Arkansas Air National Guard C-130s with people from New Orleans started arriving here in Ft. Smith mid-day Saturday. The people were then bussed the five miles to Fort Chaffee.
Fort Chaffee is not much like what it was back in 1980 when it sheltered 20,000 refugees from the "Mariel Boatlift." What's left of it now can only house about 4,000 people long term. By 10 p.m. Sunday approx. 9500 had arrived, and 3600 had completed processing at Fort Chaffee and been bussed out again, to shelters for 50 or 100 or 200 scattered around the state--mostly "church camps." We're expecting to process approximately 20,000 through here total.
Here's one local TV report, for what it's worth: [link]
I haven't heard what's going on in Oklahoma, I'll have a look at their newspapers when I get a chance.
"Nobody, especially the president, would have left people unattended on the basis of race."
"I mean, he certainly doesn't leave ME unattended (wink, wink)!"
Greece is donating a cruise ship, among other things. That's one of the donations we're actually going to accept.
In other good news, another 737 crashed (in Indonesia) : [link]
Bush has nothing to fear. Karl Rove and Dan Bartlett are on the case.
I exhibit no surprise whatsoever, but I should really get coffee before reading the newspapers in the morning. Really.
From that article:
These officials said that Mr. Bush and his political aides rapidly changed course in what they acknowledged was a belated realization of the situation's political ramifications.
Humanitarian aspects be damned - there's political issues here!
Even my extremely conservative, pro-administration houseguest is having trouble with the federal response to this.
Report From WWOZ New Orleans General Manager: [link]
Yanked from another board:
Us and Them (as in the Pink Floyd song).
It's not the sort of thing you want to click on if you don't want to cry.
Wow. Did you notice how quickly Bush nominated Rogers as Chief Justice?
Nice to know he can get some things done quickly.
Nice to know he can get some things done quickly.
I chalk this decision up to prudence more than expediency.
Roberts looks like a strong candidate who will go through the confirmation process with less of a fight. He can win this one, and then regroup for a bigger battle with a more conservative nominee, if he likes, when the shitstorm from Katrina dies down. And if Iraqi voters ratify their constitution in October, that will help Bush win some domestic battles.
OMG, I'm starting to think like Karl Rove. Someone shoot me.
