WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2007
FEMA's Faux News Conference
Agency Employees Sat In For Reporters At Press Conference On Wildfires
-
Play CBS Video Video Phony FEMA Briefing Reporters couldn't make it to a FEMA briefing on wildfires held on 15 minutes' notice. So the agency had it's staff ask the questions. Jeff Greenfield reports on the fallout.
-
(CBS)
The agency - much maligned for its sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina over two years ago - arranged to have FEMA employees play the part of independent reporters Tuesday and ask questions of Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson, the agency's deputy director.
The questions were predictably soft and gratuitous.
One question, for example, posed by the deputy director for public affairs, queried “what it means to have an emergency declaration as opposed to a major disaster declaration,” a question only a bureaucrat could love, reports CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield.
“I'm very happy with FEMA's response,” Johnson said in reply to another query.
White House press secretary Dana Perino said it was not appropriate that the questions were posed by agency staffers instead of reporters. FEMA was responsible for the “error in judgment,” she said, adding that the White House did not know about it beforehand and did not condone it.
“FEMA has issued an apology, saying that they had an error in judgment when they were attempting to get out a lot of information to reporters, who were asking for answers to a variety of questions in regard to the wildfires in California,” Perino said. “It's not something I would have condoned. And they - I'm sure - will not do it again.”
She said the agency was just trying to provide information to the public, through the press, because there were so many questions.
“I don't think that there was any mal-intent,” Perino said “It was just a bad way to handle it, and they know that.”
FEMA gave real reporters only 15 minutes notice about Tuesday's news conference. But because there was so little advance notice, the agency made available an 800 number so reporters could call in. And many did, although it was a listen-only arrangement.
On Tuesday, FEMA employees had played the part of reporters. Johnson issued a statement Friday, saying that FEMA's goal was “to get information out as soon as possible, and in trying to do so we made an error in judgment.”
“Our intent was to provide useful information and be responsive to the many questions we have received,” he said. “We can and must do better.”
Officials at the Homeland Security Department, which includes FEMA, expressed their concern.
“This is simply inexcusable and offensive to the secretary that such a mistake could be made,” Homeland Security spokeswoman Laura Keehner said Friday, referring to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Stunts such as this will not be tolerated or repeated.”
Keehner said senior leadership is considering whether a punishment is necessary.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 134 Comments
- Jeez Louise. I%u2019m not surprised that they attempted such a stunt. I%u2019m surprised they actually thought that everyone in the know was paid high enough to keep their mouths shut about it. The key to every successful conspiracy is that everyone involved comes out of it significantly more wealthy.
- Reply to this comment
- This isn''t a new tactic for the administration. Remmeber Jeff Gannon, the male escort who was given a press pass by the White House and subsequently lobbed freindly softball questions at Bush during his press conferences?
He had obviously impressed the Bush family during his late night tours of the White House premises while working as an escort.
Who needs journalism school when you have more relevant talents? - Reply to this comment
- I want to report a major fire, friends. CBS isn''t reporting it. Our Constitution is on fire. And it''s currently being burned in Congress. See H.R. 1955, a.k.a., Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. I couldn''t believe it. Apparently, activists with Web sites are really begining to anger the elite insofar as they are publically holding officials accountable for their evil. The bill passed the house on Oct 23, in spite of Congressman, Ron Paul''s opposition. The right to free speech on the Internet is gone, my friends. Look it up for yourself, and weep for your country as I have that our rights have eroded this far. Here''s a short excerpt from the bill''s DEFINITIONS statement: "The development and implementation of methods and processes that can be utilized to prevent violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence in the United States is critical to combating domestic terrorism." Here''s another excerpt from the bill''s FINDINGS statement: "The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." And guess who get''s to decide what is "terrorist-related propaganda?" You got it! The Department of Homeland Insecurity, an agency that''s answerable ONLY to The President. If Ron Paul isn''t elected, our country is doomed!
- Reply to this comment
- You people are too cynical. Obviously they only had the best intentions to efficiently put out accurate information. Just like those infomercials about revolutionary new noodle strainers...
- Reply to this comment
- Sounds like Normal FOX news coverage to me! They just make it up as the go!!! The only reason the White House is Pisses is - they got caught!
