At FEMA Your IQ Must Be Below This Line

Schieffer: Just Fire The People Responsible For The Disaster Agency's Fake News Conference

(CBS)  Weekly commentary by CBS Evening News chief Washington correspondent and Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.

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The last time I was at Disney World, they had sticks of a certain height stuck in the ground with signs that said something like: "You must be this tall to ride this ride."

FEMA, the disaster relief agency, must use a variation of that to hire its public relations staff.

Somewhere on their employment application form there must be a clause that says "Your IQ must be below a certain level to work here."

How else to explain FEMA's action last week when it staged a phony news conference where its employees posed as reporters and threw softball questions to agency leaders so they could tell us what a good job they were doing at the California fires?

Mind you, this is the same FEMA once headed by Michael Brown - he of "Brownie, you're doing a heckuva job" fame - that fell on its face during Katrina. While New Orleans drowned, Brownie's PR people busied themselves by E-mailing Brownie to roll up his sleeves before TV interviews so it would look like he was working hard.

Department of Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff said he found the phony news conference offensive, and, since it is an emergency relief outfit, I have some emergency suggestions for him.

Fire these people and the people who hired them and then explain to the new people that the best way for a disaster relief agency to get good publicity is to do a good job helping disaster victims.

As part of a massive new PR campaign you might even consider taking the PR staff from behind their desks and sending them to deliver food and water to the fire victims.

Now that would make a great story.

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E-mail Face the Nation.

[hungry1968]

This is what happens when you get inexperienced, stupid, unqualified political hacks appointed to jobs based strictly on who they know. It''s like in the article where it makes reference to "Brownie". He was in charge of the "Quarter Horse Association of America", which Bush apparently thought made him well qualified for the job. When Katrina hit, the guy was lost - because of incompetence. His replacement was the director of emergency management for the city of Philadelphia that had 35 years of experience as a firefighter, chief, battalion commander, etc, etc working his way up through the chain. Why wasn''t he appointed in the first place? Because he wasn''t a professional political hack.

Another black eye on the presidency of the US.

[prairiefox1]

HEAVENS FORBID IF THEY HIRED ANYONE WITH A IQ GREATER THAN BUSH!

[josephp5]

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this story is that the press has actually reacted to it. Yes, now there''s plenty of scorn for FEMA from everyone, even including the White House and DHS.

But where was the outrage for the fake news conference that lead us to war? On March 6, 2003, thirteen days before the war, President Bush staged an dramatic event with the White House Press Corps (including CBS''s Mark Knoller). To viewers of the televised event, it appeared to be an authentic press conference, with reporters striving to be called on by the President, and the President fielding unrehearsed questions regarding the upcoming war with Iraq. Of course, all the questions were fully scripted ahead of time. The reporters knew who would be called next, and were merely acting when they were pretending to try to get called on by the President.

This may be only the most egregious example of a long history of cooperation between the mainstream media and the Bush Administration to produce fake news.

FEMA might think that it is the media with an IQ below a certain line, since historically the press has been completely willing to buy this type of spin. After all, both FOX News and MSNBC both carried this latest FEMA fake press conference live. There was no indication from those first news reports that this event was not genuine.

[wogerwabbit]

Our goverment has been taken over by ruthless marketing trolls who don''t let facts get in the way of their message. From the names they choose... Patriot Act, Dept. of "Homeland" Security, etc., to the inevitable happy face backdrops used during news conferences, they''re trying their best to sell us their mad visions. Between these subliminal suggestions and the alarmist propaganda machines like Fox News and the rest of their evil bretheren, the American public haven''t a clue as to what''s real anymore. They have us right where they want us... a scared and confused bunch of helpless a**holes biting each others heads off in forums such as this because there seems to be more than one version of the truth being circulated. Thus, they achieve their goal.. divide and conquer.

[libsluvsuvs]

I think its time to reconstruct this organization.

[rayuk-2009]

Why would anyone expect any real truth from a Republican? Clean house once and for all in 2007 and 2008. Everyone should vote a straight Democrat ticket.
No exceptions!

[sparks224]

The Corporate Media is dutifully pushing the idea that the Bush administration had nothing to do with this. Even though they have a clear track record of staged media events. Phony %u201Creporters%u201D in the White House press corps (Jeff Gannon), staged town hall meetings (where the audience has to take a loyalty oath), etc. The idea that FEMA did this, on their own, is ridiculous.

[mscroggins3]

Why fire only the people at FEMA who gave the phony news conference?

