Senator Obama will be using his e-mail list to bring in aid for those affected by Gustav:
Sen. Barack Obama announced that his campaign would mobilize supporters from his enormous e-mail list to send money or enlist as volunteers once the impact of Hurricane Gustav becomes apparent.
McCain, on the other hand, seems to look at Gustav as a campaign backdrop and not an impending national disaster. He and his entourage are planning to go into the storm zone, a move that will likely cause first responders and other authorities to have to deal with the McCain campaign’s logistics rather than the job of dealing with the hurricane.
Of course, Republican “leaders” using storm zones as window dressing is more of the same.
yes, we can only expect more of the same indifference and self-promoting behavior from the Rethuglicans.
Well, except that senior democrat party operatives and congressmen are laughing at the thought of a hurricane crushing NO again.
It will be interesting to see what happens in new orleans now that there is a republican governor in charge of the evacuation too. Should make for an interesting contrast.
I hope Obama AND Biden don’t just pay lip service and get down there where ever Gustav nails the hardest and gets their eyes on the problem and their hands gritty with helping. Real help. Get in the thick of it. McCain and what’s her face average hockey mom will just use it as a backdrop. Roll up your sleeves boys and get into the middle of it and HELP like any other volunteer would. Make it mean something. Anyone can talk about it…(you know like me! I will say that I visited NOLA 6 weeks before Katrina and have been back twice since. I have donated and wish I had the time to do more. I make take a leave of absence from my job this time if it’s needed. God bless America.)
Well, except that senior democrat party operatives and congressmen are laughing at the thought of a hurricane crushing NO again.
Who is laughing? I’ve only seen one poor joke from Michael Moore, and not at all at the thought of the hurricane crushing New Orleans, and in any case he’s hardly a senior party operative.
Superb use of the army of donators, if you ask me. Superb move politically as well.
McCain did the same thing with the Iowa floods. He’ll do anything for a vote or a photo op.
Fortunately for Louisiana, there is an election to be won this year so they can expect the full, prompt help of the federal government. Let’s hope they’re up to the task. Those national guard troops in Iraq would help a lot.
spitar, I hope Obama/Biden stand down and don’t enter the hurricane zone anytime this week. 1. It will be spun as politics and 2. It may get in the way and be a distraction from what needs to be done locally. Let McLame go accept the nomination with homeless refugees just out of camera shot.
In a purely pragmatic sense, wouldn’t it have made more sense to choose Bobby Jindal now? A good showing marshaling the Gustav response would help McCain. Granted, he would have every resource at his disposal (unlike the hapless Democrats in Katrina who were denied help at every turn) but it would give McSame a “bump” similar to Guiliani after 9/11.
I still think if “Bristolgate” boils over, Palin may be replaced, perhaps by Jindal.
KTLA.com
Cue political opportunists charge in 3…2…1…
Not to mention from the same stories Oliver linked…
Apparently Oliver was too giddy over the possibility of making political hay over this to read this far.
Or perhaps Sen. Obama is too much of a statesman to go into McCain’s true motivations — something I have no qualms about since I ain’t running for president.
One of the great things about Obama’s campaign which McCain’s doesn’t have is the fact that Obama’s supporters can be mobilized into a grassroots movement to do things like agitate their congressmen for better legislation and respond to calls for things like disaster relief. McCain is much less organized and his support is much thinner. As a consequence, electing him is simply a much less useful activity: his supporters can’t deliver on anything, whereas Obama’s can.
here you go parth
http://www.redstate.com/diaries/absentee/2008/aug/30/fowler-fouls-hurricane-is-gods-favor-to-dem/
McCain going into the storm zone right after the storm: He’s distracting first responders!
Bush not going into the storm zone right afterwards: George Bush doesn’t care about black people!
I realize that as a hyper-partisan, you’re not wired to dole out praise to your political opponents. But by trying to slam them at every opportunity, you only open yourself up to this type of hypocrisy.
We welcome everyone’s help, no matter what the letter behind their name.
McCain, on the other hand, seems to look at Gustav as a campaign backdrop and not an impending national disaster.
How in the world is a hurricane a “national” disaster?
I meant to say natural.
