The LA Takeover Ain't Over Yet!
When you hear that Bush admin people are telling "secrets" and they don't want their names released .... that's a lie. BushCo is as secretive as they come ... there are NO kiss-and-tellers in that bunch. So all this stuff that's "leaked" about the delays in White House and the legal wrangling is suspect - it's another Rove plant.
What were the two options that Bush gave Blanco? Nagin said this conversation happened on AF-1. That was on 9/2. When were the 2 options given to Blanco? That day or days before? If she was given 2 options on 9/2 and she said she wanted 24 hours to think about it AND LA supposedly worked thru the night discussing the options, how is it that the rescue efforts ramped up on 9/2, the day the Pres was there? Or did they really ramp up?
People keep saying that Bush wanted to Federalize this thing to be able to lay the blame at LA state officials feet.
Is THIS really the reason or is there something much different? Two things are
God to Republicans: money and power/control.
Did LA's oil refineries, off coast drilling have anything to do with the options? What could BushCo gain in the way of oil monies with one or both options?
As in the Pelican Brief, with Bush in control of "the New Orleans project", could he bypass environmental restrictions against drilling in certain places? I can just hear the talking point: The New Orleans and LA economies desparately NEED the monies from the additional wells. The US NEEDS this additional drilling to decrease our dependence on Middle East oil.
Whatever the 2 options were, the White House sent Blanco a letter at midnight 9/2. What's in this letter? Was Bush withholding aid as a bargaining chip to wrest control from Blanco?
Blanco and staff reportedly talked all night ... by noon 9/3 Blanco announced "I have asked Mr. Witt to advise and assist me and (Louisiana National Guard Maj. Gen. Bennett C.) Landreneau on the recovery effort."
Monday, 9/5, Bush makes a return trip to LA and the Governor's office is not even notified. She reportedly learns of his visit from reporters. Each is not happy with the other. And remember, Democrat Blanco was one of the Governors that went to Iraq in 2004. "Blanco will return to Washington, D. C., Thursday, February 12, where she will brief U.S. President George W. Bush in the Oval Office the following day." Rather cozy bipartisanship at that point.
Points that I'm trying to keep remembering:
- Bush is not running things in the country.
- Cheney sets the course. Rove makes things happen. He's the ultimate staffer and PR man.
- Bush has been tanking in the polls from Iraq mess, Cindy Sheehan, you name it. The 2006 elections are coming and party members are looking to stay in control.
- Rove KNOWS as does anyone who pays attention that the poll numbers go UP when there is a national disaster and the President is there to LEAD the way and comfort/console the bereft (remember the bitching they did when Clinton came to OKC after the bombing).
- Was there a politically astute reason for Bush to make "unprecedented declaration prior to" Katrina landfall?
- Blanco was writing Bush left and right asking for all kinds of stuff.
- Blanco asked for Nat'l Guard from other states, received offers from NM, and others, AND this needed Bush approval? Why were they held up in DC until Thursday night?
- Was Rove wanting Bush to ride in on the white horse to "save the day" from those stupid, incapable LA politicians (that's the song now) to drive the numbers up OR was there another more sinister reason?
- And ... if there is another sinister reason, what is it?
- Is Rove going to just lay down on the effort, or go full-court press? I don't see Rove laying down.
- Again, did oil play any role in this?
- It's a given Rove/Bush care nil for poor folks, be they black or white.
- I know Republicans are racists (by and large, not all I'm sure) but I don't think this was a great demotivator.
What was the great motivation behind all this? Blanco knows ... and I'll bet Witt knows by now.
I'm going to start having to wear a tinfoil hat if someone doesn't see what I'm saying!