In an AP report on MSNBC.com titled "Brown blames state for flawed Katrina response" it is reported that:
"The former FEMA director who became a lightning rod for the sluggish federal response to Hurricane Katrina put the blame on state officials in an interview with the New York Times newspaper
Within hours of Katrina’s attack [hurricanes actually plot and 'attack' us? Ed.] on New Orleans Michael Brown said he told the White House that state officials couldn’t get their act together. 'I can't get a unified command established,' he said he told Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and a White House official."
Pretty clear right? Micheal Brown said that the State of Louisiana was dropping the ball and couldn't get it together. Ahh, but wait a second...
"His account suggested the White House knew right away that the storm was leaving the coast in shambles."
WTF? Well, it's a synopsis right? I mean, they might have jumbled it a bit, right? I mean, that's not really editorializing his words right?
Read the NY Times version of the story. [Regisitration possibly required]
"He focused much of his criticism on Governor Blanco, contrasting what he described as her confused response with far more agile mobilizations in Mississippi and Alabama, as well as in Florida during last year's hurricanes."...
"Mr. Brown's version of events raises questions about whether the White House and Mr. Chertoff acted aggressively enough in the response. New Orleans convulsed in looting and violence after the hurricane, and troops did not arrive in force to restore order until five days later."
Either the New York Times hasn't done it's homework about the National Guard and the fact that we are a federal republic (under which the National Guard is controlled by the state government (in this case, Governor Blanco)) or they are just out and out writing biased, editorialized "news".
The rest of the article continues on in a similar vein, they accurately report (well, I assume accurately, I mean, I wasn't there) what Mr. Brown says but then throw in a little jibe about the federal government response.
