The Bush Administration is investigating itself

Status
Not open for further replies.

Matt

Supporting Founder
Original poster
Supporting Founder
Oct 27, 2004
204
0
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush has tapped homeland security adviser Frances Townsend to lead an internal inquiry into the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, but leading Democrats renewed calls for an independent probe.

Townsend, who leads the president's homeland security council, will follow up on Bush's promise two weeks ago to figure out what went wrong in sending federal help to the regions devastated by the August 29 hurricane, the White House said.

She does not yet have a deadline or time frame for the inquiry, but she will be sitting down with Cabinet secretaries "in the next few days" to talk about how to move forward on completing it, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told CNN.

He said White House Chief of Staff Andy Card told all Cabinet secretaries last week that Townsend would lead the internal investigation, and had asked them to "give participation in the inquiry the highest priority."

Victims and public officials in the hurricane-stricken region accused federal agencies of botching the response to Katrina, which struck near the Mississippi-Louisiana state line. Nearly 1,000 deaths have been blamed on the Category 4 hurricane, which left much of New Orleans flooded and demolished beach towns along the Mississippi coast.

While Bush administration allies tried to deflect blame toward state and local officials, the outcry prompted the reassignment and subsequent resignation of Michael Brown, Bush's Federal Emergency Management Agency director. Democrats have called for an independent inquiry into the response to the disaster, a step favored by 81 percent of those surveyed in a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Monday.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, said Townsend "may be a very competent individual. But how in the world can we get to the truth of the question as to what went wrong with Hurricane Katrina -- how can we really hope to discover the incompetence that led to all this human suffering and devastation -- if the administration is going to investigate itself?"

But White House spokesman Trent Duffy promised the White House investigation will be "robust," and said there will also be a congressional probe -- although congressional leaders appeared unable to move forward with plans for an inquiry by House and Senate members Tuesday.

Duffy called Townsend one of those "hardened and experienced government officials."

"Her credentials are impeccable. She worked across party lines in the past and she is the perfect and natural point person for this exercise," he added.

Durbin, the Senate minority whip, also questioned why deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, Bush's top political adviser, is playing a significant role in reconstruction efforts.

"Putting Karl Rove in charge makes no sense whatsoever," Durbin said. "He has no resume and no skills other than running political campaigns -- and if he is being put in place to protect the president politically, that decision does not serve the best interests of the American people, nor of the victims of Hurricane Katrina."

But Duffy said Rove -- a controversial figure Bush has dubbed the architect of his presidential campaigns -- is "part of the policy apparatus of the White House." He said the president, not Rove, would be leading the administration's effort.

"This is not about Karl Rove, it's about helping the victims of Katrina. That is what the administration is focused on," he said. "If others want to engage in the worst kind of politics, that's their business. We don't believe that contributes to the recovery effort."

Townsend was tapped because she heads the president's homeland security council. Townsend was appointed to her position by President Bush in 2004 after serving as the deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism. Before arriving at the White House, she served in various intelligence positions at the Coast Guard and the Justice Department. She began her career as a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York, in 1985.
 
I think everyone needs to get off the BUSH administration trying to place all the blame on them and maybe start looking at mayors, and locals, and the people who were living there that were told to leave in plenty of time before the storm hit. I am not saying we have to blame someone, but this is sad that people use a hurricane and jump all over bush, get off him he is doing a good job.
 
Sorry Bush is a abysmal failure, at least as commander and chief.... Lacked sufficent boots on ground to maintain order after winning initial war.

Homeland security is a joke. Imagine if Katrina were a intential attack:(

Bush is going to hurt the republican part terribly at the next congressional election...

Hillary our next president:(.

Investigaion should be a indenpendent commision..
 
ANY investigation should be independant, to avoid bias.

It upset me to hear that at first Bush didn't want an investigation into 9/11.

I'm a Republican, and I like some of what Bush does, but then I see the other stuff and wonder how he can do what he does....
 
Bush a failure, I am sorry I think you are wrong friend, I am not saying he is the best, but I dont think he is a failure- a failure because he didnt start to help people out till two days after a hurricane hit, oh wait they shouldnt have been there they were told to leave, Bush's fault-no, I will give you the homeland security thing is a joke, but I think with some tweeking could be a very good thing! again I am a Republican and like neutron said he is not all right, but he is the president and he is not doing a BAD job, sorry that was the president before him, who as we all know would have been getting his shaft taken care of, and lying rather thenhelping people out
 
Bob Haller said:
Sorry Bush is a abysmal failure, at least as commander and chief.... Lacked sufficent boots on ground to maintain order after winning initial war.

Homeland security is a joke. Imagine if Katrina were a intential attack:(

Bush is going to hurt the republican part terribly at the next congressional election...

Hillary our next president:(.

Investigaion should be a indenpendent commision..

:D

Just thought the whole thing was kinda funny.
 
