Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Sebelius vs. White House over tornado recovery

By Gena Terlizzi

VIDEO:

The White House takes on Governor Kathleen Sebelius over the recovery efforts in Greensburg.

Just one day before President Bush is scheduled to visit Kansas, his press secretary lashes out at Governor Sebelius, but then appears to back down, and place the blame somewhere else.

For the past year and a half, Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Kansas Adjutant General Tod Bunting have expressed concern over the National Guard Equipment that has been sent to Iraq and then damaged, and not replaced, or simply left there.

The problem became more obvious than ever over the weekend when an EF-5 tornado almost completely wiped out a Western Kansas town.

"We have personnel on the ground but about half our trucks are gone. We don't have front loaders and dump trucks. We don't have flat beds that move heavy equipment," the governor said.

After Sebelius again expressed concern over that lack of equipment the White House reacted quickly.

It began this morning when the Associated Press Reported White House Press Secretary Tony Snow blamed Sebelius, saying she had not properly followed procedure.

The White House line softened later in the day as snow blamed the media for blowing the dispute out of proportion.

"You guys are just trying to pick a fight. We just talked with the governor a few minutes ago," Snow told a group of reporters.

Major General Tod Bunting, the state's Adjutant General maintains the Kansas Guard is able to handle the situation.

It's a position he's stated before, as he did several weeks ago when we asked him how prepared the guard was for the approaching severe weather season.

"We've been ready for 155 years and we'll be ready for 155 more," Bunting told us just a few weeks ago.

Governor Sebelius now says she did not mean to suggest the Kansas National Guard can not handle the task before them, but she emphasized that she will not back down from her request to have the state's guard equipment replaced for the safety of all Kansas citizens.

Comments

OZ (anonymous) says...

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On repeated occasions, Sebelius made clear to the White House that Kansas was dangerously low on National Guard equipment:
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Dec. 30, 2005: Sebelius writes to Rumsfeld requesting new equipment. "The Guard was critical to responding to recent blizzards and floods in Kansas, yet its ability to respond to similar situations is being diminished by a lack of equipment," wrote Sebelius. Included with her letter was a list of equipment Kansas had lost to the Iraq war. [Kansas City Star, 1/21/06; Topeka Capital-Journal, 6/29/06]
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Jan. 23, 2006: Sebelius personally urges Bush to increase National Guard funding. In an one-hour motorcade ride in Kansas with Bush, Sebelius expressed concern about "a reduction of National Guard troop strength in its next budget." Bush assured her he was "dealing" with the shortages. [Topeka Capital-Journal, 1/24/06; Kansas City Star, 3/11/06]

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June 28, 2006: Sebelius sends Army Secretary list of equipment lost in war. In a meeting with Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey, Sebelius told Harvey that the state had lost about $140 million in National Guard equipment to the Iraq war. Her office then sent him a list of the lost equipment. [Topeka Capital-Journal, 6/29/06]

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Sept. 2006: Sebelius lobbies for replacement of National Guard equipment sent to Iraq. "Kansas' congressional delegation, Sebelius and governors from around the country have been lobbying the Pentagon for increased funding to replace National Guard equipment that has been left in Iraq or damaged beyond repair after repeated use in war." [AP, 9/5/06]
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Feb. 27, 2007: Sebelius pushes White House and Congress for more funding. "Now the Guard needs Washington's help," Sebelius said in press conference on Capitol Hill. "The President and Congress need to step up to the plate and give our Guard members the support they deserve." [Press Release, 2/27/07]

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Of course the WIBW website also has this news item, however, WIBW does NOT allow dissent.
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May 8, 2007 at 7:05 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

situveux1 (anonymous) says...

Dissent? What are you talking about OZ? That story makes the governor shine.

I agree with her, the guard needs their equipment back, but the situation can be handled with what they have now. The streets were cleared before dawn by the towns own citizens for heavens sake, before the Guard ever got there!

The only stories I have seen that indicated things are not being handled properly is from Sebelius herself! Why is she trying to manufacture a crisis when there is none? Wouldn't her time be better spent managing the situation and leading rather and pointing fingers?

I mean she did spend all that money on commercials that did nifty things with the word leadership, maybe she would exercise some.

Sebelius is just trying to make herself look good for other Democrats, and she's using the Katrina model to do it. I think it's sad she is using the people of Greensburg to further her political career.

By the way, have you been keeping that list of newspaper articles handy for a reason or what? The way you whipped that out less than an hour after the story was posted is a little odd, don't you think?

May 8, 2007 at 9:54 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

OZ (anonymous) says...

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Dear situveux1THING;
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Who mentioned ANYTHING about dissent?

