Bush; two days of vacation later

As the hurricane drifted closer to the Gulf Coast and the Weather Centers were pushing out the warnings, President Bush was preparing himself for a trip from Crawford Texas, to the west, to promote a new Medicare prescription drug benefit. The President arrives in Arizona while Katrina arrives on the coast. Without any second thoughts, Bush continues with his speech mentioning more broken promises of prayer and federal help. As Katrina ravages her way up the southeast and Bush scavages his way further west, Bush has a thought that hurt: Perhaps I should go back to the Whitehouse and get a recovery and rescue plan together. Its ashame it took him not only one but two more days to actually get there. Bush decides to spend his second and final night back in Crawford with his family; you know, kind of like he did in the months leading up to 9-11. Finally two days later, the criticism is pouring into the White House as lake Ponchetrain pours into New Orleans. Why did it take so long for our President to respond? After all, 51% of America trusted him enough at the polls last November to lead thier country, why wouldnt they trust him now? Well after living on your roof for days on end with nothing to eat or drink and no visible signs of hope in view that would begin to make one wonder as its already been said, "Where is the president I voted for?" Certainly Bush couldnt say he was in Crawford crunching on pretzels stirring up armadillos while Americans are losing thier lives; no, instead he decides to tell America "Help is on the way" when in fact, nobody was on thier way. If things couldnt get anymore difficult for the president with a raging war in Iraq and its death toll exceding 1,880, and now, yet another catastrophe but this time, here at home. Bush seems to be held accountable for the delay in rescue efforts down on the coast; he is the president and no matter how many speeches you give and no matter how many times you lie by saying "Help is on the way." nothing can take away from the fact that people died while Bush was busy scratching his forehead in confusion in the Oval Office. Its time to watch him stumble his way out of the White House. ~ds~

Clinton recognizes federal failure

HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Former President Bill Clinton on Monday said the government "failed" the thousands of people who lived in coastal communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and said a federal investigation was warranted in due time.

"Our government failed those people in the beginning, and I take it now there is no dispute about it," Clinton told CNN. "One hundred percent of the people recognize that -- that it was a failure." (See interview -- 2:32 )

He and former President George H. W. Bush have launched the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund to help raise money for those left homeless by the storm. (Full story)
Clinton is just the latest in a long line of critics who have blasted the federal government for not moving fast enough to help people in the immediate aftermath of Katrina, which slammed into the Gulf Coast one week ago as a Category 4 hurricane.

He said that the utmost priority was saving people now -- and evaluating the mistakes in the months to come.

"We've got the departments on the ground, we've got the military on the ground, we've got a chance to do it right now, and we should do it right," he said. "And then in an appropriate time we should analyze what went wrong and why and what changes should be made."

As with the 9/11 commission charged with looking at the events leading up to and after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Clinton suggested a bipartisan Katrina commission be formed. It would investigate what went wrong and determine "what is the best structure and what are the best personnel decisions" to make in emergency management, he said.

The elder Bush echoed Clinton's sentiment, telling CNN's Larry King that he is "not satisfied" with the handling of the hurricane's aftermath.

Nonetheless, he defended his son's performance.

"What can he do? He can just go out and do what he's doing today, showing that the federal government's involved, has been involved, will continue to be involved ... He cannot listen to every critic from the editorial page of The New York Times," the elder Bush said.

Nagin grills the feds; Bush

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- As his city skidded deeper into chaos, New Orleans' embattled mayor accused federal officials of dragging their feet while people are dying in deplorable conditions.

Mayor Ray Nagin's voice cracked with anger and anguish Thursday night in an interview with New Orleans radio station WWL.

"We're getting reports and calls that [are] breaking my heart from people saying, 'I've been in my attic. I can't take it anymore. The water is up to my neck. I don't think I can hold out.' And that's happening as we speak."

Nagin said the time has long past for federal authorities to act on their promises.
"You mean to tell me that a place where you probably have thousands of people that have died and thousands more that are dying every day, that we can't figure out a way to authorize the resources that we need? Come on man," he said.

"I need reinforcements," he pleaded. "I need troops, man. I need 500 buses, man. This is a national disaster.

