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Doing Disaster Relief Right
Peter Beinart, senior political writer for The Daily Beast, is associate professor of journalism and political science at City University of New York and a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. His new book, The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris, is now available from HarperCollins. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
Jae C. Hong / AP Photo
There’s a reason President Obama’s response to catastrophe has been so much better than Bush’s. It helps to believe in the power of government to aid lives.
Here’s something you’re not supposed to say: Barack Obama has responded to the earthquake in Haiti much better than George W. Bush responded to Hurricane Katrina or the Indian Ocean tsunami. Here’s something you’re really not supposed to say: He’s responded better because he’s a liberal. Liberals see responding to humanitarian disasters, including overseas, as a more fundamental responsibility of government than conservatives do. Don’t take my word for it—listen to the nation’s most influential conservative commentators themselves.
Liberals see helping those in agony—even in other lands—as a big part of what the American government is supposed to do.
The fact that Obama has responded better is obvious—pundits and politicians just aren’t supposed to say so for fear of politicizing a tragedy. Within half an hour of learning of the Haitian earthquake, the White House released a statement. The president cleared his public schedule the following day, and received five briefings in 26 hours. The secretaries of State and Defense both cut short trips to Asia, and Obama and Hillary Clinton each named one of their closest aides (Dennis McDonough at the National Security Council, Cheryl Mills at State) to coordinate disaster relief. Hillary personally visited the island, and Vice President Joe Biden met Haitian-Americans in Miami. Within a day of the earthquake, a U.S. aircraft carrier was en route and Obama had announced $100 million in aid.
Compare that to the Bush administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina. Twelve hours before Katrina reached the U.S., Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff flew to Atlanta to attend a conference on bird flu, even though he and the president had already been warned that a major hurricane could breach New Orleans’ levees. On Tuesday morning, August 30, a day after the hurricane hit, Bush flew to California to commemorate America’s World War II victory over Japan; then returned to Crawford, Texas, to continue his vacation. On Wednesday, he flew over the devastated Gulf Coast, but didn’t set foot there till Friday. Even Louisiana Republican Senator David Vitter gave the administration’s response an F.
Similarly, it took a vacationing Bush three days to make a public statement about the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed a quarter of a million people. His administration’s initial aid pledge was $15 million, which led the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs to call the response of America and other Western countries “stingy.” Stung by the criticism, Bush later increased U.S. aid, and oversaw a substantial humanitarian effort by the American military. But as with Katrina, his initial response was passive, if not downright negligent.
• Gerald Shargel: Haiti’s Lawless Streets
• Amy Wilentz: What Haiti Needs from the U.S. It’s true that Obama has the benefit of hindsight. He knows that the inept response to Katrina damaged Bush’s presidency (and that he himself was sharply criticized for taking too long to publicly discuss the Christmas bomb attack). But there’s more to it than that. The discrepancy between Obama and Bush mirrors a broader discrepancy between liberals and conservatives. Last Wednesday—the first full day of earthquake coverage in the U.S. press—MSNBC’s three signature evening shows (Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, and Chris Matthews) devoted a total of more than two hours to Haiti, according to the liberal group Media Matters. By contrast, Fox’s three signature shows (Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck) devoted less than seven minutes. Noting that MSNBC (not to mention CNN) had sent some of its top anchors and reporters to the island, Rush Limbaugh actually boasted on his radio show that “I am… the top media figure not broadcasting from Haiti.”
And it wasn’t just that Limbaugh, O’Reilly, Hannity and Beck largely ignored the earthquake. They implicitly explained why they were ignoring it: because they didn’t believe an aggressive Washington response would do any good. “The USA will once again pour millions into that country, much of which will be stolen,” declared O’Reilly. “Once again we will do more than anyone else on the planet and a year from today Haiti will be just as bad as it is today.” On his radio show, Beck argued against any non-military assistance from Washington. “We’ve poured millions into there,” added Limbaugh, “and it’s pouring it down a drain.”
