[Cboldt]

Fine. If you want to maintain that some sort of state action was a prerequisite to Federal action, go right ahead. What I'm saying - which is the same thing I said initially - is that the language of the NRP does not appear to me to offer any support for that position.

I have no desire to sit here and argue esoterica regarding the language of either the NRP or the Stafford Act. The NRP flat out says that issues of allocation of authority should not delay the response. So it makes no sense to argue that a delayed response was caused by issues of allocation of authority.

The issue isn't allocation of authority. The governor has lots of it, and she is still capable of exercizing it.

I agree - no sense in additional discussion on the point. We go our separate ways on it.

[TexKat]

In reponse to MSNBC anchor this morning Nagin stated that he is absolutely blown away at Chertnoff's comments that he (Chertnoff) was not aware of the people in need of evacuation at the convention center. Nagin says that he does not know if Chertnoff said that but if he did that was a doggone shame. Nagin stated that FEMA was there on the ground.

[lugsoul]

Ah - so you are content to fall back on the authority of the person who doesn't have the assets to respond.

That's the kind of thinking that led to this mess.