Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen: WH response to the floods is like i've never seen

[impik]

Gov. Phil Bredesen couldn’t stop gushing about the president’s help on Thursday. “FEMA and the White House have been absolutely supportive,” he told reporters on a conference call. FEMA was quickly on the ground, and on Monday, “the president was on the phone with me before the sun came up,” he said.

Bredesen, a Democrat, said he’s been in regular contact with White House staff. In fact, he had just ended a long conversation with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Bredesen, who has weathered his share of tornados and storms as a public official, said that he’s “never seen this kind of response.”

[monmouth]

1. Oh the freepers will wail over this one. n/t

[nxylas]

46. They make their own reality

In their world, Obama has ignored Nashville because it's full of white, country-loving good ole boys and he only cares about "his own kind".

[Cosmocat]

47. BINGO, as will the MSM ...

They will pick ONE situation, a federal agency that did not get a water station on line for too long, and that situation will be reported ad nauseum as proof that the response has been poor ... The Rs will all get on point and bully the MSM into it, the MSM will then go to the admin and say, "ba, forget about all the other positive reports, tell us why THIS report is not indicative of the white house's poor response!"

[Javaman]

59. "I reject your reality and replace it with my odd sense of fantasy". nt

[happygoluckytoyou]

71. HECK OF A JOB OBAMA ! ! ! ! !

[PatrynXX]

50. Hmmm freepers are so pointless now I haven't heard the word in months.

Maybe thats a good sign. So in the minority who gives a fuck ! lol

Moment I heard about the flooding there I emailed off the whitehouse page , after what Iowa went through in 2008, TN shouldn't be left behind really need a handle on it and glad to see Obama did just that. And Fuck Beck for saying the Czech & Slovak Museum rebuild is a waste of money. I went there in late Sept 2007, less than a year later it was wrecked. It was a nice community too. Hard workers. Tons of stuff to buy in their shop.

Now TN needs just the same help. So is the Grand Ol Opry House going to make the list of wasteful spending to help fix it??

[barbtries]

63. "he's a democrat!

what did you expect him to say?!"

in a way i can't blame them. just as usual, the facts are on the liberal side. brownie was NOT doing a heckuva job, but i certainly believed that gw said that because brownie was a bushie.

[bluestateguy]

2. and if I recall Bredesen is no Obama fan either

nt

[DeSwiss]

5. Yep.

- An unabashed DLCer, but a pretty darn good governor considering what he's up against down here.....

[southerncrone]

35. Hey, DeSwiss! How are you? Did the flood get you?

We are fortunate that we live on a high hill, however the bridge just below our house was washed out & had short power & water outages on Sunday. We were lucky.

Hope you fared as well. If you need anything, let me know.

[DeSwiss]

39. Hey Southerncrone!

Glad to hear you made it through okay. We made it through pretty well, and just got a little damper than usual. But a few blocks down from where I live, the floods lifted a house off it's foundation and planted it in the middle of the street:

[politicasista]

81. Glad you made it ok too

That looks like Mother Nature's wrath behind that person. In one of the parking lots at nearby strip mall, the flood looked like chewed up and spat out the asphalt pavement near one of the creeks.

We made it fine, but there are many we know that lost something (life and/or property). It is sad, but we will get through this.


Good luck to you too. :hi:

[politicasista]

80. Glad you fared well

Good luck to you. :hi:

[quiller4]

77. He was a strong Clinton supporter.

[high density]

3. Of course

Many Democrats actually want a functioning federal government, unlike the Republicans who just want to kill it.

[Jennicut]

14. They want to "prove" govt. is bad...by running it into the ground.

[dotymed]

57. Of course

then they can privatize it and profit. They (most of them) claim to worship a poor person whose life was about helping the disenfranchised. Why don't they just create a God that increases profits. Well, actually most tee vee evangelists preach that God (the pauper)wants them to financially "prosper." All they have to do is send them money and they will pray for and heal them....:wtf:

[RayStar]

51. Doing it correctly

Good post here. Thank goodness we have a president with a heart and a brain.

[Kdillard]

4. Good I don't know how he is managing to keep up with all the leaks that seem

to have sprung up all at the same time but he seems to be doing a good job.

[DeSwiss]

6. K&R n/t

[Tarheel_Dem]

7. I rec'd this, and the number changed to nineteen, by the time I refreshed...

it was back to eighteen. Oh well.:(

[Uzybone]

8. the WEHATEOBAMA cadre is relentless

[impik]

13. Sad, sad people

[Jefferson23]

62. Why the heck would anyone un recommend this ? n/t

[newtothegame]

9. Previous administration sucked, but not because Ray Nagin said so..

[LiberalAndProud]

10. FEMA has recovered from the Bush/Brownie effect.

Excellent.

