Anger Gumbo

I'm just angry that New Orleans, which did not bring about its own disaster, is watching a second consecutive president trash his glib promises to "rebuild it better".

[snip]

Obama's remarks about New Orleans during the campaign were anodyne boilerplate, and what he's giving us now is more of the same. He won't even do the obligatory photo-op in the city on 8/29; he told the Times-Picayune he'll come down "before the end of the year". He didn't say which year.

Apparently, it isn't only the War Crimes of the Bush Grindhouse that President Obama is putting in the rear view mirror.

It seems that the City of New Orleans, also, is not in the forward-looking view.



So writes, in a great post, Harry Shearer today, telling his tale of lobbying on behalf of the still-devastated city, how he, reluctantly, used his connections to reach inside the Obama White House, only to get nothing.

Playing the Inside Game -- A Cautionary Tale

Any regular reader of my stuff here knows I've been relentless in calling for first the Bush administration and lately the current group to get serious about addressing the problems of what nearly destroyed New Orleans -- namely, the twin challenges of (a) reversing the man-caused destruction of the coastal wetlands which reduce the severity of oncoming hurricanes and (b) rebuilding the tattered federally-built "hurricane protection system" which failed so disastrously four years ago this Saturday. After I started noticing the absence of any public words (let alone actions) on this subject from the new administration, several commenters here criticized me for, in essence, just running my mouth. "You're a celebrity," they mis-advised me, "go talk directly to the White House about it, like Brad Pitt." I thought I should start my Pitt emulation slowly at first, maybe by wooing Angelina Jolie, but after a couple of weeks, I took the challenge to play the inside game. I haven't written about it until now, because I wanted to see how it would play out before drawing conclusions.

I don't want to provide any additional snips, as it is well-worth reading the entire post.

We're coming up on the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina all but wiping out New Orleans, and it looks like we may have to pin to the new President, the not-flattering moniker of "Heck of a job there, Obama ..."

He's leaving the residents of New Orleans to having to cling a little longer to the "Hope" and "Change" thing.

Go read Harry Shearer's "Playing the Inside Game -- A Cautionary Tale"


Bonus Link

More Than A Few Cloves ... The Garlic Special - Hurricane Katrina Redux

Bush Fatigue Alert - Monday's SOTU

Did you hear that?

No, listen closely ....

That's right ... Nary a word on the upcoming production of Bush Fatigue, otherwise known as the State of the Union Address.

Boy, what a difference a Democratic-controlled Congress, 31% approval rating, the still ongoing Iraq disaster and, now, a tanking U.S. economy makes ...

I had been thinking about it, just vaguely, as this month as rolled on.

Isn't it time for the SOTU?

Last Thursday, Barry Crimmins also thought about it;

"Take a look at the MSNBC Political Calendar

JANUARY 2008
24 NBC Republican debate, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
26 South Carolina Democratic primary
29 Florida primary
30 Republican debate, Reagan Library, Simi Valley, California
31 Democratic debate, Los Angeles, CA

That's it for the balance of the month. Three debates and two primaries. But for you trivia fans out there, there is one other upcoming event that is generally considered extremely political yet it isn't mentioned.

If you guessed the State of the Union Address, go to the head of your home school. The reason people don't realize Bush came back from his extended trip abroad is because no one noticed him leave. The state of this presidency is obvious, which is why the next week's address has become The Super Bowl of Impertinence."

Quite right.

Past SOTU's, when the GOP orgy was in full swing, and the Bush Grindhouse in full swagger, the SOTU was trumpeted, hyped and otherwise blared across the land, making the Super Bowl look like a pee-wee flag football event.

If Nancy Pelosi had any balls (or, at least a table), when the Sargent of Arms calls out "Madam Speaker, the President of the United States", she should shout back "No, don't let him in!".

Or, to spare us all, of what, undoubtedly will be a bitch session, blaming the Democrats for everything, continuing his delusional spin (and lying) on how great things are going in Iraq (I suppose, the only sense of mystery will be how many times, if at all, he mentions Afghanistan or Pakistan), and, of course, boasting of his breadcrumbs Stimulus Package, he should mail it in.

Literally.

It is not a requirement that the President deliver the SOTU live, in a joint session of Congress, merely that he deliver one to Congress.

