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politics
Jindal: I Made Up Katrina Story -- Wait, No I Didn't
Politico's Ben Smith has been having an awkward back-and-forth with the spin doctors in Bobby Jindal's office over the governor's false Katrina story he delivered the other night.
Jindal, in his rebuttal to Barack Obama's big budget speech, claimed that he visited a sheriff "during Katrina" and saw him yelling on the phone to "some bureaucrat" who wouldn't let rescuers go save people on their boats. Jindal made a big fuss about it, calling it "ridiculous," and then claimed that the sheriff even told the person on the phone that Jindal was there supporting him.
But, it turns out that the Louisiana governor was nowhere near Sheriff Harry Lee "during Katrina," a point raised by a couple of liberal blogs. Instead, the fabricated story was basically Jindal recounting what he had heard in the aftermath of Katrina, a week later.
Smith asked Jindal's PR flaks for a clarification. One of them, Melissa Sellers, told him, "It was days later. Sheriff Lee was on the phone and the governor came down to visit him."
But then Jindal's chief of staff clarified further, saying the conversation happened the week after the hurricane: "Bobby and I walked into Harry Lee's office. He's yelling on the phone about a decision he's already made. He's saying, 'This is a decision I made, and if you don't like it you can come and arrest me.' "
That can be a bit confusing. To recap:
1. Jindal said Tuesday night that during the storm, he visited a sheriff who was ticked off because he had to deal with some bureaucracy. The heroic Jindal swooped in to offer his support.
2. Jindal's office admits that the governor wasn't with the sheriff, as he claimed -- in fact, he wasn't anywhere near there during Katrina.
3. A person with Jindal says they visited the sheriff a week after the hurricane. Jindal heard the phone-yelling story from the sheriff, and then pieced it together in his mind, put himself into the middle of it and threw it into his speech Tuesday night.
But then, in response to all this, Sellers, the spokeswoman, insisted that there is no difference between Jindal's account in his speech and the new version supplied by the office.
"This is liberal blogger BS," said the chief of staff, Timmy Teepell. "The story is clear."
Duly noted.
Here's what Jindal said, straight from his speech Tuesday:
"During Katrina, I visited Sheriff Harry Lee, a Democrat and a good friend of mine. When I walked into his makeshift office, I'd never seen him so angry. He was yelling into the phone: 'Well, I'm the sheriff, and if you don't like it, you can come and arrest me!' I asked him, 'Sheriff, what's got you so mad?' He told me that he had put out a call for volunteers to come with their boats to rescue people who were trapped on their rooftops by the floodwaters. The boats were all lined up, ready to go, when some bureaucrat showed up and told them they couldn't go out on the water unless they had proof of insurance and registration. I told him, 'Sheriff, that's ridiculous.' And before I knew it, he was yelling into the phone: 'Congressman Jindal is here, and he says you can come and arrest him, too!' Harry just told the boaters to ignore the bureaucrats and start rescuing people."
To break it down lie by lie line by line given what Jindal's office has re-said, we can deduce that:
1. The first line is false: "During Katrina, I visited Sheriff Harry Lee."
2. The rest of the story and all the quotes may have happened -- but they happened a week later, when Jindal saw the sheriff recounting his story on the phone to someone else, not "during Katrina."
3. Jindal's chronology is misleading, if not false. He says that he asked the sheriff why he was mad. Then Jindal told him "that's ridiculous." Then the sheriff told the phone that "Congressman Jindal is here." Then, apparently with Jindal's support, the sheriff "told the boaters to ignore the bureaucrats and start rescuing people." Of course, if Jindal met with the sheriff a week after those people were trapped on their roofs, it's tough to say how much impact he had on their rescue.
I suppose Jindal would argue the meaning of the word "during." He would probably say that it could mean "after," or possibly "a week after." I'll settle for the objective dictionary.com:
1. throughout the duration, continuance, or existence of
2. at some time or point in the course of
As in, "During Bobby Jindal's speech Tuesday night, he misled everyone about his heroism."
Jindal, in his rebuttal to Barack Obama's big budget speech, claimed that he visited a sheriff "during Katrina" and saw him yelling on the phone to "some bureaucrat" who wouldn't let rescuers go save people on their boats. Jindal made a big fuss about it, calling it "ridiculous," and then claimed that the sheriff even told the person on the phone that Jindal was there supporting him.