News conferences in Washington are phony anyway. Stupid or lazy reporters ask softball questions; glib politicians give canned answers; there''s no meaningful follow up; everyone knows the "script" and no one in the mainstream media has the guts to call a lie a lie. (George Bush''s exaggerations about SCHIP for example).

By Schiffer''s standards, everyone in the mainstream media deserves to be fired, which, come to think of it, may not be such a bad idea....

mscroggins3

[andor3]

what looks like incompetence on the surface is a deeper strategy. about 25 years ago some of the rich and elite realized their corporation could maker a lot more profit if they could stop the government from protecting people. They saw that attacking government directly would not work--that was a time when many government programs were doing very well and respected--NASA, the Interstate highway system, social programs.

So some smart guys came up with the idea of weakening the governement by getting inside and creating the conditions for public failures, so that people would begin to lose respect and question taxes more. So they cut funding (never entirely, just enough to cause problems). They put inexperienced and incompetent people in charge (easy when you have limited funds to compete with corporations for talent and experience).

Not just FEMA... look at cell phone companies and their burdensome contracts (and how they drop you if you try to talk to them about service or billing too much)... look at credit card companies and banks with outrageous fees and contracts that force you to waive your right to sue them if you disagree... look at the dangerous drugs that made it to market despite known problems...

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush is pleased that his FEMA Department has learned how to handle "public relations" at their "news" conferences. The Emperor, of course, pioneered in this area by inviting only those news media that were sympathitec to his cause to his news conferences, and laying down "strict" rules to anyone who got out of line. This would insure that the Emperor would answer only very easy, elementary questions since the Emperor, as everyone knows, isn''t all that bright!

The Emperor is, however, somewhat upset that the "trick" was discovered at the FEMA "news" conference and has indicated that he wants greater secrecy at future conferences, as he does not want all the people he promised prompt FEMA aid to in California, to discover that they really won''t be getting one thin dime!

HAIL TO THE TRICKSTER IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL THOSE WHO BELIEVE THE GREAT EMPEROR BUSH II !!!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[tucano2]

Chertoff, "The Skull", ought to just find out what''s on the other side of suicide, and take his FEMA idiots with him

[samthetvcat]

How could Chertoff not have known that they were staging a fake news conference? Even if he wasn''t responsible for organizing it, he should have at least been in the loop about it as head of FEMA. Whether he approved it or whether he''s not in control of the organization he''s supposed to be heading doesn''t matter - the fact that it happened pretty much speaks for itself and his incompetence . . . the only exception being if the directive came from higher up the chain as people have been speculating . . .

PS Great comments from everybody :)

[kennergirl]

I worked for the government (city level) for 10 years and I can believe anything. Most of the people didn''t try to do anything more than what was there "job". Even if it was their job they would shuffle it around if it just might be someone else''s job. So don''t call up a government office and try to explain too much because before you know it you''ll be transferred fifteen times and end up with the first person you talked to. Believe me working for the government is a joke. Most of the people in any kind decision making position got there because of one of two reasons 1) they knew someone or 2) they kissed butt (to put it nicely).

[jd9514]

Where is Donald Rumsfeld when you need him???

[jt_lancer]

Funny, when government organizations fail at their job (as FEMA has done with Katrina, etc.), their knee-jerk reaction is usually "We need more money to make it work better."

In the private sector, companies that do not succeed in meeting the demands of consumers will fail. How ironic it is that government gets rewarded for failure?

[skyk-2009]

Why would anyone expect any real truth from a Republican? Clean house once and for all in 2007 and 2008. Everyone should vote a straight Democrat ticket.
No exceptions!


Posted by rayuk at 02:55 PM : Oct 28, 2007
+ rep

Agreed. Anyone voting for Republican''s after all the failure we''ve seen from them doesn''t deserve better.

[kaelinda]

If the press conference was called only 15 minutes before it was held, perhaps Chertoff didn''t know about it. Which says a lot of negative things about his ability to lead his staff. Sigh.

I have never voted democrat in my life, and this time, as long as Hillary Clinton is NOT on the ballot, I just might find myself voting a straight democrat ticket.

[usaprophet]

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.

[cfin5]

Guess I''m a bit "Johnny come lately" on this story.......still can''t believe this happened! I heard them talking on the radio about Chertoff''s turbo charged 1st. Amendment verbal command of all the Anglo-Saxon pros intertwined eloquently and thoroughly describing all the colorful metaphors and improper usages of the color brown and yellow......Hope the verbally afflicted simpletons were wearing the proper FEMA approved diapers.

