October 24, 2007
Hotline After Dark -- Fire Coverage Burns Bright
Lots of coverage of the CA wildfires last night:
CNN's Henry, on Pres. Bush's trip to CA: "This administration burned so much by Hurricane Katrina, the slow response, they obviously want to show that they have learned lessons, that they want to get a firsthand look, that they want to get as much federal help to the scene as quickly as possible. ... And White House spokeswoman Dana Perino acknowledging that all of this in part sparked by Hurricane Katrina."
More Henry: "Barbara Boxer is jumping on the fact that the California National Guard may not be fully up to speed with all of its equipment because some of its equipment is in Iraq. Dana Perino acknowledging this is a time of war, that's a reality, but she is insisting that the president will make good on his promise to get all the federal assets to California as quickly as possible" ("Situation Room," 10/23).
Duncan Hunter, on Boxer's allegation: "Listen, this is a big stretch and I can tell you I've been chairman of the Armed Services Committee for the last four years. We got 2.5 million people under arms. We got less than 8 percent of those people in the war fighting ... in Iraq and Afghanistan. ... You get a 60 mile an hour wind hitting tender dry sage brush, you can put the entire U.S. Army in front of it and you are not going to stop it and the proof of that is this. ... You simply don't throw a wall of bodies up against an incoming wall of flame that is coming with high winds behind it" ("Live with Dan Abrams," MSNBC, 10/23).
Interior Sec. Dirk Kempthorne, on how this is different from Katrina: "It is a new situation. It is different people that are working this. Last night, I had a personal conversation with Governor Schwarzenegger. Many of the federal officials have. The military is also included in this, NorthCom, as well as General Blum with the National Guard bureau, everybody working, everybody communicating. Last night, it was very important, where we have these Americans that are evacuees now, that there was a FEMA presence that was in place, that federal officials are in place. We have nearly 2,000 individuals that are firefighting, a community, that are now in there from the federal government. California has some of the best firefighters anywhere in the world" ("Situation Room," CNN, 10/23).
CA LG John Garamendi (D): "I've got some doubt about the value of President Bush coming out here. How many times did he go to New York or to New Orleans and still, made promises but hasn't delivered. We have the Terminator out here, Gov. Schwarzenegger is doing a good job, and we'll see."
Asked if Bush's trip is about PR: "Of course it's public relations. The actions taking place by the hard working firefighters, the men and women and the police that are out there on the line, and the community that's pulling together to support wach other, that's where the action is taking place. I know, okay, President Bush comes out, we'll be polite, but frankly, that's not the solution. How about sending our National Guard back from Iraq, so that we have those people available here to help us?"
Asked if Bush's visit will distract from fire fighting efforts: "Absolutely, no doubt about it. The president goes some place, you've got a huge entourage, you've got secret service all over and all the chaos that comes with whenever the President arrives, wherever the President happens to arrive. But listen, what we really need are those firefighters, we need the equipment, we need, frankly, we need those troops back from Iraq. We'll get on here, whether he comes or not, that's not really the issue. I just hope if he does come, he brings more than he brought to New Orleans" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 10/23).
CA First Lady Maria Shriver, on the federal response: "My husband spoke a couple of times yesterday to the president. And he told me that he had been very solicitous and said anything you need, we will make it available. Secretary Chertoff flew out here last night. He's on the ground today. We have gotten some help from Marines at Camp Pendleton. San Diego is a military community, as you know. So, so far, the federal government has stepped up. And I think they'll be ask to step up in many ways. They've declared the state a disaster area. And, as you know, that helps with FEMA after the fact" ("Situation Room," CNN, 10/23).
LADIES NIGHT
CA First Lady Maria Shriver was in the "Situation Room" to talk about her conference:
On why she brought the spouses together: "I think that that is really a window into who that man or that woman is, when you understand who they are married to. Some pollsters have told me that they think the spouse is irrelevant. Others have told me that particularly women make up their minds all the time about someone's family and how they make those choices in their lives. So, I think that these women that you are seeing every day out there on the campaign trail have a tremendous and will have a tremendous impact in this race."
More: "I think the days of the ceremonial first lady are over. These are independent women. Several of them have had professional lives long before they found themselves in this situation. And they don't need advisers to say, don't say this and don't say that. And they are not shy about saying that they have influence and that they are involved in the strategy of the campaign. And I think that's good" (CNN, 10/23). [EMILY GOODIN]
Posted at 08:53 AM
Comments
October 24, 2007
John Garamendi, Lt Governor, California
State Capitol, Room 1114
Sacramento, CA 95814
Mr. Garamendi;
As a resident of San Diego I find it disingenuous, rude and stereo-typical of your tenure that you again managed to inject your malignant partisan outlook recently regarding the tragedy in San Diego.
Yesterday's crack to Chris Matthews about bringing the Guard home from Iraq was nothing but cheap political posturing. FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison flatly debunked your false and self-serving National Guard claim when he stated “There's plenty of National Guard on the ground. I've heard that rumor going around before. There's over 17,000 National Guard troops here in California . . . that's 85% of California's strength. On top of that, General Blum, that oversees the National Guard, has committed any resources the state needs and when they ask for assistance we're moving them in. General Renuar from NORTHCOM has made the same committment. We have a lot of resources on the ground, a lot of National Guardspeople here, so we need to dispel those rumors. There is plenty of help here.”
As you very well know, your statement was not a truthful statement. In fact it was a complete fabrication as proved by statements to the contrary from Mr. Paulison and the head of the California National guard.
Shame on you for politicizing this tragedy.
Watchdogg | 10.24.07 08:42 PM
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October 24, 2007
Ms Barbara Boxer, Senator, California
600 B Street, Suite 2240
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-3884
(619) 239-5719 fax
Ms. Boxer;
As a resident of San Diego I find it disingenuous, rude and stereo-typical of your tenure that you managed to inject your malignant partisan outlook into a recent "conversation" on Capitol Hill regarding the tragedy in San Diego.
On Tuesday you complained on Capitol Hill that California's National Guard has been compromised because too much of its equipment and personnel are committed in Iraq.
As you very well know that was not a truthful statement. In fact it was a complete fabrication as proved by statements to the contrary from the head of the California National guard.
Shame on you for politicizing this tragedy.
Shame on you for not telling the truth.
Shame on you!
Watchdogg | 10.24.07 08:42 PM
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