By Antonio D. French
Filed Friday, September 08, 2006 at 9:17 AM
U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill has received strong criticism from Republican leaders for comments she made about Pres. George W. Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina that were first reported on this blog. Labels: U.S._Senate_Race
Earlier this week, McCaskill told a group of local elected officials, which included white and black Democrats, that she would remind people over the course of her campaign against Republican Sen. Jim Talent that "George Bush let people die on rooftops in New Orleans because they were poor and because they were black."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) both called on McCaskill to retract her words yesterday (who knew they read PUB DEF?). Frist even went so far as to say her criticisms were in some way aimed at the "under-staffed, under-equipped medical personnel making heroic efforts to save lives" in New Orleans.
To her credit, McCaskill didn't deny her words or backtrack on their meaning. She said she was just voicing "what many people felt about the tragedy of the response to Katrina."
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver is one of those many people. Yesterday in Washington, Cleaver told a group of several hundred people at a Congressional Black Caucus event that Hezbollah did a better job responding to the needs of their people in Lebanon after the recent war than America did after Katrina (see our exclusive video).
In a related matter... PUB DEF is more than a little irritated at our town's daily newspaper today. After picking up on our story and running with it throughout the day yesterday on their website, they completely left out the name of our website and even the name of this reporter in the print edition of the story in today's paper. We believe the snub was deliberate and find it completely unprofessional. It seems the paper's senior political reporter is "hating the player" because we are constantly beating her in the game.
28 Comments:
One might hate President Bush, yet saying he is the reason for the Katrina tragedy is ignorant and misleading.
As for the STLPD, I do not read their trash, and I constantly encourage my friends to read PUBDEF.
9/08/2006 10:32 AM
Talent is not having clinton come into town, mccaskill is having clinton come into town for a fundraiser and talent is having bush come to KC
9/08/2006 11:15 AM
Bush may not be the reason for the Katrina tragedy, but his incompetence and lack of judgment as to the immediacy of the the threat surely exascerbated the resulting damage.
Hmm ... why does this sound so familiar?
9/08/2006 11:50 AM
So did Ray Nagin and Blanco.
They are all at fault not simply George "Walker Texas Ranger" Bush.
9/08/2006 1:08 PM
Amen Antonio. The SLPD is on a big downward to being out slide I think. With Mayor Slay on the PD, its stock falling, its readership declining, its reporting becoming shoddier, the PD is doing what desperate candidates do and that PUB DEF preaches against: Player hating. People, don't hate the player, hate the game. Now, who wants to start a direct competitive paper with the PD?????
9/08/2006 1:20 PM
I have grown so tired of people dismissing the role that race effects our daily lives. I apploud McCaskill not only for what said, but alos for the fact that she is standing behind her words. More Democrats should shoulder the strength that she has shown.
Personally I think that folks who dismiss the plight of African-Americans are the same folks who dismiss racial profiling and to a lesser extent slavery too.
It's a fact levees in New Oleans were in desperate need of repair, but because the effected area protect a mostly Black community the repairs were not made so that money could instead flow to wealthy(White) America. Bush, like him or not, is the President that means he has to take the blame along withthe credit for the way money is budgeted in his administration.
9/08/2006 1:26 PM
Doug:
You are correct in saying the President Bush did not pilot Katrina to New Orleans, but it is his administation that screwed up the response to the Hurican.
The people that he chose to lead the diffent departments in the executive branch made decisions (or didn't make any decisions) that let people die.
The people he hired chose to re-orgaize FEMA into the Dep. of Home Land Security. Then they decided natural disasters would not be the emphasis of the department. Insted they used the resorces to "deffend" us from bombs, chemical wepons and terrorist.
Bush is the Commander-in-Chief their for he is ultimatly responsable for any re-organizations of government. He is reponsable for the managers of the government burocracy that implement policy.
To say that Bush is not at fault for the tragity of katrina is to throw away accountability. The president is the only person elected in the executive branch. If we had the opertunity to elect the head of Home Land Security that is why Bush is at fault.
I am sure you can understand holding people accountable. The problem I see with your comment that, "saying he (President Bush) is the reason for the Katrina tragedy is ignorant and misleading," means that you cant blame Florida for the Mc Donalds Zoning. How do you hold an alderwoman accountable for letting developers develop land the way they want to and not hold the president accountable for lettting Home Land Security drop the ball on relife in New Orleans?
The Virtual Goatee
Virtualgaotee@juno.com
9/08/2006 1:27 PM
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9/08/2006 2:08 PM
Alright, well I am going to recopy my statement since we are still on the topic of Katrina.
