White House Slams Louisiana Senator for “Political Posturing” over FEMA Nominee
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The White House went on the offensive today against a Republican senator who is blocking the president’s nominee to head the Federal Emergency Management Agency
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) was engaging in "political posturing" at a critical time, with the start of the hurricane season just three weeks away.
Vitter is stalling the vote on the nomination of Craig Fugate to head up the government’s emergency response agency because he said he has not received information from FEMA about high-risk flood zones.
Gibbs said Fugate has a "stellar bipartisan record" and is supported by Democrats and Republicans.
"He is somebody that deserves immediate Senate confirmation, not political posturing, from a senator from Louisiana who should understand as well as anybody what’s at stake in responding to a hurricane. And we expect that he’ll be confirmed quickly," he said.
Gibbs said Vitter should know that "the best way to get moving on any concerns that he has with FEMA is to get somebody of the utmost regard at the helm of FEMA to make progress."
Vitter said this short delay in the nomination vote is nothing compared to the delays residents of Louisiana and Texas have had waiting for support from FEMA.
"Almost four years after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, communities like Cameron Parish and Grand Isle are still waiting on an answer from FEMA so that fire stations and other key facilities can be rebuilt. And FEMA is complaining about a short delay of this nomination vote? It seems like they have their priorities mixed up. I’m eager to end all of this delay; I hope FEMA is," Vitter said in a statement through a spokesman.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee jumped in the fray to slam the Republican senator, who is up for re-election in 2010.
"Out of all the Senators to hold up the FEMA Nominee, leave it to Louisiana’s own David Vitter to be the one," said DSCC Communications Director Eric Schultz. "Every time Senator Vitter makes a move he proves he’s an out of the mainstream extremist, out of touch with Louisianans. As we approach hurricane season, Senator Vitter ought to put politics aside for a moment and let the Senate confirm a nominee who has an impeccable record."
– Karen Travers
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Why does everything have to happen right away with the Obama administration. I’m starting to believe that they try to push things through like bully because they are hiding something.
Posted by: Ben | May 6, 2009, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm
Well, you can take this to the bank! If there is one thing the current administration knows when they see it it’s posturing!
Posted by: beebop | May 6, 2009, 8:15 pm 8:15 pm
vitter needs to know part of the reason fema is late, is because it is trying to deal with the “good job brownie” did
Posted by: WHAT! | May 6, 2009, 8:29 pm 8:29 pm
I’m from Louisiana and Vitter is history after being caught in the prostitutes address book. Apparently he thinks this showboat attitude will change the mind of the people of Louisiana. FEMA is disfunctional and confirms it every time we have a storm or major disaster. In 05 after the Katrina fiasco Bush said those famous words “Browny is doing a good job”. Had he not appointed an incompetent and unqualified person Mike Brown it may have been different. I don’t think the people of Louisiana will tolerate Vitter much longer than the next election.
Posted by: rickyt1234 | May 6, 2009, 8:40 pm 8:40 pm
this is where it is very telling.
republican know this is wrong, and vitter needs to go, but will they speak out against this, because of the wrongness of it.
no, they will find something negative and what they think is “cute” against obama and his administration.
Posted by: WHAT! | May 6, 2009, 8:47 pm 8:47 pm
If Sen. Vitter has good faith objections to the nominee he should have the courage to publically voice them. Actually, it’s hard to see how he gains politically from the “hold”. Hey Ben, hurricane season is coming, fire and flood season is already here. The flu bug continues to rattle around. But that’s o.k. let’s just waste some more time playing politics.
Posted by: B. Bear | May 6, 2009, 9:02 pm 9:02 pm
Vitter, Jindal, what’s next?! Move over republican obstructionists. We, the people, have things to get done!
Posted by: Common Sense | May 6, 2009, 10:07 pm 10:07 pm
Why does everything have to happen right away with the Obama administration?
Well for one thing, the hurricane season is coming up and FEMA needs a head. There has been severe flooding, tornadoes, and wildfires that have caused havoc and thousands of people needing help. Vitter is just another “NO” Republican. Don’t worry about the American people – political posturing is more important to the Republicans.
Posted by: sandy | May 6, 2009, 10:10 pm 10:10 pm
Hey Vitter
Did you show half as much concern in the appointment of Brownie? Since you brought up the issue of how long the citizens of Louisiana have had to wait for infrastructure rebuilding, aren’t you an elected official in Congress there to expedite the concerns of your constituency?
Posted by: Lori | May 6, 2009, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm
“Vitter said this short delay in the nomination vote is nothing compared to the delays residents of Louisiana and Texas have had waiting for support from FEMA.”
This is why Republicans are doomed.
Posted by: thebob.bob | May 6, 2009, 11:18 pm 11:18 pm
I love all the liberals complaining about “stonewalling,” “obstructing,” and my favorite, “the party of no.” For 8 years that’s exactly what the democrats did, so suck it up and take your medicine hypocrits!
Posted by: Joe | May 6, 2009, 11:40 pm 11:40 pm
It is nice to see David Vitter get some support for his ideas. It is tough to come back from the DC Madam scandal. He’s sucking it up and becoming a good Republican. Right Joe?
Posted by: doug | May 7, 2009, 12:05 am 12:05 am
Vitter, …?
this is great stuff, these are exactly the kind of folks I want to see continue representing the
Repubs….
ben:
re: Why does everything have to happen right away with the Obama administration.
your right….. lets wait for, economic reform, health care, energy modernization, global warming, power grids, etc… we don’t need anything to work and get better, let it all crash and then deal with it after the crash….
Obama should follow in the footsteps of ‘W’, find someplace out of the way and cut some brush, and wait for something to happen.
