FEMA Faces Firestorm for Phony Presser

It's certainly one way to avoid the tough questions.


The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is getting serious flak after it let staffers pose as journalists and lob softball questions at one of its top officials at a hastily organized "press briefing" on the California wildfires.

Deputy administrator Harvey Johnson took "questions" from four people identified by the Washington Post as three directors and a press aide, who then didn't allow any questions from the actual journos in the room.

The White House strongly criticized FEMA, and the agency apologized for its "error in judgment." FEMA, of course, was once run by Michael Brown, whose qualification for the job was his experience in running the International Arabian Horse Association. He later resigned.

Tags: FEMA

Reader Comments

(Page 5 of 5) Previous 15 Comments

61.
Michael Brown did a good job a Fema and did well with hurricane Andrew. It was not until FEMA was broken up into two branches with priority placed on terrorist did the problems begin to arise and a scape goat needed after Katrina.
We have yet to deal with the magnitude of FEMA's dysfunction. Just as we have yet to deal with congress's.
Some feel ok settling for hope that it all goes away when Bush dose, Your living in child like denial.
Unless we find a true for the people candidate, The illness in this country will only get worse. I have yet to see that person.

Posted at 2:24AM on Oct 28th 2007 by Matty

62. CMarks, where do I begin?? I do not consider myself a red or blue, as you put it. I couldn't stand Clinton and I cannot stand Bush. I have no agenda. Anyone who observes what is going on and doesn't like it, doesn't necessarily have an agenda and it is wrong to assume so. Now, where do I begin. I guess it's best explained chronologically
We had false information that Iraq had WMD's This was our reason for going in
We discovered that there were no WMD's.
We should have left then.
Bush then came up with another reason for us to be there----to free the Iraqi people. Funny how we heard nothing about that when first going in.
THEN we got Sadam Hussein.
We should have left then
Bush came up with yet ANOTHER (new) reason for us to be there----to spread democracy to the Middle East
We had heard nothing about this until then
The Iraqi people do not want democracy (look at the numbers of insurgents). They will be right back where they were soon after we leave. Case in point: The Iraqi government just a few months ago had faied to meet any of the benchmarks leading them to democracy.
They hae finlly completed a couple---after a lot of time and pressure.
Meanwhile, our wonderful soldiers are being killed daily and FOR WHAT???
Iraq is not a threat to us and never has been.
We have thousands and thousands of dedicated soldiers doing everything they are eing asked to do and doind it well but the fact of the matter is that they are fighting for the betterment of Iraq---not the US. This war is doing NOTHING to help the US. All it is doing is destroying thousands of American families who have lost loved ones---just like the families from 9-11. George Bush is no better and is responsible for just as many, if not more, deaths of great Americans. I do not know how he sleeps at night.
We need him GONE before another American dies on his watch. I would support impeachment. That's how much of a disaster I consider him.
Sure, Clinton disgraced the office of the President, among other things and I am no fan of his. The difference is that GWB's stupidity is killing Americans.
As for Katrina: Sure he hired Brown, who turned out to be incompetent but, if blame is to be given out for te New Orleans incident, we need to take a hard look at their local and state governments. They were hit with a Category 1 storm and were fine, with minimal damage at first. Katrina was not their problem. An inadequate levee system was their problem. Look at Mississippi---Katrina hit there at a Category 5 (the strongest possible).
We had greta local leadership and at the state level. ou did not hear of anyone trapped in any town (although several towns were basically obliterated). We evacuated and did it in a timely and ordely manner, due to our exemplary leadership. That's what NO was lacking and what got them into an even worse situation than they were already in. I don't tink FEMA is to blame for that AT ALL.

Posted at 2:41AM on Oct 28th 2007 by whoever

63. whoever - you feel better now?

But seriously - I hear your frustration and you vented quite well what many Americans feel! Thank God there's no 3rd term!

Posted at 2:47AM on Oct 28th 2007 by Ima Bitch

64. Ima Bitch--Thanks! It's just so frustrating to me. we seem to have a nation of brainwashed people and it's kinda scary. People have bought into this war thing, seemingly without question. The facts are there.
One of Bush's former aides---can't recall his name---Richard somebody---not sure but know there are R's in his name (sound intelligent now, huh?) wrote a book after he left the White House. I read it and will paraphrase what he said. I thought it explained a lot.
He said most people gather facts, then make a decision based on those facts HOWEVER what Bush does is make decsions with basically no information to back it up. The after the decision is made, he scrambles around to find the reasons to back it up and justify it. This guy seemed to think it was the damndest thing he had ever seen.

Posted at 3:20AM on Oct 28th 2007 by whoever

65. one more thing and then i'll shut up and go to bed. According to the Constitution,
ONLY Congrss can declare war and they haven't
No one else, not even the President can do it.
People seem to have either overlooked that or accepted it.
It realy doesn't even meet the definition of a war---because it really isn't.

Posted at 3:24AM on Oct 28th 2007 by whoever

66. Richard Clarke---Bush's former aide who wrote the book mentioned in post #63

Posted at 3:34AM on Oct 28th 2007 by whoever

67. grassroots.org - excellent forum

Posted at 4:16AM on Oct 28th 2007 by Ima Bitch

68. We need to get rid of FEMA., all it does is use our money and gives very little back.

Posted at 11:05AM on Oct 28th 2007 by barney8

69. #68 THE NOLA EVACUAEES (DAMN NEAR ALL OF EM) HAVE BEEN GIVEN WELL OVER $26,200. MOST OF THEM HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT. WHY? BECAUSE THEY WENT AND BAOUGHT BIG SCREEN TV'S, AND NEW CARS. FEMA HAS GIVEN BACK PLENTY. THEY HAVE GOTTEN MORE THAN ANY OTHER DISASTER. EVER. INCLUDING 9-11.

Posted at 12:08PM on Oct 28th 2007 by IKNOW

70. Wow, another shining moment for our government. And someone tell me again what gives us the right to go to another country and tell them how to run when we can't even get this right?

I hope the next president can clean up all the messes left behind by Bush. It will take a big man/woman.

Posted at 1:52PM on Oct 29th 2007 by tll

71.
Sorry . I only meant the CONTRACTORS WHO MAKE A TON OF MONEY SELLING THESE HOMES ... it's the unfortunate buyers , who pay the price .

I'll take the city any day but...

Posted at 2:26AM on Nov 1st 2007 by That's just me

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