The people on the front line are the State and Local Governments. They should have hijacked some busses and gotten everyone out of the City when Nagin issued the evacuation order. Take school busses, tractor trailers, flat beds, anything that works.
"New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin declared a state of emergency Sunday and ordered a mandatory evacuation of the city."
"Nagin estimated that nearly 1 million people had fled the city and its surrounding parishes by Sunday night"
"Between 20,000 and 25,000 others who remained in the city lined up to take shelter in the Louisiana Superdome, lining up for what authorities warned would be an unpleasant day and a half at minimum."
"Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said that New Orleans could expect a complete loss of electricity and water services as well as intense flooding."
"We know we're going to have property damage," she told CNN's "Larry King Live." "We know we're going to have high wind damage. We're hoping we're not going to lose a lot of lives."
Nagin and Blanco should and could have gotten them out of the City. We cannot rely on the Federal Government. We shouldn't rely on the Federal Government for the first response. Do we expect the FBI to be the first on the scene when there is a shooting in St. Louis?
We cannot expect the Federal Government to preempt the Local Government as their jurisdiction is too large. Rather they should mandate unified natural disaster plans which the State and Local Government must impliment, while providing funding and advisory staff for disaster response plan formation.
The Federal Government failed to keep the levees updated, and they failed to regulate the destruction of the natural barriers that previously protected New Orleans. Yet President Bush is not solely responsible. Nagin and Blanco are directly responsible as they are on the front line, and they did not evacuate New Orleans. Nagin knew not all of his residents were going to make it out, yet he did nothing to accquire transport for them.
9/08/2006 2:09 PM
I agree that saying Bush "is the reason for the Katrina tragedy is ignorant and misleading."
But who said that Bush is the reason for the Katrina tragedy? Not McCaskill. McCaskill said (to paraphrase) that Bush didn't care enough about the people of N.O. to anticipate the possible damage of Katrina and to bring to bear the full efforts of the Federal Gov't. to rescue the people of N.O. after the hurricane hit.
The residents of N.O.'s 9th Ward in large part are poor black people. Poor black people are not part of Bush's "base." Bush didn't care enough about these people before and after the Katrina impact.
I agree with McCaskill, and I'll be proud to vote for in part because she is not shying away from her comments.
9/08/2006 2:28 PM
Matt I agree.
The response of the Federal Government post-Katrina is and continues to be a failure, as residents are not receiving federal aid that Congress issued. I agree, the Federal Government failed to act post-Katrina. My friend who is an EMT left right after the Hurricane hit to help with rescue operations. He did this on his own accord, and spent 500 dollars on the trip. After 2 days FEMA told him to leave as they claimed they had the situation under control. As under qualified Michael Brown was a Bush appointee, he does have blame in this respect. Bush could have done more after the disaster.
Yet the pre-Katrina failure, again, lies at the foot of Nagin and Blanco as they had plenty of time to evacuate New Orleans. The City is their direct jurisdiction and they failed to protect their citizens.
My point of splitting hairs is that this disaster is a failure of Government across the board. People generally blame President Bush for things in and out of his control, which is unfair. A good point of reflection is the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 in which the entire City was destroyed because the local government was in endless debate over what to do. The result was utter destruction, and after the disaster the local government was reformed under the Galveston Plan. It is evident that reform must occur regarding natural disaster management, and I believe it begins at the local level, with the support of the Federal Government. The capacity of the local government to respond to such a disaster is limited when compared to the Federal Government, yet basic things like complete evacuation can be done. Why Nagin did not do this, I will never know.
I would like to hear Claire talk about her plans rather than simply attacking what obviously doesn't work. Openly attacking Bush will get votes but will it fix the problem?
9/08/2006 3:06 PM
Hmmm...
The pieces are coming together, Duck Duckworth, one of the organizers of a recall of a Democratic Alderwoman, sure sounds like a Republican to me!
Dougie, your doing a heck of a job!
9/08/2006 3:27 PM
Doug:
"Nagin and Blanco are directly responsible as they are on the front line..."
- Yep, they have accountability in this situation to. On the other hand nether of them have a background in diasaster respons.
"They should have hijacked some busses and gotten everyone out of the City..."
- Yep, unfortunatly their was no leadership on the ground to tell the bus drivers to stick around and drive the busses. From accounts I have heard many of the people that could have done the job evacuated with the other million people that took off befor the storm.
"(FEMA) should mandate unified natural disaster plans which the State and Local Government must impliment, "
- Yep, every state has an emergency managemnet agency (EMA)and they co-ordinate with FEMA. I have participated in drills on a county level EMA.
The drill showed to me the many problems.
