Condi On Katrina: "Appalled" By Implications Of Racism (VIDEO)

Condoleezza Rice was today's guest on ABC morning chat-fest The View, and among the questions she weathered was this one from Sherri Shepherd: "What happened with Katrina...why are there still lower-income people still living in trailers? That this happened on American soil, yet the response was so slow."

A fitting inquiry, given the fact that Condi was plagued by reports that she was blithely enjoying a New York City vacation during the landfall and aftermath of Katrina -- a rumor-fueled scandal that was more a problem of symbolism than anything else, seeing as Rice had no real purview over the matter. Rice replied:

Well, I don't think that anybody at any level of government was prepared for something of Katrina's size and scope. It was the worst natural disaster that we had experienced. I think that we will do better ... the United States will do better the next time. But I was saddened because it exposed an America that we sometimes don't see, people who are trapped in poverty, who don't know the way out, there were school buses under water in Katrina that could have gotten people out.

I'm going to be charitable, here, and hope that Condi doesn't really mean to say that the sad thing about Katrina is that it "exposed" poverty, shattering the blissful illusions that obfuscated its existence. After Barbara Walters reaffirms that none of this technically happened on her watch, Rice continues:

What really did make me angry was the implication that some people made that President Bush allowed this to happen because these people were black. And for somebody to say that about a President of the United States...a President of the United States who I know well and ... who is my friend, I was appalled, and I cannot believe that people didn't challenge it.

So, take that, Kanye! But, in fairness, let's look at history for some perspective. You know, history? The thing that will ultimately judge the success of the Bush presidency? See, the historical record shows that President Bush hurried back from one of his beloved vacations, and woke up at 1:11 in the morning, so that he might sign a piece of legislation that sought to prolong the life of Terri Schiavo. He did not do the same when Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, despite the existence of advance warnings from the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center that made all-caps predictions like: "SOME LEVEES IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA COULD BE OVERTOPPED...MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS ... PERHAPS LONGER...HUMAN SUFFERING INCREDIBLE BY MODERN STANDARDS."

So, I don't know. The residents of the Gulf Coast sure seemed to lack some decidedly critical Terri Schiavo-esque quality that inspires vacation-ending urgency! Look for it at the intersection of "exposure of poverty" and "political expedience!"

[WATCH.]

Comments

[lionsdenmother]

i am still outraged about the response to Katrina People died in the streets and were left there for weeks

[Classof89]

"What really did make me angry was the implication that some people made that President Bush allowed this to happen because these people were black. And for somebody to say that about a President of the United States...a President of the United States who I know well and ... who is my friend, I was appalled, and I cannot believe that people didn't challenge it."

Wow. Right in her face and still refuses to see it. Loyal to the absolute end.

[booker52]

What up and smell the failure here Miz Rice. Fema should of never been move to the Dept of Homeland. And yes have it's budget cut in half and yes have a director running it that didn't know his butt from the hole in the ground. The Bush WH will be forever know for this mess and those that followed it up to and including the money messes that they help create.

[RTIII]

...I guess my comments have been too pointed for the cen sors as I've been trying to get this comment in for a day or so, even though I can't see anything outrageous with the message... Here goes again:

Condy does have a bit of cover, however, regarding Junior's alleged rac|sm: She can tell herself: "Oh no! It was because they were DEMOCRATS, not because they were BLACK!"

What an uncaring REPUBLICAN.

Our only - MY only - solace regarding her is that she is very likely to be indicted for Murd er along with GWB and Cheney, as outlined in Vince Bugliosi's (sp?) book, "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murd er".

Hopefully this goes through this time!
.

[jillbryant]

I don't think Bush doesn't like black people - I think Bush doesn't like POOR people - black or white...I bet he loves rich black people as he loves rich white people.

And, to say we weren't prepared for Katrina acting like we supposedly hadn't been gearing up for all kinds of disasters after 9/11 - C'mon. Call Condi on her sh@t.

[whatevahs]

You gotta love a country where when a black person in a position of power or celebrity cries "racism" about ANYTHING, everyone believes that person and doesn't question it. But when a black person in power or celebrity actually dares to defend "whitey" they are ostricized.
Yeah, no double standard 'round here!

[scottymac11]

Dr. Rice. You imply that the racist issue has no substance because Bush is your friend. Of course you are black so that means he must love all black people. The logic evades. Your "husband" loves you and the black people you know. I doubt he loves the black people I know. Frankly I doubt he cares enough about them to qualify for hate. I think he does his best to ignore them and their issues. You said what angers you most about Katrina is, that Bush was accused of racism. Saying that when you know black poor people were ignored to death questions your judgement. He was callously indifferent. The why he was unhelpful after Katrina won't help anyone get back into their homes.

[Bramble8]

Please... thanks for the non answer and blame the victim response. It was a class issue as well as a racial. Condi Rice and Bush lamest ever.

[MilesTone]

Opps, I meant "sad"

[MilesTone]

She was said that it exposed poverty? Is she said at the condition itself? If so, what steps did she take to eradicate the condition?

[MilesTone]

She still feels the need to protect her "master".

[AlexNYC]

Condi is only partly right. It was racism and APATHY. Both President Bush and National Security Advisor Rice were apathetic and oblivious, and more concerned about enjoying their vacation, than focusing on the transpiring disaster in the Gulf Coast. Only after the outrage by the general public and even the media reached their ears, did they scramble to focus, but not on the emergency on had, it was on damage control and photo ops,

[Idablu]

Gloss over. Thanks Condi.

[1dogs2]

Okay, if we grant that the Bush administration's response wasn't predicated on its racism, will Condi admit that it was UTTERLY INCOMPETENT? Did anyone see the recent Frontline about the continuing refusal or inability of the federal government to do what is necessary to help Katrina's victims even now, all these years after the catastrophe? I hope that O already has someone on the job to cut the red tape and bureaucratic idiocy that have been the hallmark of the Bush administration's response. And while he's at it, I hope that he is rethinking placing FEMA within the Homeland Security agency. FEMA was an efficient, well-oiled machine during the Clinton years. The Bush administration destroyed it. There may or may not be another terrorist attack on the US, but we can be dead certain there will be other natural disasters. It would be nice to know that the government is once again prepared to deal them effectively.

[picval]

BULL! the 1st Bush did a "Heck of a Job" with Andrew. Jeb should have been brought into the cabnet as Director of fema. Ask yourselves why he wasn't? Because Jeb was smarter and much more connected to the people. George Bush was and is the worst President EVER!
Hey Condi, find a hole!