Thursday, September 01, 2005
How to Be A Leader:
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
Bush is finally catching up to the crisis, but his press conference yesterday should have taken place before the storm even hit. But like 9/11, in the absence of national leadership local leaders are stepping up and taking charge. Kathleen Blanco has emerged as the Rudy Giuliani of the hurricane disaster. She's been forthright and strong, yet has not been immune from showing emotion during what must be an incredibly stressful period.
She's responsible for helping ensure that the remaining 80,000 or so people in New Orleans get out safely and to manage a crisis no state has seen since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. She's been the voice of this disaster, working with her neighboring states (Kudos to Governor Perry for opening Texas to the refugees) to solve problems while the Feds are still trying to get up and running. If there remains any doubt in this day and age that a woman cannot be a forceful, strong or compassionate leader, Governor Blanco should quell those concerns. She kicks @ss.
On the other hand, in the press conferences I have seen, Senator Mary Landrieu has come across as completely over eager, to the point of opportunistic. She's interrupted many speakers at press conferences, including the governor, to add comments that amount to "Look at me!". Please, someone on her staff should pull her back and take a supporting role to the state government.
Bush is finally catching up to the crisis, but his press conference yesterday should have taken place before the storm even hit. But like 9/11, in the absence of national leadership local leaders are stepping up and taking charge. Kathleen Blanco has emerged as the Rudy Giuliani of the hurricane disaster. She's been forthright and strong, yet has not been immune from showing emotion during what must be an incredibly stressful period.
She's responsible for helping ensure that the remaining 80,000 or so people in New Orleans get out safely and to manage a crisis no state has seen since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. She's been the voice of this disaster, working with her neighboring states (Kudos to Governor Perry for opening Texas to the refugees) to solve problems while the Feds are still trying to get up and running. If there remains any doubt in this day and age that a woman cannot be a forceful, strong or compassionate leader, Governor Blanco should quell those concerns. She kicks @ss.
On the other hand, in the press conferences I have seen, Senator Mary Landrieu has come across as completely over eager, to the point of opportunistic. She's interrupted many speakers at press conferences, including the governor, to add comments that amount to "Look at me!". Please, someone on her staff should pull her back and take a supporting role to the state government.