But, it turns out that the Louisiana governor was nowhere near Sheriff Harry Lee "during Katrina," a point raised by a couple of liberal blogs. Instead, the fabricated story was basically Jindal recounting what he had heard in the aftermath of Katrina, a week later.
Smith asked Jindal's PR flaks for a clarification. One of them, Melissa Sellers, told him, "It was days later. Sheriff Lee was on the phone and the governor came down to visit him."
But then Jindal's chief of staff clarified further, saying the conversation happened the week after the hurricane: "Bobby and I walked into Harry Lee's office. He's yelling on the phone about a decision he's already made. He's saying, 'This is a decision I made, and if you don't like it you can come and arrest me.' "
That can be a bit confusing. To recap:
1. Jindal said Tuesday night that during the storm, he visited a sheriff who was ticked off because he had to deal with some bureaucracy. The heroic Jindal swooped in to offer his support.
2. Jindal's office admits that the governor wasn't with the sheriff, as he claimed -- in fact, he wasn't anywhere near there during Katrina.
3. A person with Jindal says they visited the sheriff a week after the hurricane. Jindal heard the phone-yelling story from the sheriff, and then pieced it together in his mind, put himself into the middle of it and threw it into his speech Tuesday night.
But then, in response to all this, Sellers, the spokeswoman, insisted that there is no difference between Jindal's account in his speech and the new version supplied by the office.
"This is liberal blogger BS," said the chief of staff, Timmy Teepell. "The story is clear."
Duly noted.
Here's what Jindal said, straight from his speech Tuesday:
"During Katrina, I visited Sheriff Harry Lee, a Democrat and a good friend of mine. When I walked into his makeshift office, I'd never seen him so angry. He was yelling into the phone: 'Well, I'm the sheriff, and if you don't like it, you can come and arrest me!' I asked him, 'Sheriff, what's got you so mad?' He told me that he had put out a call for volunteers to come with their boats to rescue people who were trapped on their rooftops by the floodwaters. The boats were all lined up, ready to go, when some bureaucrat showed up and told them they couldn't go out on the water unless they had proof of insurance and registration. I told him, 'Sheriff, that's ridiculous.' And before I knew it, he was yelling into the phone: 'Congressman Jindal is here, and he says you can come and arrest him, too!' Harry just told the boaters to ignore the bureaucrats and start rescuing people."
To break it down lie by lie line by line given what Jindal's office has re-said, we can deduce that:
1. The first line is false: "During Katrina, I visited Sheriff Harry Lee."
2. The rest of the story and all the quotes may have happened -- but they happened a week later, when Jindal saw the sheriff recounting his story on the phone to someone else, not "during Katrina."
3. Jindal's chronology is misleading, if not false. He says that he asked the sheriff why he was mad. Then Jindal told him "that's ridiculous." Then the sheriff told the phone that "Congressman Jindal is here." Then, apparently with Jindal's support, the sheriff "told the boaters to ignore the bureaucrats and start rescuing people." Of course, if Jindal met with the sheriff a week after those people were trapped on their roofs, it's tough to say how much impact he had on their rescue.
I suppose Jindal would argue the meaning of the word "during." He would probably say that it could mean "after," or possibly "a week after." I'll settle for the objective dictionary.com:
1. throughout the duration, continuance, or existence of
2. at some time or point in the course of
As in, "During Bobby Jindal's speech Tuesday night, he misled everyone about his heroism."
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David T. Jump
12:19PM 12:19PM Feb 28th 2009
Matt Negrin doesn't seem to be playing with a full deck. He's beating on something said Tuesday night and here its Saturday already! What Barrak Obama and Bobby Jindal said on Tuesday night is history!
For the record, I heard the same thing that he did and I did bother to read the text version of the speech. It wasn't bad. I frankly fail to grasp the idea that the lefties as a group think that they're mentally superior to the rest of us. Well they aren't. If the preponderence of lefties have to work in the public sector or as organized labor instead of the corporate world, then they certainly don't have much on the ball to begin with. It takes intelligence to make money and to found and operate a small business. I don't know of many lefties who are small businessmen.
Of course, one can't expect much out of the lefties - they're too traumatized after 8 years of true leadership. Now they have the feel-good cradle-to-the-grave psuedo-leadership coming out of the WH.
