Poll: Katrina Response Inadequate
Public Says Response To Katrina Too Slow; Confidence In Bush Drops
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Play CBS Video Video Political Fallout Vice President Cheney made his first trip to the region and said that progress had been made, but Gloria Borger reports that back in Washington, the assessment isn't so rosy.
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Video Economic Disaster From shrimp to gambling, industries have been destroyed on the Gulf Coast, and thousands of jobs have been lost. Bill Whitaker reports.
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Video Planning For Disaster For five days last summer, FEMA monitored a computer-simulated hurricane and forecasted devastating consequences. But, as Anthony Mason reports, planning and preparing are two different things.
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Hurricane Katrina victims wait for transportation outside the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Friday, Sept. 2, 2005. (AP)
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Special Report Gulf Coast Disaster Complete coverage of the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast, including anniversary coverage.
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Photo Essay Katrina: New Orleans A major U.S. city struggles with the devastation wrought by the deadly storm.
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News Tools How To Help Organizations you may contact to give aid to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
RATING THE RESPONSE
President George W. Bush's overall response to Katrina meets with disapproval today -- a dramatic change from the public’s reaction just after the storm hit on August 29th. Last week, in the two days immediately after Katrina made landfall, a majority of Americans said they approved of Bush's response, although more than a third were not sure. Now, only 38 percent approve. A majority disapproves.
BUSH'S HANDLING OF RESPONSE TO KATRINA
Now
Approve
Disapprove
Don't know
8/30-31
Approve
Disapprove
Don't know
Last winter, eight in ten Americans approved of how Bush handled the tsunami disaster in Asia.
Bush is also seen as acting too slowly in responding to the disaster that followed Katrina.
BUSH'S RESPONSE TO KATRINA WAS…
Too quick
Too slow
About the right speed
Large majorities think the federal government, FEMA, and Louisiana's state and local government all could have performed better in Katrina's wake.
WAS THE RESPONSE TO KATRINA ADEQUATE?
Federal government
Yes
No
FEMA
Yes
No
State and local government
Yes
No
In 1992, after Hurricane Andrew decimated parts of Florida, 41 percent of voters thought the federal government performed adequately there. 40 percent of Floridians that year said the same.
Americans see the response to Katrina as insufficient in part because it was slow: an overwhelming eight in ten say the federal government didn't act fast enough.
DID FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESPOND AS FAST AS IT COULD?
Yes
No
Now, with evacuation efforts having been stepped up over Labor Day weekend, more Americans see things looking up. 60 percent of Americans say the federal government is doing all it can to help now.
ARE FEDERAL OFFICIALS DOING ALL THEY CAN NOW?
Yes
No, could be doing more
CONFIDENCE IN THE PRESIDENT AND THE GOVERNMENT
President Bush’s image appears to have suffered in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The public now has lower confidence in his response to crisis, and his leadership in general.
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