Just heard an NPR interview with Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, who is ultimately in charge of FEMA and therefore the federal response to Katrina. Chertoff's performance was pretty appalling. Even if we give him several benefits of several doubts (chaotic situation, huge challenge, etc. etc.) he seemed ill-informed and vague about how the government is actually responding and when relief will actually reach those suffering in New Orleans.
He claimed to have no knowledge of the deteriorating conditions of refugees at the New Orleans Convention Center. Good grief! The MSM has been reporting on that all afternoon, with eyewitness reports and video from reporters. All Chertoff had to do, if his staff isn't keeping him up to date, is turn on CNN, fer chrissakes.
Robert Siegel did a good job pressing Chertoff, telling him that NPR reporter John Burnett was on the other line and had observed first-hand that approximately two thousand people were at the Convention Center "living like animals," with no food, no water, no security, no one in charge, and at least two corpses parked by a wall.
Chertoff also tried to wiggle out of making any firm pledge to get food and water to stranded people, saying over and over that there was plenty of food and water to give, but the problem was getting it throught he flooded streets to the people who need it.
I'm afraid I couldn't help shouting at my radio: "You have helicopters! Use helicopters! Or are they all in Iraq?"
Geeezus, the Bush administration made a big deal and a big show about dropping humanitarian aid to the Afghan people when the US bombed and invaded that country. It boggles the mind that the administration can't manage to provide some similar help to its own people in a timely manner.
And timely is all that matters in cases like these. People have been without food and clean water for days now. They are going to start dying faster if the feds don't step up the pace.
There's no doubt the logistical problems are mind-bogglingly difficult. But it's worth noting that when it comes to marshalling an invasion force, the Bush administration manages to tackle difficult logistical problems with enthusiasm. I'd like to see a little of that spirit inform the rescue of New Orleans.