Leadership and Whitehouse in the same sentence - it must be an oxymoron! Good Grief!
Obama? 4 and out 01-20-2013 can't come any too soon!
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elogco
1:15PM 1:15PM Feb 28th 2009
Man, if the previous Bush years was an example of true leadership, may this country never have to endure that unique example of malfeasance and misfeasance in government again. Prime example cited by Jindel: Katrina. Dude , where have you been? As to the topic at hand, very well done, Mr Negrin. It's an example of speaking truth to power. Although, in Mr. Jindel's case, it's 'wannabe'. After his performance on Tuesday, I almost felt for the Guv. Heckava job, Jindy!
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rich
5:26PM 5:26PM Feb 28th 2009
8 years of true leadership??LOL WHAT? that tells everyone right there that this guy is a MORON!!!!!! are those not the FACTS? seriously the right is the whiniest set of retards . you are negative about everything. you ruined this country with your bs ideology!!!!!! STFU!!!!! fgor the frecord your response doesnt even make sense . you are putting philosophy into the discussion when the story is just stating facts. IDIOT
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macdaddy152
11:43PM 11:43PM Mar 1st 2009
Your comments remind me of my late Grandfather's response when I asked him why his window air conditioners' vents were pointed towards the floor. He said, "because cold air rises".I said, "but Grandpa, cold air falls and heat rises".. His response was "Please don't confuse me with facts, I've already got my mind made up"
He also voted straight party Republican, because his boss of 30 years at the newspaper he wrote columns for was a big Republican (also a billionaire) who thought that taxes were for poor people. This "liberal media" boss has had close ties with the Bush family for decades, owns newspapers, radio stations and TV stations in several large markets. His newspaper in Oklahoma has NEVER ENDORSED a democrat for president, which falls right in line with 85% of American major newspapers. When you hear the wingnuts talk about the "Liberal Press",85% of the press is Republican.
I bought a newspaper today which was sold on a tax exempt basis. Newspaper advertising is also tax exempt. Nice welfare program for the newspaper owners.
Wingnuts like Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, Boortz, etc. completely dominate the radio airwaves, which are PUBLIC PROPERTY, licenced TO SERVE THE PUBLIC INTEREST. The same applies to TV stations. If Limbaugh and the rest of his LYING colleagues were each followed by someone with an opposing view, they would be recognized for the demagogues that they are. Limbaugh did ONE TV INTERVIEW as a guest on David Letterman's show Letterman cut Limbaugh to pieces and exposed him to be a pompous gasbag. Read Al Franken's book, "Lies, and the Lying Liars who tell them" exposing these bag men for the wealthy for what they really are. I remember when Clinton sent troops to Haiti to stop the bloodbath flood of refugees, Limbaugh said "we will have 10,000 dead troops, many with their heads chopped off with machetes"
Fact: The US didn't have ONE SINGLE COMBAT DEATH in Haiti, unless you count the one serviceman who was having family problems and committed suicide while in Haiti. The Haitians stopped invading America. Mission accomplished. But there wasn't any oil in Haiti......
And you can't wait until another one of your friends who thinks the way to get rid of the rats in the barn is to burn down the barn gets another shot at steering the Ship of State right over Niagara Falls as we were headed 6 months ago. If Obama can succeed in fixing the worst mess since Herbert Hoover gave us the great depression, he may be regarded as one of the best Presidents in history.
Facts: The economic "accomplishment" of every Republican administration since 1928 is as follows:
1. Hoover-The Great Depression
2. Eisenhower-Two recessions while in office
3. Nixon- A 5 year long recession, combined with 4 years more war after his "secret plan to end the war", plus runaway inflation and unprecedented corruption.
4 Ford--Continued recession from Nixon plus inflation
5.Reagan--Two recessions despite unprecedented federal deficits, corruption involving the governments involvement in cocaine dealing (Iran Contra), The S and L scandal (result of Reagan's de-regulation) starring Neil Bush,"W"s brother who stole billions from taxpayers and got away with it.
6. Bush l--Recession, plus continued runaway deficit spending
Enter Clinton--(A DEMOCRAT) Over two billion in budget SURPLUS, lower crime, soaring stock market, successful military campaigns in Haiti and Kosovo which stopped genocide,both were opposed universally by Republicans and Liar-in-Chief Limbaugh. There isn't any oil in either country. Want to know the true Republican agenda....follow the MONEY.
