Hurricane Katrina: The Blame Game for President Bush

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, left, Councilman Oliver Thomas and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco speak during a news conference about Hurricane Katrina, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005. Residents of low-lying coastal communities were told Saturday to pack up and head for higher ground before Hurricane Katrina strengthens and takes a “possible direct hit” on southeast Louisiana.

The ASSociated Press has New Orleans Mayor Fumes Over Slow Reponse.

A day beforePresident Bush headed to the hurricane-ravaged South, Mayor Ray Nagin lashed out at federal officials, telling a local radio station “they don’t have a clue what’s going on down here.”

Federal officials expressed sympathy but quickly defended themselves, saying they, too, were overwhelmed by the catastrophe that hit the Gulf Coast region on Monday.

Nagin’s interview Thursday night on WWL radio came as President Bush planned to visit Gulf Coast communities battered by Hurricane Katrina, a visit aimed at alleviating criticism that he engineered a too-little, too-late response.

“They flew down here one time two days after the doggone event was over with TV cameras, AP reporters, all kind of goddamn — excuse my French everybody in America, but I am pissed,” Nagin said.

Nagin said he told Bush in a recent conversation that “we had an incredible crisis here and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice … I have been all around this city and that I am very frustrated because we are not able to marshal resources and we are outmanned in just about every respect.”

In an interview Friday on NBC’s “Today,”
Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown stood behind the massive federal relief effort that’s under way.

“I understand the mayor’s frustration. … We have been having a continuous flow of commodities into the Superdome, there were five trucks arriving last night to feed well over 50,000 people.

“We’re also diverting supplies to the convention center which I learned about yesterday and that area. … This is an absolutely catastrophic disaster,” he said.

Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who like Nagin is a Democrat, was less confrontational than the mayor.

“When the system goes down, this is pretty much what you get,” she said on CBS’ “The Early Show.” “We don’t get into the blame game. We just work with what we got.”

But, the BLAME GAME it is……..

Michelle Malkin has a list:

Brian Maloney at The Radio Equalizer, my indefatigable blog investigative partner, spotlights the hurricane-induced insanity of Air America Radio hosts Rachel Maddow and Randi Rhodes, who really have bigger things to worry about. (Audio of Rhodes here.) Jim Hoft comments.

This nutball refuses to support Katrina victims because of his anti-conservative hang-ups. (Hat tip: Erick at Red State.)

This group is totally bonkers.

Arthur Chrenkoff compiles a list of left-wingers using the disaster to stoke Bush hatred and eco-zealotry.

Patrick Ruffini documents a “hurricane of hatred.” Alenda Lux has a reality check.

Kevin Halpern has more on the Bush-bashers and adds:

One more thing on anti-war mom Sheehan. She is leaving Texas and taking her protest on the road with a bus caravan to Washington. I hope she runs out of the gas she is wasting.

Politburo Diktat documents Left vs. Right bloggers on Katrina. So does Rick Moran.

And via Radioblogger Duane Patterson, Hugh Hewitt’s producer, here’s the anti-Bush meltdown of CNN buffoon Jack Cafferty. More from Brent Baker at Newsbusters.

Cafferty is fuming because Bush did not drop sandwiches into the waterlogged, chaos-racked Superdome. I kid you not.

The Anchoress takes stock of the political and physical landscape 100 hours after stormfall. Read the whole thing.

It does little good to play this game.

However, the Left and the MSM seem almost delighted in the crisis.

Time to get back to business, help these folks and rebuild.

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