From Scout: From WWLTV A man was found dead in his Katrina-flooded home last night, but New Orleans police could not say if the body had been there since the hurricane. Police spokesman Garry Flot said police went into the house and found the body in a second-floor bedroom. The identity of the man is being withheld while authorities tried to notify relatives. Police say the body had been there for a while, but police did not know how long. Flot says there was flood damage on the first floor of the house. The number of missing stands at 2163 … Continue reading Body Found in NOLA

From Scout: From Times Picayune…. WASHINGTON — The White House announced Wednesday that it will ask Congress to approve another $4.2 billion to help rebuild Louisiana homes destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The additional money would increase the total in federal block grants for housing to $10.4 billion. Gov. Kathleen Blanco, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and other state and local officials made hastily arranged trips to Washington to join Donald Powell, the Bush administration’s hurricane recovery coordinator, for the announcement. The meeting was also attended by St. Bernard Parish President Junior Rodriguez, Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard, U.S. … Continue reading Buy Out Plan Moving Forward

From Scout: You got to listen to this Cheers…only one beer though.(Right) (tip from attaturk at rising hegemon) Continue reading Dead Eye Dick at Folsom Prison

From Holden: Sounds like Condi Rice was in way over her head (again) in the Senate today. Republican senators criticized the Bush administration Wednesday over its policies in Iraq, Iran and the Palestinian territories, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s first testimony on Capitol Hill in months exposed her to a tough grilling from some members of her own party. “I don’t see, Madame Secretary, how things are getting better. I think things are getting worse. I think they’re getting worse in Iraq. I think they’re getting worse in Iran,” Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., told Rice as she appeared before … Continue reading The Honeymoon Must Be Over

From Holden: Dick Cheney better keep praying for Harry Whittington. If the man wounded by Dick Cheney dies, the vice president could _ in theory at least _ face criminal charges, even though the shooting was an accident. Dallas defense attorney David Finn, who has been a state and a federal prosecutor, said Wednesday that a Texas grand jury could bring a charge of criminally negligent homicide if there is evidence the vice president knew or should have known “there was a substantial or unjustifiable risk that his actions would result in him shooting a fellow hunter.” “The risk must … Continue reading Dick in the Pokey

From Holden: This mornings gaggle was held aboard Air Force One en route to Dublin, Ohio. As of 10:28 A.M. EST when the gaggle was held Little Scottie did not know that Cheney had agreed to be interviewed by Fox’s Britt “Snowball” Hume. Q Scott, is there any indication that Vice President Cheney will make any comments about the shooting? A lot of people, including Republicans and Democrats, are saying that the Vice President should come out and express, you know, how sorry he is publicly about what happened. MR. McCLELLAN: A couple of things. First of all, the Vice … Continue reading Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle

From Holden: Maybe history will call Chimpy the Education President after all. U.S. commanders in Iraq are expressing grave concerns that the overcrowded Abu Ghraib prison has become a breeding ground for extremist leaders and a school for terrorist foot soldiers. The reason is that the confinement allows detainees to forge relationships and exchange lessons of combat against the United States and the new Iraqi government. “Abu Ghraib is a graduate-level training ground for the insurgency,” said a U.S. commander in Iraq. The U.S. military has halted transferring detainees to Iraqi-run facilities until the country improves its prisoner care. But … Continue reading Do You Feel Safer Yet?