"I've talked directly with the president," he said. "I've talked to the head of the homeland security. I've talked to everybody under the sun."

After scheduled visits to devastated areas in Alabama and Mississippi, President Bush was expected to fly over the hurricane-ravaged city on Friday.
As he left the White House, Bush said, "The results are not acceptable. I'm headed down there right now."

He said he was "looking forward" to thanking people involved in disaster-relief efforts and assuring victims that short-term and long-term help is on the way.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday that he thinks the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies have done a "magnificent job" under difficult circumstances, citing their "courage" and "ingenuity."

Insisting that aid is coming as fast as possible, Chertoff said, "You can't fly helicopters in a hurricane. You can't drive trucks in a hurricane."
FEMA Director Michael Brown told CNN on Friday, "My heart breaks. What we're doing, we're ramping up."

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said she hoped the amount of needed aid would begin arriving Friday.

"I'm not going to stand here and play the blame game," Blanco said. "We have a problem. Let's get to the problem."

The tempers of those waiting for food, water and relief from relentless heat continued to boil Friday as they waited for help to arrive, some in shocking conditions that were only getting worse. At least one large explosion rocked the city early Friday.

In the radio interview, Nagin's frustration was palpable.

"I've been out there man. I flew in these helicopters, been in the crowds talking to people crying, don't know where their relatives are. I've done it all man, and I'll tell you man, I keep hearing that it's coming. This is coming, that is coming. And my answer to that today is BS, where is the beef? Because there is no beef in this city. "

Nagin said, "Get every Greyhound bus in the country and get them moving."
Nagin called for a moratorium on press conferences "until the resources are in this city."
"They're feeding the people a line of bull, and they are spinning and people are dying," he said.
"I don't know whether it's the governor's problem, or it's the president's problem, but somebody needs to get ... on a plane and sit down, the two of them, and figure this out right now," Nagin said.

"They thinking small, man, and this is a major, major deal," he said.
"Get off your asses and let's do something."

The mayor said except for a few "knuckleheads," the looting is the result of desperate people just trying to find food and water to survive.

Nagin blamed the outbreak of crime and violence on drug addicts who are cut off from their drug supplies and wandering the city "looking to take the edge off their jones."

Nagin is in his first term as mayor. He was sworn in May 2002. A Democrat, he was a popular reform candidate who promised to clean up the city's political corruption. He's a former cable company executive.

Bush; a little late a little short

President Bush plans to meet with officials and workers down on the Gulf Coast today, refusing to make a stop in New Orleans, where at this point im sure isnt welcome anyways. Where was the President 5 days ago? A little town in Texas named Crawford. Why is it, that Tsunami victims back in December had food and water supplies in 2 days yet in New Orleans there is still people starving to death? Here it is Friday now and President Bush gave a speech saying for 3 days in a row now "Help is on the way." Yet another hopeless promise given by our president. Sri Lanka and other nations are offering thier support and troops which will more than likely be part of the rescue efforts before our own country is. There has been a high amount of criticism regarding the amount of troops sent to the battered coast, most of Louisianas National Guard which is trained specifically to handle natural distasters on the coast, are in Iraq right now. Mayor Ray Nagin has grilled the Federal Government and the Bush Administration for thier poor efforts given to his area. Nagin was also quoted asking the White House to "Get up off your asses!" Is it right that he has to blast the White House as he did simply to get help? What is it going to take? This really goes to show the true colors of a president whos done absolutly nothing to help in this situation. Victims still stranded are asking "Where is the President I voted for?" Do you think Bush really cares what happens down there? After all regardless of criticism and the turn out of this all, he has no chances of re-election in 2008, really, what is another fly-over in the Air Force-1 going to do? What is meeting with the still stranded and dying victims going to do? At this point the only reassurance is actual food and water. These people havent eaten, some of them in 5 days or more, how long can the human body survive when pushed to such agonizing limits? Its really heart breaking to see such a beautiful city and the beautiful citizens of New Orleans hold on for dear life as they are. If Bush's criticism was food, the whole city of New Orleans would be fed. ~ds~