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Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Otherwise

By Jeralyn, Section Huricanes Katrina and Rita
Posted on Sun Sep 04, 2005 at 05:10:19 AM EST
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The Washington Post reports on the behind-the-scenes power grab Bush tried to pull on LA. Governor Kathleen Blanco in an attempt to shift the blame for New Orleans:

Shortly before midnight Friday, the Bush administration sent her a proposed legal memorandum asking her to request a federal takeover of the evacuation of New Orleans, a source within the state's emergency operations center said Saturday.

The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. "Quite frankly, if they'd been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals," said the source, who does not have the authority to speak publicly.

A senior administration official said that Bush has clear legal authority to federalize National Guard units to quell civil disturbances under the Insurrection Act and will continue to try to unify the chains of command that are split among the president, the Louisiana governor and the New Orleans mayor.

Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.

Blanco made two moves Saturday that protected her independence from the federal government: She created a philanthropic fund for the state's victims and hired James Lee Witt, Federal Emergency Management Agency director in the Clinton administration, to advise her on the relief effort.

Democratic Daily reports that Kathleen Blanco requested emergency aid from Bush on Sunday, August 26. Her letter is here (pdf.) DD writes:

According to the WaPo, “As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, the senior Bush official said.” That’s rather curious because the letter from Governor Blanco to President Bush clearly states that she declared a State of Emergency on August 26, 2005. ...And a quick visit to Gov.Louisiana.gov would have turned up the link to this: STATE OF EMERGENCY - HURRICANE KATRINA (pdf) - August 26, 2005. The State of Emergency Order clearly states that “The state of emergency extends from Friday, August 26, 2005, through Sunday, September 25, 2005, unless terminated sooner.”

AFP reports it this way:

Complaints about President George W. Bush's reaction to Hurricane Katrina echo past criticisms over crises like the Asian tsunami or the Iraq war. Doubters are asking whether he reacted too slowly to the catastrophe, sent enough troops to keep order, or relied too much on rosy scenarios spun by senior aides while New Orleans descended into anarchy.

Some lawmakers and local emergency officials have called Washington's initial reaction "a national disgrace" and assailed the Bush administration as having a too-little, too-late response.

Democratic Daily gives "one more hat-tip tonight to AFP for this story: Louisiana Senator raps Bush over Katrina effort."

Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu branded President George W. Bush’s visit to a busted levee in New Orleans a mere photo-op, and slammed his government’s response to the hurricane tragedy.

< Why They Didn't Leave New Orleans | Connecting the Dots: 9/11, Iraq, New Orleans and the Titanic >

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    Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Otherwise | 38 comments (38 topical)
    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    Oh god not the blame game. but if bush wants to blame someone blame god he did it. but to have some third world declaration of martial law with no end is insane. and yes Blanco is a fool just like bush and blame games government.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#2)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    Typical Bush League... It's amazes me that it amazes me, you know? The man is disconnected and has no idea what to do... I know his handlers and advisors would have dreamed up this idea, and he comes across looking like a petulant elementary school kid caught with his hand in his pants. I'll repeat: The problem they have is that think they only have a PR problem.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#3)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    The Bush administration doesn't have a PR problem. They have an honesty problem. They are hit and run politicians. They tell tales to smear their opponents and to deflect criticism from themselves (the allegation by a senior Bush official that Governor Blanco had not declared a state of emergency) and we don't find out until after the damage is done that what they had said was all lies. Now that pinning the blame on Governor Blanco has backfired, I wouldn't be surprised to see Republicans start blaming the victims.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#4)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    I suggest Bush get a desk sign that reads "the buck stops anywhere but here".

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#5)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    From the post:
    Quite frankly, if they'd been able to pull off taking it away from the locals, they then could have blamed everything on the locals," said the source, who does not have the authority to speak publicly.
    That is patiently nonsense. If the locals had given up control, and if things went badly, the locals could have blamed the feds. Instead, they dithered and did nothing until Sunday morning after, according to the LA Governor, Bush “appealed” for them to evacuate the city. Times-Picayunne article Sunday 3-28 A secondary reason for their delay is clear. If the Governor and the Mayor evacuated the city early, and if the hurricane had weakened or if the levees had not broken, they would have had to shoulder the blame for millions of dollars in lost business and evacuation costs.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    You know, that might be somewhat related to the fact that the city of New Orleans was busy not acting on its disaster plan - and the federal government saw what kind of disaster was going to come from that lack of action. But go ahead, keep treating this as a partisan issue...

