Bush sending active-duty troops to region damaged by hurricane

New Orleans Times-Picayune ^ | 9-3-2005 | DEB RIECHMANN-AP

[LincolnLover]

"Bush heard plenty, however, during more than an hour of meetings aboard his plane with state and local politicians about why it is taking so long to relieve the misery of so many people in New Orleans who have been living in squalor without the necessities of life.

"He heard some things he didn't want to believe at first," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. "The president is starting to grasp the magnitude of the situation."

Four days after Katrina killed hundreds if not thousands, Republicans joined Democrats in shaking their heads.

"If we can't respond faster than this to an event we saw coming across the Gulf for days, then why do we think we're prepared to respond to a nuclear or biological attack?" asked former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican.

(**Poster Edit: No, it must be some evil black Democrat scum who is passing himself off as Newt. Those insidious Dems!!**)

Republican Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts called the government's response "an embarrassment."

The criticism stung for a president who won widespread praise for his handling of the terrorist attacks four years ago...

Hoping to turn the tide of opinion in his favor, Bush spoke four times publicly on Friday.

"The results are not acceptable," he declared at the beginning of the day.

[LincolnLover]

"Starting" to grasp? All Ray Nagin's fault, no doubt...

[big'ol_freeper]

Nagin should have consulted with Jeb Bush. He seems to be able to evacuate people pretty well.

[MEG33]

Mary said..

[monkeywrench]

So, the subliminal to this article is, big govt. good... We're to let the fed do all our state and local planning?

[MNJohnnie]

New Orleans Times-Picayune ^ | 9-3-2005 | DEB RIECHMANN-AP Of course CONSIDER the source. Considering how the AP complete MIS reported what Bush ACTUALLY said yesterday, I would be REAL careful about getting all giddy about what the AP "reports" I will however,direct you to the President's ACTUAL words delivered this morning in his radio address instead of trying to twist them to fit your flawed ideological filter. I know your little Bush Hater brain cannot even begin to understand such difficult topics as LINES OF LEGAL authority and responsibility between Local, State and Federal authorities or such fundamental democratic concepts as the RULE OF LAW, so I will not waste my time trying to open your welded shut mind.

Some good news in this morning's Presidential Radio Address

During my visit I discussed these problems at length with Governor Riley of Alabama, Governor Barbour of Mississippi, Governor Blanco of Louisiana and Mayor Nagin of New Orleans. Each state will have its own set of challenges and issues to solve. Yet all of us agree that more can be done to improve our ability to restore order and deliver relief in a timely and effective manner. This morning I received a briefing on the latest developments on the ground. Right now there are more than 21,000 National Guard troops operating in Louisiana and Mississippi, and more are on the way. More than 13,000 of these troops are in Louisiana. The main priority is to restore and maintain law and order, and assist in recovery and evacuation efforts. In addition to these National Guard forces, the Department of Defense has deployed more than 4,000 active duty forces to assist in search and recovery, and provide logistical and medical support. Hour by hour, the situation on the ground is improving. Yet the enormity of the task requires more resources and more troops. Today I ordered the Department of Defense to deploy additional active duty forces to the region. Over the next 24 to 72 hours, more than 7,000 additional troops from the 82nd Airborne, from the 1st Cavalry, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, and the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force will arrive in the affected areas. These forces will be on the ground and operating under the direct command of General Russ Honore.

\ Thank you GOD for this man. Slapped sense into the Louisiana Democrats that they NEED US Combat troops there. Bet you anything the forces mentioned above do NOT end up anywhere in Alabama or Mississippi. What an amazing contrast to the 3 days of hysteria , posturing and finger pointing from the Dems leadership.

[John Jamieson]

Red states take action, blue states whine.

[neefer]

Bush immediately signed a $10.5 billion disaster aid package passed by Congress — an amount he repeatedly called "just the beginning" of federal expenditures for storm relief.

I'm sure it will be "just the beginning" but I'm not sure the next monies raised will be federal expenditures. Dubya will harness Clintoon's ego to be seen as a bi-partisan humanitarian, fundraising with Bush elder. Playin’ the libs hero like a pawn.

[Echo Talon]

New York 9-11: Mayor Rudy Giuliani-R
New York 9-11: Governor George Pataki-R

Florida Disasters: Jeb Bush-R

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour-R

Louisiana: New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin-D
Louisiana: Governor Kathleen Blanco-D

Looks to me like the democrats are the ones that don't that what their doing.

[gooleyman]

From the Article: The criticism stung for a president who won widespread praise for his handling of the terrorist attacks four years ago

-----
As bad as 9/11 was. As many people as lost their lives in one instant then. 9/11 PALES in comparison to New Orleans today. The Federal Government responded for sure, but the bulk of the grunt work initially was done by the Police and Firefighters of New York City and Washington DC. I'll bet you there was just as much time from the initial plane crash to the time the first Fed showed up at the scene was probably even longer than in New Orleans. (Someone wiser than me would have to verify this.) But the difference here is that the destruction is spread out over a city which is 181 square miles. The towers and the Pentagon were, what, 4 acres??? There really is NO comparison to 9/11.

Another thing we must guard against is giving the President, even if it is George Bush, the power to simply send troops into a state to do something at will without the proper request of the local and state governments. No matter what the "Emergency" is. That would open us up to a lot of shenanigans by a power hungry Hitler/Saddam types to say the word "emergency" and send troops for whatever they can cook up. STATES MUST REMAIN COMPLETELY SOVEREIGN. I know they have lost sovereignty since they've started getting money form the Feds for different pork projects. Even that must stop if we are to survive as a nation. Taxes collected in Ohio should stay in Ohio. (Plug in your favorite state.) The phrase should have read "Render unto Caesar ONLY that which is Caesar's."

[Wormwood]

Congratulations. You win the award for the most common sense to be ignored today.

[Echo Talon]

Homeland security? The cluster-F^%K was the cause of the lack of communication and incompetence of the Mayor and Governor.

[flashbunny]

The only screwup the feds made was in assuming the local LA officials were prepared and competent.

[Echo Talon]

sacrificial lamb? Its his city. The Governor and him need to go.

[gooleyman]

Another thing: From what I understand, the State and Local Governments wouldn't even have issued an evacuation order if it had not been for a plea from George Bush to do so. How many more lives would have been lost minus that prodding?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1476383/posts

I'm sympathetic to the people struggling to survive and save their own lives there, but the crocodile tears and complaints shed by the Mayor, Senator and Governor fall on my deaf ears. Just do what you have to do and shut up complaining about what George Bush didn't do on time. The Federal Government has NEVER done anything fast. If they do, it only winds up HALF-FAST.

[itisafreecountry]

Perhaps Indonesia can send aid to New Orleans.

[itisafreecountry]

Perhaps Indonesia can send aid to New Orleans.