In the Middle of the Tempest

First came the hurricane;
then the levee brakes;
now we hear the moans a politicians makes.

It has been about a week and a half since the Hurricane and things have gone to shit. What we see before us has been a systemic brakedown of epic proportions. It began with the mayor of New Orleans Ray Naggin going off on local radio and continued to network and cable reporters (all of whom can be said to bge incensed by what's happend). It was striking to see Anderson Cooper, Mister I'm on mild depressant sounding; Mr I like grass watching press LA Senator Mary Landrieu about politician backslapping. Also striking was how Shep Smith of Fox News who can and does come off as a flippant American was trained of any sense of spin and polish delivering news from the highway leading out of the city. When he was on Hannity and Colmes; he had a look at one point that said if this dude (Sean Hannity trying to put this "in perspective") don't shut up he was going to come back to New York; shake his hand then put he foot down his throat and start stomping. But it wasn't just two incidents; Nightline's Ted Copple was on the tear after FEMA's director and TIm Russert basically challenged DHS head Chertoff to be a man and admit his faults (but this is the Bush Admin; only thing free flowing is bullshit and onomadapeia). However today's journal is all about the political aspect of what's happenend. I know what you're going to say, "this is above politics". To which I will reply it should be but it ain't. Especially after the last two elections and the growth in extreme partisanship (which I argue was started by conservatives). In looking at it imagine a type of strategy game for example chess and go. Chess represents the quick studied actions of a battle while Go represents the course of war (a series of skirmises and battles). the first level; the chess level involves the immediate look of the crisis. On one side is the state and local governemnts (in this case LA which has a complicated rep along with the fact they are run by democrats) and the Federal government (the Bush Admin). While the begining of this had everyone banding to gether; the delayed reaction on the part of FEMA and DHS whose job it is to handle major disasters and of George Bush to come out and comfort the nation had but blame or at least the bad smell in their court. Now we slowly hear information about the state and local gov'ts culpability in regards to the event as well as a mobilization of pundants to push to blame them (as well in some cases those left behind). This is a part of the short term chess type issue. the Go side reflects how this as well as souring opinion on Iraq will affect the rest of Bush's presidency. As we have seen for the past week; Bush and those under him are facing backlash for their actions. While this can be quieted (by the deputies falling on their swords); their actions have added to already taited legacy that is George Bush's. Also the way he and some of his party have handled relations with the opposition party have left very little good feeling to be used to ease this crisis out of their corner. Additionally, George Bush has proven himself lacking in terms of both his role as an MBA president and as a Comforter in Chief. I think Dennis Miller saying that Bush is a checkers type of President has proven false; becuase even in that game their must be a certain level of finess.