1. People have a tendency to stand around and do nothing if not told what to do in an emergency.
2. Every order is a last minete decision subject to change.
3. People get lost.
4. People argue and lose site of the goal.
5. You are happy that it is over... simply because it is over.
The problem with scape goating Blanco and Nagen is that a storm as big as Katrena shold have been a priority for Homeland Security/FEMA wether the Local officials where perpared or not.
FEMA was set up to be watch dogs of this sort of situation. They employ profesional disaster respons managers. We have them around to anticipate the needs of people in a disaster and get the local EMA to build that capacity.
If Brown(the director of FEMA) had done his job the local EMAs should have gone through a check list of how to evacuate people and build that capacity.
Apperently Brown was emailing staffers on how well dressed he was. That is just not what he should have been doing. Insted of going to NO and making Nagin and Blanko get ready.
He should have never been put in charge of FEMA. His resume high points were the director of a Horse Breadin association, a law degree, and fundrasing for Bush.
Our president should have put a disaster respons person in charge. Kind of like the people that headed the agency under every presidents watch.
The FBI responding to a Shoting in St. Louis as an alagory to FEMA and Katrena is sperious and just plane wrong. Doug, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LOSING THEIR HOMES AND THOUSANDS LOSING THEIR LIVES. If the Federal Government dosen't perk up its ears and do a little pre-emptive planning I have a right to blame the President.
This isn't some theoretical blame game people died because their was a leadership vacume. The chain of command is public knowledge and the man at the top (George Bush) is accountable.
BTW-
"We shouldn't rely on the Federal Government for the first response."
First Response is performed by people like you and me. The difference is that first responders have are trained in the skills they need to do their specific job. Just like you and me if no one pays them they dont work. If you dont tel them where an emergency is they won't know where to go to use those skills.
For government to function( for first responders to function) their needs to be leadership. If it aint their you could be the next person stuck on a roof or traped under rubble with no one comming to save you.
The Virtual Goatee
9/08/2006 4:06 PM
My comments were an indictment of the failure of Government not an endorsement of President Bush.
Blaming Bush for everything gives a pass to the local officials who are quite responsible. If he is the scapegoat then people will become distracted from the other failures. The obvious one is the lack of a complete evacuation.
If we expect to prevent such future failures, we must look beyond partisan attacks.
9/08/2006 4:06 PM
Anon above is right. McCaskill's comments addressed the reaction that I think many white and black saw as the Katrina tragedy unfolded on TV sets: the sight of abandoned men, women and children, mostly poor and mostly black. And that the level of government most responsible for providing relief--the federal government--not only asleep at the wheel but directly mischaracterizing those needed aid in a manner that suggested that they were all thugs and looters.
IMO, Bush deserves the anger from such a situation and it is only our country's racism that has prevented that political accounting. IMO, McCaskill was right and she is right not to apologize.
9/08/2006 4:23 PM
Nice job on breaking this story, Pub Def................It's starting to buzz online.........
This could be the biggest breaking story of the MO Senate campaign and if it is then it's great it came from the New Media.........
Someone has to do it, right?
9/08/2006 9:05 PM
Brian:
As you and I tend to agree on issues, I am saddend by your beliefs that "...these white democrates dont care about you blacks..." and "and after the election is over you'll still be a nigga."
Rather than retort with some party line, let me instead ask you what it will take for the St. Louis Democratic party and the white St. Louis Democrats to do to prove to you that they do care about people of all races, including blacks? I am asking in earnest, and hope you will give me your honest thoughts.
9/08/2006 10:04 PM
Isn't Travis Reems advocating the same old Democratic failed platform on race? Why is that?
It a broken down car that no longer has a motor.......
9/08/2006 10:59 PM
Brian Harris is right and an angry black man with a bone to pick. Travis Reems better leave Brian Harris alone, unless you want to date him. How about it Travis, do you want to date Brian Harris?
9/08/2006 11:15 PM
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9/09/2006 3:12 AM
The history of America reveals that indeed the African Americans were denied their 40 acres and a mule.
Look at the history of events and the present and you will see marginalization.
One cannot deny that they were constantly not even given the short end of the stick.
Look at Team-4, the transition from Republicans to Democrats due to Homer-G, blockbusting, redlining, obstacles to voting, substandard development, economic segregation, and the list continues.
The real question is what should be done now? Should people accept the past, build on that, and make true progress? Obviously yes.
While Brian is quite the pessimist, I tend to agree that most people do not care about Black America when it fact we are one America. Look at the stark contrast evident only 3-4 blocks north of the affluent neighborhoods. Drive on Kingshighway north of Delmar, and on Grand past the Fabulous Fox Theater. Drive East of Grand in South City. Look at the street barriers and the trash on public space. Hypothesize why the store fronts which were once home to hard working citizens are now owned by the City and freely housing drug users. How did this happen?