And SaveFarris, you guys again do not understand the difference between a presidential candidate on a campaign swing and the fricking President Of The United States in the course of doing his job.
here you go parth
Pretty thoughtless. Non-politicians and stand-up comedians are allowed to joke about that material, but party officials can do some serious self-damage that way if it gets around.
Along the lines of what Farris said, props to Obama for mobilizing his network of contributors to contribute to the various charities and organizations that will be counted on to help those along the Gulf Coast make it through this natural disaster.
See Oliver?
It’s not that fucking hard.
“How in the world is a hurricane a ‘national disaster?’”
It was a slip, he meant to say, “natural”, but suppose it hadn’t been.
One, was Katrina not a national disaster? Weren’t that storm’s repercussions felt nationally? I remember gas prices shooting up about a buck a gallon. That was pretty fricking disastrous to my budget! One of our premier cities was almost lost. I think that qualifies as of national importance. The whole world watched in amazement as the mighty US was unable or unwilling to efficiently help its own citizens. A national embarrassment.
And, two, by Jay’s logic, how are a couple of jets hitting a building in New York City a “national disaster”?
Not at the top of your game, today, Jay.
Katrina was a bigger disaster because the democrat mayor and governor refused to show any backbone and demand evacuation. Then, when disaster was nigh upon them, didn’t even use the assets available (ie buses) to get people out.
Our “premier city” sits about 20 feet below sea level…stupid, but we can’t get people out because the democratic major is demanding a “chocolate city” rather than “a city that sits above sea level”.
On the other hand, 9/11 was a national disaster, as the enemies weapon against us was our own airliners. As you may recall, all airline traffic was shut down until we could be sure that we were safe.
Your game could use a little work Bruce….
The local and state governments do indeed deserve most of the blame for the first couple of days of Katrina chaos. However, when it became OBVIOUS that they were failing, the Federal Government, the only entity that could have helped at that point, failed too, and failed dismally, and is still failing three years later.
The 9/11 example was just an analogy. I know, this is an abstract concept, similar to a “metaphor”, that you and Jay and Jay Tea and JWG find so difficult.
And regardless of who is to blame for Katrina, it was still a “national disaster.” Even though Oliver didn’t even mean to say it.
Exception: the Coast Guard did great.
As one of Oliver’s most frequent detractors, let me say “national disaster/natural disaster” is a hell of an easy slip to make. God knows I’ve made enough like that myself.
I do find it disturbing that Ray Nagin and Aaron Broussard are still in power down in New Orleans. Nagin was incredibly incompetent before, during and after Katrina — remember the “Ray Nagin Memorial Swimming Pool And Bus Depot?” among other things? Broussard got on international TV and made up a complete bullshit story about the mother of a friend of his dying in a nursing home days after the storm, complete with tearful recounts of the phone calls made over several days — when the woman died on the first day of the storm.
I wrote extensively about just how essential New Orleans — at least as a port — is to the economic health of the United States. And others have, as well. To those who believe that “we should just write off the city,” or those who choose to argue with them, I can not recommend strongly enough this piece of serious analysis:
http://www.stratfor.com/new_orleans_geopolitical_prize
Read it. Read it if you want to have the slightest chance of sounding like you know what you’re talking about in regards to New Orleans.
J.
I still think if “Bristolgate” boils over, Palin may be replaced, perhaps by Jindal.
Replacing his VP would be a bad move. It would make the rashness of the decision all the more evident.
Non-politicians and stand-up comedians are allowed to joke about that material, but party officials can do some serious self-damage that way if it gets around.
On the other hand, you might end up being nominated for president by a supposedly serious political party…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHDd83b5byk
Almost up there with McCain’s Chelsey Clinton joke and his Gorilla rape joke.
“here you go parth”
And where was this outrage when promonent members of the Christian right blamed Katrina on the gays, or 9/11 on feminists?
“Replacing his VP would be a bad move. It would make the rashness of the decision all the more evident.”
Better wrong but strong than admit a mistake. Sadly, that seems to be true in politics.
Better wrong but strong than admit a mistake.
There are those among us who refer to ’strong and wrong’ to ‘resolute,’ ‘unwavering,’ and possessed of the ‘courage of one’s convictions.’
Gustav is starting to bore the crap out of me. We had a rain band just pass through, but it wasn’t much of nothing.
PS: Has Rick Sanchez always been this annoying?