In fact, recent foreign aid to Haiti has been anything but money down a drain. Largely because of a highly successful U.N. peacekeeping effort, Haiti in 2008 held a peaceful democratic election. Five days before the earthquake hit, the country got its first international hotel franchise in a decade.
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dooreen
Goodwill is everything.
Every dollar spent on Goodwill will return itself.
I guess it is now in the Billions, we have spent on those two wars, and do you think the world is a safer better place.
Oh probably on paper.
Snaggle2th
Two World Wars? And the world isn'r safer because of them...
I suppose you and the other right-wingers would be perfectly happy with Herr Hitler and his Reich... after all, American conservatives in the 1930s just LOVED him... fighting communism, not to mention his wondeful espousal of Aryan volk und kulture.
And so far as goodwill goes, look up Lend-Lease or Marshall Plan sometime... the USA BANKED lots of goodwill and political capital in the old days and Mr. Bush and his ilk have squandered it...
wareagle82
and you left wingers continue to traffic in odious Nazi talking points. As memory serves, it was a wobbly left led by one Neville Chamberlain that developed the policy of appeasement long after Hitler had revealed himself. Did anyone in the early 30's know what he would be like? No, but those in the latter part of the decade sure did, and they did zero. That would include FDR, who I believe was president during the entire Hitler rise and fall.
Strive to be a smarter liberal. I know it'll be hard as you will have to rely on something other than the repetition of the tired talking points you hear on the alphabet soup networks. Just as conservatives have figured out that all of theirs aren't great, liberals will come to a similar conclusion.
AlanD2
I think dooreen is talking about Afghanistan and Iraq, Snaggle2th.
booga20
"Liberalism is a mental illness".it's not a joke, it's a fact!!
lx-Isaac
to wareagle
The chamberlain comment of all this is a retarded talking point by the far right. If you actually knew what really happened at that time you would know there is a lot more regarding appeasement than mere 'libel weakness'.
Chamberlain stood alone again the germans, the US was in full on isolationism mode. Germany has the biggest military in the world and 2nd largest economy. With only the French standing with the UK any attempts at war with germany at that time is plain suicide. Appeasement was the only alternative and provided valuable time for chamberlain to kick start preparations for war.
dont just buy all the bullshit talking points from fox about how obama is like chamberlain without even know what chamberlain's accomplishments and failures are.
johnnyboy56
It was american conservatives such as Eisenhower who led the war effort as soldiers while the left was busy establishing the communist presense in the U.S. with the rest of the draftdodgers and Hollywood elite.
sophia5
The Irony Mr. Beinart.
You give credit to LIBERALS for responding to such crisis',
yet it is largely the CONSERVATIVE United States Military
that usually comes to the rescue
in these situations . . .
. . . the same United States military that tends to lean to the RIGHT,
the same United States Military that is often despised by some Liberals.
Protesting war is admirable, but outright dismissing the purpose and
importance of our Military by some on the Left is misguided.
The CONSERVATIVE U.S. Military is always at the forefront of such
rescue efforts and aid to those in need.
Imagine the city of San Francisco if it suffers a catastrophic earthquake,
or any type of catastrophe.
Yes, that San Francisco, the city that in general is hostile towards
our Military, yet if " That Time " ever comes, those Liberal San Francisco
Officials will be begging for our Military's help.
shappy77
Dear Wareagle82
I would expect more from somebody with your username. I graduated from Auburn and I learned in European history that Neville Chamberlain was a conservative. You maybe should have listened more in class instead of just spouting off stuff without knowing what the heck you was talking about
TripBullseye
Wareagle82,
like most people, you have no real knowledge of history. Neville Chamberlain was a CONSERVATIVE heading up a conservative (Tory) government. When he was booted out, a Labour (as in Liberal) coalition took power with Churchill as its head. FDR understood the Nazi threat from the beginning. Isolationism had a hold on America at that time, as anyone who was awake in high school would know. And conservatives of that day had an unbridled love for 'de fuehrer'. Roosevelt was a downright genius in getting aid to the British and the Russians despite the obstacles put up by congress. No one less than Churchill himself acknowledged that FDR was owed a great debt, more than anyone realized then and infinitely more than what biased conservatives today can stand to accept. Try learning your history before lecturing anyone else.
