Obama's Katrina
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Exasperation builds on Day 3 in storm-stricken NYC
By LEANNE ITALIE and MEGHAN BARR | Associated Press – 1 hr 23 mins ago
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Enlarge PhotoAssociated Press/ Louis Lanzano - Dry ice is unloaded from a flatbed truck in Union Square for distribution to residents of the still powerless Chelsea section of Manhattan, Thursday, Nov.1, 2012, in New York. …more
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NEW YORK (AP) — Frustration — and in some cases fear — mounted in New York City on Thursday, three days afterSuperstorm Sandy. Traffic backed up for miles at bridges, large crowds waited impatiently for buses into Manhattan, and tempers flared in gas lines.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city would send bottled waterand ready-to-eat meals into the hardest-hit neighborhoods through the weekend, but some New Yorkers grew dispirited after days without power, water and heat and decided to get out.
"It's dirty, and it's getting a little crazy down there," said Michael Tomeo, who boarded a bus to Philadelphia with his 4-year-old son. "It just feels like you wouldn't want to be out at night. Everything's pitch dark. I'm tired of it, big-time."
Rima Finzi-Strauss decided to take bus to Washington. When the power went out Monday night in her apartment building on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, it also disabled the electric locks on the front door, she said.
"We had three guys sitting out in the lobby last night with candlelight, and very threatening folks were passing by in the pitch black," she said. "And everyone's leaving. That makes it worse."
The mounting despair came even as the subways began rolling again after a three-day shutdown. Service was restored to most of the city, but not the most stricken parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, where the tunnels were flooded.
Bridges into the city were open, but police enforced a carpooling rule and peered into windows to make sure each car had at least three people. The rule was meant to ease congestion but appeared to worsen it. Traffic jams stretched for miles, and drivers who made it into the city reported that some people got out of their cars to argue with police.
Rosemarie Zurlo said she planned to leave Manhattan for her sister's place in Brooklyn because her own apartment was freezing, "but I'll never be able to come back here because I don't have three people to put in my car."
With only partial subway service, lines at bus stops swelled. More than 1,000 people packed the sidewalk outside an arena in Brooklyn, waiting for buses to Manhattan. Nearby, hundreds of people massed on a sidewalk.
When a bus pulled up, passengers rushed the door. A transit worker banged on a bus window, yelled at people inside, and then yelled at people in the line.
With the electricity out and gasoline supplies scarce, many gas stations across the New York area remained closed, and stations that were open drew long lines of cars that spilled out onto roads.
At a station near Coney Island, almost 100 cars lined up, and people shouted and honked, and a station employee said he had been spit on and had coffee thrown at him.
In a Brooklyn neighborhood, a station had pumps wrapped in police tape and a "NO GAS" sign, but cars waited because of a rumor that gas was coming.
"I've been stranded here for five days," said Stuart Zager, who is from Brooklyn and was trying to get to his place in Delray Beach, Fla. "I'm afraid to get on the Jersey Turnpike. On half a tank, I'll never make it."
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Dumster diving has become a survival thing for some New Yorkers.
Not good.
The media won't play it up = the "pres" is a dem.
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You do realize a Hurricane hit NY? There is going to be logistical issues, power line issues, food issues, and flooding issues. I would consider anyone who fixed this is in less than 3 days to be a miracle worker.
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Hopefully the people up there aren't as stupid, crooked or incompetent as the ones in Louisiana.
Thank God the president went to Jersey for a photo op.
I'm sure that entourage sped up the process.
WSS
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Hopefully the people up there aren't as stupid, crooked or incompetent as the ones in Louisiana.
Thank God the president went to Jersey for a photo op.
I'm sure that entourage sped up the process.
WSS
Hopefully the people up there aren't as stupid, crooked or incompetent as the ones in Louisiana.
Thank God the president went to Jersey for a photo op.
I'm sure that entourage sped up the process.
WSS
lol, had it been your guy it would have been "he was surveying the damage". But a president visiting a disaster area of course doesn't help much outside of letting people know that they are not forgotten. What will help more is getting the federal disaster relief money released in a timely manor, and communicating with local governors to find out if anything he can do to help.
But Katrina that was a mess on different level, poor leadership and communication from FEMA, bad execution and corrupt locals, combine that with a level 4 hurricane in low lying heavily populated city that is connected to the Mississippi river... yeah lets hope that is not happening in NY/NJ atm.
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Hopefully the people up there aren't as stupid, crooked or incompetent as the ones in Louisiana.
Thank God the president went to Jersey for a photo op.
I'm sure that entourage sped up the process.
WSS
lol, had it been your guy it would have been "he was surveying the damage". But a president visiting a disaster area of course doesn't help much outside of letting people know that they are not forgotten. What will help more is getting the federal disaster relief money released in a timely manor, and communicating with local governors to find out if anything he can do to help.
