Friday, September 09, 2005
Mid-Terms: Grading our Leadership
10 Days out and only some grasp the gravity of Katrina
Well, we're 10 days plus out from the disaster and the good news is some things are starting to gel while others (e.g. FEMA) continue to flail. So let's update our grades of those here in DC and their responses/comments on the Katrina relief effort.
George Bush C/C-: He seems to be paying lip service to some of the feds failures, but at the same time he may be slipping into this..things are better than they seem attitude. I'm still hoping that he demonstrates those leadership skills I've heard so much about by firing Brown and Certoff. As I mentioned yesterday, industry/local government leaders here in DC had to personally call on Bush to stop FEMA from seizing their equiptment so that they could do their jobs. Even Trent Lott had to personally call on Bush to get FEMA to move temporary housing trailers into MS. Those trailers are still sitting in Atlanta. How many more failures of FEMA/DHS does Bush need brought to his attention before he 'gets it?".
Dennis Hastert F--: Perhaps I could give old Denny boy a double ZZ for a grade. He's come across so badly in his response I've found it shocking. Remember, this guy flew back to DC to preside of the Terri Schiavo bill, but decided the vote on emergency funds for Katrina relief weren't important enough to come back to DC. Why'd he stay in IL? He had a political fundraiser to attend and was auctioning off one of his antique cars. He's lashed out at critics saying that folks can stand on the sidelines and criticize or they can try to make things right. Does he mean stand on the sidelines like he's doing? Harsh, whinny and excuse ridden. I expected better from you Denny-Boy.
Bill Frist A-/B+: As shocked as I've been about Hastert's response, I've been pleasantly surprised by the good Dr. Frist. Readers of this blog know that Elephant doesn't have much respect for the Majority leader's political skills, but First has walked the line well in his public statements about the disaster. Yes, he acknowledged, there are problems at the federal level that are not excused by state and local issues, and yes we're going to get to the bottom of it. Positive and critical at the same time and only minimal amount of excuses. Of course we'll have to see if he follows up word with deed.
Laura Bush D: Harsh perhaps, but he assertion that the situation isn't as bad as the media is reporting makes me this that the situation is worse than the media is reporting. Oh yes, and ten days after the worst natural disaster in our countries history, she repeatedly refers to it a Corrina
Senator Santorum A+: The Senator gets to the head of the class solely on his consistent ability to take a situation to express compassion and fail miserably. He advocated fining those who stayed behind and had to be rescued. Then backtracked when it dawned on him that many who didn't leave were poor, had no transportation, or were physically incapacitated and couldn't get out.
More to come....
Well, we're 10 days plus out from the disaster and the good news is some things are starting to gel while others (e.g. FEMA) continue to flail. So let's update our grades of those here in DC and their responses/comments on the Katrina relief effort.
George Bush C/C-: He seems to be paying lip service to some of the feds failures, but at the same time he may be slipping into this..things are better than they seem attitude. I'm still hoping that he demonstrates those leadership skills I've heard so much about by firing Brown and Certoff. As I mentioned yesterday, industry/local government leaders here in DC had to personally call on Bush to stop FEMA from seizing their equiptment so that they could do their jobs. Even Trent Lott had to personally call on Bush to get FEMA to move temporary housing trailers into MS. Those trailers are still sitting in Atlanta. How many more failures of FEMA/DHS does Bush need brought to his attention before he 'gets it?".
Dennis Hastert F--: Perhaps I could give old Denny boy a double ZZ for a grade. He's come across so badly in his response I've found it shocking. Remember, this guy flew back to DC to preside of the Terri Schiavo bill, but decided the vote on emergency funds for Katrina relief weren't important enough to come back to DC. Why'd he stay in IL? He had a political fundraiser to attend and was auctioning off one of his antique cars. He's lashed out at critics saying that folks can stand on the sidelines and criticize or they can try to make things right. Does he mean stand on the sidelines like he's doing? Harsh, whinny and excuse ridden. I expected better from you Denny-Boy.
Bill Frist A-/B+: As shocked as I've been about Hastert's response, I've been pleasantly surprised by the good Dr. Frist. Readers of this blog know that Elephant doesn't have much respect for the Majority leader's political skills, but First has walked the line well in his public statements about the disaster. Yes, he acknowledged, there are problems at the federal level that are not excused by state and local issues, and yes we're going to get to the bottom of it. Positive and critical at the same time and only minimal amount of excuses. Of course we'll have to see if he follows up word with deed.
Laura Bush D: Harsh perhaps, but he assertion that the situation isn't as bad as the media is reporting makes me this that the situation is worse than the media is reporting. Oh yes, and ten days after the worst natural disaster in our countries history, she repeatedly refers to it a Corrina
Senator Santorum A+: The Senator gets to the head of the class solely on his consistent ability to take a situation to express compassion and fail miserably. He advocated fining those who stayed behind and had to be rescued. Then backtracked when it dawned on him that many who didn't leave were poor, had no transportation, or were physically incapacitated and couldn't get out.
More to come....
