Let's get this out of the way

[erikred]

According to Talking Points Memo, Newsweek recently said:

"Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco seemed uncertain and sluggish, hesitant to declare martial law or a state of emergency, which would have opened the door to more Pentagon help."

Let's nip this in the bud. Blanco proclaimed a state of emergency on August 26, when the hurricane was about to hit, to extend to September 25.

So, if you catch someone at the watercooler saying that the reason the Feds reacted slowly is because Blanco didn't declare a state of emergency, print out the declaration and slap them with it.

Comments

[ophymirage.livejournal.com]

there's multiple timeline diaries on dailyKos, if anyone is interested. amusingly, hir response above looks a lot like the republican talking points memo diaried here. sigh... the spin goes on..

[tagryn]

Kos isn't exactly an unbiased source either, for the most part. However, this Kos entry on the relative powers of the mayor, governor, and FEMA in emergencies was illuminating.

Also, it seems when you have one Democrat (Nagin) criticizing another (Blanco) for her response, there's little party spin involved in that.

[erikred.livejournal.com]

Hi, tagryn, this is ophymirage, whom I went to Cal with. Ophymirage, this is tagryn, whom I knew back when the Usenet was young (as were all three of us).

I bring this up because this is as far as any of this goes in my journal. You both know I'm not a fan of the current administration and that I think the right wing spin machine makes the so-called liberal media seem fair and balanced, and you both know that the only reason I wrote about this matter was because I cannot abide an utter falsehood being promulgated.

tagryn also knows, I think, that I understand that he is not parroting the republican talking points; in fact his list was different from theirs, and we are creatures who make lists. tagryn also knows that while he and I sometimes disagree, we respect each other's positions (or, at least, we respect the thought and consideration that each of us have brought to bear on said positions).

ophymirage also knows, I think, that I understand her frustration with the aforementioned talking points, even if they were not tagryn's. ohpymirage also knows that I trust her judgemments just as equally as tagryn's, and for much the same reasons.

There. Now shake hands, and let's call this a day.

[ophymirage.livejournal.com]

oops. I missed the "shut up" post until I posted my responses to tagryn. Sorry, sir. Shutting up now, sir.

[erikred.livejournal.com]

Ah, but you had my point firmly in mind when you replied, and that's most of the battle. :)

I like it when friends from separate Venn circles manage to get on without too much violence.

[tagryn]

Sorry, Erik, no offense intended.

Nice to meet you, Ophymirage. 8)

[erikred.livejournal.com]

None taken, Tom, and thank you again for the link. :)

[ophymirage.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know Kos isn't unbiased. I was also reading Red State until recently - I've been bothered by their disabling of comments for a while, but one of the founders' recent defections put the site's disintegration into Freeperism in perspective.

kos posters seem to be the most widespread, though, and while the signal to noise ratio can be poor, they had better and faster updates, and stayed well on top of everything through the whole disaster. (In fact, I often get news there 1-2 days before CNN and the rest of the media get it.)

[ophymirage.livejournal.com]

and i hadn't seen the responsibility diary, that is interesting. thank you for the link. Not entirely sure where it leaves the governor vs. FEMA in terms of responsibilities, but does make nagin's position clear.

will also say that I have not heard Nagin criticize Blanco, or Landrieu (if he has done so) *nearly* as loudly as the administration. but, that may also be spin. ;-D