- Reply to this comment
- Become part of this 21st Century political revolution and vote for Ron Paul. Get off your couch, put your remote control down, and become active in your nation''s political process. The Neocons, the Socialists and every other special interest group in this country are certainly involved. Therein lies the problem. Instead of being a government of and by the people, as The Founders intended, ours is a government by and for the corporations, political action committees, non-governmental organizations, labor unions, and a plethera of other special interest groups which are permitted to make unlimited campaign contributions, and thereby gain under influence over their political ******. Your average voter knows no such influence. In Congress, Paul is generally admired for his resistance to such influence, and for his lack of ego. They don''t call him Dr. No for no reason. He consistanly votes against pork-barrel spending. In a rice-growing, cattle-ranching district, Paul consistently votes against farm subsidies. In the very district where, on the night of Sept. 8, 1900, a storm destroyed the city of Galveston, leaving 6,000 dead, and where repairs from Hurricane Rita and refugees from Hurricane Katrina continue to exact a toll, he votes against FEMA and flood aid. In a district that is home to many employees of the Johnson Space Center, he votes against financing NASA. That''s a man with Presidential-like integrity and principles. Ron Paul has my vote.
- Reply to this comment
- Orwell is break dancing in his grave.
- Reply to this comment
- This country is becoming a faux nation.
A faux president, led us into a war with faux intel, faux WMD, and faux niger yellow cake, faux terrorist threats, faux Bin Laden tapes...
Unfortunately the 4000 flag draped coffins are not faux and the trillion dollar American taxpayers money flushed down the toilet in Iraq is not faux.
The 100 billion dollar windfall profits made by Halliburton is not faux.
And that permanent smirk on ******** Cheney''''s face is not faux.
America''''s being S C R E W E D is not faux.
Posted by jerr11 at 09:47 PM : Oct 26, 2007
Hey Jerri11 loved it say some more - Reply to this comment
- This is an article stating there are 850000 names on the FBI terrorist list--are you one of them? No one will ever know!
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/10/860000-name-lon.html - Reply to this comment
- For your listening pleasure---if you want truth listen to these!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta-Y8hFv8I0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgfzqulvhlQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UVXj8F9Fmk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTfcAyYGg - Reply to this comment
- Amusing. Ridiculous. Typical.
I hope I never need FEMA. - Reply to this comment
- This is so typical of this administration ...arrange an interview with softball questions coming from fake reporters. They''ve done it over and over again and still think we''re all so stupid we won''t find out. What a flop this Administration has shown itself to be throughout the two terms...and still right-wingers hang on to the sinking ship! It is mind boggling to watch as these Republicans excuse such shenanigans!
- Reply to this comment
- Viva Bush!
- Reply to this comment
- Louisiana is tired of the crooks and is cleaning house!
Posted by RingADing3 at 12:33 AM : Oct 27, 2007
So they brought Republicans in NOW YOU WILL REALLY SEE POLITICS AND CRIME TAKEN TO NEW HEIGHTS JUST LIKE WHEN CLINTON LEFT AND BUSH WAS SELECTED - Reply to this comment
- Senator Mary Landrieu D-LA trying to make political hay with this story in Louisiana because the State of Louisiana just elected a Republican Governor and threw out the a very powerful DemoCrap who was Secretary of Agriculture. And AG Foti was also rejected by the voters. Maybe Mary Landrieu and the Landrieu clan sees the future! Louisiana is tired of the crooks and is cleaning house!
- Reply to this comment
- George Carlin comments on 9/11 Truth and the NWO
You Tube
Friday, October 26, 2007
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/october2007/261007_b_carlin.htm - Reply to this comment
- George Carlin comments on 9/11 Truth and the NWO
You Tube
Friday, October 26, 2007
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/october2007/261007_b_carlin.htm - Reply to this comment
- George Carlin comments on 9/11 Truth and the NWO
You Tube
Friday, October 26, 2007
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/october2007/261007_b_carlin.htm - Reply to this comment
- George Carlin comments on 9/11 Truth and the NWO
You Tube
Friday, October 26, 2007
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/october2007/261007_b_carlin.htm - Reply to this comment
- George Carlin comments on 9/11 Truth and the NWO
You Tube
Friday, October 26, 2007
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/october2007/261007_b_carlin.htm - Reply to this comment
