Saturday, March 04, 2006

AP 'Clarifies' Blunder

Here's what the Tampa Tribune said Thursday on the front page:
Bush Alerted To Levee Danger
From The Associated Press
Published: Mar 2, 2006
WASHINGTON - In dramatic and sometimes agonizing terms, federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees, put lives at risk in New Orleans' Superdome and overwhelm rescuers, according to confidential video footage.
Here's today's portion of crow on page five:
AP Clarifies Bush Wasn't Warned Of Levee Breach

The Associated Press

Published: Mar 4, 2006
WASHINGTON - The Associated Press on Friday clarified an earlier report concerning a warning President Bush was given about the levees in New Orleans the day before Hurricane Katrina struck.

The AP reported Wednesday that federal disaster officials warned Bush and his homeland security chief that the storm could breach levees in New Orleans. The story was based on confidential video footage of an Aug. 28 briefing among U.S. officials.

The Army Corps of Engineers considers a breach a hole developing in a levee rather than an overtopping. The story should have made clear that Bush was warned about floodwaters overtopping the levees rather than the levees breaking.

The day before the storm hit, Bush was told there were grave concerns that the levees could be overtopped. It wasn't until the next morning, as the storm was hitting, that Michael Brown, then head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Bush had inquired about reports of breaches.
Via The Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler.

Also posted at The Jawa Report and Vince Aut Morire.