The "Must View SOTU" didn't go all Elvis-is-in-the-building until Woodrow Wilson;

"This changed in 1913. Wilson believed the presidency was more than a impersonal institution; that instead the presidency is dynamic, alive, and personal (see Tulis). In articulating this philosophy, Wilson delivered an oral message to Congress. Heath reasons prevented Wilson from addressing Congress in 1919 and 1920, but Harding's two messages (1921 and 1922) and Coolidge's first (1923) were also oral messages. In the strict constructionist style of 19th Century presidents, Coolidge's remaining State of the Unions (1924-28) and all four of Hoover's (1929-32) were written. Franklin D. Roosevelt established the modern tradition of delivering an oral State of the Union beginning with his first in 1934. Exceptions include Truman's 1st (1946) and last (1953), Eisenhower's last (1961), Carter's last (1981), and Nixon's 4th (1973). In addition, Roosevelt's last (1945) and Eisenhower's 4th (1956) were technically written messages although they addressed the American people via radio summarizing their reports. Any research design should recognize these facts."

So, on Monday evening, go back into your Hurricane Katrina mode, Mr. The Commander Guy, and just stay away.


Bonus SOTU Riffs

Notes from the Uber Rally ... Err, the State of the Union (The very first Garlic post)

White House Besieged With Would-Be Energy Inventors As Bush Backtracks From Pledge; All Looking To Cash In On President's New Energy Initiative - If Only President Meant It

Of Daydreams, Lies, Libby and The State of the Union ... Chopped Garlic ... Yes, Where Is The Intelligence - Both Literally and Figuratively?

Deadline Looms For Axis of Evil Applicants; White House Cramming To Fill List For State of Union Address; Is Considering Adding Individuals For First Time

Coming To A Theatre Near You Soon! - Republicans On A Plane ! ...Not Even Al-Qaeda-Types Can Handle it!
















Not only the most evil vice president in history, but also the greatest ventriloquist of all-time?

Hugs and Smarts

Boy, what a week it has been ...

Firestorms and, thanks to the Faux News Network, yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theatre ... And, covering all this, putting their stealth media skills to work, was none other then FEMA, in which their faux press conference now demonstrates, that along with not being able to deliver supplies, they also have difficulty delivering real journalists.

To bad the media (real or FEMA's) didn't offer that the State of California deals with these type of disasters EVERY YEAR!... One year it's fire, the next it will be mudslides ... Mix in a powerful earthquake, every now-and-then ... They are on top of it, been-there, done-that and they pretty much have it down.

Which brings us to The Decider Guy.

He quickly seized upon the events of the week, to become "Johnny Action", the man-on-the scene.

Desperate to shed his failures of Hurricane Katrina as if his jacket was on fire, The Decider Guy, sans the klieg lights and cathedral background, burdened himself on the good folks of California, much like an impertinent toddler, demanding attention while you are working to prepare dinner.

So that brings us to the Hugs and Smarts.

Today, Paul Farhi, in The Washington Post, has put out an unsolicited submission to the Bush Nickname List, with his "Bush the Embracer: Interpreting the Presidential Hug"

Here's a blown kiss Farhi throws out to The Embracer;

"Journalistic skepticism compels us to note that presidential hugs usually are photo ops, staged for the cameras and calculated to deliver the prepackaged sentiment, as Bush 41 once put it, "Message: I care." But the visual evidence also compels us to remark that Bush 43's hugs are among the least stage-y of his mannerisms. There's an athletic, energetic, almost muscular quality to them. They seem, in a word, genuine."

On Friday, Barry Crimmins, looking at that same California visit as Farhi, offers "President Smarts", which resembles nothing of a hug, but rather the needed, stern discipline for that impertinent toddler;

"This dummy has been smarting since that storm surge of criticism in 2005. Yesterday he used the wildfires as a backdrop for announcing a retroactive personal abrogation of responsibility as federal chief executive to lead relocation, rescue, recovery and rebuilding efforts at times of great national calamities... unless of course he likes the governor(s) of a ravaged region."

If only our Congress would get smart and throw a bear hug around The Embracer, escorting him off the premises, and then get to the business of rescuing and restoring the U.S. Constitution he has singed and burned by his policies and agenda.

