Posting this for those who didn't see it earlier -- note the date was last Sunday:
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It was Bush that asked the Gov and Mayor to order a mandatory evacuation, NOT their idea at all.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1475914/posts
Sunday, August 28, 2005, 11:47 am EDT
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said that it was President Bush that had called and urged the state to order the evacuation.
Perhaps because they had no idea of how to go about it?