PMCronin
I would contend that the main difference between liberals and conservatives regarding Haiti relates more to whether there is an enduring and long-term commitment to help Haitians. The reality is that there is strong bipartisan support for providing effective humanitarian relief worldwide.
gak001
Sure, it's bipartisan, as long as you're not counting Limbaugh, Beck, and Fox News.
iamone3
Don`t forget the left posters on TDB, trashing our military.
Aslanleon
That would explain the thousands of mission volunteers and the millions of dollars that conservative Christians bring to Haiti every year, wouldn't it.
democracyforall
this article is so stupid. there are people from all opinions and walks of life responding to this disaster.
whipmawhopma
bingo
kerfeet
The Haiti Aid effort is The War on Tremor
crypto
Don't you know it democracyfor all. These flippen people are nonethinkers from both sides. Obama can't fix this disaster by wavingt a majic wand and neither could Bush. Just like New Orleans this is a "years" thing. I can give several objections to Obama's response. And it will be as much help as the criticism of Katrina and Bush. I will offer this. If this administration want's to get really good donations to this disaster then make the contributions tax deductable. That' will about double the contributions.
MadCharles
I'm ashamed of you Peter. You know very well Bush was blocked by the Democrat governor and Mayor Negan from entering New Orleans with FEMA. Everything needed for survival from Katrina was ready and waiting on the pad a week before the dam broke. The call never came until photos of the school buses appeared.
Stop being just another hack and elevate your Beast postings to the high quality the Beast strives for in representing truth journalism. People are better educated today and can spot a jive talker a mile away.
crypto
Unfortunately you're talking to a jerk MadCharles. Peter is living up to his contract. He has been noted in the past for this kind of drivel.
crypto
Oh yes Peter. How about the orphan babies in Haiti that the state department won't allow into the US. As far as your idiot remarks about FOX, that network has been on the state departments ass all day about their refusal of letting babies in the country that have already been adopted. Get your crap straight.
iamone3
Thank you MadCharles, I was right her in Texas when the Democratic governor of Louisiana & New Orleans Mayor Ray Negan behaved so irresponsibly. We here in Texas could not believe the mayor was reelected (unbelievable).
President Bush legally had to wait on these imbeciles to ask for help. The pictures coming in here was a picture of total chaos, police abandoned the area, there was no leadership period.
I well remember that, and while I was not a big Bush supporter, he is not alone in mistakes made. Hopefully something worthwhile was learned. People need to quit pointing fingers.
Uncommonsense
The right wingnuts are so busy these days with revisionist history.
johnnyboy56
The were private companies who had established mobile response teams designed to move rapidly to address these kind of emergencies. They were made up of civilian professionals with the skills necessary to establish on-site control teams capable of drecting this kind of response. Don't know what happened to them. They kind of disappeared with the new administration or at the tail endo of the last one. It was a great concept.
Desertpenguin
The word this article is looking for is
COMPASSION.
It's an advanced spiritual quality that's been discussed since forever.
Why do so many right-wing Americans hold this value in contempt?
And why are so many right-wingers on TDB so cynical about it?
The answers won't be found in politics but in the kind of person you are.
dana64
GOOD will is everything ! here in this case of Haiti.
BUT
I do NOT think that IRAQ war was started with GOOD WILL or planned with Good will.................LATER on it changed and there was some good will.
I also realize that sometimes the road to hell is paved with good intentions............like NOT PULLING THE PLUG ON GRANdMA if the TAXPAYERS has to pay for soemeone else's grandma..................!!.
end of life costs are just HELLISH
reardongalt
Now maybe if he learns how to respond to someone blowing up a US City, he might actually be useful. But I wouldn't hold my breath.
