Text 16545, 80 rader
Skriven 2005-12-13 04:57:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: Katrina
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http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/12/D8EETPEO3.html

Documents Reveal Worries of Blanco's Staff

By LARA JAKES JORDAN
Associated Press Writer
Dec 12 3:25 PM US/Eastern

WASHINGTON - Trying to avoid a public relations disaster, aides to 
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco fretted over her not appearing in charge 
after Hurricane Katrina hit, even worrying about her clothing, documents 
released Monday show. Thirteen pages of e-mails sent in the immediate 
days after the Aug. 29 storm also reflect the Blanco administration's 
concerns over race relations _ specifically, the number of black victims 
leaving Louisiana to find shelter. 

A Blanco spokeswoman did not have an immediate comment on the documents 
Monday. The e-mails were released by Republican aides to a special House 
committee investigating the government's response to Katrina. 

In a Sept. 4 e-mail exchange, top Blanco aides bristled at Homeland 
Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's remark that the federal government 
"is in control of New Orleans." 

"Our answer is the National Guard is in charge of security under her 
direction," Blanco chief of staff Andy Kopplin wrote. "The mayor is in 
charge of the city. The governor is in charge of the state and the guard 
and security. The federal government is now meeting important missions 
that it has." 

The next day, two Blanco press staffers appealed to other senior aides 
to stop travel that would have had the governor leaving the state on a 
day when President Bush was scheduled to be there. 

"Reinforces the notion that she's not in charge and LA (Louisiana) needs 
to be federalized," wrote Blanco press secretary Denise Bottcher in a 
Sept. 5 e-mail. 

Agreed Blanco communications director Bob Mann: "White House will be 
thrilled that she left the state. They will eat us for lunch. She cannot 
snub potus." 

"Potus" is for "president of the United States." 

Aides also had concerns about Blanco's physical appearance and discussed 
ways to make her look strong but compassionate. Their ideas, according 
to the e-mails, included having Blanco "put a few bags of ice in the 
hands of the citizens who need it" and stop "doing too many 'first lady' 
things." 

"Gov. Blanco might dress down a bit and look like she has rolled up her 
sleeves," press consultant Kim Fuller of Witt Associates wrote in a 
Sept. 4 e-mail to aides including Bottcher, Mann and Kopplin. "I have 
some great Liz Claiborne sports clothes that look kind of Eddie Bauer, 
but with class, but would bring her down to level of getting to work." 

"She would look like a woman, but show she is MOVING MOUNTAINS," Fuller 
wrote. 

Former Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael Brown also 
was criticized for e-mails that showed him discussing his wardrobe 
during the crisis created by Katrina. Brown resigned amid questions 
about his disaster management experience. 

The Blanco administration e-mails also reflected concerns about racial 
politics _ specifically, needing to appear sensitive to black evacuees. 

"You send that many black folks out of state, we will have a perception 
problem," Blanco assistant chief of staff Johnny Anderson wrote in a 
Sept. 2 e-mail. 

"Word is already that we are only sending blacks out of this state," 
Anderson wrote. We are make (sic) a strategic error. FEMA will not have 
to answer to the people, we will." 

Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin are to testify Wednesday in front 
of the House Katrina panel. 

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