[Dr Morbius]

11. In the wake of Katrina it is clear Americans...

...at least partly evaluate a President by how well he or she responds to emergencies. That's a damned good thing, I believe.

And Barack Obama has responded as well as anyone could to the various crises which have so far afflicted his administration.

[impik]

15. It is just stunning - the number of crisis he have to deal with day in and day out

[MadMaddie]

18. You are right!

It's never ending but the key difference is that he has competent professionals in charge of the responding organizations. He is giving them autonomy to do their jobs.

[Mad_Dem_X]

52. "Competent professionals" - exactly

The folks who work for him know what they need to do, and they do it.

[MadMaddie]

17. Agreed!

He is putting the resources out immedietly and that's the key. I think that he is working with his org leaders and giving them the autonomy they need to do their jobs.

[Dr Morbius]

19. I've been saying for years that we can't predict where and when...

...natural disasters will occur, but we can predict the aftermath. And one certainty has always proved true regarding disasters: the faster the response, the better. President Obama is a guy who learns the lessons of the present and adds them to the lessons learned from the past. He gets it. Americans were on the spot within hours in Haiti, and the Coast Guard fairly leapt into action with the spill. And the flooding, most recently in Tennessee but earlier in New England.

Obama is reacting swiftly and decisively to these crises. He can hit curveballs and sliders as well as fastballs. I had high expectations of this man; not as unrealistic as some others did but high expectations. And while I am not thrilled by some of his compromises and dragging his feet on gay rights, he has proved to me that he's the most capable man in the office for more than two decades.

And maybe over five decades.

[MadMaddie]

27. You have summed up my feelings exactly!

The key is to learn what works and what doesn't work and improve those actions during the next event.

I agree with you on his compromises I don't agree with all of them.

I also agree he is the most capable man for this time.

I don't know if I ever welcomed you to DU so a big "Welcome to DU" to you!:rofl:

[chollybocker]

32. Great post, Doc.

[Raine1967]

38. +1 (hi Doc)

Raine here, and I could not agree more. ;)

[Ian David]

12. Why didn't Dolly Parton send the busses? n/t

[MadMaddie]

16. This is the proper response!

[jenmito]

20. K&R! n/t

[kittykitty]

21. Lest we forget Bush, his FEMA, Brownie and Katrina--(link)

http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline/

[VespertineIconoclast]

55. Seeing that timeline, brought back all the...

horrible memories and feelings that I had during that time....

[Nothing Without Hope]

22. Many good people in FEMA left under the Bushies. Glad to know the agency

is functioning again. In addition to helping those who suffered the flood, this response must be very heartening to FEMA people, who watched their agency be gutted and turned to a cruel and dangerous mockery under Bush.

[Ready4Change]

23. FEMA has always been good.

When they are allowed to do their job.

[SharonAnn]

30. Bad under Bush I with Hurricane Andrew, Good under Clinton, Bad under Bush 2

with Hurricane Katrina (and other stuff), good under Obama.

Hmmm. Is there a pattern here? could it have anything do with the fact that the Bush presidents appointed political cronies and cut the FEMA budget while Clinton and Obama appointed experienced people and funded FEMA?

[AlbertCat]

34. Like he's never seen...

But he has seen it.... in the years before Bush, FEMA was awesome.

[Nothing Without Hope]

40. Very well put. n/t

[defendandprotect]

24. Happy to hear that . .. . very happy!

[abelenkpe]

25. Good news!

FEMA was most helpful during the Northridge quake in LA back in the nineties. I was worried after Katrina that the were in such disarray as to never be as reliable and supportive as they once were. Good to see this is not true and that their reputation has been restored.

[Cha]

26. I had experience with FEMA in' 92/'93 on

Kaui'i after Hurricane Iniki(Cat 5..& 5 years to rebuild) and they were such good news for us..the responsible way they helped those on the Island.

[sce56]

33. Oh yes we did a great job there!

The citation my Battalion received, The Army Superior Unit Ribbon, read in part "Responding to three natural disasters simultaneously across ten time zones" That was Andrew, Omar(Guam) and Iniki.







The next Photo I remember well as the sign went up a day after I installed a genset to start the pumps going on a well supplying a cane plantation

[Cha]

36. OMG! You were there to help!

We appreciated you all so much!

That was quite the hurricane season..now I remember there was one in Guam too, around that time.

