Brown on Today Show
This morning on the Today Show Matt Lauer asked former FEMA director Michael Brown "Were you confident as [Katrina] approached that the federal government's plan was adequate to deal with anything that storm could deliver?"
Michael Brown: "What plan? Matt, there was no plan...
The plan was that 3 years ago we should have started doing catastrophic disaster planning, and [DHS Sec] Ridge and Chertoff, and for that matter, the Administration would not give me the money to do that kind of planning."
Lauer: "However, you went in front of the television cameras, Mr Brown, and you said 'Hey, we're ok. We got the agencies in place. We'll get the help to where people need it'. Why did you say that if you didn't think there was a plan?"
Brown: "Because those were the White House talking points and to this day I say that was my biggest mistake."
...
Lauer: "Those stupid talking points should be thrown out the window when people are dying."
Brown: "Amen."
Poor Brownie...still trying to rehabilitate his image. Hindsight is always 20-20 pal. But that doesn't let him off the hook. He knew there was no plan in place and did nothing therefore becoming part of the problem. Bush intentionally gutted and downgraded FEMA to the point of ineffectiveness and Brownie knew there was very little FEMA could do. And as horrific as the storm was, the tragedy now is a year later and very little has been done to rebuild both NOLA and the Mississippi coast. Bush to the victims of Katrina: "Screw you. You still are on your own".
But hey...the Mississippi casinos are back up and running again, so all must be good. Right?
August 29, 2006 10:17 AM | Reply | Permalink