Rove Casts Spell on New Orleans Mayor

It seems that some interesting facts have been overlooked in regards to the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, according to Jack Kelly.

The federal response to Katrina was not as portrayed

Jason van Steenwyk is a Florida Army National Guardsman who has been mobilized six times for hurricane relief. He notes that:

"The federal government pretty much met its standard time lines, but the volume of support provided during the 72-96 hour was unprecedented. The federal response here was faster than Hugo, faster than Andrew, faster than Iniki, faster than Francine and Jeanne."

For instance, it took five days for National Guard troops to arrive in strength on the scene in Homestead, Fla. after Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992. But after Katrina, there was a significant National Guard presence in the afflicted region in three.

A better question -- which few journalists ask -- is why weren't the roughly 2,000 municipal and school buses in New Orleans utilized to take people out of the city before Katrina struck?

One might be tempted to chalk this up to a conservative writer defending the president. But it seems New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (who was in charge of those school buses) is with the president as well. He has changed his stance quite dramatically from his blistering criticism of the president in the early days of the crisis.

President 'made things happen'

New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin yesterday said President Bush "made things happen" in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina…

"My interactions with the president, at any time I talked with him and gave him what the real deal was and gave him the truth, he acted and he made things happen," Mr. Nagin told NBC's "Meet the Press."

Now, on its face, this makes no sense. Thank goodness we have the Daily Kos to clear this up for us.

Nagin carrying (flood) water for Bush and Rove

Nagin is carrying water for Rove and Bush…

…aligning himself perfectly with Rove's strategy…

It was Karl Rove! How could I have missed it?

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