Here are two more clips that depict the incompetence of FEMA. Turning away food, water, disabling vital communications networks, ignoring the pleas for help. The first is Aaron Broussard, President of Jefferson Parish.
The guy who runs this building I’m in, Emergency Management, he’s responsible for everything. His mother was trapped in St. Bernard nursing home and every day she called him and said, “Are you coming, son? Is somebody coming?” and he said, “Yeah, Mama, somebody’s coming to get you.” Somebody’s coming to get you on Tuesday. Somebody’s coming to get you on Wednesday. Somebody’s coming to get you on Thursday. Somebody’s coming to get you on Friday… and she drowned Friday night. She drowned Friday night! [Sobbing] Nobody’s coming to get us. Nobody’s coming to get us…
The second being Anderson Cooper, once again attacking a politician for not doing what it takes to fix this situation. It appears that Sen. Trent Lott is happy with the federal response that arrived about 5 days too late?
Cooper: So you’re pleased with the Federal government’s response?
Lott: I AM pleased with the federal government’s response…this is not a time for complaining…I am really shocked at the comments that are coming.
If these two clips don’t absolutely infuriate you, I don’t know what will.
With criticism comes praise, so after posting harsh words about her yesterday, congrats to Sen. Mary Landrieu for finally getting a spine.
“If one person criticizes them or says one more thing – including the president of the United States – he will hear from me,” she said on the ABC program. “One more word about it after this show airs and I might likely have to punch him. Literally.”
She burst into tears as she looked at a broken levee. “The President could have funded it,” she said. “He cut it out of the budget. Is that the most pitiful sight you have ever seen in your life? One little crane.”
She also referred angrily to comments Bush had made Friday at the New Orleans airport about the fun he had in her city in his younger days.
“Our infrastructure is devastated, lives have been shattered,” Landrieu said. “Would the president please stop taking photo-ops?”
There isn’t a person down there who doesn’t feel awful about what happened, and isn’t trying to correct the situation, but the way certain leaders and politicians have gone about getting aid has been ridiculous. Lesson learned, attack those who aren’t doing their jobs, don’t waste time praising those who are.