The New Orleans threat Gustav rolls in, St Paul on hold

The images above show Gustav headed towards and passing New Orleans 31 Aug - 1 Sep 2008. The image in the right hand corner is Fox news playing at the convention in St Paul, MN. Gustav rolling into New Orleans as the convention plays on as a dramatic secondary news story.

It was the middle of the night in Iraq when I was watching the Republican Convention and Hurricane Gustav breaking news on MSCNBC. I am hoping that tonights line stays as scheduled.

Former Gov. Tom Ridge (R-Pa.)

Former California Secretary of State Rosario Marin

Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.)

Gov. Linda Lingle (R-Hawaii)

Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-Md.)

Tuesday primetime (10 p.m.-11p.m. EDT)

Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska)

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.)

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani — KEYNOTER

Tom Ridge used to run the Office of Homeland Security, which FEMA is part of. FEMA would be very busy with the Hurricane passing through New Orleans as I type this.

Yet in yesterday's NYT, I read this....

Some observers have pointed out that daily briefings on preparations for Gustav, which should be coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency — which is, you know, supposed to manage emergencies — have been coming, instead, from the U.S. military’s Northern Command.

I am glad that the military is in charge of this because I want the best people on the job when American lives are on the line. That isn't the way it is suppose to work but we don't live in a perfect world. The editorial goes on to say...

It’s not hard to see why. Top positions at FEMA are no longer held by obviously unqualified political hacks and cronies. But a recent report by the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security said that the agency has made only “limited progress” in the area of “mission assignments” — that is, in its ability to coordinate the response to a crisis. So FEMA still isn’t up to carrying out its principal task.

This is something that I am not so happy about. That is something the current head of Homeland Security ought to be addressing. I wonder if Tom Ridge will share any insights on this if and when he speaks tomorrow.

The image above is from a crazed blogger. I replaced Pelosi's pic with Chertoff's!

UPDATE

The hurricane has seemed to left New Orleans empty of people, for the most part. I am sure that there are people who don't have a hole lot of faith in the Feds efforts to assist them during this difficult period. The levees have seemed to hold up though. Lets hope that the assistance that the government gives the people of New Orleans comes through quicker and more organized than it did 3 years ago. It has been announced that people can start returning to there home this Thursday. If any good comes out of this, the recovery process for those down in New Orleans won't be forgotten and people will do what they can to help and encourage their elected politicians for the government to do the same.

It is 5:00 ish in the morning in Iraq and Fred Thompson is addressing the convention as I write. He is talking up John McCain with his good 'ol boy southern accent. He seems just like his character from Law and Order. He just said “has got the other side and their friends in the media in a state of panic. And no wonder. She’s a courageous, successful reformer who’s not afraid to take on the establishment. Sound like anybody else we know?” Well Fred, I am on the other side and I am not in a panic over the VP choice.

W provided a quick motivational speech. It is business as usual now, although the Republicans have mixed up the convention some what. The show must go on!