I heard this first on The Daily Show, so I thought maybe they were joking. Nope, it’s for real. An e-mail exchange between Marty Bahamonde (emergency management official from New England, apparently helping out in New Orleans), Michael Brown (former FEMA director a/k/a “Brownie” to George Bush), Brown’s press secretary Sharon Worthy, and Cindy Taylor, FEMA deputy director of public affairs:
Bahamonde to FEMA Director Michael Brown, Aug. 31, 11:20 a.m.
“Sir, I know that you know the situation is past critical. Here some things you might not know.Hotels are kicking people out, thousands gathering in the streets with no food or water. Hundreds still being rescued from homes.
The dying patients at the DMAT tent being medivac. Estimates are many will die within hours. Evacuation in process. Plans developing for dome evacuation but hotel situation adding to problem. We are out of food and running out of water at the dome, plans in works to address the critical need.
Sharon Worthy, Brown’s press secretary, to Cindy Taylor, FEMA deputy director of public affairs, and others, Aug. 31, 2 p.m.
“Also, it is very important that time is allowed for Mr. Brown to eat dinner. Gievn (sic) that Baton Rouge is back to normal, restaurants are getting busy. He needs much more that (sic) 20 or 30 minutes. We now have traffic to encounter to get to and from a location of his choise (sic), followed by wait service from the restaurant staff, eating, etc.
Bahamonde to Taylor and Michael Widomski, public affairs, Aug. 31, 2:44 p.m.
“OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! No won’t go any further, too easy of a target. Just tell her that I just ate an MRE and crapped in the hallway of the Superdome along with 30,000 other close friends so I understand her concern about busy restaurants. Maybe tonight I will have time to move my pebbles on the parking garage floor so they don’t stab me in the back while I try to sleep.
George Bush’s statement two days later at a September 2, 2005 press conference: “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.”
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