From the Party of No Responsibility, more moonbattery about Katrina:
The video, obtained by The Associated Press, “confirms what we have suspected all along,” said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, charging that Bush administration officials have “systematically misled the American people.”
Yup, because I distinctly remember President Bush saying that a Category 5 hurricane posed no danger to anyone living below the water line just south of a HUGE lake. It’s true! I heard it from an anonymous source (snicker.)
The only thing misleading is the story, entitled “Democrats Want Independent Katrina Probe,” followed by this:
 Lawmakers from both parties said Thursday a newly disclosed videotape of a pre-Katrina briefing for President Bush and top administration officials raises new questions about government response to the storm that flooded New Orleans and killed more than 1,300 people.
Yet, I failed to find one Republican saying this was anything new. Actually:
A spokesman for Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., who headed the House investigation, said there was nothing new in the tape and accompanying transcripts.
“Top federal, state and local officials failed to process and act on information at their disposal,” said David Marin, the spokesman. “We already knew that.”
Meanwhile, down on the Bayou, we have this (h/t Blogs for Bush)
 On the day that Hurricane Katrina roared ashore, President Bush and a top presidential aide were worried about whether New Orleans’ levees had held, according to a transcript of discussions among disaster officials on the front lines of the storm.
During the call, which began at noon, then-FEMA Director Michael Brown says that he had already spoken to President Bush twice that day.
“He remains very, very interested in this situation,” Brown said. “He’s obviously watching the television a lot, and he had some questions about the Dome, he’s asking questions about reports of breaches. He’s asking about hospitals. He’s very engaged, and he’s asking a lot of really good questions I would expect him to ask.”
Later in the call, White House aide Joe Hagin asks specifically about the condition of the levees. Gov. Kathleen Blanco tells him that no failures were confirmed — yet.
“We keep getting reports in some places that maybe water is coming over the levees,” Blanco said. “I think we have not breached the levee. We have not breached the levee at this point in time. That could change, but in some places we have floodwaters coming in New Orleans East and the line at St. Bernard Parish where we have waters that are 8- to 10-feet deep, and we have people swimming in there, that’s got a considerable amount of water.”
Where is the condemnation for Blanco and Ray Nagin? Guess they get free passes. It was only their responsibility to either get it done, or ask for federal help.
And, the Iowa voice notes (from the LA Times):
The AP video does not include footage of Chertoff asking Brown whether he needs any other help or of Chertoff asking whether Brown wants him to approach the Department of Defense. Transcripts show that to both questions, Brown indicated that no additional assistance was needed.
Bamm! Kickin’ it up a notch!
Wizbang has more, as does MacStansbury.