But Katrina that was a mess on different level, poor leadership and communication from FEMA, bad execution and corrupt locals, combine that with a level 4 hurricane in low lying heavily populated city that is connected to the Mississippi river... yeah lets hope that is not happening in NY/NJ atm.
lol, had it been your guy it would have been "he was surveying the damage". But a president visiting a disaster area of course doesn't help much outside of letting people know that they are not forgotten. What will help more is getting the federal disaster relief money released in a timely manor, and communicating with local governors to find out if anything he can do to help.
But Katrina that was a mess on different level, poor leadership and communication from FEMA, bad execution and corrupt locals, combine that with a level 4 hurricane in low lying heavily populated city that is connected to the Mississippi river... yeah lets hope that is not happening in NY/NJ atm.
I recall "your guys" belly aching that Bush didn't go to Louisiana immediately.
And I have absolutely no doubt that if Mitt Romney went to Jersey you guys would be screaming politics!
Actually I expect all a president can do is to sign in order make a call, who knows?
But parading him in upon a dais...
Actually I'll bet it was set up between the President and the governor as a 2 way promo.
WSS
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lol, had it been your guy it would have been "he was surveying the damage". But a president visiting a disaster area of course doesn't help much outside of letting people know that they are not forgotten. What will help more is getting the federal disaster relief money released in a timely manor, and communicating with local governors to find out if anything he can do to help.
But Katrina that was a mess on different level, poor leadership and communication from FEMA, bad execution and corrupt locals, combine that with a level 4 hurricane in low lying heavily populated city that is connected to the Mississippi river... yeah lets hope that is not happening in NY/NJ atm.
I recall "your guys" belly aching that Bush didn't go to Louisiana immediately.
And I have absolutely no doubt that if Mitt Romney went to Jersey you guys would be screaming politics!
Actually I expect all a president can do is to sign in order make a call, who knows?
But parading him in upon a dais...
Actually I'll bet it was set up between the President and the governor as a 2 way promo.
WSS
I recall "your guys" belly aching that Bush didn't go to Louisiana immediately.
And I have absolutely no doubt that if Mitt Romney went to Jersey you guys would be screaming politics!
Actually I expect all a president can do is to sign in order make a call, who knows?
But parading him in upon a dais...
Actually I'll bet it was set up between the President and the governor as a 2 way promo.
WSS
Here is a reminder of what Katrina was like http://thinkprogress.org/report/katrina-timeline/?mobile=nc though I warn you its very slanted against Bush, so take it with a bit of sugar. Did you feel that the bush administration didn't deserve at lest some back lash from their handling?
The only reason he hasn't gone to NJ is he is waiting an appropriate amount of time before going, likely either this weekend or monday.
When it actually hits pretty much, but there is a lot that can be done before hand, such as having a capable FEMA director.
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http://www.mississippirecovery.com/katrina-response-criticism
I don't think in this case the president did anything out of the ordinary.
And I don't think you suspect Mitt Romney would handle it any other way or worse.
And I think the president is in dire need of a campaign boost and most people in the media are happy to use this.
That's my take.
WSS
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Romney would likely do about the same thing after the storm hit(or at least something similar), but the question with him is what would he have done before hand? He has stated that he would try to transfer some of the abilities/responsibilities of FEMA down to the state/private level, how would that affect things? Who would he have picked to be head of FEMA and would they be able to handle it?
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Everyone should assume, as I suppose you do, that Mitt Romney would be up to this task.
But that doesn't further the president campaign, does it?
Hence we complained about George W Bush.
That's pretty obvious.
WSS
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Everyone should assume, as I suppose you do, that Mitt Romney would be up to this task.
But that doesn't further the president campaign, does it?
Hence we complained about George W Bush.
That's pretty obvious.
WSS
Everyone should assume, as I suppose you do, that Mitt Romney would be up to this task.
But that doesn't further the president campaign, does it?
Hence we complained about George W Bush.
That's pretty obvious.
WSS
the same as trying to tie a disaster that only occurred 3 days ago to Katrina?
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Everyone should assume, as I suppose you do, that Mitt Romney would be up to this task.
But that doesn't further the president campaign, does it?
Hence we complained about George W Bush.
That's pretty obvious.
WSS
the same as trying to tie a disaster that only occurred 3 days ago to Katrina?
the same as trying to tie a disaster that only occurred 3 days ago to Katrina?
I think I was clear sad.
Check your ballot by the way, Bush isn't running this time.
WSS
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the same as trying to tie a disaster that only occurred 3 days ago to Katrina?
I think I was clear sad.
Check your ballot by the way, Bush isn't running this time.
WSS
I think I was clear sad.
Check your ballot by the way, Bush isn't running this time.
