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Posted by Dave
Rap News Network
9/6/2005 2:44:12 PM
As we all expected, the FOX News campaign to reassign blame for the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has been implemented. The whores at FNC have sold themselves for a fat paycheck, a pat on the back from Roger Ailes and a chance to hang out at the White House. Last night Bill O'Reilly and his Bush-worshipping guests engaged in a carefully orchestrated campaign of lies and misrepresentations aimed at absolving George W. Bush of any responsibility for the chaos, disease, misery and death in New Orleans.
Of course, as we News Hounds - and just about every other liberal blog - predicted, the scapegoat du jour is the Democratic Governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco. The back-up scapegoat is, naturally, Republican Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, a Republican-turned-Democrat. Since even Republicans are calling for blood, they have added Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff and FEMA Director Michael Brown to that list.
At certain times during the show, I screamed at my TV set. (My neighbors must think I'm a madwoman! ) O'reilly lied. He denigrated poor people. He did an about-face on the role of government. He claimed that Bush was late by "only 24 hours" in sending aid to NOLA. He and his guests pulled the usual FOX News shenanigans, i.e., crucial information was deliberately withheld from the audience and false conclusions drawn, clearly aimed at creating an impression favorable to the President.
LIE #1
"The truth is this. Governor Blanco of Louisiana did not have a disaster plan in place."
Here is what the Governor wrote in her 8/27 letter to President George W. Bush requesting federal help:
"In response to the situation I have taken appropriate action under State law and directed the execution of the State Emergency Plan on August 26, 2005 in accordance with Section 501 (a) of the Stafford Act. "
LIE #2
"[She] did not have enough state police and national guard to secure a city the size of New Orleans ..."
In the same letter Governor Blanco wrote: ''
The following information is furnished on the nature and amount of State and local resources that have been or will be used to alleviate the conditions of this emergency:
. Department of Social Services (DSS): Opening (3) Special Need Shelters (SNS) and establishing (3) on Standby.
. Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH): Opening (3) Shelters and establishing (3) on Standby.
. Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP): Providing generators and support staff for SNS and Public Shelters.
. Louisiana State Police (LSP): Providing support for the phased evacuation of the coastal areas.
. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (WLF): Supporting the evacuation of the affected population and preparing for Search and Rescue Missions.
LIE # 3
"...and did not push for federal help soon enough."
Hurricane Katrina hit on Monday, August 29th. Governor Blanco wrote to President Bush on Saturday, August 27th, when it became obvious that Katrina wasgoing to require resources in excess of the state's ability to provide them.
"Dear Mr. President,
"Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. ?? 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR ? 206.35, I request that you declare an emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing. The affected areas are all the southeastern parishes including the New Orleans Metropolitan area and the mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and northern parishes along the I-20 corridor that are accepting the thousands of citizens evacuating from the areas expecting to be flooded as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
"Pursuant to 44 CFR ? 206.35, I have determined that this incident is of such s
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