Brown: Politics Plagued Katrina Response
Ex-FEMA Head Says Some In White House Wanted To Play Politics With Dem. Governor
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Play CBS Video Video Schieffer On Mike Brown Bob Shieffer offers his thoughts on the appointment of former FEMA director, Mike Brown and the lack of experience he brought to the position.
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Video FEMA's Second Chance FEMA has made changes in order to avoid a repeat of what happened after Hurricane Katrina. The agency says it has learned from its mistakes and wants to restore public trust. Jim Acosta has more.
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Video What FEMA Learned From Katrina Only On The Web: FEMA spokesperson Marty Bahamonde says Hurricane Katrina showed the agency where it had holes in its disaster-preparedness plan. Jim Acosta reports.
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Former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown defends his response to Hurricane Katrina on Capitol Hill in this Sept. 27, 2005 file photo, during testimony before a House select committee investigating preparation and response to the hurricane. (AP Photo)
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Special Report Gulf Coast Disaster Complete coverage of the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast, including anniversary coverage.
Some in the White House suggested only Louisiana should be federalized because it was run by a Democrat, Gov. Kathleen Blanco, ex-FEMA director Michael Brown told a group of graduate students at a lecture on politics and emergency management at Metropolitan College of New York.
Brown said he had recommended to President George W. Bush that all 90,000 square miles along the Gulf Coast affected by the hurricane be federalized, making the federal government in charge of all agencies responding to the disaster.
"Unbeknownst to me, certain people in the White House were thinking 'We had to federalize Louisiana because she's a white, female Democratic governor and we have a chance to rub her nose in it," he said Friday.
Brown declined to say who in the White House had argued for only taking control of Louisiana, but said that he had later learned of the situation through Blanco's office and from other officials on the federal level.
Blanco reacted sharply on hearing what Brown had said.
"This is exactly what we were living but could not bring ourselves to believe. Karl Rove was playing politics while our people were dying," Blanco said through a spokeswoman, referring to President Bush's top political strategist. "The federal effort was delayed, and now the public knows why. It's disgusting."
Eryn Witcher, a White House spokeswoman, denied Brown's claims.
"It is unfortunate that Mike Brown is still hurling false statements about the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina," she said. "The only consideration made by the administration at the time of this tragedy and since are those in the best interests of the citizens of the Gulf region."
Brown, 52, was ousted from FEMA after the agency's much-criticized response to Hurricane Katrina. He also was ridiculed after President George W. Bush publicly praised him, saying he did a "a heck of a job," while thousands desperately waited for help. Brown now directs Emergency Management Programs for the Resilient Corp., a consulting firm.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."





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See all 50 CommentsGod Bless
This government does not do anything without a long paper trail, where is it Brownie??
This flooding in New Orleans was never a matter of if it happens, It was always a matter of when it happens. Seems to any thinking person that the local government did not have a plan in place and they should have been the responders.
To put this "only" on the federal government by some is absurd.
Besides, the governor sat on her fat as@ in Baton Rouge with her finger in her nose trying to figure the best way to blame everybody but herself.
Posted by Hermit22 at 01:08 AM : Jan 21, 2007
Hermit22,
Are you saying the people of New Orleans are so stupid they can't decide for themselves whether to accept an offer of a free trainride away from the danger? Or are you saying Nagin did not allow the people to make up their own minds? I am betting on the second, which goes with what I have been saying; Nagin, not Bush, not FEMA, not the Federal Government, FAILED NEW ORLEANS!
I've been in emergency/rescue services all my life, including hurricane & wild fire, and I tell you: Brown should be in there! He worked his --butt- off dealing with Katrina, & was IMPAIRED by Bush & Chertnoff!!
Sadly, and with extreme anger, I can believe Bush-ites even played their could politics here, (more reason to impeach)!!
No one faults Madam Governor, & we've all seen Mayor Nagin really in there 24/7 for his people. G.W. didn't even leave his ranch for three days.
Do you people see what kind of regime we still have in D.C.?
---formerly Fema; presently U. S. Coast Guard
But since New Orleans was Democratic and mostly brown poor people, Bush decided to decide nothing...
He let them ROT!
Not even a fricken Trailways bus until 7 days later!
When everyone was trying to say 'race' was the reason for the 'sluggish' response to the state of Louisiana. I kept telling my friends it was 'politics'. And that was the hardest reality for me to accept. But, it made the most sense.
'They' (the white house) wanted to embarras that state with a democratic gov., democratic mayor of a major city, etc. But, instead 'America' was embarrassed.
For the first time, I got a chance to see how other countries 'judged' us.
It was an 'amazing moment' for us in Houston, TX.
When you copy and paste part of another%u2019s comment you really should read-understand and copy and paste the entire paragraph. The part you attributed to me was a part of a paragraph from a comment by janem4 as clearly indicated.
Below is a copy of my entire comment made at 02:53 PM : Jan 20, 2007.
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%u201Cjanem4 said:
Hurricane Andrew under clinton-six days for FEMA to show up. Was that because the citizens were a bunch of white Republicans??
It's also funny that the same posters were cursing this guy during and immediately after Katrina, now, he's your new best friend. It's also funny that this guy can supposedly know what people are thinking. He has a great future ahead of him, I'm sure.%u201D
I%u2019m not sure it took FEMA six days to respond to hurricane Andrew but even if it did the basic needs of Florida immediately after Andrew was mostly damage repair, unlike Katrina where lives were in peril for days before action was taken by FEMA.
As for great job Brownie now being the democrats new best friend, the shoe fits pretty well on both sides. The republican%u2019s best friend Brownie is now being aggressively denied, as your comment clearly shows.
mark you calendars.
Posted by macusweil at 02:22 PM : Jan 20, 2007
If Nagin was/ is trying so hard why is there nearly $6,000,000.00 he has not requested? Why is FEMA trying to recover millions that were delivered due to fraud? Nagin and ALL of New Orleans had ample warning to prepare and didn't use the time wisely. That is not Mr. Browns' fault, nor is it the fault of ANYONE in Washington, D.C. The blame lies squarely with Nagin and NEW ORLEANS. And even now New Orleans is continueing to have problems, which the federal government is "Responsible". If they were truly being "responsible" they would let nature take its course and reclaim N.O. La. Any place that is below sea level should be considered uninhabital by humans.
Posted by jn122736 at 02:53 PM : Jan 20, 2007"
Don't be so obtuse!
Brown was PRESENTED AS THE PERSON IN CHARGE!
Therefore Americans had every right to hold accountable THE PERSON IN CHARGE of the Katrina national disgrace! And IMPEACHABLE offense!
And try reading what Brown stated about how he came by the information about the Federal Neglect while Americans were floating in the sh.itty waters of NO!
Brown didn't read mind.
And Americans with an ounce of intelligence and heart will know that something devilish went down for Americans to be crying for help during this huge national disasters; and no help was provide despite the nation had the means to HELP!
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