La. Senator Landrieu Blasts "Presidential Photo Opportunity"

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Frederick Lane <fslane3 () gmail com>
Date: September 3, 2005 8:53:34 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: La. Senator Landrieu Blasts "Presidential Photo Opportunity"
Reply-To: fslane3 () gmail com


Hi all --

I came across this press release by Senator Mary Landrieu earlier
today and thought that people would find it interesting. Two
particular points worth considering: First, I don't recall FEMA coming
under this much criticism after Andrew blew ashore ten years ago, so
what's happened? (There are some really heart-wrenching stories on the
blogs about FEMA rejecting the aid of a 500-boat private flotillas
over the last couple of days, largely because of screwed-up
communication). Second, if work on the levee was staged as a backdrop
to Bush's visit, that's unconscionable in and of itself, but it also
seems like it's part of the ongoing embarrassment for journalism these
days.

Fred

KATRINA: LANDRIEU ASKS FOR MORE HELP

http://www.newschannel6.tv/news/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=8695

Saturday, September 03, 2005

Landrieu Implores President to
"Relieve Unmitigated Suffering;"
End FEMA's "Abject Failures"


WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., issued the following
statement this afternoon regarding her call yesterday for President
Bush to appoint a cabinet-level official to oversee Hurricane Katrina
relief and recovery efforts within 24 hours.

Sen. Landrieu said:

"Yesterday, I was hoping President Bush would come away from his tour
of the regional devastation triggered by Hurricane Katrina with a new
understanding for the magnitude of the suffering and for the abject
failures of the current Federal Emergency Management Agency. 24 hours
later, the President has yet to answer my call for a cabinet-level
official to lead our efforts. Meanwhile, FEMA, now a shell of what it
once was, continues to be overwhelmed by the task at hand.

"I understand that the U.S. Forest Service had water-tanker aircraft
available to help douse the fires raging on our riverfront, but FEMA
has yet to accept the aid. When Amtrak offered trains to evacuate
significant numbers of victims – far more efficiently than buses –
FEMA again dragged its feet. Offers of medicine, communications
equipment and other desperately needed items continue to flow in, only
to be ignored by the agency.

"But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th
Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President,
I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a
handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical
spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent
that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a
Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources
we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of
equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the
Gulf Coast – black and white, rich and poor, young and old – deserve
far better from their national government.

"Mr. President, I'm imploring you once again to get a cabinet-level
official stood up as soon as possible to get this entire operation
moving forward regionwide with all the resources – military and
otherwise – necessary to relieve the unmitigated suffering and
economic damage that is unfolding."

Today's aerial tour of the 17th Street levee will be featured tomorrow
on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Later, Sen. Landrieu
will also appear on CBS's 60 Minutes.

--
Frederick Lane is an expert witness, lecturer, and author of "Obscene
Profits" (Routledge 2000) and "The Naked Employee" (Amacom 2003). He
is currently working on his third book, "The Decency Wars: The
Campaign to Cleanse American Culture" (Prometheus Books 2006). For
additional information, please visit www.FrederickLane.com.


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