Thank you, sce56.:) Those pics bring back memories..I was in Koloa staying with my son and his surfer buds when Iniki hit..two months after I moved to Kaua'i. And, I remember getting over to Kapa'a a little while later and the National Guard was driving around clearing roads and we were waving and thanking them:hi::hi:B-)

[sce56]

41. Oh yes we had a generator at the old coconut grove hotel where FEMA workers

were staying including So Cal Edison The lineman in the second from the bottom photo above is wearing a grass skirt!


Coconut Grove

The Hilton back then



Me hooking up a genset at Anahola Disaster Assistance Center

These were from Guam

[Cha]

75. Can't believe it's been almost 20 years..

although it does seem like a long time ago..lot of water under the bridge since then.

A grass skirt!B-)

Thank you so much for these pics, sce56! I'm retiring this year in October and moving back to Kaua'i after a 12 year hiatus on the Mainland. I Cannot Wait:bounce:

This is really cool to look back and remember what everyone went through..including those who came to help us out in the middle of nowhere. Aloha dude~B-)

[sce56]

84. Pomaika`i to you also

I'm looking to try and go back here also I lived there from 2000 to 2002, Oahu that is. I hope I might get lucky and land my last job there so I can retire on the wind.



A picture I took from Hickham harbor Sept 2001

[Turbineguy]

28. So

it's not like Katrina. But luckily the BP blowout is.

We live in a strange country.

[O is 44]

29. Country Singer, Brad Paisley on CNN just now

stated the President called him today wanting him to get the word out that FEMA is on the ground there. Yes this President is definitely dialed in, which amazing considering all of the major issues happening all at once.

[Cha]

31. Yeah, Brad Paisley emcees those County Music Awards

in Nashville..he'd be a good one to get the word out. Thanks for the info.

[bertman]

37. That is GREAT news!! Good work, President Obama!! Rec.

Now, if the Dems will actually PASS a REAL FINANCIAL REFORM BILL, I'll be a proud Dem once again.

[ZombieHorde]

42. Recommended. nt

[rpannier]

43. Further proof

That when the government does CHOOSE TO BE INVOLVED it works very well

When it CHOOSES TO SIT ON ITS ASS, ATTEND BIRTHDAY PARTIES, BE SOMEWHERE ELSE, it FAILS

[eridani]

44. Because Dems think that governments ought to act like governments

In a way it's a shame that this seems remarkable. Just goes to show that we tolerate way too much shit from Republicans.

[indimuse]

45. knr! n/t

[old mark]

48. Newt was just talking about how government has failed and can not work, and that

all the answers are in "the market"...Well, Newt - I notice you have been out of Congress for quite some time now, ao maybe "the market" decided you weren't working out...
Looks like Obama is doing right for people in need.

I am sorry for all of you who are touched by this tragedy, and I wish you well in trying to recover from it.

mark

[Christa]

49. I wonder how all those who complain about big government feel? nt

[Patiod]

54. Big Government is a lot like the idea of "lawyers"

People hate it until they need its help.

[JTFrog]

53. K&R!

[Autumn Colors]

56. K&R (nt)

[SoxFan]

58. Janet is, in fact, doing a heck of a job

:fistbump:

[NJCher]

60. Competence, I loves me some competence

OK, that sounds a little flippant. I'm maybe covering up for the fact that I got tears in my eyes when I read he was on the phone before dawn. This is what we need and it's been a long time coming.


Cher

[Jefferson23]

61. Kudos to Obama, and last night, on CNN, a woman was interviewed

in front of her home where she had to literally hang on to a tree for life. She said she was recently married
and they did not have flood insurance, she was told she wouldn't need it. THEN she says, but THANKS TO PRESIDENT OBAMA,
HE IS HELPING US DESPITE THAT PROBLEM!

Ha ha, I couldn't help but imagine the RW's heads imploding.

[ClarkUSA]

64. Wow. That's powerful testimonial.

Regular folks are speaking truth to power. :)

[Jefferson23]

66. Yea, she was quite sincere imo. Here is the transcript:

Betty Belle Nicks is with me right now. She -- you -- she lives right in this house behind us.

How are you doing?

BETTY BELLE NICKS, HOME DAMAGED BY FLOODING IN TENNESSEE: Pretty good.

COOPER: Pretty good?

NICKS: Yes. I mean, we're thankful, because it could be worse.

COOPER: It could be worse.

The water came, what, from this direction?

NICKS: It came up from the back field.

COOPER: And it happened -- I mean, it happened fast.

NICKS: We tried to move the cars out, and we were trapped.

COOPER: And you -- you were wearing a -- what, a sweatshirt and boots, and you thought you could wade through the water, right?

NICKS: Right. We were at my husband's house, and I was swimming down here. We also own this home. And I just wanted to get a few things up on a higher level. And I had boots on. The water was taking me under. I was able to get those off and hang on to the tree.

