Video shows Bush knew Katrina was going to be bad.

Galatian:

Those who support Bush will attempt to rationalize this lie too.

 

And now, just because the situation seems to call for it: Click me!

 

Lot's of people - especially those living along the Gulf Coast - knew a hurricane could be bad. Most of them that have hit land there have been bad. People - especially those living there - have known for generations that New Orleans could be flooded either from the river of the lake. Most of them decided to take the chance anyway. Lot's of people knew it could be bad but, since it's been a while, they "forgot" just how bad it could be. Lot's of people thought the worst was past when the winds stopped and they didn't expect the flooding.

The popular presumption seems to be that it's the federal government's job to predict every natural disaster, handle all emergency response to them, and then make everyone effected by them completely whole - or better - once the disaster is over. This makes for a wonderful scapegoat from personal responsibility or even local and state government responsibility.

Given this new thinking, we can now build build our next homes on the beach or on land below sea level not worrying with insurance, not stockpile any supplies, not heeding any warnings, and fully counting on the government - especially the federal government - to take care of us. We can even rest comfortably now knowing that if fire, wind, or water - any natural disaster wheter to one or to many - wrecks our existing homes or businesses we're entitled to make all the rest of us pay for replacing them.

 

What lie?

 

Wow. So Bush came to the same conclusion the rest of America did. Big fat hairy deal. The failure of the welfare state is exposed, and Bush gets the ire. You guys crack me up.

Yeah, Barbarian, what lie ? Are you saying the local officials knew about the levee break, before it happened ?

 

Dragoon:

You asked, "What lie?".

See Galatian's post. Bush was warned that it was likely that Katrina would cause a breach of the levees. Bush received strong, clear warnings, yet later Bush said, "I don't think anyone anticipated the breach of the levees." Bush had been clearly warned about that very thing.

 

It's become our "right" to live anywhere, regardless of the dangers, immunized from personal responsibility and subsidized by all. The whole concept of controlling nature via levees is exposed as a bigger lie than any that Bush has made.

 

It was known that the levees could fail! I've known that since I was a little boy and my Father knew it before me. In fact, he even predicted New Orleans would flood except he thought it would be from the river. My Grandfather also knew it before him! After all the leeves were built to stop flooding just like all the others up and down the Mississippi many of which have failed from time to time despite heroic efforts. There was open discussion about the possibility of huge tidal waves rolling over the city from the storm. I'm absolutely sure most Americans, including our President knew all these things and more were possible.

The President's statement back in September of last year wasn't a denial of that possibility. From the news reports you'd think that the President wished upon the residents of New Orleans the tragedy that came to them! Think in context! People were trying to guess what could happen, what was most likely to happen, and then watching to see what actually did happen all along the Gulf coast. When the winds stopped in New Orleans they thought they had it made and they weren't, at that point, anticipating the levee system to fail. But it did fail and when it did it turned out to be very difficult to stop. It wasn't a small feat to accomplish! They weren't anticipating having to deal with that but, in fact, they did and sooner than predicted the breech was plugged and the city pumped dry thanks to the hard work of the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Saying the President "lied" because he made the quoted statement, in the context he did, is really just seeking a scapegoat for what happened. That's what's disgusting! Even if he'd known the levees would break at a specific place it's doubtful anything could have been done in time to stop it. People should have heeded the warnings to leave the area before the hurricane arrived. Local government could have helped a lot more in organizing and directing such an evacuation for those that wanted to go. Those that chose not to because they decided it "wouldn't happen to them" must face the responsibility for their own decisions. Mistakes were made. Only armchair generals and quarterbacks don't make mistakes.

The movies are great about portraying the one person - often a young smart elect - who foresees and proclaims the truth of some impending disaster to the disregard of all those in power. Hogwash! In every crisis meeting - even the ones I've attended - there's been a wide range of causes and effects, predictions, speculations, wishful thinking, etc. so it's entirely understandable that different options could be expressed and conclusions reached that might be different than the final outcome. Rarely does anyone get the whole story correct from start to finish. Sometimes everyone gets it wrong. It's just not easy!

