The Political Leaders in the Hurricane Areas

It's been interesting to watch the ongoing coverage of the hurricane's aftermath, and especially to watch the response of the political leaders in that area. Here are my thoughts on some of the main characters:

Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans: I don't know much about the mayor, but I've been impressed with what I've seen. He seems to be a very level-headed guy and has consistently portrayed a serious style of leadership. He may be a little optimistic in his recovery projections, but I've never heard him sugarcoat anything. Before the hurricane hit he made it very clear that this was going to be big and people better get out. Since then he's shown steady leadership, and I have a great deal of respect for the guy. I would, however, like to hear a forceful statement from him in regards to the looting.

UPDATE: The Mayor steps up and orders the cops to stop the looters. I'm liking this guy more and more. If the Dems could learn to talk and act like him, they just might win some elections.

Governor Haley Barbour, Mississippi: When Barbour stated that looters would be treated "ruthlessly" he got my vote forever (if I could vote in Mississippi). It's going to take some tough leadership to get the state through this crisis, and I have no doubt Barbour has what it takes.

Governor Kathleen Blanco, Louisiana: A completely lost cause. This woman is in way over her head and has no idea what to do. Her confusion is obvious, and when she basically condoned looting, she lost me. She may have looked good on paper, but in a crisis, she hasn't got what it takes. Other people are going to have to step in and do her job.

You'll probably notice that I emphasized the response to looting in each of these three cases. You can read about the ongoing problem here. My own thoughts regarding the looting are these:

1. The people were warned to get out of town and didn't do it. If they decided to defy the evacuation order, then you'd hope they'd be smart enough to stock up on supplies, anticipating that there will be some problems after the storms. A lot of people didn't do that, and now are using their stupidity to justify their crime.
2. If someone is taking food and water for survival, it's hard to fault them for trying to stay alive, and maybe we should be a little tolerant in those cases. But will they pay for the supplies when the crisis is over? Probably not, which makes it theft no matter how you look at it.
3. People stealing other merchandise should simply be shot on sight. If you see a guy wading through knee deep water carrying a new TV, drop him. What's he going to do with the TV anyway? There won't be any electricity in New Orleans for months.
4. The people who are trying to break into slot machines and steal coins are probably wasting their time. I'm sure the casinos cleaned out all the cash before they shut down, and I'd hate to be the looter identified by a casino security guy. They play for keeps.

There's one other group on prominent display during this crisis, and that's the press. Anyone who regularly reads this blog knows I'm not a fan of the mainstream media. However, my hat's off to the reporters who have been covering this disaster. I've watched some genuinely good and heartwrenching reporting the past couple of days and they should be applauded.

I found myself flipping back and forth between CNN and Fox News all the time, and as much as it pains me to say this, CNN's coverage has been superior. Don't get me wrong; Fox has been very good, but I've found CNN to be more of what I was looking for in hurricane coverage.

I'd love to see your comments on these folks.