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#7)
    by Lis Riba on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    On ABC's This Week, Howard Raines of the NYT called this administration's actions not the blame game, but the "blame business" pointing out first they tried to make it about the looters and law & order, when that failed b/c the nation wouldn't buy it, so they keep looking for other angles

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#8)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    Lisa - Please. No matter what is said by Howard Raines, the facts are the feds came in very early and were rebuffed by the Governor. She should be ashamed.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#9)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    What we know about this administration: 1. didn't act on pre 9/11 intelligence 2. didn't plan for the post saddam Iraq 3. didn't respond to Katrina. Seems like a track record to me. From the fevered screaming of our resident Bush rump swabs, they are clearly worried. As wll they should be. The curtain is open, we see them for what they are. And its might ugley.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#10)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    SD - You recently asked that I use primary sources in my my links. My above comments, tracking who was offered what, and when who did what, used the Washington Post via thus blog and the Times Picayunne of NO. So, what's your next reason for denying facts?

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#11)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    You are distorting the facts and their importance to deflect all criticism of the the admin. Once can concentrate the the small points as you have or you can look at the whole picture. And now you are trying to convince me that the same admin that didn't care about world opinion going into Iraq was somehow kept from doing their job by a mayor, And we are supposed to ignore the facts that FEMA is headed by a political hack with no experience and FEMA had their budget slashed. You only like Facts that support you and ignore all else. insult deleted

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#12)
    by jimcee on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    After reading some parts of the evacuation plan for NO it states pretty obviously (at least to those who are not blinded by thier pure hatred of Bush) that it would take the Feds 72 to 96 hours to respond in force to a dire situation. That means that the Mayor and Gov should have had plans to act in those intravening hours to help people and obviously they didn't. Why who knows but it seems that they didn't even read thier own emergency plan let alone act on it. The pictures of the school buses left to sink in the bus yards when they could have been used to evacuate several thousands of people before the hurricane struck by order of the mayor or governor shows a blatant disconnect between these two whiners and thier own constituancy. That Bush had to call and prod these useless sacks of sh*t to even call for a mandantory evacution of thier own people from NO says more than needs to be said about these useless corrupt Democratic politicians and thier drooling defenders on the Left. Man does the Left suck.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#13)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    that it would take the Feds 72 to 96 hours to respond in force to a dire situation.
    So they knew as everyone who watched the weather channel did that there would be a major problem the previous Friday. Significant help didn't show up until a week later. Jimcee and his ilk hate the left because we won't let them blame someone else so they can get on with their lives. Bastards

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    to, john horse, our government of nut's has started to blame the victims and is looking for the scapegoats to blame. I keep telling people look at god he did it. We must now "fine", god and make him pay for what he has done, i say arrest god at once. Oh God.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    Admin- Please modify my previous post so that it reads a**hole, or some such that is SFW. My apologies.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#17)
    by soccerdad on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    There are thousands of dead Americans because local, state, AND federal dropped the ball.
    I would second that. My question wrt to the evacuation plan is did the city have the resources, both financial and material, to implement such a plan. If not why not. I know that our small town in the NE which is relatively well off and even voted for Bush is now discussing whether to cut school or municipal funding. Both are already underfunded. And we have one of the best town managers in the state. Plans are pieces of paper, how were they equiped to carry them out? I don't know but its a question the answer to which would complete the information needed to discuss fully what happened and why and how to slice up the blame pie. We can't let this happen again. The process must be corrected. We need to know how its broken.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#18)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    Adept, The locals may not be free of some blame, but in this kind of disaster, where the LOCALS ARE UNDER WATER, and we we saw it coming for a week, it was the fed's dominant responsibility to get off their asses -- and they didn't. How can you deny that? The federal government is responsible for disasters of this magnitude. They didn't plan, they didn't care, they shoulder the major share of blame for the utterly failed outside response to this disaster. They control the purse strings, and have, for the never-repaired levees. National security, which this is, is THE FED'S RESPONSIBILITY. But when the fed is busy fighting wars of idiocy overseas while giving sinful tax breaksto the wealthy, well, this is what you get. Also, what I heard fro the mayor of NO, and have not heard from ANYONE else, is an informed opinion of what's happening on the ground -- complete with frank talk about addicts roamin the streets looking to take the edge of their jones. The most local officials who stayed local elected to stay with their people. They expected, as they should have, that in America, the response of the federal government would've been swift and overwhelming. Instead it was sluggish and underwhelming and led to who know's how many deaths. Frankly, there would not have been the resources or the manpower on the local level to carry out this evacuation. The experts, supposedly, at that kind of thing ARE THE FEDS.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#19)
    by wishful on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    Bush is a uniter, not a divider. At least we have that. not.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#20)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    Gov. Jeb Bush sought federal help Friday while [Hurricane] Charley was still in the Gulf of Mexico. President Bush approved the aid about an hour after the hurricane made landfall.
    By Monday afternoon, the cavalry seemed to be in place . . . Cargo planes were shuttling FEMA supplies from a Georgia Air Force base to a staging area in Lakeland, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had shipped 11 truckloads of water and 14 truckloads of ice. The first assistance checks to victims were to be shipped Monday night.
    Somebody needs to go read Billmon Gosh, I hope I got the link right that time. Sweating/

