Begin forwarded message: From: Brock Meeks <Brock.Meeks@xxxxxxxxx> Date: October 20, 2005 5:13:49 PM EDT To: dave@xxxxxxxxxxSubject: RE: [IP] Lauren Weinstein's Blog Update: FEMA Katrina E- Mail: "Brown's Dinner Comes First!" (Incredible!)
OK, this sounds incredibly henious at first blush (that in the midst of this crisis Brown needed more time to eat).
However (and please don't take this comment as my being any kind of apologist for the administration or Brown or any of FEMA's screw-ups) let's remember that it was Brown's PRESS SECRETARY (and god knows what qualifications <ahem> SHE had for this job) making this request, not Brown himself; at very least, we do not know for sure it came from Brown.
Having been a working member of the Washington press corps for more than 15 years, I can tell you that the "little people" often pump themselves full of importance, as if they take on some kind of unilateral mandate to protect their bosses when, in fact, their bosses are just regular folks and wouldn't dream of demanding half the crap members of their staff are demanding in their name.
-----Original Message----- From: David Farber [mailto:dave@xxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Thu 10/20/2005 12:02 PM To: Ip IpSubject: [IP] Lauren Weinstein's Blog Update: FEMA Katrina E-Mail: "Brown's Dinner Comes First!" (Incredible!)
Begin forwarded message:
From: lauren@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: October 20, 2005 2:34:44 PM EDT
To: lauren-blog-notify@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Lauren Weinstein's Blog Update: FEMA Katrina E-Mail:
"Brown's Dinner Comes First!" (Incredible!)
Lauren Weinstein's Blog Update: FEMA Katrina E-Mail: "Brown's
Dinner Comes First!" (Incredible!)
October 20, 2005
------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000157.html
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Greetings. Some <a
href="http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/politics/1
2953119.htm">FEMA e-mail</a> from the Katrina period has been released.
It has to be read to be believed.
Here's a major chunk. However, don't read it right now if you've eaten
recently:
- - -
_Bahamonde (Marty Bahamonde, regional FEMA director for New England) to
Nicole Andrews, FEMA spokeswoman, Aug. 30, 7:02 a.m.
"What is happening with the US travel this morning. When is he [FEMA
Director Brown] coming to New Orleans. The area around the Superdome is
filling up with water, now waist deep. The US can land and do a presser
but then have to leave, there will be no ground tour, only flyover,"
referring to planned visit by Brown.
_Bahamonde to FEMA Director Michael Brown, Aug. 31, 11:20 a.m.
"Sir, I know that you know the situation is past critical. Here some
things you might not know.
Hotels are kicking people out, thousands gathering in the streets with
no food or water. Hundreds still being rescued from homes.
The dying patients at the DMAT tent being medivac. Estimates are many
will die within hours. Evacuation in process. Plans developing for dome
evacuation but hotel situation adding to problem. We are out of food
and running out of water at the dome, plans in works to address the
critical need.
_Sharon Worthy, Brown's press secretary, to Cindy Taylor, FEMA deputy
director of public affairs, and others, Aug. 31, 2 p.m.
"Also, it is very important that time is allowed for Mr. Brown to eat
dinner. Gievn (sic) that Baton Rouge is back to normal, restaurants are
getting busy. He needs much more that (sic) 20 or 30 minutes. We now
have traffic to encounter to get to and from a location of his choise
(sic), followed by wait service from the restaurant staff, eating, etc.
_Bahamonde to Taylor and Michael Widomski, public affairs, Aug. 31,
2:44 p.m.
"OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! No won't go any further, too easy of a target. Just
tell her that I just ate an MRE and crapped in the hallway of the
Superdome along with 30,000 other close friends so I understand her
concern about busy restaurants. Maybe tonight I will have time to move
my pebbles on the parking garage floor so they don't stab me in the
back while I try to sleep.
_Bahamonde to Taylor, Sept. 3, 1:06 a.m.
"The leadership from top down in our agency is unprepared and out of
touch. ... But while I am horrified at some of the cluelessness and
self concern that persists, I try to focus on those that have put their
lives on hold to help people that they have never met and never will.
And while I sometimes think that I can't work in this arena, I can't
get out of my head the visions of children and babies I saw sitting
there, helpless, looking at me and hoping I could make a difference and
so I will and you must to."
- - -
OK, you can vomit now.
--Lauren--
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