A new conservative talking point has emerged. Apparently, Major Garrett of FOX News reported that the Red Cross and Salvation Army were ready to deliver food and water to the victims in New Orleans but were turned away by officials with the State of Louisiana because they did not want
"to create an atomosphere that would lead people to stay."
Hugh Hewitt is banging the drum on this one.
I thought I would send up this Diary in the hopes of seeing what the response to this talking point is or should be. (If this Diary is repetitive, I will of course it--but I've looked at the last 100 Diaries.)
Here is an excerpt of Hewitt's interview of FOX News's Major Garrett from Hewitt's Radioblogger website:
Major Garrett updates us on the Red Cross AND the Salvation Army being blocked from helping by Louisiana state officials
HH: Making an encore appearance, and we're very grateful for it, Major Garrett of Fox News Channel. Major, you certainly made waves yesterday. Perhaps the most reported story in America was yours. You followed up on it tonight. What has your investigation into the Red Cross relationship with the Louisiana Department of Homeland Security revealed today?
MG: A couple of things. First of all, it established on tonight's Special Report, that it wasn't just the Red Cross. It was the Salvation Army. Both agencies, both organizations were ready, prepared, pre-positioned, eager, but were thwarted in their efforts to bring supplies, basic supplies...not everything these people needed, but core supplies to the Superdome, and then eventually, the convention center. Why? Because the New Orleans [Louisiana] Department of Homeland Security said look. Our plan is to evacuate these people. Marty Evans, the President and the CEO of the American Red Cross, said on camera...you don't have to believe me. Believe her. You can read her own eyes, saying look. We were told if we came in, we would create an atmosphere that would lead people to stay, and give them the feeling that they should stay. And the state did not want that.
Now, FOX of Swiftboat fame is not the most reliable of sources but what should our response be? The first answer off the top of my head is even if the Red Cross and Salvation Army were not allowed in, it was FEMA's responsbility to get in--and to coordiante all rescue and humanitarian efforts. But I throw this out to the Kossacks who may have a bettter response.