Here's the link by the way. http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/20/katrina.townsend/index.html
It's a DAMN shame that this tragedy is going to be played like some kind of trump card by one of the party's. IMHO The Democrats are making a terrible mistake here. If they truly wanted to help the country, rather than looking to create a divide. They should come up with some ideas. Rather than throwing political darts. The truth of the matter is that this country has never seen an event like this. ( and to be fair neither has any state or city) This entire course of events could not be helped by anyone. We in this country seem to always want to lay blame at someones feet, for whatever happens. Yes we have evacuation plans in place for such events. Will they work? I don't think so. That being said neither the mayor of New Orleans nor the governor of Louisina have distinguished themselves as leaders. On the other hand our president has reached out and although not personally responsible for this debacle has taken a page from Harry Truman. He has taken responsibility for things that were and still are, out of his direct control. There are people on this board that do not live in our country and try as they may will never understand the way we do things here. There are people on this board that were born in other nations and do live here. It is beyond me why someone fitting the latter desciption would live here and have such an ill feeling for our way of doing things. My first inclination would be to say '' DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE ASS ON YOUR WAY OUT" (Those of you whom have been following this and other threads will know what I'm talking about.)While as Americans we believe they have a right to their opinions At times like these I look to someone who will lead. I look away from those who (for their own reasons) would try to grasp a political opportunity. I would hope that most of us in this country could do the same.
 
Oh come on, nobody's right anymore in terms of democrats and republicans. They BOTH have to take EVERY shot they can because they know the other side will do it. It's absurd...

Bush has got to be feeling guilty about SOMETHING or else he would be insisting on an independent investigation. Period

Bush is a failure in almost every way, and it's documented. This is a guy who OPPOSED the current wild card format for baseball playoffs (which is a huge success) after being handed a part-ownership in the texas rangers. He's a guy who went bankrupt running oil companies in texas. Couldn't find Oil in Texas, ain't that something to say...It's like saying you couldn't find old people in florida. He's a guy who was a coke addict until he was 40, has a real shady past regarding his service to the country, both his parents are liars, his wife is a liar, etc...

There's a reason people hate bush and it's just because they're democrats. It's because sometimes there's SO much truth slapping you in the face that you can't turn the other cheek anymore. Without 9/11 he'd have a whole different presidency. With average vocabulary skills he'd have a whole different presidency. Without a Waste of a War in Iraw he'd have a whole different presidency. When you consider that all 3 of these things were avoidable, and they weren't because he's a slacker who hires other slackers for major jobs, and it's frustrating.

The U.S. used to be the greatest country in the world. SOME of us would like to see it go back to that again soon, and that means changes need to be made. We're falling behind the scientists in asia, we're oursourcing our tech jobs to India (What great technology/software EVER came out of india??), we're completely held hostage to the gas prices that Bush's Buddies are allowed to charge us for oil. They bailed him out many times when he went bankrupt so don't say they're not chummy.

It's just too much. Even if you were a sucker who believed he's sincere, and I don't know how you could since he can't stop smirking for longer than a minute, you can only turn the other way so many times before you're dizzy from spinning so damn much...
 
Purogamer said:
Oh come on, nobody's right anymore in terms of democrats and republicans. They BOTH have to take EVERY shot they can because they know the other side will do it. It's absurd...

Bush has got to be feeling guilty about SOMETHING or else he would be insisting on an independent investigation. Period

Bush is a failure in almost every way, and it's documented. This is a guy who OPPOSED the current wild card format for baseball playoffs (which is a huge success) after being handed a part-ownership in the texas rangers. He's a guy who went bankrupt running oil companies in texas. Couldn't find Oil in Texas, ain't that something to say...It's like saying you couldn't find old people in florida. He's a guy who was a coke addict until he was 40, has a real shady past regarding his service to the country, both his parents are liars, his wife is a liar, etc...

There's a reason people hate bush and it's just because they're democrats. It's because sometimes there's SO much truth slapping you in the face that you can't turn the other cheek anymore. Without 9/11 he'd have a whole different presidency. With average vocabulary skills he'd have a whole different presidency. Without a Waste of a War in Iraw he'd have a whole different presidency. When you consider that all 3 of these things were avoidable, and they weren't because he's a slacker who hires other slackers for major jobs, and it's frustrating.

The U.S. used to be the greatest country in the world. SOME of us would like to see it go back to that again soon, and that means changes need to be made. We're falling behind the scientists in asia, we're oursourcing our tech jobs to India (What great technology/software EVER came out of india??), we're completely held hostage to the gas prices that Bush's Buddies are allowed to charge us for oil. They bailed him out many times when he went bankrupt so don't say they're not chummy.

It's just too much. Even if you were a sucker who believed he's sincere, and I don't know how you could since he can't stop smirking for longer than a minute, you can only turn the other way so many times before you're dizzy from spinning so damn much...

Man we suck here in the US huh??? :shocked Can we do anything right....gotta run Sen. Schumer found another TV camera and is trying to get an interview on Nick. and here comes durbin, leahy, and ole' teddy driving.................LOOK OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Bob Haller said:
Hillary our next president:(.

I have no doubt that the Dems will nominate her, but Hillary isn't Bill, she can't turn red states to blue. A Hillary Clinton candidacy will energize the right wing of the Republican party like no other, they truly hate her. If the moderates can push a candidate like McCain past the conservatives, the results won't even be close. In the end Hillary might as well be Kerry, just another Eastern liberal.

Reminds me of the quote: "Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over under the same conditions and expecting a different outcome each time"


NightRyder
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)

Latest posts