Being the republiSCUM you are, why aren't you down there helping them, you know doing the republiSCUM, Moral superior X-tian HYPOCRITE thing?

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"By the way, have you been keeping that list of newspaper articles handy for a reason or what? The way you whipped that out less than an hour after the story was posted is a little odd, don't you think?"
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Seems you have NO FACTS, as usual, just the same Karl Rove talking points that you and the rest of the brainwashed, mentally incompetent republiSCUM lemmings regurgitate as they/you are incapable of cogitation or any original thought of their/your own.
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I DO think, you should try it, though in your case I'm certain the unknown, unfamiliar activity would cause you a headache.
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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, and you have neither.
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Praise CHEESES and TAX ALL CULTS ! ! !
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Ps.
Why isn't that Nazi republiSCUM "dr" Jim Barnett down there helping out and fulfilling his Hippocratic oath? I'ts so typical of the IDIOT RepubliSCUM LIARS.
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May 11, 2007 at 1:58 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

OZ (anonymous) says...

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Brought to you by The Bush Crime Family X-tian Casket Company

the AWOL, ALCOHOLIC, COCAINE ADDICTED, HYPOCRITICAL X-TIAN, DRY DRUNK, FUNCTIONING ILLITERATE, PEDOPHILE LOVING, BAGHDAD BUSH aka the IDIOT DUBYA continues to MURDER & TORTURE & SPEND TAX MONEY
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U.S. MILITARY
** DEATHS** IN IRAQ: 3,386 and rising
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U.S. MILITARY
**WOUNDED** & **MAIMED** IN IRAQ: 79,900 and rising
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IRAQI **CIVILIAN** DEAD men, DEAD women and DEAD CHILDREN (MINIMUM): 689,500 and rising
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(the IDIOT liar DUBYA flippantly "admits" 30,000 12-12-05)
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1,577 (plus) DEAD from KATRINA and the AWOL, ALCOHOLIC, COCAINE ADDICTED, DRY DRUNK, FUNCTIONING ILLITERATE, PEDOPHILE LOVING, IDIOT DUBYA'S incompetence and willful neglect all while on FIVE WEEK VACATION;
the IDIOT DUBYA KILLS AT HOME, TOO!
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the AWOL, ALCOHOLIC, COCAINE ADDICTED, DRY DRUNK, FUNCTIONING ILLITERATE, PEDOPHILE LOVING, BAGHDAD BUSH AKA IDIOT DUBYA'S "FAMILY" members injured, maimed or dead in Iraq or even SERVING their COUNTRY in MILITARY SERVICE =
N--O--N--E !!!!
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The AWOL, ALCOHOLIC, COCAINE ADDICTED, DRY DRUNK, FUNCTIONING ILLITERATE, BAGHDAD BUSH aka IDIOT DUBYA'S administration has drafted amendments (chief author was "Speedy-I Don't remember" Gonzales) to the War Crimes Act that **RETROACTIVELY** protects policy-makers from possible criminal charges for authorizing humiliating and degrading treatment of detainees, according to lawyers who have seen the proposal. The White House, without elaboration, said in a statement that the bill "will apply to any conduct by any U.S. personnel, whether committed before or after the law is enacted.
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This amendment is NOT the action of innocent people.
Innocent until TORTURED GUILTY.
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Of course, the incompetent, seditious and treasonous Condi Rice, DISMISSING Tenet's warnings on July 10, 2001, that OSSAMA BIN LADEN will ATTACK the UNITED STATES & the AWOL, ALCOHOLIC, COCAINE ADDICTED, DRY DRUNK, FUNCTIONING ILLITERATE, BAGHDAD BUSH aka the IDIOT DUBYA IGNORING the Presidential Daily Briefing, Dated, August 06, 2001, that OSSAMA BIN LADEN will ATTACK the UNITED STATES, is responsible for ALL the DEATHS of 9-11.
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"To initiate a war of aggression, therefore, is not only an international crime; it is the SUPREME INTERNATIONAL CRIME differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole."
-- US Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson, presiding Nuremburg Trials 1946
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$ 768 BILLION DOLLARS of American TAXPAYER MONEY Spent by the IDIOT DUBYA on IRAQ and IRAQIS, NOT on America or for Americans.Including $12 BILLION sent to Iraq IN CASH that subsequently and immediately disappeared, its weight was 340 TONS
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Praise CHEESES and TAX ALL CULTS ! ! !
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situveux1THING, you must be so proud; LOSER.
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May 11, 2007 at 2:01 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

situveux1 (anonymous) says...

Wow OZ, a lot of hate.

Try and get some help.

May 14, 2007 at 10:20 p.m. ( | suggest removal )