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Obama Vows Not to Repeat Katrina Mistakes

He makes his first visit as president to New Orleans

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 15, 2009 3:46 PM CDT

(Newser) – President Obama promised not to repeat the mistakes the Bush administration made responding to Hurricane Katrina. Speaking to residents of New Orleans' lower 9th ward, Obama said the Katrina disaster was caused not just by “nature, but by a failure of government." By improving communication among state, local, and federal disaster agencies, the administration is "making sure that a disaster like Katrina does not happen again,” he said.

With Obama spending less than 4 hours in New Orleans, critics such as Republican congressman Steve Scalise said the city deserved more than a “drive-through,” reports Bloomberg. But a White House spokesman countered that Obama has freed up $1.4 billion in aid for rebuilding New Orleans’ infrastructure and sent more top officials to the region “than to almost any other place in the country.”

the Lower 9th Ward, the Industrial Canal, and the Mississippi River, bottom of photo, are seen from Air Force One as President Barack Obama arrives in New Orleans, La., Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009.
the Lower 9th Ward, the Industrial Canal, and the Mississippi River, bottom of photo, are seen from Air Force One as President Barack Obama arrives in New Orleans, La., Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
President Barack Obama visits the Dr. Martin Luther King Charter School  in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, La., Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009.
President Barack Obama visits the Dr. Martin Luther King Charter School in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, La., Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
President Barack Obama speaks at a town hall meeting at the University of New Orleans in New Orleans, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009.
President Barack Obama speaks at a town hall meeting at the University of New Orleans in New Orleans, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
President Barack Obama participates in a town hall meeting at the University of New Orleans in New Orleans, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009.
President Barack Obama participates in a town hall meeting at the University of New Orleans in New Orleans, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 18 comments
Silverbow7
Jan 7, 2010 4:13 AM CST
I'm talking about after the fact. Those people were on their own. It's not about money or whose fault it was that it happened.
kirei_gaisuto
Oct 16, 2009 7:11 AM CDT
And furthermore, MS wasn't covered by ANYBODY. Not just Fox. No one seems to pay it any mind in the Katrina coverage. This goes for major news networks, internet, publications, etc. Anytime anybody talks about it, it's always New Orleans. Maybe a side mention about the Gulf Coast, but that's all. I'm not down playing what happened in New Orleans. It was terrible there too. But it's the only place anyone gave a rat's ass about. But I would expect the President to at least pretend to care. I mean, Biloxi is less than two hours away from NO. He could at least try.
kirei_gaisuto
Oct 16, 2009 7:08 AM CDT
@Shannonals, uh no, that pissed me off too. And I even said "New Orleans seems to be the only place anyone....cares about." Obama is the topic of conversation not Fox News or Bush. But, yeah they're all douches too.

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