Pols Battle Over Katrina Efforts

(CBS/AP)  Nearly a year after Hurricane Katrina hit, President Bush used his weekly radio address to recall the storm's tragic human toll while the Democrats used theirs to call attention to the slow pace of recovery from the storm.

Mr. Bush paid tribute to the more than one thousand people who died and the countless men, women and children who lost their homes and livelihoods.

Ahead of next week's one-year anniversary of the storm, the president noted the many encouraging signs of recovery across the Gulf Coast — but also many signs that much hard work remains.

"We will stay until the job is done, and by working together, we will help our fellow citizens along the Gulf Coast write a new future of hope, justice, and opportunity for all," Mr. Bush said.

He also said that Katrina also revealed that federal, state and local governments were unprepared to respond to such a disaster.

The president will travel to Mississippi and Louisiana next week to meet with citizens and local officials and get an update on the recovery process.

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Listen: The President's Radio Address

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Listen: Sen. Mary Landrieu's Radio Address

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On the same day, a Louisiana Democrat said some parts of the Gulf Coast look like they were hit by hurricanes just yesterday.

Sen. Mary Landrieu used her party's weekly radio message to call attention to the slow progress of hurricane recovery.

"A year after the most powerful hurricanes in history hit America's shores, the rebuilding process is only just beginning in many communities," the senator said.

She said tens of thousands of families are still unable to return to their devastated homes across the Gulf Coast region.

She also said that the U.S. is still unprepared for major disasters — from hurricanes or earthquakes to terrorist attacks.

"Too often federal agencies are slow to move and encumbered by red tape," she said. "FEMA, for example, is but a shell of what it once was six years ago."

[long_rider]

Anyone who reads my postings knows I think he should be impeached, and remove the co-president chenney as well.

As for Katrina, there is plenty of blame for Washington to share. The funds that were approved for rebuilding New Orleans still sits some where in congress, waiting for who knows what. I think that these funds are being held back for a reason, but I can't figure it out, nor can I find out why.

As for the chimps FEMA appointment, everyone knows he was a disaster in its self. What everyone dosen't realize is that the chimp has gotten rid of many professionals in our government offices, and replaced them with inexperienced appointees. I do not get a warm and fuzzy feeling about some of our government agencies. I am afraid that when we need some of their services we will receive the same (FEMA) treratment that New Orleans got.

I hope everyone realizes it will take a long time to unscrew every thing the chimp has screwed up.

[ajeandell]

Lets not forget that state and local governments are responsible for the welfare of their people. It was their responsibility, not the federal government's, to evacuate their citizens, especially given 3 days warning. I could have walked out of the danger zone in 3 days, but that's neither here nor there. Point is, Nagin and Blanco crapped the bed. Many of those killed COULD have and SHOULD have been evacuated. But those leaders just stood by and did nothing like a deer in the headlights. How do you tell a little boy or girl that grandma or grandpa drowned at their nursing home because the mayor or governor wouldn't get up off their *** and authorize some school buses to take passengers out of harm's way?

Now, of course, the fed did "screw the pooch" on the recovery efforts, and still are doing so. There was incredible waste. But I can at least say that Bush took the heat and admitted that the situation was his fault. I doubt we'll ever get that kind of admission from Nagin and Blanco. Indeed, just last week Nagin was pointing the finger at New York City, in a sort of 'they're still screwed up, so it's ok that we are' kind of way. That's very insensitive and unprofessional. Take the responsibility Ray, or hand off the job to someone who will.

[gnmark]

Lest we forget that politicians speak in half truths. Bush is a master of this and what I feel makes him different from other politicians is that he uses it to push a dangerous ideaology of might makes right. Americans don't want ambiguity they want to be told how things are gonna be how they are, a lesson learned from Ronald Reagan, but the world is not that black and white and we must find leaders in our society that think deeply and call upon all around them to do the same before speaking.

His job 'must' be the hardest job in the world with so much responsibility. I have yet to hear Bush speak with deep concern in a spontaneous manner. This tells me too much about the way he deals with Katrina and events all around the world. Maybe it is just this lack of leadership is what America needs to wake up and start really looking at the character of the people we elect to office. The man in that office should not be inhumanly moral but he should be humanly just by considering the frailty of human life and the affects that words have on them.

[stevehigh-2009]

The response to Hurricane Katrina was George Bush's responsibility. He picked a clown to head FEMA instead of professional, and people suffered and died as a result of his neglect and folly.

Mary Landrieu does bear some of the blame--like about 1/10th of one percent.

Let's give credit where it's due. This was a George Bush show. He screwed the pooch.

If you vote Republican this fall, better pray for good weather.

[morrisray001]

Senator Landrieu indicated she wants to reform the way the government does business. I would suggest she should start by Cleanin g up the way she handles government business. I as a taxpayer would like to know wgy she, along with her House representative Mr. Alexander, attached $100.3 million dollars of pork, to the 2006 appropriations bills instead of fully funding the high-prority levee and flood control projects. Perhaps she would like to go on public radion and comment on that.
Roberts sends