CarrieAnn
Which US city got blown up that he didn't respond to?
goffbum
Typical of lib's they respond to high profile stuff but what about what's happening to America....how about helping a little in this country....
Johnnyappleseed
I believe to give reardon the benifit by the use of the word if annie.
You know like what the definition of is...is
Chuckv
Reardongalt, conservatives in general, and Cheney most specifically, are ready to blame soft-hearted Obama for any terrorist act that might occur from the day of his inauguration on forward. Liberals are just not tough enough to deal with any foreign danger. But the reality is that no president can change long enduring organizational culture very quickly, if at all. For example, failure of the CIA to share information with other agencies was a factor in 9/11 and the recent underwear bomber. It has been a problem since the Eisenhower administration. Spy agencies need to hide the identity of their informants and that creates a social norm favoring secrecy. The problem is only susceptible to mitigation, it can never be solved. But facts like this don't matter. If a city is blown up, it will be Obama's fault, no matter the circumstances.
As far as charity goes, the social conservatives who drink the Kool-Aid are much more charitable than the Limbaughs who mix it. He and Fox News really do not give a rat's ass about the people of Haiti. You want to help the people of Haiti? Give them a tax cut.
AlanD2
Conservatives are now blaming Clinton for 9/11, Chuckv.
In fact, some of them are claiming that it did not happen while Bush was in office.
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Johnnyappleseed
Conjecture, pure conjecture
gak001
I'd rather President Obama continue demonstrating his knowledge of how to prevent someone from blowing up a US city altogether... unlike certain previous elected officials.
helloricko
What a friggin' dumb thing to say.
FarLeftFist
True, like when "conservative" Scott Brown denied financial aid to Red Cross rescue workers who had volunteered with 9/11 recovery efforts. As a state representative at the time, Brown was one out of only three legislators who had opposed the overwhelmingly bipartisan measure saying "Yes, it was a time when our budget was down. We had a lot of cuts unfortunately, and we had to take care of our own priorities first."
During the same month Brown was voting down efforts to support 9/11 rescue workers, he was pushing a bill to appropriate a tax-subsidized bond to build a golf course in Norfolk, a city in his district. "Priorities," indeed.
democracyforall
did they volunteer or expect financial aid and get pre-approval?
Fathom
Enough! This self-congratulatory posture over what History will record as a blown-show is a dangerous farce. Before any neo-cons start to crow, understand; under President Cheney & Bonzo the response would have been 1000% worse.
That being said; the first 72-hours, the critical period in disaster recovery; were badly mishandled by USAID. USAID! The State Department's economic hit men? This was a job for FERC. If the prior administration hadn't destroyed what was once a show-piece of proper response to adversity, things might be very different in Haiti today. As it now stands, there will be a massive tally of unnecessary deaths. There will be a period of violent reaction to the underwhelming response shown by a 'Parent Nation' that is supposed to be better than the results indicate they are. The International Community has been treated to another close-up of how inept and misguided we've become. It wouldn't have been a walk in the park. However, we could have done this right, from the outset. We could have done a competent job of disaster relief on a scale that would have succeeded. We might have impressed the World, for a change. We were given a disaster, never any fun. We could have engineered a response that would have shown the World we are getting our Mojo back. Instead we are already engaging in "Newspeak." 'Bad Response is Good Response.' 'Populace in Misery, is Grateful Inhabitants of a Devastated Nation.' Talk's cheap! Actions speak louder than words. Our actions are an indictment, and they are a sure indication of how far we have fallen. We've done this right in the past. That we've demonstrated such incompetence in the face of the catastrophe at hand is our National Shame. Now is not the time to politicize. It's time for some serious introspection. It's time to catalog and analyze our present failures. It's time to address how we can do this better next time. For mark my words; next-time will be upon us sooner than we think.