WSS
and I think you need to reread the thread, I wasn't the one who tried to connect this to Katrina(see title of thread), and for the most part I agree with you, about Obama going to the disaster area is part photo-op but its also part showing support for the people in these regions. I also think had Romney been the incumbent he would be doing the same thing in regards to visiting these areas.
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Oh I think it's an idiotic thread.
Sorry if I wasn't clear on that.
Katrina's been all over the left wing media though.
That's all I meant.
WSS
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lol, had it been your guy it would have been "he was surveying the damage". But a president visiting a disaster area of course doesn't help much outside of letting people know that they are not forgotten. What will help more is getting the federal disaster relief money released in a timely manor, and communicating with local governors to find out if anything he can do to help.
But Katrina that was a mess on different level, poor leadership and communication from FEMA, bad execution and corrupt locals, combine that with a level 4 hurricane in low lying heavily populated city that is connected to the Mississippi river... yeah lets hope that is not happening in NY/NJ atm.
I recall "your guys" belly aching that Bush didn't go to Louisiana immediately.
And I have absolutely no doubt that if Mitt Romney went to Jersey you guys would be screaming politics!
Actually I expect all a president can do is to sign in order make a call, who knows?
But parading him in upon a dais...
Actually I'll bet it was set up between the President and the governor as a 2 way promo.
WSS
I recall "your guys" belly aching that Bush didn't go to Louisiana immediately.
And I have absolutely no doubt that if Mitt Romney went to Jersey you guys would be screaming politics!
Actually I expect all a president can do is to sign in order make a call, who knows?
But parading him in upon a dais...
Actually I'll bet it was set up between the President and the governor as a 2 way promo.
WSS
Aye aye aye.
Steve, Mitt Romney has no official capacity or reason to be there at all. He's not involved in the decision making in any way. So obviously any tour of the region would be political.
Obviously any presidential tour of the region has a political component as well, but it's also important to show that the government is engaged and to personally explain what it's doing. The idea that a president shouldn't go to disaster areas is bizarre. They go to military bases, they go to funerals, they go to Easter Egg rolls, they go to diners, they go to black tie dinners with the media, they go to fundraisers. The idea that they shouldn't show up for major national disasters is ridiculous. Of course they should. The president doesn't just sit behind a desk and sign papers. He's the face of the federal government.
Secondly, if you're going to whine in every other post about how liberals would mindlessly jump on something Bush did, it'd be a much more effective critique if you didn't mindlessly jump on everything Obama did in every other post. But you do, Blanche! You do!
And Sad is right: campaign Romney said he wanted to do to FEMA what the last two Republican presidents have done, which is not pay attention to it. Turn it over to the states and the private sector. Should we hold him to this now that FEMA is obviously providing much of the state aid after a massive hurricane/disaster? Or should we believe Mitt now, who just said, "Me? FEMA? I love FEMA! I'd fully fund it!"
These are legitimate campaign issues. He has a different view of the role of the federal government in disaster management. Until he doesn't.
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lol, had it been your guy it would have been "he was surveying the damage". But a president visiting a disaster area of course doesn't help much outside of letting people know that they are not forgotten. What will help more is getting the federal disaster relief money released in a timely manor, and communicating with local governors to find out if anything he can do to help.
But Katrina that was a mess on different level, poor leadership and communication from FEMA, bad execution and corrupt locals, combine that with a level 4 hurricane in low lying heavily populated city that is connected to the Mississippi river... yeah lets hope that is not happening in NY/NJ atm.
I recall "your guys" belly aching that Bush didn't go to Louisiana immediately.
And I have absolutely no doubt that if Mitt Romney went to Jersey you guys would be screaming politics!
Actually I expect all a president can do is to sign in order make a call, who knows?
But parading him in upon a dais...
Actually I'll bet it was set up between the President and the governor as a 2 way promo.
WSS
I recall "your guys" belly aching that Bush didn't go to Louisiana immediately.
And I have absolutely no doubt that if Mitt Romney went to Jersey you guys would be screaming politics!
Actually I expect all a president can do is to sign in order make a call, who knows?
But parading him in upon a dais...
Actually I'll bet it was set up between the President and the governor as a 2 way promo.
WSS
Also, the idea that the reason people were angry about the federal response to Katrina was because Bush didn't go to Louisiana immediately ...please. Nobody was aching for a photo op, but a little engagement would have been nice.
That's really not why people criticized the federal response to Katrina. I think it might have had more to do with the fact that FEMA was completely ineffective and almost entirely AWOL, and thousands suffered as a result. It's because they didn't give a shit about staffing that agency with people who knew what they were doing.
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We can bicker about that for days but we all know the reason Katrina is in the news is to keep the name bush in everyone's mind.
And Benghazi out.
WSS
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