The President's visit

[kjohn23]

Our fearless leader will be visiting New Orleans today, oh what relief the residents will have......NOT, His presence will hinder efforts of the National Guard,Fire and Rescue efforts, and Law enforcement. How do I know this ????
During the relief efforts of Hurricane Ivan (Sept 2004), I heard first hand from rescue personnal that they were held in Tallahase, Fl(3 hours away) because President Bush was on the ground in Pensacola. The President should stay in Washington and get Congress back in session working on how to fix this mess, not come into a disaster area and add more problems to a cluster #@$k
of a relief effort.Not to even mention the gasoline and the security force that it takes for him to be in the area. Been ther have the t shirt


Does the President's visit help or hurt the rescue effort???

[BFDNJFF]

he was alread there and it only helps , it will give reasurance that the people are not forgotten , its like when 9-11 happened and the pres came that friday to speak it is a reasurance and kind of a moral boost.It is also no different when he went to Florida after there hurricanes.

[bubtech]

If he didn't visit many more would complain that he dosen't care because he hasn't seen this or that. In the long run it does very little damage to any recovery operations.
BUB

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

People (read;Democrats) complained during last year's hurricanes that he was in the way. Now this year they complained because he didn't go there soon enough. Now they are complaining again that he is in the way.

Is there one honest liberal out there who would please just admit that it doesn't matter what the President does, you are going to complain about it?

[nmfire]

People (read;Democrats) complained during last year's hurricanes that he was in the way. Now this year they complained because he didn't go there soon enough. Now they are complaining again that he is in the way.

Is there one honest liberal out there who would please just admit that it doesn't matter what the President does, you are going to complain about it?

Thank you. Someone had to say it!

[kjohn23]

Yes, George I happen to be a Democrat, but it is not political his visit during Hurricane Ivan held up incoming resources. How do I know this, you might ask? I live in the panhandle of Florida and I am a firefighter who talked with several firefighters that were held up. I for one did not complain because he was not here quick egnough.
He needs to lead, follow or get the hell out of the way.

[dfdems]

I happen to think his helicopter could have been better served in rescuing people rather than carting his entourage around. Not a hard decision, meeting the president or food….meeting the president of getting rescued… Bush loses all the way around by my vote.

[2andfrom]

Having read thirty trillion views on the New Orleans **** up-and this is only on the Firehouse forums--I can see how the Americans lost Vietnam.

Please vent your fury on me-it will not get to me ,cos even the Firehouse forums cannot manage to direct the "E" mails my way.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Yes, George I happen to be a Democrat, but it is not political his visit during Hurricane Ivan held up incoming resources. How do I know this, you might ask? I live in the panhandle of Florida and I am a firefighter who talked with several firefighters that were held up. I for one did not complain because he was not here quick egnough.
He needs to lead, follow or get the hell out of the way.

Would he have been leading if he didn't go there? How about if he didn't go there for two weeks?

I happen to think his helicopter could have been better served in rescuing people rather than carting his entourage around. Not a hard decision, meeting the president or food….meeting the president of getting rescued… Bush loses all the way around by my vote.

I've heard this one too. It is very interesting that libs want to use the Pres. helicopter to rescue people, but are willing to give the dozens of news helicopters flying around the site a pass from the same criticism.

Having read thirty trillion views on the New Orleans **** up-and this is only on the Firehouse forums--I can see how the Americans lost Vietnam.

Typical. Libs have been comparing Iraq to Viet Nam for two years. Why not compare the hurricane to it, too?

[nmfire]

Once again, George hits the nail on the head. People who say they want the president's helicopter to do rescues instead are only looking for way to bad-mouth the president. If that was John Kerry in the helicopter, they wouldn't be saying it. I can't stand how people have try and make the largest instantaneous loss of life on US soil into a front for their own political battle.

[dfdems]

Quote:
I've heard this one too. It is very interesting that libs want to use the Pres. helicopter to rescue people, but are willing to give the dozens of news helicopters flying around the site a pass from the same criticism.