[fairandbal]

Loved this title... but it''s not FEMA''s fault...
Bush Jr. set the bar for intelligence in public agencies to historically low levels when he took the oath of office.

[fairandbal]

Funny, when government organizations fail at their job (as FEMA has done with Katrina, etc.), their knee-jerk reaction is usually "We need more money to make it work better."

In the private sector, companies that do not succeed in meeting the demands of consumers will fail. How ironic it is that government gets rewarded for failure?

Posted by JT_Lancer at 06:42 PM : Oct 28, 2007

You can''t be more wrong. When private sector companies do not succeed in meeting demands of consumers, the companies get bailed out and the CEO''s get multi million dollar golden parachutes. (see Chrysler, NWA, Big Oil, Ford, the list goes on...)

[ioweign]

You know...I had a gut feeling about FEMA !!

[feelfree1]

Mr. Schieffer,

Do you really believe that Chertoff and Cheney were unaware of this effort?

[nothappyatall]

Good job Brownie!
Good job Ricey!

[andor3]

"Funny, when government organizations fail at their job (as FEMA has done with Katrina, etc.), their knee-jerk reaction is usually `We need more money to make it work better.` In the private sector, ..."

comparing business and private companies is not very useful. government is an extension of the people and is funded by us to serve our needs. business is an extension of the owners/shareholders and exists to make money for them.

Sometimes serving needs is expensive, and it is a knee-jerk reaction to assume that money would not improve these agency services. Money buys things and hires good people to manage things. If you are short on supplies and talent, money can often fix that. It is the same in the "private sector"-- a project that fails often leads to more investors, hiring consultants, more advertising, incentive bonus programs.

The lesson is not that more funding is always a bad idea, the lesson is that the proper funding is a good idea.

[adian1-2009]

I just wonder: is there a bottom for George/*** doing the ridicule? And to think that we the people pay for the time and effort wasted in these phony undertakings!!!

[crater7]

I LOVE THIS ONE. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT CHERTOFF AND CHENEY WERE UNAWARE OF THIS EFFORT?

CHERTOFF NO. CHENEY, WELL YES, HE WAS PROBABLY NAPING AT THE BREIFING.

SERIOUSLY FOLKS, NO, YOU CAN''T BE SERIOUS WITH THIS KIND OF DUMBER THAN DUMB EFFORTS TO OUTRIGHT LIE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. JUST MORE OR THE SAME FROM THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION, THAT HAS BEEN LYING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR NEARLY SEVEN YEARS.

TAKE A HINT FROM CHENEY HIMSELF;

"WAKE UP AMERICA"............

STAYYYYYYYYYY THE COURSE.......

[formrusmcsgt]

Bush Jr. set the bar for intelligence in public agencies to historically low levels when he took the oath of office.

Posted by fairandbal at 10:27 PM : Oct 28, 2007

Bush has demonstrated time after time that he has no real prowess in selecting competent staff.

Remember when Cheney was asked to find a running mate for Dubya. Cheney''s choice was himself, and Dubya said "OK".

He then went on to Rove, Rumsfeld, Michael Brown, Gonzales, etc., etc., etc.

The only solid choice, Powell, was prostituted before the U.N like a $2 *** and bailed.

[cyberus-2009]

Said it before, say it again.
From an adminstration that holds its new conferences on military bases and gives the troops questions to to ask this suprises us why?

[myidoncbs]

This story comes as no surprise, coming from the same people who "managed" the Katrina disaster. However, it is good news that someone is pointing out the fakery. For the past several years, all too often, the so-called "news" reports, and almost always, the "opinion" pieces, have been nothing more than regurgitations of the official government-sanctioned BS.

So, congratulations to Bob Schieffer for revealing the truth about FEMA''s phony news conference.

[horse3farm]

andor3: WHAT?

[jetranger7]

Thats Why I can''t get a good Job,, Because I''m NOT Stupid Enough to work in an Enviroment like that around others who are that Stupid !! Don''t these people supposedely have College Degrees to be in the positions they''re in ?? Thats the problem right there, this is how their taught in these Over Glorified Colleges and Universities, how to be Ignorant and Stupid and Play along, they love to play games just like in College, thats how they get their jobs, Common Sense and reality is out of the picture for a vast majority of people in Management anymore, everythings a Game !!!!

