Squiggler

Our only word on the Katrina anniversary -- via Cox and Forkum

Structural Failure

Robert Tracinski strikes again with his latest editorial at Real Clear Politics: The Real Lesson of Katrina.

The underside of Katrina media coverage -- an absolute MUST read

Be prepared to have some of your beliefs shaken. With the advent of the 2006 Hurricane Season fast upon us, we owe it to ourselves to read this story and come down from the ivory tower of judgment and start being realistic. Ginned up media emotion does not get a job done.

May 23, 2006

Katrina: What the Media Missed

By Lou Dolinar

Remember the dozens, maybe hundreds, of rapes, murders, stabbings and deaths resulting from official neglect at the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina? The ones that never happened, as even the national media later admitted?

Sure, we all remember the original reporting, if not the back-pedaling.

Here's another one: Do you remember the dramatic TV footage of National Guard helicopters landing at the Superdome as soon as Katrina passed, dropping off tens of thousands saved from certain death? The corpsmen running with stretchers, in an echo of M*A*S*H, carrying the survivors to ambulances and the medical center? About how the operation, which also included the Coast Guard, regular military units, and local first responders, continued for more than a week?

Me neither. Except that it did happen, and got at best an occasional, parenthetical mention in the national media. The National Guard had its headquarters for Katrina, not just a few peacekeeping troops, in what the media portrayed as the pit of Hell. Hell was one of the safest places to be in New Orleans, smelly as it was. The situation was always under control, not surprisingly because the people in control were always there.

From the Dome, the Louisiana Guard's main command ran at least 2,500 troops who rode out the storm inside the city, a dozen emergency shelters, 200-plus boats, dozens of high-water vehicles, 150 helicopters, and a triage and medical center that handled up to 5,000 patients (and delivered 7 babies). The Guard command headquarters also coordinated efforts of the police, firefighters and scores of volunteers after the storm knocked out local radio, as well as other regular military and other state Guard units.

Jack Harrison, a spokesman for the National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Virginia, cited "10,244 sorties flown, 88,181 passengers moved, 18,834 cargo tons hauled, 17,411 saves" by air. Unlike the politicians, they had a working chain of command that commandeered more relief aid from other Guard units outside the state. From day one.

There were problems, true: FEMA melted down. Political leaders, from the Mayor to Governor to the White House, showed "A Failure of Initiative", as a recent House report put it. That report, along with sharply critical studies by the White House and the Senate, delve into the myriad of breakdowns, shortages and miscommunications that hampered relief efforts.

Still, by focusing on the part of the glass that was half-empty, the national media imposed a near total blackout on the nerve center of what may have been the largest, most successful aerial search and rescue operation in history. [Continue reading here]

_________________________

UPDATE:

Via Jonah Goldberg at NRO (be sure to read it all):

This barely captures how badly the press bungled Katrina coverage. Keep in mind that the most horrifying tales of woe that captivated the press and prompted news anchors to scream—quite literally—at federal officials occurred within the safe zone around the Superdome where the press was operating. Shame on local officials for fomenting fear and passing along newly minted urban legends, but double shame on the press for recycling this stuff uncritically. Members of the press had access to the Superdome. Why not just run in and look for the bodies? Interview the rape victims? Couldn’t be bothered? The major networks had hundreds of people in New Orleans. Was there not a single intern available to fact-check? The coverage actually cost lives. Helicopters were grounded for 24 hours in response to media reports of sniper attacks. At least two patients died waiting to be evacuated.

And yet, an ubiquitous media chorus claims simultaneously that Katrina was Bush’s worst hour and the press’s best. That faultless paragon of media scrupulousness Dan Rather proclaimed it one of the “quintessential great moments in television news.” Christiane Amanpour explained, “I think what’s interesting is that it took a Katrina, you know, to bring us back to where we belong. In other words, real journalists, real journalism, and I think that’s a good thing.”

Tears and Hope

I have just finished watching ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition/Storm from Biloxi, Mississippi. In this episode, instead of building one home for a family in need, the crew came into Biloxi and built a beautiful memorial for the town. Along the way, they stopped and brought some much needed things to some of the families left homeless and devestated by the storm.

