Reply #404: 9/11 (orig 9/10) RNC Talking Points (per Randi Rhodes)

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4727616 :

RNC Talking Points Leaked on Randi Rhodes Show 9/9/05

On the Friday, September 9th Randi Rhodes show, Randi read from what she said were the official RNC Talking Points for this weekend on air. She said there were 8 pages worth! These points are directed to pundits and pols who shill for their Dark Master.

Here are some verbatim points:

“The most important thing every single one of us can do is show our compassion. Contribute to disaster relief funds; Red Cross, Salvation Army.

The focus should be on helping people recover, not playing the blame game.

The eagerness of some to play the blame game and blame President Bush for everything from the levee breach to the hurricane itself is a disappointing reaction to an extreme tragedy we’re only beginning to understand.

Using the coverage of this disaster as a media hole to make political accusations, introduce knee-jerk legislation, or grandstand while victims are suffering is totally outrageous!”

(Apparently, President Bush didn’t get the memo. http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/2339 )

In a separate section called;

DEMOCRATS, POLITICAL RESPONSE, AND IRRESPONSIBLE RHETORIC

This section picks out targets for Bush-friendly pundits to direct their fire at. Specifically;

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, and MoveOn.org.

“…televised images of poverty-sticken evacuees from hurricane Katrina are nothing more than a provocative last-minute effort by a liberal interest group… MoveOn.org.”

Sen. Harry Reid, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, DNC Chairman Howard Dean, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Rep. Rahm Emanuel, Rep. Elijah Cummings are all to draw fire this weekend, September 9th – 11th.

Of course, Blanco and Negin are to be vilified and blamed for the post Katrina tragedy.

According to Randi, the memo goes on to say that when doing ‘response analysis’, invoke this Wall Street Journal OpEd;

‘Blame Amid the Tragedy’ by Bob Williams.
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB112596602138332256-IVjf4NilaJ4nZupaoGGa6uBm4,00.html

Invoke it and blame Negin and Blanco for the inability for poor people to evacuate.

And quote Michael Grunwald from the Washington Post;

'Money Flowed to Questionable Projects'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/07/AR2005090702462.html

“Over the five years of President Bush’s administration Louisiana has received far more money for core civil works projects than any other state.”

Use passages from this Washington Times editorial;

‘The Governor Procrastinates’
http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20050906-093817-7790r.htm

‘Governor Blanco did not accept the offer of additional troops when it was offered.’

‘To the dismay of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, the governor told the president she wanted 24 hours to decide whether to accept the offer because Mr. Bush, as commander-in-chief, wanted control of the troops.’

The Bob Williams OpEd is to be cited extensively;

‘The evacuation plan warned that "if an evacuation order is issued without the mechanisms needed to disseminate the information to the affected persons, then we face the possibility of having large numbers of people either stranded and left to the mercy of a storm, or left in an area impacted by toxic materials." That is precisely what happened because of the mayor's failure.’

‘Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no provisions for food, water and sanitary conditions.’

‘In addition, unlike the governors of New York, Oklahoma and California in past disasters, Gov. Blanco failed to take charge of the situation and ensure that the state emergency operation facility was in constant contact with Mayor Nagin and FEMA.’

‘Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the governor to contact the National Hurricane Center before he finally, belatedly, issued the order for mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it apparently took a personal call from the president to urge the governor to order the mandatory evacuation.’

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In other words, don’t play the blame game unless you intend to win.
Download the September 9th show here, FFWD to the 3:09:25 mark, the talking points dominate the hour.
http://www.whiterosesociety.org/Rhodes.html