Alaska, get ready ’cause here they come…
Nothing will detract from Sarah Palin’s Bristolgate and Wootengate when the tabloids and TV celebrity entertainment shows begin the vetting of the Sarah Palin.
Anyone with a grudge against Palin will have a microphone handed to them.
Rick Sanchez is less annoying than he used to be. I endured 10 years of him as an anchor at WSVN in Miami. Horrific.
By the way, I do think any event where over 1,000 Americans lose their lives is a national disaster.
“By the way, I do think any event where over 1,000 Americans lose their lives is a national disaster.”
Sheesh, Oliver, you were doing SO well. You made a natural (pardon the expression) Freudian slip. It was no big deal. Everyone does it — hell, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve typed “Iran” for “Iraq” and vice versa. “Natural disaster” and “national disaster,” especially in circumstances like this, is entirely understandable and no big deal.
When you go back and try to say “but I was really right!” is a sign of insecurity, of having to say “I was really right when I said that!” It’s reminiscent of the “I’m sorry if you were offended” non-apology BS that’s become so popular these days.
You misspoke, like everyone does every now and then. When it was pointed out, you acknowledged and apologized. The whole universe should just move on, not get hung up on it.
J.
And where was this outrage when promonent members of the Christian right blamed Katrina on the gays, or 9/11 on feminists?
I recall a LOT of people slamming Pat Robertson (NOT the “Christian right” as a bloc) for his saying Katrina was because of God’s wrath over the gays, and Robertson has been an asshole for decades. And as I recall it, the right blamed Al Qaeda for 9/11 — or did I miss the military invasion and occupation of NOW headquarters?
J.
We’ve finally got sustained wind & rains instead of mere bands. We’re about 75 miles inland, so it’s definitely not as “cool” as what it looks like on TV.
At this point in Katrina, we had already lost power, but we’ve still got it for now. And the worst part is, only 2 channels are showing this in HD.
“And as I recall it, the right blamed Al Qaeda for 9/11 — or did I miss the military invasion and occupation of NOW headquarters?”
As I recall it, the right blamed Iraq.
Then you recall wrong, Enlightened. In fact, the Bush administration was on record saying that they had no evidence linking Saddam to 9/11, and had to reason to think that any existed.
The invasion of Iraq was indirectly tied to 9/11, only in the sense of “this guy’s violated too many terms of his 1991 surrender, poses a threat to his neighbors and the region, and needs to be taken out.” The side benefit of that was giving us a sizable military presence in the region AND a chance to take on militant Muslims with our military.
And, if it succeeds (like it seems to be now, but it’s still up in the air), we will have helped create a free, largely-democratic Arab Muslim nation right smack dab in the middle of the Islamic world — a hell of a scare to the theocrats, kleptocrats, thugs, monarchs, and other assorted tyrants and dictators that seem to run nearly any Muslim nation.
That’s the kind of thing that is the best long-term weapon against militant Islam — the kind of thing that led to 9/11, along with all those other terrorist attacks before then that went largely unanswered.
J.
“we will have helped create a free, largely-democratic Arab Muslim nation right smack dab in the middle of the Islamic world”
Wow, you wrote that with a straight face. Kudos, seriously.
See, EL? It’s your memory that’s faulty!
Jay Tea, you usually post nonsense, occasionally post reasonable stuff, and, rarely, something pretty smart.
That was the dumbest shit you ever wrote.
And as I recall it, the right blamed Al Qaeda for 9/11 — or did I miss the military invasion and occupation of NOW headquarters?
Would’ve made as much sense as invading Iraq.
See, EL? It’s your memory that’s faulty! There was no concerted campaign to conflate 9/11 and Iraq! Where did you get that idea?
Jay Tea, you usually post nonsense, occasionally post reasonable stuff, and, rarely, make a smart point.
But that was the dumbest crap you ever wrote.
Sorry for posting twice. I thought I had been blocked for using the word sh*t.
You know, I have to confess. I did make the whole thing up.
And then, to cover my ass, I went back and changed the text of the Authorization for Use of Military Force In Iraq, passed by Congress.
And I changed the text of Bush’s speeches on Iraq.
I am so ashamed that I was so easily exposed in my careful excision of the 9/11 references in those documents.