Worst Clinton screw up...Couldn't keep his pants on and lied about it. However, when Clinton Lied, nobody DIED.
And....Last but certainly not Least
7. George W. Bush, probably the worst President in History,when choosing advisors confused loyalty with ability, corruption so extensive it would make Nixon and Harding blush. For a beginning 9-ll attack which could have been prevented, but united the country behind an incompetent leader. Next we have the Iraq war which few dared oppose after 9-11. Within a year we were told "Mission Accomplished" 5 years later, we know that was another lie, because there was no exit strategy. You can bomb a country into the stone age and still not gain a political victory. Remember Vietnam?
Then we have the Katrina debacle, which could have been avoided, except the President didn't believe NASA or the National Weather Service when he was told a full week earlier that this would be a massive hurricane that would likely make landfall near New Orleans. He didn't believe in "bad science", or global warming.
With $400 million in "campaign contributions" (bribes) from the oil industry, you can't afford to believe in global warming. Then we have doubling the national debt in 8 years, the financial collapse thanks to "laissez-faire" deregulation (another aspect of the bogus "trickle down" theory espoused by Hoover).
This guy was a regular JEENYUS ON A NUKULUR SCALE.
And you want another driver who keeps driving the bus into the ditch, OVER AND OVER AGAIN? Unfuggingbelievable!
C
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Paul
4:34PM 4:34PM Mar 5th 2009
David T. gushes "Eight years of true leadership" under GW Bush:
1. Dismantled U.S. Constitution save for 2nd Amendment (including circumventing Florida election laws and separation of powers in order (amoung many other offenses) to:
a. facilitate his installation as (p)resident by US Supreme Court
b. Abandon habeas corpus tradition dating to the Magna Carta
2. Ignore warning that "bin Laden intends imminent strike in the U.S."
3. Failed to track down bin Laden; gins up false threat and war hysteria by Saddam Hussein; starts and does not finish illegal strategically untenable war; kills thousands of Iraqis and U.S. service personnel; scars many more for life
4 Installs unnecessary tax cuts creating disproportionate windfall for corporations and the rich. Then dismantles all government regulatory oversight of industry and finance. Corporate America show their appreciation by speculating energy costs to criminal levels, sending jobs out of country and stealing whatever is left over-Country goes into recession, heads for depression.
5. Strums on guitar while New Orleans drowns
This response is not intended for David T who, as a conservative, would only respond to facts with traditional right-wing rhetoric. Luckily is now a majority in America who-paraphrasing George Bush by quoting Pete Townsend correctly-won't get fooled again.
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elogco
12:55PM 12:55PM Feb 28th 2009
Very well, Mr Negrin, as in 'speaking truth to Power'; although in Mr. Jindel's case, it's wannabe; and that was a heck of a response, Jindy! I almost feel for the Bloke.
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David T. Jump
8:28PM 8:28PM Feb 28th 2009
Whatever are you talking about?
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mayabelle1107
2:18PM 2:18PM Feb 28th 2009
Negrin, you are the worst. I have never read a more trivial story. Well, since your last one I mean. It's amazing to me that someone pays your whining, liberal ass to write. Just goes to show what a basement dwelling moron and a computer can accomplish.
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AIM CAREFULLY
4:22PM 4:22PM Feb 28th 2009
And the Republicans wonder why they've become irrelevant? Lies lies and more lies. They have no agenda now that Bush is gone and they have no power either.
Jindal, the great 'hope' of the GOP. Sarah Palin, the great 'hope' of the GOP.
If this is all the GOP has to offer, Caribou Barbie and Coonass Jindal (coming from the David Duke state)
the GOP is doomed.......and you know, they destroyed themselves, good riddance!
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DestructiveMonky
8:43AM 8:43AM Mar 1st 2009
and your state has never had a person like duke come out of it????? please stop labeling southern states as being racist that argument is not only weak, its lame...
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rich
5:28PM 5:28PM Feb 28th 2009
the lefties are superior. just read both sides and its so obvious. the right is just filled with lies a nd hatred. keep courting palin Please. and for the record dave you idiot, what are you babbling about? not the story . why do all repubtards feel the need to put philosophy in everything they say? first off its wrong it doesn t work. just stick with the facts! he lied. he got caught! the republicans have screwed this country over long enough!!!
