Katrina.
But a videotape of a key meeting between Bush and hurricane officials supports the presidents contention that the breaching of the levees was unanticipated.
On September 1, four days after Katrina struck, Bush said: "I dont think anybody anticipated a breach of the levees.
The Associated Press on Wednesday claimed that "federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees.
The Democratic National Committee attempted to make political hay out of the AP report, stating that "during the briefing, National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield told the president that the integrity of the levees was a very, very grave concern that the president appears to have ignored.
However, the tape shows that what Mayfield actually told Bush was: "I dont think any model can tell you with any confidence right now whether the levees will be topped or not, but thats obviously a very, very grave concern.
Mayfield told NBC News on Thursday that he warned only that the levees might be topped that is, the storm surge could push water over the top of the levees not breached, and that on the many conference calls he monitored, "Nobody talked about the possibility of a levee breach or failure until after it happened.
Mayfield even told Bush: "The forecast now suggests that there will be minimal flooding in the City of New Orleans itself.
The Washington Times, commenting on what it called a "hit job on the president, opined: "If it were true that Mr. Bush heard predictions of levee breaches before the storm hit, then that makes a despicable and costly lie of his statement four days after the hurricane.
"The truth, instead, is that no adviser warned the president of the possibility that the levees could fail. Of course, it makes a juicier story to suggest that the president was warned.
Shameless...utterly shameless.
I like Michael Steele but, I hope I am not reading into his remarks...that he is "showing his blackness" by buying into the lies about Bush's reponsibility re: Katrina...or the lack of concern because of the black population in New Orleans...
If he is, shame on him...
I know what you mean, but I guess so long as he keeps it as a generic critique of all levels of government, then I can live with it. I understand it is not P.C. to claim the feds. did as best they could with a difficult situation. Sure there were failings, but it wasn't the massive incompetence the media painted. It was just a disaster that was bigger than anyone's ability to deal with in an immediately effective fashion. No matter who was president last year, there would have been delays and problems. And a big part of that was the incompetence of the locals. That made it even harder for FEMA which had to become a first responder organization it was never meant to be. This just created a near impossible situation for anything like quickness or effectiveness to immediately come about.
My gosh...what part of "natural disaster" are people not understanding??
To help Steele, some Maryland freepers need to get his staff the statistics which shows more whites than blacks died in Katrina.
Why bother with that confusing distortion when ya got this:
MICHAEL STEELE IS A SIMPLE SAMBO
Hahahaha! Now THAT's funny! What kind of self respecting black would vote for a simple sambo like that?!?! Now back on the plantation until we need ya to pull the D lever, negros. We'll be by to ask if you want Salems or Newpies just before election day.
Owl_Eagle
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
If Robert Ehrlich and Michael Steele had been running Louisiana instead of Democrats, fewer people would have died.
They are afraid of this man.
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