I’m getting tired of two things – people attacking Bush, and people supporting Bush. So… I decided to do some research into both sides.

I looked at the Associated Press, www.NOLA.com, www.whitehouse.gov, the New York Times and other media sites that explained the roles of all the federal agencies and individuals involved in this whole mess.

According to the Office of the Governor, Louisiana Governor Blanco declared a state of emergency on Friday, August 26 (a full three days BEFORE Katrina made landfall). In response, the next day (8/27) Bush declared a state of emergency, thereby ordering federal agencies to assist state and local agencies in preparation for Katrina.

On Sunday, August 28…President Bush, FEMA director Brown, and Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff were briefed by Dr. Max Mayfield of the National Hurricane Center that there would be a possible levee breach. None of the federal agencies did anything in response to the warning. However, President Bush, in a 11:31am televised press conference from his ranch in Crawford, Texas – did tell the residents of New Orleans to listen to local and state authorities and to evacuate the area. (see his speech). However, he only spoke briefly on Katrina and spent the rest of the press conference praising the Iraqi constitution.

On the day the hurricane hit, Monday August 29, at 8am, Mayor Nagin of New Orleans tells the “Today Show” that water is flowing over the levees. No one on the federal level responded to this.

According to the Associated Press, it was not until 11:30am on that day that Brown (from FEMA) finally requested 1,000 Dept. of Homeland Security employees dispatched. This request was sent to Chertoff of DHS.

According to www.whitehouse.gov, (the official site of the White House) President Bush at 11am was at a photo op with Senator John McCain. Later that day, (again from www.whitehouse.gov), President Bush attended a Medicare drug benefit event in California.

DHS Secretary Chertoff said on “Meet the Press” on Sunday September 4 that he did not realize the levee was breached until Tuesday – the day after Katrina destroyed the Gulf Coast.

According to the New York Times, on August 31, President Bush finally organizes a task force to coordinate the relief efforts.

By then, from news accounts on CNN, MSNBC, and all local stations, we have seen the conditions in the Superdome, the neighborhoods, and everywhere else in the Gulf Coast.

I don’t think I need to go on and on…the bottom line is – everyone on the federal level failed. The state of Louisiana was destroyed. Its biggest city was in ruins and the state (and the municipal level) could not carry out relief efforts. Therefore it fell to the federal level to take care of everything to help – and it took more time than necessary to coordinate everything.

People are blaming Bush because he is the President of the United States and his role is to lead the way. Here – I am saying that Bush should have responded quicker, but I am also saying FEMA should have acted sooner. Was it Bush’s fault? Was it DHS’s fault?

I echo former President Clinton when he said yesterday that there should be an independent bipartisan investigation (akin to the 9/11 Commission) into the failures of the federal government in responding to this natural disaster.

Needless to say, we need to improve our response to natural disasters – in many different ways.