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#21)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:12 PM EST
    AW, Great link, my friend. Forgot all about Charley. Figures. When someone he knows is in trouble, he helps. When someone he doesn't is, he takes his sweet time. Until the situation sours and it's too late.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#22)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:13 PM EST
    jimcee - An excellent point. And given that the Feds offered help around midnight on 8/26, it is clear the Governor bears the blame for inaction because she didn't accept the offer for aid. dadler - Read the above. Facts are there. Times are there. Local officals failed to respond, not the feds. SD writes:
    So they knew as everyone who watched the weather channel did that there would be a major problem the previous Friday. Significant help didn't show up until a week later.
    Evidently the Governor wasn't watching. When offered help around midnight of Friday, 3/26, she wouldn't let the Feds get going. And both of these are "facts" are proven by links to what you have called, "primary sources." et al - Whether this fits your agenda or not, in our system it is the state and local governments who must request or agree to the Feds coming in. It just works that way. Now, it is true that the President can declare a state of emergancy. But let me ask you this. Why should he have had to? The Mayor and the Governor must have seen what was needed. And let me ask you this. Do you want a President declaring national emergancies when the state and local officals are available and accessable?

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#23)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:13 PM EST
    aw-Like minds.... you got it right. I just commented as well over at the calvary that never came. Billmon does it again.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#24)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:13 PM EST
    Now, it is true that the President can declare a state of emergancy. But let me ask you this. Why should he have had to?
    Because it's the law, PPJ? It's what sets things in motion. If it were an election year and he needed the votes, he would have acted lightning fast. See link above.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#25)
    by jimcee on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:14 PM EST
    The usual suspects have tried to turn this into a Dem v Rep kind of thing and if it makes them feel better then that is fine by me. People in desperate straits whether politcally or actuality always find a fall-guy that pushes responsibility from the individual to the political nemisis. That is not only pathetically apologising for a mayor's/governor's incompetance but then trying to transfer that blame to everyone on the Left's favorites 'hate you list' aka the Bushies. 17,000 people could have been evacuated with just one trip of the later stranded school buses that the mayor neglected to bring into service because he was too busy running away from the disaster himself. It is not a question of Federal misfeasance as much as it is a lesson into how bad local politicians can be. The first response to evacuation should have been taken by the Mayor. The second should have been the Governor. That both not only dropped the ball but then tried to blame the feds shows what polical hacks they are and what feeble political excuse-makers the Dems and thier allies have become. Guiliani may have had a bad comb over but he was a real leader in desperate times. Mayor Nagel looks great on TV but has turned out to be nothing more than a pretty haircut in a fine suit that has ill-served his constituency. That politics have distorted those correspondents here is not surprizing. What is surprizing is that those who think that looks and ethnics should not be a defining factor in how they govern have taken just that tack. Rudy had a comb-over therefore he was incapable from leadership where as the Mayor of NO looks great but is utterly useless as a leader. Politicising this situation will gain naught for the Left and probably result in the furthur marginalsation of the complainers. J'accuse all you want but it just seems rather desperate now.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#26)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:14 PM EST
    Posted by john horse at September 4, 2005 05:40 AM I suggest Bush get a desk sign that reads "the buck stops anywhere but here".
    "The bucks pile up here"

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:15 PM EST
    jimcee: "That both not only dropped the ball but then tried to blame the feds shows what polical hacks they are and what feeble political excuse-makers the Dems and thier allies have become." Your excuse-making, by contrast to these false allegations against the governor and mayor, is no longer operative. They didn't drop the ball, but the feds, namely Bush, Chertov, and Brown, tried to blame them for their own lackadaisical failure to respond.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#28)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:15 PM EST
    Jimcee-Guiliani was the worst leader ever. He is a fascist and tried to delay the election so that he could stay on indefinitely. NYers booted him out. Yes he must look good on TV, or maybe you just like Fascists.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:19 PM EST
    About these School Buses that keep getting mentioned. Where was the Mayor supposed to send these Buses some are asking about? Maybe the Bus Drivers were on vacation or already had evacuated on their own? Was the Mayor supposed to drive all the Buses himself? Who could have been the ones responsible for setting up a destination for these Buses? http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_home2.jsp In the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, the Department of Homeland Security will assume primary responsibility on March 1st for ensuring that emergency response professionals are prepared for any situation. . .

