This is the same Senator that got grilled for patting herself and Congress on the back for getting a $10 billion relief budget passed.

I would be in support of her for what she is doing, trying to get in touch with George Bush, but I think this is the first time Bush has really been "busy".

i preferred the quicktime slider at the bottom of the movies.

this site is incredible. as someone without cable i depend on you!

New Orleans or Baghdad?

Here's another perspective on the local police - not sure if you will hear this in the US - full story link http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10343934

Kiwi cop one of six remaining in Katrina aftermath

In the City of Vultures, a New Zealander is one of the few remaining police officers who has stayed behind to protect the helpless.

James Gourlie, 30, formerly of Christchurch, is one of six officers who have remained out of a district force of 200.

"This is my district. I will not abandon my district, my county, my workmates or these people," he told the Herald On Sunday last night.

Mr Gourlie was speaking while preparing for another night patrol from the Hampton Inn, which he and fellow officers took over after their police station was overrun. For its single entrance, and the war zone outside, they have dubbed the hotel "The Fortress".

"I made a commitment to serve the community and protect these people. That's why we are here; why we are not leaving. We knew the risks when we came on to the job. We knew one day we may not go home. It makes you wonder why they took the job."

It's been six days and five nights of lawlessness since Hurricane Katrina hit. In the vacuum left by Katrina, anarchy has reigned. Human vultures have preyed on the helpless, pillaging homes and shops, committing murder and rape.

Mr Gourlie, in his first year with the New Orleans Police Department, committed to stay until buses arrive to take 20,000 stranded people from the nearby Morial Convention Center. The buses have been promised each day since Katrina, and failed to show.

When they do come it will only be if there is police protection, and these six officers are the only lawin town.

The decision to stay while hundreds of fellow officers fled has left them bitter. Mr Gourlie returned after getting his American wife Jennifer out of New Orleans.

When one fellow officer and friend pulled out for Texas on Friday, taking two automatic rifles and a shotgun, he earned his colleagues' anger.

"They're preserving their lives but they're risking their friends," said Mr Gourlie, of the "cowards" who have left. "You know what the New Zealand and Australian way is - and that ain't the Anzac way. You sacrifice yourself for your mates."

At night, they guard the corner of Jermaine and Convention Center Boulevard; during the day they patrol the district and search for food, fuel, weapons and water.

"We say requisition but in reality we have to go in and loot the store."

There has been little time for sleep. Mr Gourlie estimates the six have had about two hours a night. Food, too, was a problem until the officers started taking supplies from stores already looted for expensive electronics.

There are incidents every day involving weapons, although Mr Gourlie is thankful he has not yet had to shoot anyone. The times the officers have intervened, those desperate for help have wept and offered thanks.

A fellow officer was killed after warning looters away from a store. A looter pushed a gun against his head and pulled the trigger. "It was heartbreaking to see this police officer lying on his back, blood pouring out of his head.........

I think the U.S and the people of New Orleans should be looking at a city like Venice Italy, for rebuilding advice and design ideas. The water is there. Face it. Why pump it out only to have another catagory 4 or 5 come in and fill it up again. We are humans. We adapt. This is what separates us from the other animals on this planet. Its better that we adapt to the present situation. Sure there are looters now. and the hurricane damage is severe... but Isnt that what those people pay insurance companies for?? Crime, after rebuilding New Orleans into a city like Venice would almost be nill if everyone had to row thier way around :P , and think of all the money saved on cars, road repairs , gas etc... would be alot more eco friendly too. You would see as many fat people if they had to row themselves around , it would be a more healthy city. Keeping the cajun spirit going by creating a tourist attraction, Venice in U.S! could be the new "hip/shiek/romantic" place for honeymoons of the future. Alot of positive can come of this tragedy if we try to look past the present situation. Take that mole hill and make it a mountain!

She's obviously had her PR people regroup. She was skewed days ago for pulling political bullshit by congratulating politicians for some bill and now she's the victimized senator for the people. I'm a democrat at heart but I find her dishonest, even when delivering the correct statement. Did anyone else think she faked those tears in the helicopter? I hope I'm wrong on that one.

Here's a big surprise. Looks like Halliburton got the contract for N.O. http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3806046

Her tears were genuine, for heaven's sake!

Don't go after her because of that interview on CNN when she thanked Bush I, Bush II, Clinton, Frist, etc. for the money they got and was grilled by a frustrated Anderson Cooper. They were both right: Cooper for his anger and Landrieu for her calm - because, sadly, that's how it goes: that false courtesy in Washington, where a Democrat senator doesn't get anything unless she/he postpones his anger about the political majority.

"Did the feds fuck up?" "Oh, we will have plenty time to talk about that, but now - shut up!"

Yeah, R.D., I don't care for her either.

I did think her tears for real particularly on the helicopter when looking at the breach.

Can you imagine. She prostituted herself in order to get what she could done. She handed out as 'frenchfries' said that "false courtesy" of Washington and thanked every fucker there just about; and then, then - they screwed not her so much as her constituents and did it BLATANTLY.

lol ... "...Only one lil crane ".... It only looks little cause they were in a helicpter. :)

"If one person criticises them or says one more thing including the President of the US, he will be hearing from me. One more word about it after this show airs and I might likely punch him, literally"&mdash Sen Landrieu.

I thought any spoken form of violence, regardless of the situation, directed indirectly or directly toward the President of the U.S.A. was a federal offense, and a crime that would fall under the new "anti-terror" laws? She could "literally" be detained, denied representation and be held without due process, for any given length of time, until they see fit. Even if she only said it in anger, and didnt really mean it... Even in anger, under stressful and extreme circumstances one should always watch what they say. And.....Playing the blame game makes everyone look bad.

Thats what compassionate conservatism is; "one little crane"......

It's not a little crane, it's a good sized backhoe or digger. Not that this is really the point...

I understand Senator Landrieu's frustration with the Bush photo ops with black people. The president needs to act a little more serious and stop blaming local officials who happen to be Democrats. This disaster was beyond what the local infrastructure could handle. The Bush mentality seems to be: Destroy Baghdad, Rebuild Baghdad, Rebuild Baghdad with money we don't have. Now where is the money going to come from to rebuild our own cities?