After-Action Analysis

I'm watching Tim Russert battering Homeland Security boss Michael Chertoff this morning: and Chertoff insists that there will be "plenty of time for after-action analysis." What a pathetic bureaucrat, what a moral coward, what a public failure. It is almost as if he does not understand the full depth of the disaster, clinging pitifully to Republican talking points, trying to protect his boss from the waves of political disaster that will wash over him just as surely as the waves of the gulf waters washed over New Orleans.

George Bush is President of this country for another three and a half years. We have no parliamentary out clause, no hope of changing governments, of replacing an obviously ill-suited fool - we are stuck with the title of President Bush. But the power of the Bush presidency is at an ebb; he will never again hold the moral high ground, never again lead the American people, never again speak for more than the narrowest minority of Americans.

He has failed, and will go on forever in history as one of the worst men to have ever held the office.

Still, his people do not see it. They prepare for another Supreme Court nomination, as if they still hold the Congressional cards, as if former lap-dogs like Rick Santorum were not dog-paddling away from the cesspool of the sinking Bush ship just as quickly as they can. And those who haven't jumped ship - the pathetic appointees - seek to blame the victims: Chertoff just told Russert that "those who heeded the warning gout out, they were fine." Oh, and the conservative canard of all time - don't look to the Federal government to solve all your problems, folks.

And they call on Americans not to "politicize" the tragedy. But this is politics! Politics is about deciding who will govern, who will lead, who will captain our vital agencies! This is the time to politicize, to challenge, to prod, and to fire for incompetence.

And mark me: the Democrats should not be holding back, should not adopt the current Clintonian path of appeasing the Bush family in hopes of a dynastic return. They should scream and yell. They should hold up every piece of legislation, every single appointment, every turn of government until answers are given and the poor are taken into shelter. American poor, mind you. They should do their jobs as politicians, in this, a grave moment for the nation.

This is a political moment - it is justly and morally so. We need to take names, fire the incompetent, make changes immediately. And while we're at it, we need to find a way to cripple on as a country with a failed leader in office - in name only - until January, 2009.

UPDATE: I think Joe Gandelman gets it right in his always-vital The Moderate Voice:

All of the Presidents' during our lifetime — Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F Kennedy, LBJ, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, the first George Bush and Bill Clinton — would have immediately rallied the nation, focused the national need to help victims, taken firm hold of federal rescue-aid machinery, and subsequently symbolized the strength, sincerity, and efficiency of the American Presidency and the federal government during a time of crisis.

Not to mention President Al Gore, or even John Kerry.

Comments

[Hootsbuddy]

You have written the best five words I have found describing up what we are seeing (or NOT seeing) in the aftermath of the hurricane:

This is a political moment.

I'm not sure I agree that Democrats should pile on. It may be better to give the administration more rope while helping the situation away from the headlines. Real help (or a LACK of help) will not be forgotten. Words will.

[Matt]

Right on, Tom.

The people who were most strident in their criticism of the federal response were the people most directly affected by it. The rest of us are just amplifying their calls, and pointing out the lies and spin that came in response.

To me, in the end, this moment provides more than an opportunity to critique President Bush. I think it shows the utter moral bankruptcy of a conservative ideology that is based on, and obssessed with, cutting taxes. In the darkest hour of their strongest need, Americans found that their government was unable and unwilling to save them. And that's at least in part because that government has been ruthlessly cut and drowned.

More thoughts on that here, if you're interested.

[infoshaman]

Not the worst President? He's surpassed Harding as a promoter of incompetent political chumps. He's matched Hoover in demonstrating callousness toward his fellow citizens.

Then again, James Buchanan did nothing to prevent the American Civil War.

So I guess you're right...for the moment at least.

[Rick]

Great post.

Only one correction. With the title.

The "action" has not even begun.

[roberto]

One would think, one would hope that this is a political moment where Americans would come out of their collective coma regarding the moral corruption and incompetence of this Cheney administration. Imagine my surprise to see via the WaPo how many actually approved of Bush's performance in response to this crisis.

"Slightly less than half -- 46 percent -- approve of the way Bush has handled relief efforts while 47 percent disapprove, a result that might offer some cheer to beleaguered White House staffers who feared a stronger negative reaction."

So I disagree with Hootsbuddy about Democrats just silently doing the right thing. That is giving the public way too much credit. You have to hit them over the head with everyting you got.

As for the Republicans, I say give them enough rope, but also help tie the knot around their neck and kick the stool out from under their feet.

[Janice]

"Democrats should not be holding back, should not adopt the current Clintonian path of appeasing the Bush family in hopes of a dynastic return."

I saw Suzanne Malveaux' interview with Daddy Bush and Clinton, and was sick to my stomach over how Clinton bent over backwards not to offend Daddy Bush.

News reports of their "close personal friendship" makes me scratch my head in wonderment.

What does Bush have to do with Clinton's hopes?

Help me to see what is going on with Clinton, please.

[Kat Callon]

We are having a fundraiser (posted at www.kathleencallon.blogspot.com) to help New Orleans musicians and their families get back on their feet. We are asking for video/ DVD messages or songs from artists to create a DVD and will use all of the proceeds to help bring them out to CA and to provide food, shelter, and dry ground for them. If you are aware of musicians needing help or know of ANY artists/ bands interested in submitting footage, we would greatly appreciate it. It appears our government has been so very slow at helping... maybe they thought the gulf coast would handle all of the search and rescue just like New York did 9/11... before he came and stood on the rubble. (Our President is a joke, and we can't count on him; we need to help these people ourselves... every way we can.)Peace.

[Ralph]

The Rove spine machine's winning response:

Blame the Governor and Mayor! Smearing them will save Bush again... next!

[David]

You would do better to compare the response to Katrina to the response to Hurricane Andrew rather than to 9/11.

In the case of 9/11, most of the roads worked, and most of the power did too. Fresh water was still available in NYC at the time.

Most first-line disaster recovery is state-based, and Katrina is no exception.

I certainly think that the Federal government should have acted more quickly and forcefully, but I can understand that they were surprised that the State's plans were so inadequate.