I ONLY BELIEVE EVERY WORD HE SAYS

Former FEMA chief Michael Brown lays out his experiences dealing with Governor Blanco during hurricane Katrina here. Strange isn't it, that the response from local, state, and federal officials in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida seemed so coordinated and effective? Yet Louisiana and New Orleans were swallowed up by disorganization. [ hat tip: Right Wing News ]

"I truly believed the White House was not at fault here," he [Brown] said.

He [Brown] focused much of his criticism on Governor Blanco, contrasting what he described as her confused response with far more agile mobilizations in Mississippi and Alabama, as well as in Florida during last year's hurricanes.

Even Mayor Nagin was able to give FEMA "a detailed list of priorities, starting with help to evacuate the Superdome." However, Governor Blanco could not provide any information on what help was needed, nor could her administration respond in a timely manner: "What do you need? Help me help you," Mr. Brown said he asked them. "The response was like, 'Let us find out,' and then I never received specific requests for specific things that needed doing."

It confirms what I said in the first days after the disaster when we were finding out how bad the situation was in New Orleans. I maintained that the federal government had no idea how ill prepared the Louisiana state & local authorities were, and thus went about business as usual. Only after it was too late did the truth about Blanco's incompetence come out. Her delays and indecision cost hundreds of people their lives.