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:23 PM EST
    Yep, ol' George saddled up his SeaHorse, rode out to sea and lassooed him a hurricane. Then he pulled the critter into the Gulf o' Mexico and turn 'er loose. "Get inland, critter!" he said, kicking it towards Orleans with his cowboy boot. And that story makes as much sense as any of the other liberal, main stream press krap that I've seen. I did notice that New Orleans Nagging Mayor made it out O.K. and that if Jesse Jackson had been any further North last week, he would have been in Canada. But the fact that this has been turned into a Dems vs. 'Pubs issue should not surprise anyone. The press and the libs are still sore that their guy lost (where has john k. been this last week?). Grow up you knuckleheads. Even the Nagging Mayor's own police chief has ratted him out for his lack of a plan, lack of leadership. Half of the NOPD has turned in their badges. And what can we say of people who will not evacuate even at this late date (9/6/05)? I think the blame on lack of a plan, lack of action, rest solely with Blank-Stare Blanco and the Nagging Mayor. Of course we haven't heard any cries from Ted Kennedy to relocate any refugees to the Boston area. But he does still get squeamish when he sees submerged automobiles on T.V. Maybe he has just tuned the whole thing out.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:26 PM EST
    Ummm... Ucan'tHandleTheTruth, I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you haven't read the entire thread from top to bottom rather than accuse you of selective reasoning. Thus far you are the only one who has suggested that Bush is responsible for bringing in Katrina - such absurdity reflects poorly on you, and for the less discerning, the party you support. Have you had an opportunity to read the following yet? http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#32)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:27 PM EST
    Guiliani may have had a bad comb over but he was a real leader in desperate times.
    I'm still baffled by this. What did he do that was so great? Did he rescue a single person? Did he effect a policy that allowed a single person trapped in the towers above the impact point of the planes to survive? All I saw him do was hold press conferences and look ashen. Is that all it takes to be a "great leader"?

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#33)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:27 PM EST
    On second thought since we had Bush reading "My Pet Goat" that day...just about ANYONE would look like Winston freakin' Churchill in comparison.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#34)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:30 PM EST
    At least "selective reasoning" would indicate that some form of reasoning was taking place. I am still waiting for Ted and Hillary to open their homes to refugees. Hell, Ted doesn't even want them in his state. Hillary might if she can get them register to vote in both LA and NY before 2008 (in her state, but never in her house!)

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#35)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:30 PM EST
    UCantTellTheTruth...hey that reminds me...did Dick "GFY" Cheney just plunk down a cool 2.9 million for a house to bring some of them into? WHAT an awesome dude, that Uncle Dick!

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#36)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:30 PM EST
    Heeeeey, now that I think of it...maybe Uncle Dick can fit a few hundred of them into his DC bunker, too?

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#37)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:34 PM EST
    At least "selective reasoning" would indicate that some form of reasoning was taking place. I am still waiting for Ted and Hillary to open their homes to refugees.
    I cannot say what is in the minds and hearts of Ted and Hillary, nor manner in which they choose to contribute. I can say that I have heard no reports of Ted and Hillary deliberatly thwarting rescue attempts and jamming the lines of communication in New Orleans after the hurricane hit. Given your display of willful ignorance, I have my doubts that you possess an ounce of genuine compassion towards the thousands of lives that have been destroyed by Katrina.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#38)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:34 PM EST
    What's U. Thant babbling about now? I could have sworn he was dead. Never dreamed he'd become a wingnut.

    Re: Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Othe (none / 0) (#39)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:34 PM EST
    soccerdad, nice to see you back. PLEASE don't make things personal again. I know how frustrating it is to have the facts ignored over and over again (e.g. bush declared a disaster area for NOLA on the Friday before the storm and fema never responded even tho they were mandated to), but remember, they are only a cog in the rnc echomachine and personally attacking a cog doesn't stop the machine. It's actually a sign of their desperation that so many rw dittoheads are so vehemently attacking the truth.

    Bush Tries to Blame Blanco, Documents Say Otherwise | 38 comments (38 topical)