"Don't tell me 40,000 people are coming here. They're not here. It's too doggone late."

"But we authorized $8 billion to go to Iraq lickety-quick. After 9/11, we gave the president unprecedented powers lickety-quick to take care of New York and other places.

Now, you mean to tell me that a place where most of your oil is coming through, a place that is so unique when you mention New Orleans anywhere around the world, everybody's eyes light up -- you mean to tell me that a place where you probably have thousands of people that have died and thousands more that are dying every day, that we can't figure out a way to authorize the resources that we need? Come on, man."(New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin)

President G.W. Bush ran his campaign on the idea that he would make us safer. That he would prepare us for the threats of the future. Which is now. Or some sort of 'Are you scared? Vote for me!' bullshit.

Hurricanes give more warning than terrorists. And the Federal readiness and response to Katrina should make even his supporters question the credentials of our National Security President. If this is a test run for Federal Emergency Management and Homeland Security, we're fucked.

Fellow Los Angeles residents, I hope you've got sweet earthquake kits...because when the big one hits, it looks like we're on our own.

On the ground and desperate, angry:

Mayor Nagin Interview

8 (okay, 4) Days Later:

President George W. Bush Press Conference

"I don't want to see anybody do anymore goddamn press conferences. Put a moratorium on press conferences. Don't do another press conference until the resources are in this city. And then come down to this city and stand with us when there are military trucks and troops that we can't even count.

Don't tell me 40,000 people are coming here. They're not here. It's too doggone late. Now get off your asses and do something, and let's fix the biggest goddamn crisis in the history of this country."(New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin)