Patterico's Pontifications

9/1/2005

A Clueless President?

Filed under: Current Events,General,Politics — Patterico @ 9:21 pm



Can you believe it? The President didn’t foresee the levees breaking!

(President Clinton, that is.)

Leftists throughout the blogosphere have been mocking Bush for saying that the breach of the levees in New Orleans was something people weren’t expecting. (I have to say I was surprised myself by Bush’s statement; the potential breach of the levees is something that had been discussed for some time, in particular during the run-up to Katrina.) Let’s see if they make fun of former President Bill Clinton for saying the same thing.

From an interview by CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux of former presidents G.H.W. Bush and President Clinton:

G.H.W. BUSH: Let me — I just to want finish. I believe the administration is doing the right thing, and I believe they have acted in a timely fashion. And I understand people being critical. That happens all the time. And I understand some people wanted to make, you know, a little difficulty by criticizing the president and the team. But I don’t want to sit here and not defend the administration which, in my view, has taken all the right steps. And they’re facing problems that nobody could foresee: breaking of the levees and the whole dome thing over in New Orleans coming apart. People couldn’t foresee that.

CLINTON: Yes, I think that’s important to point out. Because when you say that they should have done this, that or the other thing first, you can look at that problem in isolation, and you can say that.

But look at all the other things they had to deal with. I’m telling you, nobody thought this was going to happen like this. But what happened here is they escaped — New Orleans escaped Katrina. But it brought all the water up the Mississippi River and all in the Pontchartrain, and then when it started running and that levee broke, they had problems they never could have foreseen.

Is Clinton just rising above the fray of partisan politics? I suppose that’s what our friends on the left would say. But I don’t think he’d be saying this unless he honestly believed it. Seems a little strange, all right, but I think he’s being sincere.

(Clinton interview via Captain Ed.)

UPDATE: Ed also highlights evidence that the break in the levee occurred in a section that had been recently upgraded.

UPDATE x2: Michelle Malkin has much more.

Katrina Relief Donations

Filed under: Current Events,General — Patterico @ 7:55 am



I tend to agree with Bill Quick: the Salvation Army would be a good bet for your Katrina relief donation, because the money will get where it’s supposed to go.

Regardless of where you choose to donate, donate something today.


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