Bonus Hugless, Dumb Links

Adam Howard/Alternet - Bill Maher Tells Andrew Sullivan: "It Was Not That Hard to See Bush Was a Moron in 2000" [VIDEO]

Photo Op Accomplished - Hooah!

David Corn - REBUTTAL: Why Bush Is A Loser


An Embracer, a Hugger and, lest we not forget, a Kisser!

This Just In! White House Applying Katrina Strategy To Med Center Neglect

To Gauge Neglect, Problems, President Set To Fly Over Walter Reed, Bldg. 18 Today

Bush Promising Action, "To Press Face Against Window"; Recommends DOD Follow Katrina Strategy

Facing yet more criticism over the treatment of wounded U.S. soldiers, the White House announced today that President Bush will fly over Walter Reed Medical Center, and its' Building 18 that is at the center of the controversy, in Air Force One to gauge for himself the neglect and problems.

With fresh headlines today today that top officials at Walter Reed, as well as the Army's surgeon general, members of the Congress and officials at the Pentagon knew of the problems for nearly three-years, President Bush is swinging back into his "Decider" role and taking action.

"The President," offered White House Spokesperson Tony Snow, "is jumping into his Hurricane Katrina strategy and will tackle this issue head-on. He's taking action and said he plans on "keeping his face firmly pressed against the window" as he flies over the grounds."

Snow also indicated that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, in a meeting with the President this morning, "was strongly advised" to adopt the President's Hurricane Katrina plans in fixing the Walter Reed problem.

"The President," Snow continued, "wants to promise the soldiers, and the others at Walter Reed everything he promised New Orleans, for that city to get back on its' feet. He doesn't want to hold back on anything. He's ready to pledge, and pledge, action all day long."

Snow revealed, as evidence of the President's commitment to promise action, that "As soon as we heard about it, the President turned to me and said "Find out what the problem is and fix it."

Army Does "My Sister, My Daughter" Over Neglect Charges

Building 18 is a former hotel, across the street from the main Walter Reed grounds, that Dana Priest of the Washington Post exposed over two-weeks ago, as being in a decaying state, with mold, rotting walls and ceilings and mice, rat and insect infestations.

Initially, the Army was critical of the Washington Post for exposing the problems.

Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, chief of the Army Medical Command said that "I'm not sure it was an accurate representation ... It was a one-sided representation."

Within a few days of the article, and after a quick paint job, Kiley led a group of reporters around Building 18, boasting "I do not consider Building 18 to be substandard."

"We needed to do a better job on some of those rooms, and those of you that got in today saw that we frankly have fixed all of those problems. They weren't serious, and there weren't a lot of them."

That was quickly rebutted by Gen. Richard A. Cody, the Army vice chief of staff, who said "We own that building, and we're going to take charge of it. The senior Army leadership takes full responsibility for the lack of quality of life at Building 18, and we're going to fix it."

A new controversy has been added to the problem, as Army Times is reporting, that soldiers who talked to the Washington Post and other media about the conditions at Building 18 have been the subject of punishment, in the form of 6:00 AM wake-up calls, 7:00AM inspections and new orders not to talk to the media.

Cheney Advocates Stiff Push Back Against Critics

Some speculate that such orders may have been issued by Vice President Dick Cheney, who was able to arrive back in Washington, from his trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan, without being followed home by terrorists.

Cheney, and/or a "senior government official" is said to be "extremely displeased" with the attention given to the problems at Walter Reed.

Cheney was overheard speaking on the telephone, to an unknown party, complaining about the issue.

"If we give aid and comfort to these critics of Walter Reed, and Building 18, it would validate the al Qaeda strategy."

Snow would neither confirm or deny reports the Cheney is battling with White House staff, advocating that that President Bush order in the flood lights and give a night time speech in front of Building 18, to bolster the Hurricane Katrina strategy as the right solution for the problems and push back at the critics.

"This isn't," offered Snow, "a bang-my-head-on-the-podium issue - yet."











The White House is banking on a photo opportunity like this, when President Bush flew over Hurricane Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, to stem the criticism over Building 18 of the Walter Reed Medical Center. The President will be boarding Air Force One this afternoon, to cruise over site in a display of his leadership in solving the problem