Michael Brown: "This is probably the big one I think"
AP report: “President Bush was dialed into that briefing from his ranch in Crawford, Texas…but the president doesn’t ask any questions and just four days later tells ABC News that no one could have predicted the scope of this storm…[Bush:]’I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees.’ [Reporter:] A seemingly direct contradiction to what is said in the briefing.”
Max Mayfield, Hurricane Center Director: “I don’t think anyone can tell you with any degree of confidence right now whether the levees will be topped or not, but that’s obviously a very very grave concern.”
Max Mayfield, Hurricane Center Director, "This is a category 5 hurricane, very similar to Hurricane Andrew in the maximum intensity but there is a big big difference. This hurricane is much larger than Andrew ever was…I also want to make absolutely clear to everyone the great potential for large loss of life is still in the coastal areas from the storm surge.”
AP reporter: “Brown also voices concern over the so-called shelter of last resort, the New Orleans Superdome, another fear that would in time prove accurate. [Brown:] “I also am concerned about that roof, I don’t know if that roof is designed to withstand a cat 5 hurricane.”
Jessica Clark is a writer, editor and researcher, with more than 15 years of experience spanning commercial, educational, independent and public media production. Currently she is the Research Director for American University’s Center for Social Media. She also writes a monthly column for PBS’ MediaShift on new directions in public media. She is the author, with Tracy Van Slyke, of Beyond the Echo Chamber: Reshaping Politics Through Networked Progressive Media (2010, New Press).
