PHOTOS FROM 9/11:
Bush reads My Pet Goat AFTER learning about the 2nd plane to hit Tower 2.
Incredibly Bush KNEW about plane 1 PRIOR to entering the school for his photo op.
Republicans will later use photos of Bush on 9/11 for Bush's re-elction campaign.
HOWEVER THESE PICS WERE NOT ALL FROM 9/11. Story
Bush would later use pictures of 9/11 INCLUDING THE BROKEN HUSK OF THE TOWERS in campaign ads.
Firefighter Tommy Fee in Rescue Squad 270 in Queens was appalled.
"It's as sick as people who stole things out of the place. The image of firefighters at Ground Zero should not be used for this stuff, for politics," Fee said.
Despite the angry pleas of relatives & firefighters who'd lost loved ones in 9/11, Bush & the reichtwing continued their hypocritical campaign to use 9/11 for political gains.
Could 9/11 have been prevented?
Details emerge that show Bush wsa warned in no uncertain terms that they needed to take Al Quaida seriously.
Clinton's National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, in an effort to make sure al-Qaeda didn't disappear off the newly elected Bush's radar, sets up transition meetings.
He only attends ONE meeting & that one regarding al-Qaeda. says he told her, "I believe that the Bush Administration will spend more time on terrorism generally, and on al-Qaeda specifically, than any other subject."
The briefing is given by Richard Clarke & slide 14 explicitely states "Response to al Qaeda: Roll back."
Condi & her aides deny the presentation was ever that specific or that Berger ever attended any meeting. Other senior officials from both the Clinton and Bush administrations, however, back Clarke & Berger.
Under political pressure, after months of stalling the 9/11 widows about a 9/11 commission, Bush backs down & backs an independent investigation of 9/11.
"I think it is abominable that the families of the victims have had to fight this hard to get something that should have been a given on 12 September" - Monica Gabriel, Widow of 11 September victim
Bush pick Henry Kissinger to lead the panel.
Kissinger is forced to resign later after refusing to disclose any conflict of interests that his firm may have.
Republican Thomas Keene takes over with deputy head Democrat Lee Hamilton.
Bush attempts several times to stop the Commission from getting extensions. 9/11 widows fight to get the Commission the time & access to officials it needs.
9/11 Widows, some Republican, join John Kerry b/c they are afraid of Bush's direction & leadership.
"It has been a painful process to accept that President Bush failed us," said Patty Casazza, another of the Jersey Girls, and like Ms Breitweiser, a former Republican voter.
PHOTOS OF BUSH DURING KATRINA:
Day 1: Katrina makes landfall
Let them eat cake. McCain & Bush enjoy cake while NOLA dies.
Hours after landfall, Bush heads 1000s of miles AWAY from NOLA to sell his Medicare package to seniors in Arizona
and again in California (same day)
Btw, Bush ends up having the last laugh on these Seniors. Bush's latest $2.7 TRILLION budget included MASSIVE cuts in Medicare.
Also, Donald Rumsfeld, the man responsible for defending this country, was at a San Diego Padres baseball game.
Governor Blanco sends Bush an urgent request for emergency help.
At about 8 p.m., she spoke to Bush. "Mr. President," she said, "we need your help. We need everything you've got."
But the president, who was in San Diego preparing to give a speech the next day on the war in Iraq, went to bed.
Um. We are still on Day 1.
Day 2: NOLA is under water. FEMA & Bush STILL don't know that the levees have broke. Ho. hum.
NOLA is being destroyed.
and People are dying
Updated: Even the animals are dying
Bush, President Photo-Op, makes his speech in San Diego.
Chertoff, Secretary of Homeland Defense, FINALLY learns of the levee breaks.
"it was midday Tuesday that I became aware of the fact that there was no possibility of plugging the gap and that essentially the lake was going to start to drain into the city."
The non-partisan GAO later placed much of the blame of Katrina on Chertoff
Looting is crippling the city & lawlessness is wearing down the police who lose 100s. The city is lost. News media are foaming at the mouth about "looting" & forgetting about the people dying.
The media's racism is made bare by Salon who report how the media uses words like "looting" with blacks & "finding" with whites.
Story
Meanwhile, out at sea, rests peacefully the USS Bataan, equiped with 100,000+ gallons of water & medical supplies and beds.
The Bataan & its heroic soldiers was waiting for the orders from the federal government to help. NONE CAME.
Bush plays country music star.
80% of New Orleans is under water.
Day 3: The devastation is finally hitting the country. Not Bush.
80,000 people are believed to be stranded in New Orleans. "The waters are rising. Please help."
