The Ressurrected One
09-07-2005, 09:14 PM
Major Garrett of Fox News is reporting that the Red Cross "had prepositioned water, food, blankets and hygiene products for delivery to the Superdome and the Convention Center in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, but were blocked from delivering those supplies by orders of the Louisiana state government, which did not want to attract people to the Superdome and/or Convention Center."
Explosive, obviously, if true. Garrett says the report comes from "sources at the highest levels of the Red Cross."
During an interview on the Shepard Smith Report some RC Spokeswoman said it was the Louisiana State Homeland Security Dept that stopped them from going to the Superdome in the immediate aftermath.
Another official spokesperson, Carol Miller, on the Diane Ream NPR show, confirmed the same on Wednesday morning. A caller inquired if it was true (that Louisiana barred them from the Superdome) and she (the spokesperson) replied unequivocally that it was, indeed, true.
Here's your audio link: Diane Ream (http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/) (Click link on left side of page, for today's show; the comment is about 35:40 into the show.)
I've listened to the exchange, and the Red Cross representative clearly confirms that the Louisiana authorities directed the Red Cross not to operate in New Orleans lest residents be tempted to stay. The Superdome and convention center aren't specifically mentioned, but obviously would be included in the prohibition.
Others have pointed out that the same information is on the Red Cross web site. So there isn't any doubt about the basic point. The thing that would make it more explosive, I guess, is if the Red Cross had specifically stockpiled materiel to go to the Superdome and convention center, as indicated by Garrett's report on Fox.
Explosive, obviously, if true. Garrett says the report comes from "sources at the highest levels of the Red Cross."
During an interview on the Shepard Smith Report some RC Spokeswoman said it was the Louisiana State Homeland Security Dept that stopped them from going to the Superdome in the immediate aftermath.
Another official spokesperson, Carol Miller, on the Diane Ream NPR show, confirmed the same on Wednesday morning. A caller inquired if it was true (that Louisiana barred them from the Superdome) and she (the spokesperson) replied unequivocally that it was, indeed, true.
Here's your audio link: Diane Ream (http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/) (Click link on left side of page, for today's show; the comment is about 35:40 into the show.)
I've listened to the exchange, and the Red Cross representative clearly confirms that the Louisiana authorities directed the Red Cross not to operate in New Orleans lest residents be tempted to stay. The Superdome and convention center aren't specifically mentioned, but obviously would be included in the prohibition.
Others have pointed out that the same information is on the Red Cross web site. So there isn't any doubt about the basic point. The thing that would make it more explosive, I guess, is if the Red Cross had specifically stockpiled materiel to go to the Superdome and convention center, as indicated by Garrett's report on Fox.