From Holden: The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department clarifies the issue of who was at fault. [T]he Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said it will classify the Saturday shooting as an error in judgment by Cheney, said Steve Hall, education director for the department. Members of the hunting party have blamed Whittington for not announcing his location to the others. While medical experts question Katharine Armstrong’s claim that Harry Whittington was 30 yards away from Cheney when he was shot. The account given yesterday by doctors caring for the Texas lawyer accidentally shot by Vice President Dick Cheney last weekend … Continue reading It Was Cheney’s Fault, And They’re Lying

From Scout:

Well WTF CSPAN??? They are not covering the hearing. UPDAET: OK they have it now

So have to rely on CNN

Sen Collins is now reading opening statement

UPDATE: Chertoff sworn in and begins his statement

UPDATE: Chertoff denies they were detatched saying “we were acutely aware of Katrina and the threat it poased”

UPDATE: Chertoff putting it back on Brownie saying he asked if he had what he needed on Sun before landfall and Brownie said yes

UPDATE: Interruption from someone in the crowd! It is a pastor asking why people are being evicted

UPDATE: Collins questioning. Why was Brownie appointed to head up response given his open disdain for National Response Plan? Chertoff said he was astonished by Brownie’s testimony last week.Blah Blah if I’d know then what I know now it had been a different decision

UPDATE: Collins to Chertoff she remembers you seemed “curiously disengaged to me” at the time. Why did you go to CDC for avian flu meeting on Tuesday? Chertoff- States he knew of substantial breach at 7AM on Tuesday.I had hardware capability to communicate so I went to CDC.

UPDATE: Lieberman up. By Sun pm it was clear a loaded gun was pointed at NOLA.Lieberman pointing out the things Chertoff didn’t do that he was suppose to do under NRP (ex..appoint PFO, appoint law enforcement head, get transport for exacuation) Chertoff–Bush declared an Emergency so NRP automatically goes into effect so that’s why he didn’t formally declare what NRP says he should

UPDATE: Chertoff acknowledges did not call Dept. of Transportation and ask to see plan for bus evacuation and says wasn’t his responsibility to do so. Sen. Warner up now and praising Chertoff

UPDATE: Warner focusing on what to do in future and the only bright spots…Coast Guard and Gen. Honouree (?) Perhaps he will talk of kittens and puppies next

UPDATE: Asks if trailer stories we hear are accurate? Chertoff answer focuses on trying to avoid fraud by people in getting a trailer. Sheesh

UPDATE: Sen. Dayton talking about cronyism in awarding contracts. Chertoff–avoids this and talks about the Trailers!

UPDATE: Dayton asks about FEMA worker who informed them of levee break on Monday. Chertoff-Says no one told me but then says the 6AM report did get to him. Interesting that Chertoff carefully slips in the important admissions.

UPDATE: Norm Coleman up When did you know NOLA under water? Chertoff–6AM Tuesday and when he said Tuesday afternoon on interview with Russert he was tired from lack of sleep and mis-spoke

UPDATE: White House knew Monday nite and you didn’t…Chertoff–Email is bad way to communicate

UPDATE: Norm blaming Chertoff for letting Bush say “Brownie you’re doing a heck of a job” when Brown was in over his head. Chertoff–Brownie was doing best he could but began to re-evaluate that. Norm is sickening. If Cheney ever shoots off buckshot at Bush, Norm will be there to place his body in front of Bush

Continues after the jump

Continue reading “Liveblogging Chertoff Testimony”

From Scout: Fox News just announced that they will have an interview with VP Cheny at 6 ET today. Brit Hume will conduct the interview. Can you say….Softball CORRECTION: I am informed that the correct term would be Snowball for the Britt Hume interview of the Vice President regarding how VP Cheney SHOT an old man in the FACE with a SHOTGUN. Continue reading Cheney To Speak to FOX

From Holden: Step right up and place your bets! Who will be the first intrepid reporter to ask Little Scottie if Dick Cheney had been drinking when he blasted Harry Whittington in the face with his shotgun? Here are some of the players with odds calculated by your favorite obsessive gaggle observer. Helen Thomas, Hearst Syndicate Odds: 7:1 Breakdown: Helen has yet to ask any questions about Cheney’s hunting incident, but she can usually be counted on to stick it to Scottie and generate a reaction. David Gregory, NBC News Odds: 4:1 Breakdown: Gregory is the favorite, he’s been unrelenting … Continue reading The Gaggle Beer Question Betting Pool