lanerd
Fathom ,you're right words are cheap . Your claim ; incompetence , National Shame and how far we have fallen . Really ! This country has 12,000 troops on the ground , has promised 100,000,000 dollars ,has planes flying in loaded with relief supplies , the citizens are donating millions and you say we should be ashamed of how we act ! Back to your statement ; words are cheap , yea you proved that , so who is your hero Mr. Hugo , Fidel what country responded better ? hows the UN doing ? I've sent 100.00 dollars maybe not much but I don't have much what about you ? Well you were right about one thing " words are cheap "
Fathom
lanerd, You're right, I'm right; Words are cheap. I have two left . . . Loma Prieta. We had our city back up and running in three days. I could wax loquacious on how we did it. It all boils down to a simple truth. We hit it, high, low and in between. We didn't stop until the it was better. We didn't worry about might have beens. We were too busy doing.
meede1
Do you drink your own pee often? Sure sounds like it.
The USAID is not the ones that are in control of the situation. The control and authoriations still falls under the Haitian Government and the UN.
When you actually get off your duff and particpate in a situation of first responders, recovery, etc. - then have a thought. Till then:
Go fill your next glass and have another drink as you have no fricking idea.
Fathom
Been there. Did better than this. Clearly, I'm doing better than you. FOAD.
Fathom
Nix FERC. Meant FEMA. FERC's a topic for another essay.
booga20
It's ok...your a liberal.......we understand, out of compassion we have no choice.....you are all equivalent to children........
wareagle82
Bush's biggest mistake re: Katrina was expecting the govts of NOLA and LA to be more competent than that of Haiti. Obama was under no such illusions.
democracyforall
and yet Obama did nothing to prepare the logistics in Haiti.
Without a port or major roads, with the airport maxed-out, there's a lot of aid that can't get into Haiti.
AlanD2
Actually the biggest problem is distributing supplies into the city, DFA.
As for you logistics complaint, what do you expect Obama to do? Expand the airport, rebuild the port, put in new roads? In just a few days?
ThinkAgain
The reporters were in there right away. Doctors were complaining about not even having gaze to stem bleeding. Just how many people would it take to run a little gaze in there for them? They were putting up huge military tents instead.
We need a quick response team that doesn't require a mountain of infrastructure before it even gets started. Time is critical.
theschmooze
Bush had faith in the local and state government of New Orleans and Louisiana. These two entities have been corrupt for decades. Why would anyone put faith where faith does not belong? Bush ignored the problem for too long because he is and was a man who had no business making decisions pertaining to events like Katrina. Obama has asked for Bush's help because he has connections to $, not because Bush is a clear thinker.
Johnnyappleseed
Bush had the wrong impression of the State elected officials, they froze like a deer in the headlights.
If bush would have had Katrina move farther west, everything would have been alright, dumb mistake on his part.
crypto
Bush had no choice but to respond to the request. But it's gonna be interesting to see how the democrats dump something on him before this is over. I hope to hell he and his advisors have sense enough to keep all contributions out of his name and do not allow any avenue for this administration to accuse him of misdeeds. This attorney general is a snake and he'd do it in a heartbeat.
democracyforall
Clinton had 8 years to prepare New Orleans' levees for Katrina.
Bush had 4 years.
Let's face it. No disaster is fully planned. If we knew Katrina would be so powerful and lasting, more would have been done. Even the day of Katrina, after the eye of the storm had passed, people were staying put, not evacuating. Until the flooding happened, the worst seemed over. Clinton did not prepare for last minute evacuations, the mayor did not, the governor did not, Bush did not. No one prepared for levee leakages and flooding.
The same is true for Haiti. No one prepared for port damage and major road damage and airport malfunctions, all at once. No one imagined a powerful 7.0. But it could happen again since they are on the Gondave Microplate and the next one could be much worse.
ThinkAgain
On 60 minutes last night they showed doctors performing amputations with rusty hacksaws and nothing to sterilize them with, six days in?! Why couldn't they air drop down medical supplies? Why couldn't they lower generators from those large copters? There's lots of room for critique here.