Posted by: Tex | May 7, 2009, 12:30 am 12:30 am
It is pathetic! The White House is the real problem. Vitter did the right thing how he vote. The Democratic was the one that start to criticized about FEMA when Louisiana was hit by Hurricane Katrina in the first place few years. It is Obama’s fault!
Posted by: anonymous | May 7, 2009, 4:49 am 4:49 am
Vitter, yet another sanctimonious hypocrit who espouses family values while paying prostitutes, is the last extremist rightwinger who ought to be making ANY waves in the Senate these days. Residents of Lousiana would do well to kick him to the curb in ’10.
Posted by: Julie in VT | May 7, 2009, 4:59 am 4:59 am
Since I am actually from Louisiana, I can understand and appreciate what Senator Vitter is doing. We have been putting up with this crap from FEMA for far to long. It is one thing to throw a bunch of money at the problem and leave everything else alone, it is another to have a plan, ample funding,and a goal to reach to facilitate a recovery. All Senator Vitter is asking is for this nominee to guarantee a plan for an area that gets no attention. It seems that all anyone cares about is New Orleans, well there were a lot of others places that are just as bad or worse than the Big Easy. Thank you Senator Vitter for listening to us and not the other members of Congress!!!!!
-Rich in Louisiana
Posted by: RichfromLouisiana | May 7, 2009, 11:07 am 11:07 am
I love how people take cheap shots at Senator Vitter while they hang out in their “above sea level” homes. It is typical for the liberals to make ad hominem attacks against people who don’t think like they do. Senator Vitter has a mandate from the people of Louisiana to represent their interests, and as far as I am concerned as a registered voter in LA, he is doing just that. Thank you Senator Vitter for representing Louisiana and not the GOP or other states, you have my vote in 2010!
Posted by: John Broussard | May 7, 2009, 11:12 am 11:12 am
How come everytime a member of the GOP opposes obama or any other liberal is is “political posturing”, but when a liberal is in dissent against any GOP legislation it is “patriotic” and “free speech”, etc? There is obviously a double standard these days in the media. Obama is doing everything he can to silence his critics. I didn’t know a lot about Senator Vitter before, but now the more I read about him, the more I like the guy.
Posted by: Davis from Ohio | May 7, 2009, 11:15 am 11:15 am
I am a resident of Lousiana, unlike most of you posting on this blog. I am very happy that Senator Vitter is taking a stand by holding up Obama’s FEMA appointee until he gets answers from FEMA for us, his constituents. After waiting for months to get these answers it seems like this is the only way to accomplish this goal. Its too bad our other senator does not fight for us the way he does. Senator Vitter remians very popular in our great state because he is not afraid to fight for us.
Posted by: Kim | May 7, 2009, 11:26 am 11:26 am
Thank GOD Senator Vitter doesn’t listen to any of these people and is looking out for Louisiana not the people in D.C. Keep up the good work representing the people in Louisiana and we will make sure that you stick around. Thank you Senator Vitter.
Posted by: Chris in Gretna, LA | May 7, 2009, 11:37 am 11:37 am
This is just another example of people from another part of the country commenting on a situation and region that they do not fully understand. We are one of the poorest states in the country, and because we allow our natural resources to be raped and pillaged by the rest of the country for electricity, etc. we are suffering from tremendous coastal erosion which adds to the hurricae and flooding situation. Sen. Vitter is doing the right thing. He even said he knows it is not the right way to get results, but having tried everything else, he was left with no other option. Thank God he is sticking up for us and not listening to Robert Gibbs/WHite house.
Posted by: Tracy, Northeast Louisiana | May 7, 2009, 11:53 am 11:53 am
I am from Louisiana and the last person I am going to listen to is Robert Gibbs who obviously can’t think for himself since he stutters and stammers during most news conferences. As an independent, I was considering voting for David Vitter in his re-election bid but now that I know he has the White House on defense it just proves that Senator Vitter can be counted on to do what is right for Louisiana especially since the White House appears to have no accountability. I don’t care about his personal life as there are personal scandals on all sides of the aisles.
Posted by: Shreveport Lady | May 7, 2009, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
I wonder how vitter voted on BROWNIE
for fema, or did george just tell him and the other gop to just shut up.
it is clear from some of the previous post, many in la are still shell shocked
from rita and katrina, and the good job that bush brownie and crew did for la.
bush and brownie and the rest of the gop had a chance from when k and r hit,
until 2008 to get in there and do something good for la, why didn’t they?
and now people are screaming that obama should have it all taken care of.
but i thing i understand why you people are screaming against obama, and expecting him to take care of it yesterday. because you know after bush got your votes, he turned a blind eye, and covered ears to la and the rest of the country, you gave him the capital as he said, and he did what he wanted to do.
Posted by: WHAT! | May 7, 2009, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
Vitter is right to closely examine the credentials of anyone suggested by the Obama administration for such an important position in Louisiana. TIme and again, Obama has demonstrated in his appointments that his adminisstration favors ideology over competence.
Vitter is the only thing standing between Louisiana’s families and Obama’s far-left agenda.
Posted by: Joe Torino | May 7, 2009, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
When I live in LA.. we liked our ‘Bugs’ with a little bit of hot sauce.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | May 7, 2009, 4:58 pm 4:58 pm
Wonder what Jindal would say? Happy Mardi Gras.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | May 7, 2009, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
He’s been know to scrutinize a few FEMAles..
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | May 7, 2009, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm
Vitter is just another useless Republican hypocrite. One of those slick ones who preaches family values outta one side of his mouth while asking “How much?” to the girls on the corner outta the other side. You people who defend Vitter on ANYTHING are extremely naive.
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