From Holden: MSNBC has some. Continue reading More Abu Ghraib Photos

From Holden: It doesn’t sound like the Whittington’s think their patriarch was merely “peppered”. Sally [Whittington] May said her father does not recall a lot of the incident, nor was he involved in how or whether information about the incident was released: “He didn’t know at the time if he was going to the hospital or the mortuary.” Was Harry Whittington “joking” about going to the mortuary? Someone should ask Katharine Armstrong. Continue reading Another Whittingtom Daughter Speaks

From Holden: This MSNBC story is most notable for the fact that it originally included an admission by Katherine Armstrong that the hunting party had been drinking which was later removed. But what MSNBC did not censor is also interesting, particularly in light of recent revelations about Jack Abramoff and other GOP lobbyists. Katharine Armstrong, whose family owns the ranch where Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot a hunting partner, is a registered lobbyist who has been paid to lobby the White House, according to records. Armstrong told NBC News in a telephone interview that she has never directly lobbied … Continue reading Cheney Shoots 78-Year-Old In Face On Lobbyists Ranch

From Holden: From my hometown rag [Austin-American-Statesman, subscription required]: Asked if Whittington agreed with accounts by others that the accident was Whittington’s fault, [Whittington’s daughter Peggy] Puckett said her father “hasn’t said anything like that.” From yesterday’s Corpus Christi Caller-Times: The local prosecutor’s office has not been contacted and would only get involved if there were an indication of criminal wrongdoing or the facts were in dispute, said District Attorney Carlos Valdez. Looks like we need the District Attorney to look into this incident, the facts are in dispute. Continue reading The Facts Are In Dispute

From Scout: From WaPo…. The National Counterterrorism Center maintains a central repository of 325,000 names of international terrorism suspects or people who allegedly aid them, a number that has more than quadrupled since the fall of 2003, according to counterterrorism officials. The list kept by the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) — created in 2004 to be the primary U.S. terrorism intelligence agency — contains a far greater number of international terrorism suspects and associated names in a single government database than has previously been disclosed. Because the same person may appear under different spellings or aliases, the true number of … Continue reading 325,000 Listed

From Holden: No wonder he’s keeping his mouth shut. Gilbert San Miguel, chief deputy sheriff for Kenedy County, said the incident was being handled as a hunting accident. An incident report hasn’t been completed, San Miguel said. Two Kenedy County deputies briefly interviewed Whittington on Monday, hospital administrator Peter Banko said. [snip] Sandra Guzman, the secretary for Kenedy County Sheriff Ramon Salinas III, said no charges have been filed. The local prosecutor’s office has not been contacted and would only get involved if there were an indication of criminal wrongdoing or the facts were in dispute, said District Attorney Carlos … Continue reading It’s Not Clear That Cheney Is Completely Off The Hook

From Scout: I was once an amateur bicycle racer and am still an avid cycle sport fan. As the seriousness of the shooting of Mr. Whittington by Dick Cneney has been downplayed the last few days, I have found myself thinking of the great cyclist Greg Lemond for perspective. He too was shot in a similar hunting accident. This tragedy struck on April 20, 1987, when his brother-in-law accidentally shot Greg while hunting in California. Over forty shotgun pellets ripped through Greg’s body, lodging not only in his back and legs, but more critically in his small intestine, liver, diaphragm, … Continue reading For Some Perspective….

