PR like this is killing Bush,, from a small WV city

[wakeme2008]

From a newspaper serving Huntington WV.


http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050909/NEWS01/509090332

'My perspective has changed'

UNTINGTON -- The hellish conditions that Jennifer Hill and her family were exposed to for seven days at the Superdome in New Orleans have yet to sink in.

She speaks with relative ease about the putrid smells, unbearable heat, reported violence and lack of medical attention for the thousands who needed it in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Yet, her eyes swell with tears and her voice slightly trembles as she discusses the outpouring of help she and her mother have received in Huntingto
..cut...

"I don't want to leave West Virginia. I don't think I can ever go back to New Orleans," Jennifer said. "Sure, my house and possessions are there, but I don't have that many needs these days. My perspective has changed on a lot of things. I'm just grateful for my family and peace and quiet."

'Worse than hell'

The Hill's horrific path to West Virginia began Sunday, Sept. 4, the day before Katrina made landfall. Because the family does not own a car, their only refuge from the massive storm was the Superdome. Each packed a bag of clothing and supplies for a two-day stay.

..cut..

"It was worse than hell," he said, referring to the murders, rapes and other crimes that he witnessed at the Superdome. "It was horrid. You had to be there. If I was outside looking in, I wouldn't have believed it if somebody told me."

..more at link...

[whatever4]

1. Have to hand it to the news people

big time for this. Like what Jon Stewart said on The Daily Show, for all that saw it? It's true, it was AWESOME to see the reporters there, still there, STAYING there, like they said they would, but I didn't believe they would. They did.

I think, quite honestly, that if the media hadn't stayed there, enduring the same conditions in a lot of ways, we'd have never known how bad this was. The feds would have lied, they'd have tried to suppress the stories, and for a lot of folks, maybe a lot of us here, we'd have NEVER believe it.

Like this lady said. You simply could not believe it, unless you were there. Our news people stayed, AND spoke out.

Had the feds had there way, whichever feds it was that ran this show, it would have been all about investigations, allegations, rumors and theories, until years later. Like with the Iraq war, blatant lies, covered up. I think, my humble opinion only, that had it not been for big media, we would not have understood the scope.

Friends and neigbors...we may very well have big media and big business - profit driven and selfish businesses - to thank for the knowledge that gives us the tools to throw these monsters out.

Have to point it out. Not capitalism that ruined us. In this case, capitalism that SAVED us, large businesses NOT, repeat, NOT UNDER government control...else we WOULD have never heard the stories on the news. They had to FIGHT government control, and they still are. ETHICS.

Ethics can't be bought.

[wakeme2008]

2. The unrestricted media

and pieces like this telling it like it is/was will not be controled by ROVE this time. :)

[sandnsea]

4. Some still don't get it

Why did big business get into places while government agencies did not? Why did we rely on corporate airlines for the airlift operation on Saturday instead of our own military?

Because the Bush agenda is for government to fail and for you to believe it failed accidentally. And that corporatism and charity succeeded. But they didn't succeed because you cannot outsource disaster relief, it is simply too large a task. Nothing got under control until we turned back to what we've always done, the national guard and the military and first responders on the front lines, with private enterpise and charities for support.

Don't buy into this anti-government bullshit, that's exactly what the Bushies want.

[Mr Rabble]

5. Bingo. 100% right.

There is no way that his agenda is anything other than deliberate.

[Skittles]

6. it backfired bigtime on the bastard this time

when I think about the needless psychological trauma added to the people - to the CHILDREN - OMG I will never get over it; what must it be like for them? :(

[NVMojo]

3. finally, more government watchdogs ..

[texpatriot2004]

7. Indeed it is. So glad to finally see it. n/t

[hollowdweller]

8. WV would be a very easy state to return to voting Democrat

This was one of the fronts on the War on Poverty and people here have seen how people can better themselves with gov't sponsored education grants, how gov't has helped after disasters, and during economic downturns. The only problem is people here are very libertarian on social issues and most are very pro worker. The gun control thing and Dems percieved lack of support for working folks and support for free trade has hurt them here.