Rove is letting it fester against Bush. Bush already calling for an investigation, led by him no less, is as bad or worse a move as the Tenet apology after Joe Wilson's piece. Ill timed, ill thought through.
No it is the smartest thing I have seen any republican do in years.
I believe that Nagin is only incompetent - not sneaky or devious or ill-meaning - he just literally did not know how to do his job properly and his police force completely failed him as well.
There is the subtle weird racism and sexism of the Left very much in play here. Women and Minorities are promoted to authority, but are allotted no responsibility to perform by the Democrats. Nothing can be their fault.
Blanco is, objectively speaking, an utter moron something on the order of a Barbara Boxer without the slick socialist-speak staff. But, as a woman, she cannot be held responsible for anything, for to do so would be sexism.
Nagin has a recurring substance abuse problem, but even though of minimal intelligence and little meaningful prior experience, apparently is regarded as a peace-keeping schmoozer and if a well-known incompetent, at least a compliant pro-local business kind of guy... and a bit of a joke. If you think he is an idiot, you ought to take a look at his staff, e.g. his Police Chief. Top-to-bottom, NOLA is (was) in the hands of prototypical AAAs (Affirmative Action Clymers). If they ever rebuild the place, which seems likely, they ought to make an effort to include other local minorities in city government! Nagin is also plenty sneaky and devious, but no more of a crook than anyone else in the Big Easy. But he IS black, and therefore to hold him responsible for anything, or heaven forfend, assign consequences to his heinous neglect of duty is, ipso facto racism. I personally hope General Honoré personally beats the living spit out of him (and several of his Amos'n'Andy type city hall cronies) and feeds him to an alligator. Now that wouldn't be racism, would it?
Between these two clueless nincompoops, Blanco and Nagin, and their appointees, NOLA didn't have a prayer of a coordinated First Repsonse. Even worse, it is becoming clear that, except to hardened Democrats, that their incompetence and malfeasance at first blocked Federal efforts, and afterwards hindered them.
BTW Got some shell-shocked NOLA "Evacuees" in the house. 24-hour drive, with fuel in short supply in the South. As they recover, I should be able to de-brief them.