The difference is that these aren't Americans. If they were, people would be screaming just like Katrina.
theschmooze
think: The entire infrastructure of Haiti has been destroyed incluning roads to get what is delivered to the point of need. Air dropping anything at this point causes wholesale rioting with the materiel being looted. Adequate friendly forces have to be in place first, then the roads made passable before airdrops can be effective.
ThinkAgain
Who the hell cares if some of it is looted? By the time they get the infrastructure in place, it'll be too late for too many. When you have people dying from a lack of medical attention and water, you take drastic emergency measures, not measured measures.
You could use all the same excuses about Katrina. And you had citizens traipsing all the way across the country just to provide emergency help while the authorities were busy 'staging and organizing'.
democracyforall
there's plenty of screaming, violence and despair in Haiti, more despair than Katrina. they did ask for American help.
building even a temporary port will take time and resources. fixing the main roads might be done quickly, if the materials and equipment can be moved in.
it's a logistical nightmare.
Pierretrudeau
Nonsense
crypto
It's coming, I know it's coming.
Yakubu
Haiti is showing that liberals DON'T do disaster relief right. The feminists at the UN and the World Food Program refuse to air-drop water and food to starving people because the strong (read: young men) will get most of it first, and their preferred groups (read: women and young girls) could be short-changed.
verycold
Just watching a bit of CNN and Fox last night I would say there is good reason to worry about the stronger ones getting the food. Men were ripping water bottles out of the hands of Geraldo last night. Helicopters have had to leave before passing out food because they were getting mobbed. It has been almost a week and many have had barely a drink of water. It is going to get ugly unless the aid is stepped up.
democracyforall
it's a desperate situation.
AlanD2
If Bush were still President, Yakubu, he'd be vacationing in Crawford and ignoring Haiti.
jetsfan123
Yes... Im sure the feminist, specifically of the UN variety, are the ones to blame. Oh, how is the UN feminist relevant to liberals?
Pierretrudeau
More nonsense
hunter1
The question to ask about the Pres. Bush response in Katrina: Did the Governor and/or the Mayor ask for help? I understand that the Haitian government asked for help.
Johnnyappleseed
The leaders in haiti have said very little, except they want to control the streets and cities.
Roads impassable, thugs on the street, police in hiding, no wonder there's chaos.
katetx
Katrina was a disaster because
1) People did not heed the warnings to get out...and the warnings were there several days before.
2)You have generational welfare there due to failed liberal social programs that don't help people but teach them to become victims instead of victors. They know how to manipulate the welfare system and scam it. It is a high art form.
3)Louisiana is the most corrupt state in the Union and New Orleans has been corrupt since the beginning of time.
If Katrina had hit any other coastal region I can assure you that the outcome would have been different.
Aslanleon
It did hit other coastal areas in Mississippi and Alabama, neither one of which had anything like the problems New Orleans had. Of course, they had Republican governments that were competent and not corrupt. It made a big difference.
Johnnyappleseed
There you go again Aslanleon, telling the truth, just to piss people off.
Aslanleon
It's a dirty job, Mr. Chapman, but somebody has to do it.
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Aslanleon
There were cities in both states on the coast. Try again, cb, but this time use a map.
Johnnyappleseed
Neither one of those are fifty feet below sea level, dumb to build there in the first place, its basically a bog.
Aslanleon
New Orleans is more like 15-20 feet above sea level unless it's sunk since I lived there fifty years ago. Maybe it has. The point is that there was no failure to respond in the states that were hit by the same hurricane but were not ruled by incompetent and corrupt governments.
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crypto
Guess Biloxi don't count huh???
iamone3
Quit making excuses for the totally incompetent Democratic La governor & NO mayor. They did nothing to help their own citizens. I have driven the Gulf coast many times & you must live someplace else if you don`t know about the devastation to MS and AL. They didn`t sit around waiting on outside help, a big difference in the leadership.
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iamone3
cb;
Do you really think the Federal Government gave money to MS and AL and withheld it from La ?