[creeper00]

I won''t hold my breath waiting for someone to be sacked over this debacle.

If you can out a CIA agent without paying any price, staging a phony presser is small potatoes.

[tom.becker]

From an inside source who is upper management at the DOE, it is basically impossible for a government employee to be terminated. They typically relocate them or sometimes promote them to get them out of their current situation.

I''m in the private sector. We don''t have these perks.

[tom.becker]

From an inside source who is upper management at the DOE, it is basically impossible for a government employee to be terminated. They typically relocate them or sometimes promote them to get them out of their current situation.

I''m in the private sector. We don''t have these perks.

[tom.becker]

From an inside source who is upper management at the DOE, it is basically impossible for a government employee to be terminated. They typically relocate them or sometimes promote them to get them out of their current situation.

I''m in the private sector. We don''t have these perks.

[imnho]

It appears that the adminstration is so use to playing loose with the truth that no lie is to big for them to try. They lied there way into a major war in Iraq and now it is convient to lie concerning FEMA. At some point there lies will turn around and bite them like an angry lion. The problem is that they may lie us into another war. Iran is not going to be a cake walk. The problem is since the necons don''t personally fight wars they don''t worry about the people who do fight wars. They are not the ones who will be getting hurt and dying.

[carrdona]

I''m a "government PR person," working for the Army. I%u2019m concerned the profession in government has become too full of people who believe their job is to "market" the agency through what they call, "strategic communications." Problem is, few government PR people understand what that term means. They think it means "marketing," and constantly work on gimmicky events they believe will present their agency in good light. "The public doesn''t understand what we do or how we do it," they lament. "We''re doing good stuff %u2026 we''ve got to figure out how to get our good news out there ..." Sadly, they just don''t know how to get past the fact that their story is already out there based on what they do, not what they say.

[revwilliam]

"Fire these people and the people who hired them.."

...and impeach The Chimp and Dr Evil.

[random_radar]

I''m from the government, and I''m here pretending to help.

[roger_inkart]

Your tax dollars at work...

[bbuc]

Of course FEMA employees have low IQ''s. They had to be Bush supporters to get their jobs.

[scoliosuxs]

Please don''t classify all gov''t employees as lazy and incompetent. I worked for the state of La for the federal disability program and no one in our office was lazy or incompetent. The job would not allow you to be either. If you couldn''t hack it you were asked to leave. Some gov''t jobs require intelligence and common sense. Not all public jobs can be done by the private sector, such as disability, too many chances for bias or wrong doing without proper oversight.

[andor3]

scoliosuxs said: "Some government jobs require intelligence and common sense."

Yes there are some very good people in public service and governement jobs. I have worked with many. But sadly the numbers are dwindling. It used to be that an ambitious and talented person could do public service and gain experience in government jobs and having worked for an agency was a plus even though the pay might be a little lower. Unfortunately now government agencies have a bad rep, so for example a few years as a manager for FEMA doesn''t help your career now like it used to. And that attitude is hurting FEMA and agencies when they try to hire people: it is a vicious cycle.

[bareemperor]

This is not the first time the Bu$h administration has been caught manipulating the press. It won''t be the last time either.

There is no real outrage, though, so they really got away with it. One of these days FEMA will grow up and become a real emergency services organization.... I hope.

Bob Scheiffer (sp) is a pompous, bias, half-wit who should do his job and read the news, not try to make news. After getting rid of Rather, I was surprised that scheiffer is still there giving his opinion that only uneducated people or fools believe.

[jetranger7]

Most of them have their Jobs , not for what they know, but Who they know, maybe from College or else where, the buddy system, or they were a part of a club or soriety, looked good on the Resume/Application anyway ! Ohh he''s OK He''s part of the Club from college hire him, just a bunch of Over-Educated Rich Party Kids riding on the Coat Tails of the BUSH Adminstration ! FIRE them all, Next up, the GAO, and the State Department !!

[inventagod]

FEMA is now the US-based muscle for Bu$h.
The group has degenerated from a civilian service organization to a Pentagon wing of the military. They only serve the president''s wishes.
Recently, they awarded Halliburton''s KBR nearly $400 million to build detention camps here in the USA - WHY?

[emh1701]

"I think its time to reconstruct this organization."

Forget the organization, reconstruct America instead.

[godseyesore-2009]

lajes62, are you a total idiot?
You definitely need to get out of your cave for a just a little while each day.
Schieffer is one of the most rational comentators in the media.