Hurricane Gustav
[Guest post by DRJ]
Category 3 Hurricane Gustav is moving toward the Gulf Coast and expected to make landfall in Louisiana sometime Monday morning. The “good” news is it’s weakening and moving comparatively quickly but it’s still a dangerous storm.
It’s also encouraging to see how well the Louisiana and other border state authorities have responded to Hurricane Gustav. I was especially impressed with Louisiana Governor Jindal’s implementation of a State-wide effort, as well as his ability to articulate what’s been done so far and what needs to be done in the next hours.
— DRJ
I listened to Jindal on Fox. Smartest thing LA ever did. Sarah would do good to pick him as a running mate.
Hazy (c36902) — 8/31/2008 @ 12:22 pmGeez, it’s almost like Gov. Jindal recognizes that state and local governments have to take responsibility for preparations and first response. What a breath of fresh air from the attitudes of Nagin (still there but singing a different tune) and Blanco in 2005, who with the complicity of the media blamed their imcompetance on Bush.
daleyrocks (d9ec17) — 8/31/2008 @ 12:23 pmI would love to see the transcripts of the phone calls between the Gov. and the Mayor.
Another Drew (221871) — 8/31/2008 @ 12:49 pmDoes anyone think that Nagin even got a word in cross-wise, other than “Yes, Sir”, “No, Sir”, and “I’ll get right on that, Sir”?
Another Drew:
My wife and I were discussing the content of any phone conversations that might have occurred between the current Governor and the still Mayor of NOLA. My wife’s analysis eerily echoes yours.
However, as daleyrocks notes above…he is “still there but singing a different tune” and people are being effectively evacuated in a timely manner, so I will give him credit for having learned something from the last time around.
EW1(SG) (625c58) — 8/31/2008 @ 12:55 pmThis reminds me of Chicago today vs 1979. As soon as a flake of snow falls the salt trucks are out. Why? Cause any pol worth his salt knows that if he/she looks like they aren’t on top of things their career is dead. Same thing here. Now you see Bush heading to Texas and reviewing the first responders, he was no where to be found in 2005 and he got roundly criticized for it. Jindal looks like the real deal but he went to school on the screw ups from the past and is hands on and in charge. I have even been impressed this time with Nagin, who screwed up big time in 2005. He seems to have learned a lesson as well. Good for all of them. I predict that from now on any POTUS regardless of party will do what Bush is doing and get close to the potential disaster and make it appear that he or she is concerned and involved. The price that Bush paid was big, other do not want to make the same mistake.
BT (78b929) — 8/31/2008 @ 12:57 pmNew Orleans was not hit by a major hurricane in 40 years or more before Katrina. I don’t know how much damage Camille did in 1969 but it devastated Mississippi and Alabama. It might have been a century since it was badly hit.
I flew into NO the day after Ivan missed the city in 2004. The American College of Surgeons convention was there and I wasn’t sure if it would be on until the hurricane swerved east to hit Pensacola. I arrived the day after it was supposed to hit and I saw no sign of any preparation. There were no windows boarded up and no sign of other precautions I think they were counting on luck in 2005 and that is why they were hurt so badly.
Bush took a bum rap in 2005 but he should have had a competent chief of FEMA. He has hurt himself several times by appointing incompetent family retainers to jobs they weren’t qualified for. New Orleans has never spent the money they were given for levee maintenance on the purposes it was provided. They used it to build parking lots for casinos and to line the pockets of Louisiana pols like “cold cash” Jefferson.
It is the most corrupt state in the US. Illinois, home of The One is second.
Mike K (2cf494) — 8/31/2008 @ 1:10 pmA small addon to what BT said…
He is correct and everyone knows it. But it is unfortunate in that it takes the President away from his REAL job.
It is unfortunate that a Pres. has to play these stupid games to satisfy ignorant people who don’t know the duties and responsibilities of the President vs. state and local governments.
But sorry folks, I am a cold hearted bastard and I know I’ll get blasted for what I’ll say next…
at this point I wouldn’t give a rats ass if they moved everyone out of the NOLA area and turned it into a lousy rice paddy.
This dread and fear for NOLA everytime a hurricane comes in is NUTS, like it hasn’t happened before and won’t happen again. If I hear ONE MORE TIME that katrina was Bush’s fault I’m goin postal
Marv (022d42) — 8/31/2008 @ 2:14 pmIf normal everyday people can’t take care of themselves then they deserve what they get.
Beam me the F@#k up.
Watching the current press-conference on Gustav…
Does Bobby Jindal ever take a breath….
The man is a non-stop, fact-spewing, machine.
Awsome!
Another Drew (221871) — 8/31/2008 @ 3:57 pmJindal is very impressive. I hope they can link him via satellite or tape something so he can give a speech at the GOP Convention. Conservatives need to see more of him.
DRJ (7568a2) — 8/31/2008 @ 4:11 pmMarv, to quote our former president, William Jefferson Blythe Clinton, I feel your pain! I am just so frustrated about this non-stop coverage over a hurricane that has at this writing NOT EVEN MADE LANDFALL! If we actually had a real news media in this nation, what Katrina did expose is decades of DEMOCRAT greed and corruption not just in NOLA, but the whole damn state of Louisiana. They, the DEMOCRATS created the mess in the Lower Ninth Ward. They made those poor people so dependent on the government that when a real disaster came and Mayor Incompentant and Gov. Boob could not make decisions. When is our “media” going to ever point out the President Bush OFFERED federal assistance BEFORE the damn Hurricane Katrina hit?! Also, what about those on the Gulf Coast in Mississippi and Alabama? Were they not affected as well? Oh, my bad. They happened to have REPUBLICAN governors that took the bull by the horns, unlike Mayor Incompetent and Gov. Boob. And for the GOP to postpone the convention, why? Did either party postpone or not have conventions in 1944 in the height of World War II? We are just becoming way, way too soft and that is the end result of big government.
Mark J. Goluskin (56a0a8) — 8/31/2008 @ 4:27 pmMarv:
My wife is a former resident of the Florida central Gulf coast.
Have to lock her up every time there is a tropical storm headed for NOLA, she starts frothing at the mouth … she has definitely been underimpressed with the way local government has handled Katrina and its aftermath.
EW1(SG) (625c58) — 8/31/2008 @ 6:48 pm