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David T. Jump
7:17PM 7:17PM Feb 28th 2009
Typical left-winger response. Resort to name calling when you have nothing to debate with.
Really, impress me already!
For the record, I served in the United States Army for 21 years. Following retirement, I entered the corporate world as a software engineer and worked there for 20 years, retiring the end of 2006 to start my own company - a computer services company. The company started operations in 2007, incurred a loss due to start up costs. It made a profit in 2008 - its second year in operations and is likewise doing well in 2009.
So, I'm an idiot am I? I guess that all of us GOP "idiots" who make money, create jobs and add to the economy are clueless, while you left-wing geniuses take from the economy and rarely if ever are to solution, rather than the problem. I reiterate - civilian public sector workers, organized labor, National Education Center Association (organized labor).
No, I'm no more an idiot then you are a genius.
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DaveK
9:14AM 9:14AM Mar 1st 2009
Superior, huh? I guess you think you're superior too, huh? I kind of doubt that, considering you don't even seem to realize that sentences start with a CAPITAL LETTER.
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KidChaos2
10:30AM 10:30AM Mar 1st 2009
The right is filled with lies? Why did the "President" say there were no earmarks? Why did the president say that he would cut taxes, but, then propose a budget that GUARANTEES that he will HAVE to raise taxes, because the budget can't be paid for by the top 5% based on 2007's tax revenue numbers? As for hatred, I didn't see ANY loving by the left for Bush. The Dems didn't get their beloved Al Gore (who has started to back off on the Global Warming program, because it has been proven we are in a cycle of Global Cooling), so the hate-mongering for Bush started. Think what you want, but, despite the good intentions of the left, they are just as full of lies and hate as they claim the right has. AND, their programs are fiscally impossible, bankrupting the country. YOUR PROGRAMS ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE. What will you do when you've taxed the rich into poverty? Where will your handouts come from then? The rich are the ones that give us jobs, I never got a job from a poor guy....
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rikki harrison
9:09AM 9:09AM Mar 2nd 2009
How about your secretary of sate? have you forgotten her war story about dodging sniper fire on the tarmac in Bosnia? How about every fucking person BO appoints to some post being a tax evader. He wants to over tax me to pay for abortions in zimbabwe and honduras, but can't get his cabinet members to pay their share even. Before you accuse me, take a look at yourself ....
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Labels
5:30PM 5:30PM Feb 28th 2009
Why do people label others LIBERAL for telling the truth? Any time someone tells the truth about a Republican they are automatically labeled a LIBERAL.
Jindal lied. Palin lied. Bush lied. Cheney lied. Anyone that spoke against them or dared to seek the truth and tell it, were labeled LIBERAL.
Why is LIBERAL such a BAD WORD?
If I catch my child lying to me or making up a story, does that make me a LIBERAL? No.
If I find my spouse is spending money and ask where it went, does that make me a LIBERAL? No, that makes me aware of the budget and finances.
Why does everyone that doesn't want to know or hear the truth scream the word LIBERAL? Why does that word leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth?
Fact checking Bobby Jindal's "Katrina Story" after they made a big deal of his tv appearance after Obama's speech makes someone a LIBERAL?
Jindal came on National tv and spoke to the nation but had nothing of substance to say. He told a compelling story of bureaucratic red tape and someone checked the facts and found the story wasn't true. That makes someone a LIBERAL?
If wanting to know the truth and not being afraid to hear the real truth makes someone a liberal then I'd guess this country is far more liberal than they will ever admit.
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David T. Jump
7:28PM 7:28PM Feb 28th 2009
Sounds like you have an axe to grind. For the record, left-wingers wouldn't know the truth if it smacked them up side the head.
They have no concept of leadership, just whine about the opposition, tax and spend.
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David T. Jump
7:28PM 7:28PM Feb 28th 2009
An how much happy smoke have you had today?
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David T. Jump
7:28PM 7:28PM Feb 28th 2009
And you are smoking what?
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pcwalt
8:09PM 8:09PM Feb 28th 2009
Are folks here incapable of understanding that Jindal meant "during the Katrina situation" rather than during the hurricane itself? Is it asking too much of people to actually act literate in understanding his reference? Or is this a malicious, deliberate misreading of his intentions? Aren't the people here supposed to be the errudite, sophisticated folk with a higher understanding of truth and fairness?
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