Years from now after the Gulf States recover from Katrina, there is going to be an unmistakable picture of two political parties and how they performed in crisis.
Aside from the blame-gaming in the beginning, both the Democratic and Republican parties are showing two completely different sides.
One, the Democratic Party, that seems disheveled, embittered - complaining and blaming everything that moves, but offered little in the way of solutions. First criticizing the lack of help then complaining that there is "too much" or "who is going to pay for it?"
The other the GOP, which from the beginning showed a reluctance to play the blame game and instead showed leadership, resolve and offered solutions, and in the process they are getting things done.
This story seems to want to be about Mississippi Governor Barbour's ties to the Bush's and the Republican Party - himself being the former chairman of the GOP, as if that never happens on the other side of the isle. But it ends up making my point exactly.
"Haley Barbour doesn't like to talk about Louisiana. As governor of Mississippi (the state, he's quick to note, that received Hurricane Katrina's most "grievous blow"), he has enough to worry about at home. Still, in the first long nights after Katrina as he worked away at his desk, his eyes would drift to a muted cable TV screen and scenes of New Orleans descending into madness. He was struck by the contrast with the calm he saw inside his own state. "I don't want to make comparisons," he told NEWSWEEK, "all I'll say is we want people to know that in Mississippi, things work."
Barbour didn't throw around threats to punch the President in the nose, or "excuse his french" , he just called shots, twisted arms, and is getting things done in his state. That's what a leader does.
Contrast with Governor Blanco, Mayor Nagin, and Fiesty out of control Senator Mary Landrieu. No contest.
Two parties. One the example of coolness under fire - the other - well, it's burning up fast.
Related here, here.
Filed under Katrina disaster relief new orleans emergency response FEMA
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