Thanks for branding me as a liberal I guess. If you notice the topic of conversation wasn't "The media flying over" it was "The Presidents visit."

Once again, George hits the nail on the head. People who say they want the president's helicopter to do rescues instead are only looking for way to bad-mouth the president. If that was John Kerry in the helicopter, they wouldn't be saying it. I can't stand how people have try and make the largest instantaneous loss of life on US soil into a front for their own political battle.

If it was Kerry in the helicopter I would say the same thing. I like the way you guys make blanket statements on what my opinions are. What political battle? Do you see me asking you to vote for someone or pushing a particular party?

I don't see the reason for his visit other than I guess that is what presidents have done in the past for most natural disasters. The only blame or fault I place is on the system. It ramped up to slowly I think.

[nmfire]

My comments aren't neccessarily directed at you. Just the "typical liberal". If that isn't you, than it isn't you.

[Jasper 45]

I don't see the reason for his visit other than I guess that is what presidents have done in the past for most natural disasters. The only blame or fault I place is on the system. It ramped up to slowly I think.

The whole job of president is really nothing more than one photo op after another. Do his visits really help? I don't think they do, except for morale, or just being a visible component of our government. Does he hinder an operation? Absolutely not, and to say so is foolish, it's nothing more than letting partisan attitudes take the front page.

Instead of blaming the president for not using Marine One for rescues, try looking deeper into the issue. Maybe ask the governor of Louisiana why there was so much indecisiveness in asking for federal help. It's important to remember that there are laws in place regarding federal intervention. It's a local and state issue until the respective state government asks for federal help.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

It wasn't indecisiveness. It was incompetence.

[slackjawedyokel]

Incompetence ---- agreed ---- on ALL levels.

[Peetmoss]

I in all honesty think is the Presidents job to visit and reassure the people. After all he is our leader, and I believe he genuinely cares.

This is just another case of Damned if you do damned if you don't

[hwoods]

This is just another case of Damned if you do damned if you don't

Damned if you ain't right!..........

[FEMAwhatajoke]

Instead of blaming the president for not using Marine One for rescues, try looking deeper into the issue. Maybe ask the governor of Louisiana why there was so much indecisiveness in asking for federal help. It's important to remember that there are laws in place regarding federal intervention. It's a local and state issue until the respective state government asks for federal help.[/QUOTE]

The Governor and also the La. State Police all requested more fire and rescue boats. They were told that FEMA Task Force Teams were the only Fire and Rescue groups that were available to be deployed. The Governor and the State Police Command post did not know that there are Volunteer Fire and Rescue Departments with rescue quality boats and USAR and water rescue trained personnel until people like myself made the phone calls. The Louisiana State Police rep. called me back and said that FEMA told them that the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Departments will not be a part of the Operation Tasks, however may be used for Community Outreach 30 day deployments hading out FEMA help information, period! Now, I know many of you are career and many are Volunteer, bottom line, I care not if you collect a paycheck or are a trained volunteer as myself, what I care about is the fact that the fire service as a whole was messed on by FEMA. Volunteers moreson than career side since FEMA Task Force Teams are all Career. Hmmm lining someones pockets.

Flame me if you want, at least I called to try to make a difference and not back seat quarterbacked behind a computer screen.

[mcaldwell]

The pres had to go. The backlash at the photo op is nothing compared to what kind of hell would have been raised if he didn't go.

It is also important for our leaders to see these things first hand so they have a real appreciation for the situation. As compelling as TV images are, they are no substitute for first hand experience.

[nmfire]

I made some phone calls myself and got the same non-sense. The poor guy on the phone you could tell was probably at the end of his rope. I explained who I was and what I could do. He said that if you're out of state, you have to call your local FEMA office. To which I replied something along the lines of "Oh lord". His response was "yea, tell me about it." You can tell they need the help we want to give them but it being beurocraticly blocked. If I lived closer, I would simply drive down myself with a chain saw start helping people unofficially. It's ludicrious. I'm sure there are 2,000 random volunteers in this country that would love to fill out FEMA's paperwork for them instead.