Good god, people, are you so mindwiped by the “Bush lied” chants that you have lost the ability to double-check things for yourself? The text of the AUMF is all over the place, and NOWHERE is there a mention of 9/11. Bush is on record — NUMEROUS TIMES — saying that there is no evidence tying Iraq to 9/11. Yes, ties to Al Qaeda, and those are indisputable, but NOT to 9/11.
And this has exactly what to do with Hurricane Gustav, anyway?
Oh, yeah, Strowbridge, eager to make sure people didn’t pay attention to a former DNC chairman joking about how Gustav hitting during the RNC shows that God was on his side.
It’s been fascinating to see how things are different, with the same inept Democrats running New Orleans but an actual, competent governor in Baton Rouge. Jindal is doing all the things that Blanco should have.
J.
Yes, ties to Al Qaeda, and those are indisputable, but NOT to 9/11.
Oh, I think they’re very disputable.
Ah, yes, the “indisputable” ties to Al-Qaida. The guys who DID NINE ELEVEN. See, EL, there you go imagining history again. Because the Bush administration never ever said there was a connection between Iraq and 9/11. They only said there was a connection–an indisputable connection–between Iraq and the guys who DID 9/11. See the difference? No? Wow, it’s clear to Jay Tea!
I agree that Jindal is doing what Blanco should have. But, in her defense, no one could have foreseen …..oops!
It’s been fascinating to see how things are different, with the same inept Democrats running New Orleans but an actual, competent governor in Baton Rouge. Jindal is doing all the things that Blanco should have.
Seems more likely to me that everybody has learned from the ‘05 debacle, from Mayor Nagin to Gov. Jindal right up the chain. It’s not as if the mayor’s been inept this time around – ordering mandatory evacuations and whatnot.
Oh, yeah, Strowbridge, eager to make sure people didn’t pay attention to a former DNC chairman joking about how Gustav hitting during the RNC shows that God was on his side.
I’m sure CSS feels the same way about this as you cats feel about Revs. Falwell and Hagee, Pat Robertson… you know, the guys that think God actually punishes cities with storms (and terrorist attacks) and don’t just joke about it, the utterly thoughtless ‘jokes’ of your presidential candidate, etc.
My point is that he’s just one guy, indicative of nothing, and people laugh at all kinds of strange things. One can’t draw any conclusion from this other than that the former chairman made a tasteless joke.
And as I recall it, the right blamed Al Qaeda for 9/11
Correct. It was Jerry Falwell who blamed teh gays.
Largely accurate, Parthenon, but the folks you cite on the right haven’t ever been chosen to a real position of authority within the Republican party. This guy WAS THE TOP DEMOCRAT, and is still a powerful figure within the party.
And while I was partly referring to Ray Nagin, let’s not let Aaron Broussard off the hook. That man is sheer and utter scum.
For those who don’t recognize the name, remember the man crying on TV about his employee’s mother in the nursing home who called day after day, begging for help and being promised rescue, until she drowned days after the storm? Complete bullshit. The nursing home residents died on Monday after the owners abandoned them, and the owners were charged with their deaths (but acquitted).
Broussard also ordered the city’s pump workers to leave their stations when the water started rising, contributing mightily to the flooding of New Orleans — and many of those pump operators didn’t want to leave.
He’s still in office down there, having survived a recall petition.
J.
Largely accurate, Parthenon, but the folks you cite on the right haven’t ever been chosen to a real position of authority within the Republican party.
Yes, that’s true, they just get asked for their opinion on almost every major media outlet and have thousands of people who come to see them speak.
PT barnum was right.
Yes, Duros, he was. And most of those people end up voting for guys like Don Fowler and John Spratt.
J.
If this thing doesn’t start knocking down a power line or two, I’m gonna have to actually go to work tomorrow!
We have had a couple of power blinks, but no sustained outages. (Though my mom reports she lost cable.) We’ve had sustained rain and Chicago-sized gusts since about 8am, but so far it’s been comparable to the Rita experience and nowhere near Katrina/Andrew level intensity.
Where are you, Farris. Your updates would be a tad more meaningful if we knew your general location. Not trying to be snarky, just curious.
And Jay (Tea), I actually remember Bush hollering about the WMDs, but that’s because, unlike you, I wasn’t born yesterday.