Eventually, ABC News's Jessica Yellin protested: "Message boards on the Internet are going crazy. They're frustrated that you're deflecting this to FEMA. Is the White House properly, adequately concerned?"
"Deflecting what to FEMA?" McClellan asked.
With each hot potato passed Chertoff's way, McClellan was suggesting the homeland security secretary would be the one to blame if recovery efforts don't go well. The spokesman also said questions about pre-storm preparations were off-limits. The Washington Post's Peter Baker asked if there "is any second-guessing" because people long knew about New Orleans's vulnerability.
"This is not a time for finger-pointing or playing politics," came McClellan's reply.
The New York Times's Dick Stevenson tried again: "Would you concede . . . that more could have or should have been done?"
McClellan would not concede anything. "There'll be a time for politics later," he said.
The White House briefing ended at 1:11, leaving reporters just enough time to reach the Chertoff briefing by 1:30. But DHS officials, turning the reporters away, said they did not care that McClellan had sent them. "The White House didn't coordinate the briefing times," one said.
These are the guys responsible for saving 100,000 people from flood waters.
Remember how long it took them to get back to Washington to pass a single piece of legislation for Terri Schiavo?
-The Oklahoma Hippy
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