Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, on the radio this morning:

Ray Nagin: You just tell him we had an incredible crisis here, and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice. And that I have been all around this city, and I am very frustrated because we are not able to marshall resources, and we’re outmanned in just about every respect.

You know the reason why the looters got out of control? Because we had most of our resources saving people, thousands of people, that were stuck in attics, man… old ladies… when you pull off the doggone ventilator vent, and you look down there, and they’re standing there in water up to their fricking neck…!

And they don’t have a clue what’s going on down there. They flew down here one time, two days after the doggone event was over, with TV cameras, AP reporters, all kinds of goddamn — excuse my French, everybody in America, but I am pissed.

(snip)

Garland Robinette: You and I must be in the minority, because apparently there’s a section of our citizenry out there that thinks because of a law that says the federal government can’t come in unless requested by the proper people, that everything that’s been going on to this point has been as good as it can possibly be.

RN: Really?

GR: I know you don’t feel that way.

RN: Well… did the tsunami victims request?  Did they go through a formal process to request?  Did Iraq — did the Iraqi people request that we go in there?  Did they ask us to go in there?

What is more important? I tell ya man, I’m probably going to be in a whole bunch of trouble, I’m probably going to be in so much trouble it ain’t even funny.You probably won’t even want to deal with me after this interview is over.

GR: You and I will be in the funny place together.

RN: But — we authorized $8 billion to go to Iraq, lickety-quick. After 9/11, we gave the president unprecedented powers — lickety-quick — to take care of New York and other places.  Now you mean to tell me that a place where most of the oil is coming through… a place that is so unique, when you mention New Orleans anywhere around the world, everybody’s eyes light up… you mean to tell me that a place where you probably have thousands people that have died, and thousands more that are dying every day, that we can’t figure out a way to authorize the resources that we need? Come on, man.

Right Wing Talking Point #10574: No help is going to Katrina because nobody submitted the right forms.

Now I get it. Please disregard all previous rage. My mistake.

Well, let’s bring Halliburton in and pay ‘em billions. They seem to have a talent for cutting through bureaucracy.

Might have to wait ’til Dick Cheney is back from vacation, though.