One would have to be a real hard-hearted Hannah not to be shedding buckets of tears.

Latest AP story another CBS Rathergate???

By now you have either read or heard how the President was supposed to have known days before Katrina that the levees would breach. The latest AP story is being discussed everywhere and there is lots of talk from the Left about the President lying or not caring, etc, etc. Of course, the fact that the actual story is that EVERYONE knew (well everyone except the first responders like Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco) there was a possibilty that the winds could push the storm surge over the TOP of the levees is not the same as the levees actually breaking or BREACHING as they did do, seems to get lost in the telling and even in most of the corrections.

But there is more to this story and the more makes it far more serious, in my view. Read all about it HERE. Can you say CBS and Rathergate?

Tape: Bush, Chertoff Warned Before Katrina

Mar 1, 11:04 PM (ET)

By MARGARET EBRAHIM and JOHN SOLOMON

********************************

Here's an interesting detail on someone who certainly looks like one of the story authors from the French-American Foundation's membership roles:

Margaret Ebrahim (2003)
Producer
CBS News, 60 Minutes II

This CBS News page confirms that a Margaret Ebrahim was a 60 Minutes II producer in 2005. Ironically it was Mary Mapes who gave her away...

Related:

Power Line
Captain's Quarters
Gateway Pundit

By now you have either read or heard how the President was supposed to have known days before Katrina that the levees would breach. The latest AP story is being discussed everywhere and there is lots of talk from the Left about the President lying or not caring, etc, etc. Of course, the fact that the actual story is that EVERYONE knew (well everyone except the first responders like Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco) there was a possibilty that the winds could push the storm surge over the TOP of the levees is not the same as the levees actually breaking or BREACHING as they did do, seems to get lost in the telling and even in most of the corrections.

But there is more to this story and the more makes it far more serious, in my view. Read all about it HERE. Can you say CBS and Rathergate?

Tape: Bush, Chertoff Warned Before Katrina

Mar 1, 11:04 PM (ET)

By MARGARET EBRAHIM and JOHN SOLOMON

********************************

Here's an interesting detail on someone who certainly looks like one of the story authors from the French-American Foundation's membership roles:

Margaret Ebrahim (2003)
Producer
CBS News, 60 Minutes II

This CBS News page confirms that a Margaret Ebrahim was a 60 Minutes II producer in 2005. Ironically it was Mary Mapes who gave her away...

Related:

Power Line
Captain's Quarters
Gateway Pundit

More Pelosi idiocy

The House Select Bipartisan Committee began its investigation of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina Thursday, but only two Democratic members were present. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has said she would boycott what she calls a "whitewash."

GOP Names Committee, Pelosi Rejects Idea Washington, D.C. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert announced Wednesday that Cong. Chip Pickering will serve as a member of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina. Hastert said the committee will seek a fair and balanced investigation of the facts. "We have an opportunity to improve what the government did right and correct what the government did wrong. I appreciate the tremendous resources of the federal government, but I also have seen frustrations with policies and bureaucracies," said Pickering. The other Republican Select Committee members are: Tom Davis (VA), Chairman; F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (WI); Harold Rogers (KY); Christopher Shays (CT); Henry Bonilla (TX); Steve Buyer (IN); Sue Myrick (NC); Mac Thornberry (TX); Kay Granger (TX) and Bill Shuster (PA). House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement Wednesday in response to Speaker Hastert’s selection of Republican Members to serve on the select committee to review the relief response to Hurricane Katrina: “The Speaker is not listening to the American people; they have unequivocally said they want an independent commission to find out the truth. They do not want a partisan whitewash of what went wrong in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I will not appoint any Democrats to participate in this sham. Instead, Democrats have proposed an independent commission, based on the rigorous and effective example of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. I ask the Republican Leadership to join me in supporting an independent commission to determine what really went wrong in the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. The American people expect and deserve nothing less.”

And some still wonder why Pelosi is considered an idiot by many Californians. Perhaps if she would appoint her 9 democrat members and they actually participated, she might have a voice here. As long as she continues her call for a boycott of the Select Committee, she has no room to talk about any "whitewash."

