Friday, August 24, 2012

‘Heck of a job?’ Former FEMA director says GOP doing a good job ahead of possible RNC hurricane

Michael Brown, the Federal Emergency Management Agency director during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, told The Daily Caller that people should “calm down” about the possibility of a hurricane striking Tampa, Fla., during next week’s Republican National Convention.
“The hyperbole of this thing is out of control,” said Brown, noting what he sees as alarmism from reporters “wringing their hands and gnashing their teeth.”
Brown was infamously praised by President George W. Bush during the height of post-Katrina chaos with the phrase, “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.” He resigned his position shortly after.
Brown said that he believes RNC event planners are doing a good job, and that FEMA needs “to have their contingency plans in effect now.”
“From the things I’ve heard from people in D.C., I think the party is doing the right thing,” Brown told TheDC. “I don’t have a gauge on whether the city is doing the right thing, because all I’m hearing is the mayor talking about rescheduling.”
Brown did not say what specifically the Republican Party is doing a good job at, but said, “I assume the RNC is sending out daily emails … just to get people thinking.”
Earlier this week Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said, “absolutely, we’re prepared to call [the convention] off.” Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll said, “safety — that’s going to be the number one priority … We can have the convention again.”

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