From Holden: Today’s gaggle opens with a lesson in personal responsibility. Q Scott, I just have two questions to follow up on the accidental shooting by the Vice President. Does the President think that the Vice President should address this publicly, personally, speak to the American people in any fashion to explain what happened and why it took so long to disclose it publicly? MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think what happened has been explained. The Vice President’s Office has talked about it; I’ve talked about it. And I represent the President and speak for him. The Vice President’s spokeswoman speaks … Continue reading Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle

From Holden: Chimpy’s SOTU: Breakthroughs on this and other new technologies will help us reach another great goal: to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports from the Middle East by 2025. Reality: Europe and the US will become increasingly dependent on the Middle East as an exporter of refined petroleum products over the next 10 years, according to data published on Tuesday. The figures compiled by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Wood Mackenzie, the oil analysts, show ambitious refinery building plans in the Middle East are expected to propel its refining capacity above that … Continue reading Fantasy vs. Reality

From Holden: Karl Rove’s surrogates are making sure we know it was Cheney who decided to sit on the news that he had shot a man. The Vice President was the press strategist, and Karl Rove was the investigative reporter. Vice President Cheney overruled the advice of several members of the White House staff and insisted on sticking to a plan for releasing information about his hunting accident that resulted in a 20-hour, overnight delay in public confirmation of the startling incident, according to several Republican sources. “This is either a cover-up story or an incompetence story,” said a top … Continue reading White House Blames Cheney

From Holden: Scottie’s getting a bit testy. The New York Post’s Deb Orin, no Cheney antagonist, tried to sum up what “we’re all trying to get at” with the questioning. When Bush accidentally shot a protected bird called a Kildee, he took immediate and public responsibility. Orin wondered why “the vice president has failed in any way to stand up and say, ‘I made a mistake.’ ” “He has commented through his spokeswoman,” McClellan offered, his orange tie failing him. “But why haven’t we heard from him?” interjected Plante. “I don’t think he had any public events scheduled,” McClellan replied. … Continue reading Today on Holden’s Obsession with the Gaggle

From Scout: FEMA fraud committed by individuals that came out in the Senate committee hearing yesterday is getting media attention. But Sen Levin raised the issue of contractor procurement fraud at the end of the hearing yesterday with Alice Fischer of the Katrina fraud task force…. LEVIN: The contractor area is an area which involves a huge amount of money. And I happen to agree with our chairman that individual fraud cases are important. And they add up and they are a deterrant and they send a signal. What I say doesn’t in any way diminish the importance of those … Continue reading Who’s the Bigger Loser?

Via Romenesko, Daniel Okrent, taking a page from Cheney’s book, shows up to shoot the wounded: “The general rolling over on the part of the American press allowed the war to happen. I do believe that is true, and I think the press is extremely chastened by that. I think we all know how bad it was.” Well god DAMN, Danny Boy, if only you’d been in a position to, you know, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. If only you’d, you know, WORKED AT A BIG HONKIN’ NEWSPAPER. If only you’d had a COLUMN FROM WHICH TO IMPART YOUR WISDOM. I’m … Continue reading Okrent Finds His Safe Word

From Holden: Those were some rich, connected Republicans risking their lives with Dick Cheney on Saturday. Both ranch owner/Cheney PR specialist Katherine Armstrong and her father Toobin Armstrong are Bush Pioneers who raised more than $100,000 each for George Bush. And according to the OpenSecrets database shotgun victim Harry Whittington gave $1,000 to Bush in 2000 and $2,000 in 2004. The fourth member of the ill-fated hunting party, Pamela Pitzer Willeford, gave $1,000 to Bush in 2000 and $7,500 to the RNC in 2004. For her largess she was rewarded with an ambassadorship to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Continue reading Tha Playahs

From Holden: Here’s a PDF of the official accident report regarding Dick Cheney’s shotgun shooting of Harry Whittington. Items of interest: The safety position of Cheney’s shotgun is noted as “unknown”. I think we can safely say it was off, Cheney or the Secret Service undoubtedly told the investigator they did not know the safety position at the time of the shooting. The accident can be contributed to Cheney’s negligence, as he wheeled and fired on a bird that had flown beyond his established safe field of fire. This is the most common hunter error resulting in an accidental shooting … Continue reading Official Accident Report on Cheney Chooting

From Holden: Tweety’s younger brother, Jim Matthews, is running for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania as a Republican. Continue reading All In The Family