by Douglas DeBono, 2006

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED AT StandingOrders.BlogSpot.Com, September 08, 2005

The fellow sitting closet to Madam Presidential-Candidate-to-be is Mark Dayton (Minnesota's Senior Senator).

It really hurts to admit that this deer-in-the-headlights, trust-fund baby got elected from my state. Mark has been in competition with California's Barbara Boxer for the title of dumbest member of the senate.

However, I must commend Mark for deciding to keep his mouth shut when it comes to assigning blame to the Hurricane relief effort.

Hillary has already decided that the entire mess is George Bush's fault. Everything from the Hurricane surging to a category 5 storm to the looters to the bureaucratic bottleneck that trapped FEMA.

She's charging out on a limb, while Slick is defending FEMA and the administration's response. Her blame Bush mantra is not selling. Her rhetoric is inane.

Suicidal comes to mind.

Hillary makes Mark Dayton look like a statesman. That is hard to do.

There are facts emerging that make her grand stand play even shakier.

1. The Louisiana Department of Homeland Security blocked Red Cross and Salvation Army convoys heading for the Super Dome.

2. Governor Blanco had to think about the Federal request to send FEMA in, before saying no after 24 hours.

3. Governor Blanco did not order the National Guard to stop the looters.

4. Mayor Nagin decided the 500 school buses were not good enough for evacuation. He wanted Grey Hound cruisers.

5. No one made the evacuation mandatory.

6. Finally, if the levees were so deficient, where is the legislation to fortify the levees?