In one of the most astounding juxstapositions of this whole sorry tale, Haley Barbour exemplified the desperation of Republicans to shift blame from themselves for this hurricane crisis. On today's Meet the Press Haley Barbour followed one of the most stark tales of Homeland Security incompetence to preach that everything was so much better in his state and the federal government couldn't have been more helpful.
I hope someone has the video from this, if not, I can try and get it converted and hosted, but it was the highlight of today's talk show circuits. The president on the New Orleans parish told stories of FEMA turning back water donations from WalMart, offering and then rescinding the offer of fuel and then the ultimate tale of tragedy I think I've ever heard. He relayed the story of the nursing home bound mother of one the parishes leaders calling her son each day begging for someone to come rescue her. Each day he tried to assure her that help was coming. "On Tuesday he told her help was on the way; On Wednesday he told her help was on the way; On Thursday he told her help was on the way; And on Friday she drown in her bed at the nursing home." The man told this through sobs and great emotion.
Tim Russert immediately tries to break the tension created by moving to Governor Barbour, former chairman of the Republican National Commitee, and now governor of Mississippi. According to Gov. Barbour, things weren't great, but "maybe a hundred people had perished who refused to evacuate." and the government had just supplied them a million MREs (meals-ready-to-eat) on Friday just when their own food had finally dwindled. What an embarassment to have to toe the party line in the face of such obvious failure of the government to act. But of course, Haley Barbour learned well as head of the RNC that you need to spin, spin, spin until everyone is dizzy and maybe they can control what people believe.
Shame on you Governor Barbour