Pierretrudeau
So you're saying that it was ok to leave all those people to die?
crypto
You forgot one thing. While all the calamity was going on the Mayor was in Baton Rouge making sure his girlfriend was safe and had a hotel suite. Fact. Check it for yourself. That was before he came back and raised all the hell. If the sob had done his job the people of N O wouldn't have been caught as short as they were.
seashells78
How Beinart can even remotely compare Haiti to Katrina, or even pretend that this equates to a somehow valid representation of the differences between Right vs. Left is beyond me.
DB if you are that desperately in need of writers/columnists, I would consider the challenge -- in lieu of having to read tripe like this after my workout.
wareagle82
don't you see his aim? This is about advancing ideology, conveniently ignoring that NOLA is an American city while Haiti is a third-world nation that has been perpetually on the brink of disaster. He seeks to advance the point by pretending to not talk about it, all the while talking about it. What he leaves out is how the liberalism that has rushed to Haiti's aid failed the people of New Orleans so miserably.
rightconservative
All humanitarian aide is a good thing. I hope that we do right by the people of Haiti. I know I have appreciated the efforts of my Christian friends to bring medical care, food, and the Word of God to a people who desperately need all three. I must ask though, where is the $100-mil that we do not have going to come from?
pacifistgunslinger
Maybe God should not allow earthquakes.
whipmawhopma
It would interfere with plate tectonics. Which would be a bad thing.
meede1
When your house implodes on you, I'll remember to ask where the funds are coming from to rescue you before we arrive. If the answer is not satisfactory to me -- tough -- your done.
kingharvest
I like Liberals as much as the next guy and maybe Obama did not flee town when this disaster happened, but where on earth is the proof that he has actually done better? His boots on the ground reacted in the same way they did during Katrina, by setting up a military operation and then following military orders. To do nothing. This is a nightmare of US proportions and it will most-certainly be Obama's Katrina.
ThinkAgain
While 60 minutes was filming people in Haiti bleeding to death yesterday and doctors were amputating limbs using rusty unstermilized hacksaws, with no power and water, Obama was in Ma campaigning.
I'm not sure what you'd call 'out of town' but I believe Ma would qualify. He sure as heck wasn't busy with the people's business, he was tending to partisan politics.
Pierretrudeau
So he should have gone to Haiti with new hacksaws?
crypto
Obama is gonna go down there. But there were a couple of things that had to be done first. One the election in MA. That had to be seen about. And two, should the MA election go bad this health care thing must be finished before the republican senator is certified into office. But he will go to Haiti and see about it.
verycold
Be very careful to crow too quickly. The Haitian people at this moment have been without medical care and food for almost a week. I would hardly say that is a job well done. That being said, the logistics are a nightmare and this crisis will go south pretty quickly unless things change in a hurry. The media is doing everything it can to stay the message that Obama is great, but the crowds in Haiti say differently.
The UN asked doctors to leave their patients the other night. I mean good lord to leave the CNN doctor there with 25 patients all alone????? What is going on?
Doctors yesterday visited orphanages without bringing any medical supplies because they had none. They brought one day of food to a huge tent full of babies. Does this sound like things are going well?
A review of the history with Katrina is this. The mayor left town with this family. 900 buses were never used to evacuate. Many would not leave their homes and thus put themselves in peril. The governor insisted the morning after the hurricane hit that they dodged a bullet. Both the mayor and governor did not try to coordinate with Bush because of party partisan views. Bush having dealt with Fla and their many hurricanes relied on the local and state governments to give him feedback and requests. He was use to dealing with his brother that had much hurricane experience.
It was a systemic failure on all levels of government and a lot of stupidity by the people of NO to stay when they knew they were in grave danger. NOT one bus should have been parked waiting to take citizens how of harm's way.
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meede1
The Israeli hospital was only set up on Friday and in operation on Saturday. The earthquake happened 6 days ago.
meede1
If you followed the news, you would have learned that it was not the UN that told the doctors to leave -- the drs. did that themselves. CNN and other sites had the corrected story of the doctors team admitting it was their decision
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