COOPER: So, you actually ended up hang -- clinging on to this tree and the water is sweeping by you?

NICKS: Right. And then I held on. I was able to -- to do that and to be able swim back. So, I feel lucky.

COOPER: And -- and you ended up on -- on the roof of your house?

NICKS: On our new home down here, yes, on his home.

COOPER: Uh-huh.

NICKS: And we had three small dogs. And we were on the roof, but we lost our large dog, because he swam away.

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: Your dog's name is?

NICKS: Ben.

COOPER: Ben. Actually, hold on.

NICKS: A big yellow Lab.

COOPER: I'm going to run over here just quickly to get a picture of Ben. I should have done this before.

I know you wanted us to show this. So, this -- this is Ben.

(CROSSTALK)

NICKS: This is Ben. This is Ben. And I want to say, we have only been married for one week before this happened.

COOPER: Uh-huh.

NICKS: And, if we could find Ben, it would be the best wedding gift in the world, OK? But it's not just for Ben. There are a lot of dogs out there that need help.

COOPER: Yes.

NICKS: It could be worse, but this could make it the best.

COOPER: Yes.

NICKS: OK?

COOPER: And we're asking people, if -- if they have seen this dog in this area, to -- to let us know and send us an e-mail at CNN.com/AC360.

And we will get that word to you, if we can.

NICKS: Thanks.

COOPER: What do you want people to know? I mean, the thing that struck me today -- I mean, I have been, unfortunately, to a lot of -- to a lot of bad places -- a lot of nice places where bad things have happened, and I have never seen a community pull together so quickly to respond to a disaster.

NICKS: It's the best. I mean, they really say it's the Volunteer State. It's true. They're wonderful. We just need more help. We just -- people are wonderful to give supplies, and masks, and cleaning things, and food and water.

COOPER: And you have had people driving through the neighborhood just offering up food and offering up water.

NICKS: Absolutely. Absolutely. Clothes, anything you need, places to stay -- it's wonderful. But just don't forget about, in a month or two months, we're still going to need help.

COOPER: And a lot of people just don't have flood insurance here.

(CROSSTALK)

NICKS: No. Oh, oh...

COOPER: Do you -- do you -- do you have flood insurance?

NICKS: No flood insurance.

COOPER: No.

NICKS: We were not advised to get flood insurance. In fact, they said, no, you don't need it. Your rate will be cheaper if you...

COOPER: Mm-hmm.

NICKS: So...

COOPER: So, is this -- what happens? I mean, is this a total loss?

NICKS: Well, thanks to President Obama, that signed the relief effort, if you make sure you sign up, we will be one of the victim numbers, and we will -- you know, when they declare our home a disaster, then we will be able to get help.

COOPER: And so the message for folks out there tonight watching around the world is -- is, don't forget about us?

NICKS: Please, yes, and others. I mean, there's so many others that are worse off. People have drowned. So, we're -- we feel fortunate, but we are asking for help for everyone.

COOPER: Yes.

Well, I hope -- I hope everything works out for you.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1005/06/acd.01.html


** Hopefully she'll get her doggie back too!

[ClarkUSA]

67. Thank you for going to the trouble of finding the transcript.

I enjoyed reading it and have emailed it to my aunt and uncle who live in neighboring Alabama (they're liberal Democrats living in Huntsville) who are driving out tonight to Nashville after work today to deliver and distribute a moving truck of supplies they have bought themselves and gathered from local businesses and friends. They are psyched to help and are huge Obama supporters so they'll be happy to read this Nick's kudos to the President.

[Jefferson23]

68. You're welcome, they sound like great people, kudos to them! n/t

[jgraz]

65. As much as I disagree with the President...

I sleep better at night knowing he and Biden are in charge.

[Inuca]

69. Obama's Katrina n/t

[quiet.american]

70. Excellent. nt

[pansypoo53219]

72. is that why it's not

on teevee?

[Uncle Joe]

73. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, impik.:thumbsup:

[autorank]

74. k*r I'm proud of him ... "Walking Tall"

:patriot:

[avaistheone1]

76. Now BP should pay back the government for BP's spill.

[4_TN_TITANS]

78. I hate to see Bredesen go

because we're going to end up with another Repub. Amazing how short memories are down here - the last two republican governers (Sundquist & Alexander) were disasters, one for corruption, the other for trashing education.

[politicasista]

79. Kick

Don't want his successor to be a repuke. :hide:

Thank you President Obama, Gov. Bredesen, HS Napolitano, FEMA head. Everyone is doing a nice job. And also to Nashville Mayor Dean.

:kick: :patriot:

[bigwillq]

82. K and R (nt)

[BrklynLiberal]

83. K&R