I think Pelosi is more afraid that her democratic cohorts in Louisiana will be exposed for the incompetents and thieves they are looking like at the moment.

See also: Parties spar on Katrina Panel roster

What is compassionate?

The liberal definition of compassion is to give away someone elses money to pacify the problem. The conservative definition of compassion is to work to help you make your life and the lives of those around you better.

And so goes the conclusion reached by Matt Ervin, Feature Writer at Voice Potential in his excellent piece Katrina Should Make Conservatives of Us All. 

When the government who gives them their food and monthly check didnt provide a way out of town, they were stuck waiting for someone to come get them. Never mind taking initiative, making a sacrifice or standing on your own two feet, these people chose to continue their dependence and further their addiction to a lifestyle of entitlement. ... READ FULL POST

The most disgusting item of the day

Well, first the Germans and now here come the Sheehanistas and the Kennedy clan. I wish I could figure out a way to show my true level of disgust for this horrible woman, Cindy Sheehan. I don't give a damn if she is a grieving mother or not at this point ... she's a liar and she's dangerous and she is revolting. Today she says that Hurricane Katrina is all President Bush's fault because of his killing policy and his environmental policy. She is joined by Robert Kennedy, Jr. at least as far as the environmental is concerned, only in his case, he blames Katrina on Mississippi governor, Haley Barbour. Comrade Sheehan goes on to say that because half the National Guard is in Iraq, Americans suffer. Well she is just plain wrong and, I believe she knows she's lying and just doesn't care. The Pentagon says: 78,000 of the roughly 440,000 National Guard troops nationwide are deployed overseas. And you can scroll down to the next article and see the charts regarding global warming which anyone can pull up and see how specious the argument is.

I am so sick and tired of this gang's lies, the absolute stupidity and insensitivity of their ignorant remarks, and the endless ploys for sympathy.

So listen up folks ... President Bush is not God, nor does he control Mother Nature, and even if you think he is full of hot air, I guarantee it isn't enough to generate hurricane force winds. He did not secretly heat up the waters of the gulf, this is a natural cycle, and not even the worst cycle.

The following from NOAA (National Weather Service/National Hurricane Center) and I think they are a far more reliable source than Sheehan or Kennedy or any of the other idiots out there who just live to hate.

Number of hurricanes by Saffir-Simpson Category to strike the mainland U.S. each decade. Decade Saffir-Simpson Category1 All 1,2,3,4,5 Major 3,4,5 1 2 3 4 5 1851-1860 8 5 5 1 0 19 6 1861-1870 8 6 1 0 0 15 1 1871-1880 7 6 7 0 0 20 7 1881-1890 8 9 4 1 0 22 5 1891-1900 8 5 5 3 0 21 8 1901-1910 10 4 4 0 0 18 4 1911-1920 10 4 4 3 0 21 7 1921-1930 5 3 3 2 0 13 5 1931-1940 4 7 6 1 1 19 8 1941-1950 8 6 9 1 0 24 10 1951-1960 8 1 5 3 0 17 8 1961-1970 3 5 4 1 1 14 6 1971-1980 6 2 4 0 0 12 4 1981-1990 9 1 4 1 0 15 5 1991-2000 3 6 4 0 1 14 5 2001-2004 4 2 2 1 0 9 3 1851-2004 109 72 71 18 3 273 92 Average Per Decade 7.1 4.7 4.6 1.2 0.2 17.7 6.0 1 Only the highest Saffir-Simpson Category to affect the U.S. has been used. This is taken from THE DEADLIEST, COSTLIEST, AND MOST INTENSE UNITED STATES HURRICANES FROM 1900 TO 2000 (AND OTHER FREQUENTLY REQUESTED HURRICANE FACTS) by Jerry D. Jarrell(retired), Max Mayfield, and Edward N. Rappaport NOAA/NWS/ Tropical Prediction Center Miami, Florida Christopher W. Landsea NOAA/AOML/Hurricane Research Division Miami, Florida