Agony reigns in NOLA:
TWO days after Blanco requested troops, AFTER she had requested speaking with Bush & was passed around, the Lousiana National Guard arrives (40% of whom are in Iraq still).
Choas, rape in the Superdome.
"We are like animals" claims one mother. A 2-year-old girl slept in a pool of urine. Crack vials littered a restroom. Blood stained the walls next to vending machines smashed by teenagers.
Chertoff says he is "extremely pleased" with the government reponse.
"We are extremely pleased with the response of every element of the federal government," Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff
The non-partisan GAO later places much of the blame on Chertoff.
The Reichtwing noise machine is starting to scream that Katrina is the Democratic Governor & Mayor's fault. They are lying & saying Blanco never made any requests for federal aid among other things.
Governor Blanco later released ALL Katrina documents in an effort to set the record straight. Those docs details the complete incompetence & lack of urgency by the ENTIRE Bush Administration.
Said Lousiana Rep. Melancon after returning from a press conference standing with Bush, that the President's "entire effort on behalf of the federal government has been reflected in his and his people's nonchalant attitude to the people of LA. You may give him this to read."
What doesn't kill ya, makes ya stronger.
Bush FINALLY addresses Katrina but gives one of his worst speeches by cheerfully announcing America "will be a stronger place" for enduring this tragedy. He makes no note of his lack of involvement or what actions the government is taking or going to take.
Condi Rice - while "her people in Alabama" suffered - takes in Monty Python show, practices tennis with Monica Seles & spends $1000s on shoes in NYC.
She gives a hasty racially tinged press conference the next day to explain how she's helping "her people" in Alabama & that she's a sharecropper's daughter & how these are "her people". She's not heard from again.
Day 4: Damage control.
Bush, much like his "who'd have thought they'd use planes" line, claims no one would've thought the levees would've broke. That simply is NOT true.
In response to a WH Reporter's direct question on how he's going to help the 1000s that are starving & struggling & try to survive right now, Bush says this:
"Bush: "Well, there's a lot of food on its way. A lot of water on the way. And there's a lot of boats and choppers headed that way. Boats and choppers headed that way. It just takes a while to float 'em! ."
Story
Mayor Nagin, frustrated with federal incompetence & lack of leadership, issues a public SOS
"This is a desperate SOS," Mr Nagin said on CNN TV. "Right now we are out of resources at the convention centre and don't anticipate enough buses. We need buses. Currently the convention centre is unsanitary and unsafe and we're running out of supplies."
Prisoners removed from jail b/c it was drowning in water.
People are fending for themselves & using guns & swords to protect their property.
While shopping for shoes, Condi Rice has a patron thrown out for having the gall to call her on her shoe shopping while AMericans are dying in the Gulf.
The woman said, "How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!" Never one to have her fashion choices questioned, Rice had security PHYSICALLY REMOVE the woman.
FEMA director, Michael Brown finally finds out there are 1000s of stranded people in the SuperDome. Guess he doesn't watch the "liberal media" either.
Bush FINALLY gets an idea of the magnitude of the tragedy when an aide SITS him down & plays a video of the carnage.
Rove undertakes a massive PR & misinformation campaign to blame locals & divert attention from Bush's incompetence.
Bush poses with rescue personnel & helicopters who are grounded & unable to rescue anyone b/c they are being used as props for Bush's "strong" image.
A levee repair work is STAGED for a Bush photo-op.
"Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast - black and white, rich and poor, young and old - deserve far better from their national government." - U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu
Another 50 firefighters are stopped from their rescues to pose for Bush.
Many of the firefighters feel their time is being wasted in handling out fliers about FEMA & being PR for the feds. The sit in an "orientation" learning about sexual harrassment, etc... while NOLA dies.
Using firefighters is a trick Bush learned from 9/11.
Bush is satisfied with his actions & his team's response.
Brownie, yer doing a heckuva job!
Yes. Guys. You've done a heckuva job.
Today, Michael Brown testifies before the Senate on the Bush administration's COMPLETELY incompetent handling of the disaster AS WELL AS THE COVER UP TO HIDE THE FACT THAT THEY NEW THE LEVEES BROKE & DID NOTHING ABOUT IT.
blksista has a great diary on this
TO THIS DATE BUSH HAS YET TO ADMIT THAT HE EVER MADE A MISTAKE.
NOT FOR 9/11.
NOT FOR IRAQ.
NOT FOR KATRINA.
NOT ONCE. & GEORGE BUSH HAS YET TO APOLOGIZE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
Further Reads:
Chronology of a disaster
Experts blast federal response
Katrina blows Bush's Cover
Bumper Stickers & MORE
