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Spinning Katrina

By TChris, Section Huricanes Katrina and Rita
Posted on Thu Sep 08, 2005 at 01:52:17 PM EST
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by TChris

Has spinmeister Rove saved the president's fanny again?

White House officials must be breathing a sigh of relief about the news coverage this morning that increasingly depicts the controversy over the government's response to the Gulf Coast disaster as a largely -- or even purely -- partisan issue.

Maybe not.

But the heartfelt disappointment and poignant questions about the rescue efforts may in fact be spilling forth from a wider, nonpartisan American vein. For example, many rank and file Congressional Republicans remain publicly aghast at the federal government's response.

Polarizing the electorate has been a successful strategy for this White House. That's not what they fear. But if the poll numbers start to shift precipitously -- and if even a chunk of Bush's core supporters come to the conclusion that he dropped the ball -- then Katrina could be something new for the White House. And something very dangerous indeed.

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    Spinning Katrina | 44 comments (44 topical)
    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#1)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:28 PM EST
    Reality has a nasty habit of biting you on th a** when you least expect it, Karl.

    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#2)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:28 PM EST
    and if even a chunk of Bush's core supporters come to the conclusion that he dropped the ball --
    Will never happen. As we can plainly see here every day, his core suporters are so totally detached from reality that Bush could kill and eat people on live TV and they would still find a way to blame it somebody/something else.

    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:28 PM EST
    Regardless of the partisan spin in Washington (i.e. it's all the fault of The Local Dems, or Federal Repub's) the various State Governors, D. and R. are all apparently appalled by the response, and seem to me to be more reflective of the way average people are seeing this issue.

    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:28 PM EST
    "Katrina could be something new for the White House. And something very dangerous indeed." Not half as dangerous as it was in New Orleans last week, when Bush pretended to play guitar and neglected his oath to protect the citizens of the United States from the predicted aftermath of the hurricane. Who are these people, that can be so incompetent and yet rise so high? How on earth do they get away with it, job after job, year after year?

    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:28 PM EST
    Concerning the incident in which someone told Cheney to "Go Cheney Himself" earlier today, we just had this pass on CNN: Cafferty: The vice-president said that was the first time he heard it. Didn't he utter the same phrase to Senator Patrick Leahy on the floor of the United States Senate? Blitzer: Yes. Cafferty: So it wasn't the first time he heard it. Blitzer [carrying water]: The first time he heard it in the context of this trip. Cafferty: You know what, I bet it's not the last. I bet it's not either.

    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:29 PM EST
    The Dems have been making this a partisan - and a racial - issue since almost before Katrina hit land. Coverage of the politics of this here. But, don't worry! The American public won't think less of you for attempting to make lemonade out of one of the U.S.'s biggest tragedies. Say, did you know that MoveOn organized a protest today featuring homeless New Orleans refugees? They need more volunteers, so join up!

    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:29 PM EST
    Puh-leeze. Sure, there are some media outlets acting like moonbats, just as others act like wingnuts. There is no difference between the Moonbats screaming it's all bush's fault, and the Wingnuts claiming Bush is completley blameless. Both stink to high heaven, as does the swill your spinning. Feel free to go "Cheney" yourself as well. I do see where both are coming from though. The Moonbats smell blood, and the Wingnuts are desperate to circle the wagons, especially with the new Bloomberg numbers (down 7 points from those ID'd as "conservative repubs" and 11 points among "moderate repubs"). If "my boy" in the grand political game was in the low 40's before this debacle, I'd be nervous as hell too. Doesn't make the partisanship any less sad, though.

    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:29 PM EST
    "The Dems have been making this a partisan - and a racial - issue" You are so wrong. The lack of Bush Administration and FEMA involvement on the ground has made this a partisan issue. See, we consider blacks and lower income people worthy of rescue, and you guys don't. You all just want to sit back, make excuses, and watch them die.

    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#9)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:30 PM EST
    "You are so wrong. The lack of Bush Administration and FEMA involvement on the ground has made this a partisan issue." Gee, we are so terrible, we keep bringing politics into these federal agencies.

    Re: Spinning Katrina (none / 0) (#10)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:30 PM EST