It is hard to comprehend how individuals are not rioting in the streets. What must be done first is the realization of our current state, and then unification across racial divides. The past is the past, and there were great errors made. Both whites and blacks must realize that racism, bigotry, and mistrust is expired. True unity and responsibility will only solve the problems which face America. Partisan fighting and corruption only cheats us out of the utopia which idealists have been contemplating for more than 2000 years. I say 2000 years is enough and we need to pick up the slack. There are no more excuses. We have been to the moon and overcame great obstacles, yet the white elephant is in the living room. Lets sell the ivory and make a surplus. Maybe then our SLPS will be top of the class.
9/09/2006 3:12 AM
Priest:
I think you misread my comments. I made no advocacies, but rather asked what it will take to bring us together. Feel free to answer the question on how to fix the car with a broken motor.
Nia:
Since Brian hasn't responded yet, and you began to answer the question. Please fill in the details of how your "...white sisters and brothers must begin to empathize with us and our plight..." without it looking like pandering, which is what Brian originally accused them of?
9/09/2006 12:52 PM
As someone who lost a home to Hurricane Katrina, it saddens me to read this discussion because clearly many of you think Katrina ravaged only poor black people in New Orleans. Do you realize that Mississippi took the actual brunt of Katrina?
Our home in Gulfport, like so many others in small towns along the coast, didn't just flood--it was annihhilated, totally blown away. So many wonderful places like Pass Christian, Waveland, Long Beach, Biloxi and Ocean Springs were heavily damaged, some almost totally destroyed. Returning to Mississippi earlier this year was heartbreaking.
Mississippi took the biggest hit and is still suffering, yet our Governor and our residents have worked together to begin rebuilding. By the way, Mississippi isn't exactly a wealthy state either. Many of our victims were poor, too.
Claire McCaskill will use Katrina and its victims in New Orleans to bash Bush, and by association, Jim Talent. You may think it's smart politicking, but I find it offensive.
9/09/2006 2:21 PM
"Old Dirty" Rat Bastid:
Which is why I am talking about the Federal Government mandating the local government form disaster management plans.
This plan includes evacuation.
Obviously one cannot expect the local government to maintain leeves, yet they can get citizens out of the area. This is a clear example of how Nagin failed.
9/10/2006 3:36 AM
Inspecteur Clouseau ici: Mes amis, after hearing Claire blame the president for withholding help to blacks sitting on housetops in New Orleans, je ne peux pas (I cannot) vote for her.
New Orleans was a natural disaster, an "act of God," whatever you want to call it, of a magnitude beyond comprehension. It is slanderous to blame someone far away and so removed for everything. Everyone knows the mayor and the governor failed to do all that could have been done immediately.
Nevertheless, disasters that take place elsewhere, e.g., Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and difficult rescue missions are not blamed on someone.
This is a curious American weakness to always seek to blame someone or find a scapegoat for something beyond the control of mankind.
Grow up, Americans. Grow up, Claire McCaskill. When she grows up, I am prepared to vote for her.
Also, always pulling the race card to divide everyone is a form of evil en mon opinion! The people in Mississippi aren't being used as those in le Nouveau Orleans.
9/11/2006 8:41 AM
Auditor McCaskill did not blame President Bush for the storm, but rather the lack of federal response to those in need at a time of national tragedy.
9/11/2006 12:28 PM
Inspecteur Clouseau ici: Mais oui, (but of course) Travis. But natural disasters and catastrophes still are dealt with from those closest to the disaster, e.g., the city and the state.
Why do the people from Mississippi who were hit hard by Katrina not belly ache like some do for New Orleans? Perhaps they have a little more self-pride and an ability to recognize this disaster was beyond human comprehension and control. Even rescue efforts were met with natural obstacles.
Here in St. Louis we had a storm that knocked out the electricity for many for days and a week or more. Once again, the race card was called into the disaster despite the fact that many whites, Asians, and blacks on the south side endured electricity-less days more than the north side. Hmmmm!
Non, monsieur, I still think the tendency to blame others is un petit peu tro (a little too much) in this country so used to everything going its way. Americans are no longer hardy and strong. They are weak and whiney.
It doesn't help anyone or the nation to make this a partisan issue.
Mon opinion.
9/11/2006 3:02 PM
Travis:
"George Bush let people die on rooftops in New Orleans because they were poor and because they were black"
That is a direct attack on President Bush. She didn't say the Bush Administration rather she said 'President Bush.'
Don't shy away from her comments, and don't try to spin them. If one is going to make that statement, then don't back down.
9/12/2006 11:45 AM
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