God's creation in nature is a most powerful force that mankind still can not fully understand much less control. The hurricanes revealed again just how small we really are in the grand scheme. A tornado in any of our neighborhoods tonight will reveal that personally to us as well. We could then blame the local weather station for not telling us about it and the federal government for not stopping it from happening.

Now the residents of the Gulf Coast should all be thinking about whether or not to rebuild in along the coast or in New Orleans below sea and river level knowing that, no matter what's built, it also could fail.

Let's call upon the government to get everyone out of California now because we know an earthquake is coming again there. We'd better get St. Louis ready as well. Someday a volcano is likely to erupt again in Hawaii. We know that now! In fact, some day this whole earth is going to be burned up. Our government isn't going to be able to stop any of these things from happening.

 

It amazes me to see the lenghths people will go to slam our current president...simply because Al Gore was not allowed to underhandedly steal an election.

Folks..GET OVER IT!

Mike

 

instead of blasting the Prez, pray for him. Our Bible commands it.

 

The real lie is the one claiming the President is a liar because of what he said. It's nothing but than the latest "breaking news" framed for the agenda at hand by taking and twisting words out context into the desired meaning.

Go back to the full original interview to better understand that context. People knew the failure of the levees was possible but people didn't anticipate the problem the way it actually happened. It's just ridiculous to suggest that the President's comments meant the federal government had no idea of what could happen. What, on earth, were they then meeting to discuss except the possibilities of what could happen and what to do about it? I'm sure they were relieved when the tidal waves didn't swamp New Orleans and when the winds passed. Knowing something is possible is different that knowing exactly what will happen.

I know I'm going to die - I just don't know when and how. I know it but I'm not really anticipating it. If I suddenly stop posting here maybe my time will have come. You all can then tell my dear wife and family that I lied by not fully anticipating the event.

No one - including all the seemingly wise main stream news media again practicing their art of public deception - really fully anticipated what happened next and, even if they had, would have been powerless to do much about it in advance much beyond what had already been done.

The US Army Corps of Engineer did, however, jump on the problem and worked endlessly to solve it. But, of course, in the mind of the main stream news media, that doesn't count for anything. That would involve giving an ounce of recognition to those in charge.

 

Goodness, EVERY hurricane is a threat and can be bad!!!! You cant blame that on a president. And just because someone says an apple could fall from a tree doesnt mean that you know its gonna.

 

I can't help but wonder...why now?

The media has had these tapes since Aug. 28 and now they make a big deal out of it.

Semantics!

Difference between "breeching" and "topping" , etc.

Now we have another video of Governor Blanco the next day saying the levees were not topped or breeched. Sounds an awful lot like local authorities, the ones on the ground, couldn't make up their mind what was going on and they were THERE!

 

More video:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/K/KATRINA_VIDEO?SITE=7219&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-03-02-21-00-56

Video Shows Blanco's Assurances on Levees

BY LARA JAKES JORDAN and MARGARET EBRAHIM
Associated Press Writers

EXCERPT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- As Hurricane Katrina loomed over the Gulf Coast, federal and state officials agonized over the threat to levees and lives. Hours after the catastrophic storm hit, Louisiana's governor believed New Orleans' crucial floodwalls were still intact.

"We keep getting reports in some places that maybe water is coming over the levees," Gov. Kathleen Blanco said shortly after noon on Aug. 29 - the day the storm hit the Gulf coast.

"We heard a report unconfirmed, I think, we have not breached the levee," she said on a video of the day's disaster briefing that was obtained Thursday night by The Associated Press. "I think we have not breached the levee at this time."

In fact, the National Weather Service received a report of a levee breach and issued a flash-flood warning as early as 9:12 a.m. that day, according to the White House's formal recounting of events the day Katrina struck.

 

And he's supported by people that would rather be lied to by a republican than admit a democrat might be right about something.

 

It is being brought up now because the media needs a good story to boost more attention because attention boosts ratings and ratings boost money!

Democrats are liars also..do I need to remind you of Clinton and his affair that he said he never had? So don't just paint one party bad.. I think both have problems.