The Republicans Finally Did Something Right
When Hurricane Gustav was hammering us here in South Louisiana on September 1, 2008, especially in the Baton Rouge area, the Republican National Convention was starting in Minnesota.
Our governor, Bobby Jindal, was supposed to attend, President Bush had planned to attend, but when Gustav headed this way, Governor Jindal stayed home here along with Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Cherthoff, and President Bush road out the storm in Crawford, TX, so he would be nearby to make disaster declarations and get the FEMA response in high gear immediately.
For once, three years late, the Republicans did the right thing. Our governor stayed for obvious reasons, but keeping the President close by with the Secretary of Homeland Security and dialing back the RNC was a step forward. I think the only reason they were so cautious is they were afraid Gustav would flood New Orleans again. New Orleans’ flood protection system isn’t even back to pre-Katrina standards, let alone ready to withstand another Katrina or worse.
I just ran across this video on YouTube:
Rachel Maddow of Air America Radio and MSNBC News was just at the DNC in Denver the week before Gustav hit us, and she was the only one at the commentary desk at the end of the DNC on Thursday night, August 28, to mention the top story might be covering Louisiana during Hurricane Gustav on September 1 when the RNC started. She had to go to Minnesota for the RNC (she’s a political analyst, not a reporter). She was also the only person at that desk to bring up that Friday, August 29, was the 3-year anniversary of Katrina. It’s great to know somebody in the national media had us in her heart and mind.
We were out of Katie Couric’s mind as soon as she got to Baton Rouge and found out New Orleans had been spared Gustav. She hopped on a plain and flew to the RNC and to hell with the rest of us in Louisiana. Gustav was the worst storm to hit Baton Rouge in anyone’s memory. It was worse than Betsy, Andrew, Katrina and Rita for us. I would love it if everyone thought of Louisiana as a much bigger place than New Orleans. It’s like thinking the only city and population in New York is New York City.
Rachel Maddow continues to talk about FEMA, Katrina, Rita, and Ike often because the response to them was so botched. She talks about Gustav once in awhile. I’m glad somebody is willing to hold FEMA and the administration accountable for what is still wrong with the Katrina response and how slowly the Ike response is still going in Texas today.
Posted on December 28th, 2008 by Sherri
Filed under: Gustav, Videos
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