FEMA interviews FEMA

[SHRED]

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"Well isn't that special?"

I guess they learned a lot after the Katrina debacle.
Control the message.

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FEMA Stages Press Conference: Staff Pose As Journalists And Ask ‘Softball’ Questions

On Tuesday, while “wildfires raged” in California, Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson, the deputy administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), held a press conference at FEMA’s Southwest D.C. offices that was “carried live on Fox News, MSNBC and other outlets.” In the presser, Johnson said he was “very happy with FEMA’s response” while praising “the good messaging” of federal and local government responders.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/26/fema-softball-presser/

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FEMA Meets the Press, Which Happens to Be . . . FEMA

By Al Kamen
Friday, October 26, 2007; A19

FEMA has truly learned the lessons of Katrina. Even its handling of the media has improved dramatically. For example, as the California wildfires raged Tuesday, Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson, the deputy administrator, had a 1 p.m. news briefing.

Reporters were given only 15 minutes' notice of the briefing, making it unlikely many could show up at FEMA's Southwest D.C. offices. They were given an 800 number to call in, though it was a "listen only" line, the notice said -- no questions. Parts of the briefing were carried live on Fox News, MSNBC and other outlets.

Johnson stood behind a lectern and began with an overview before saying he would take a few questions. The first questions were about the "commodities" being shipped to Southern California and how officials are dealing with people who refuse to evacuate. He responded eloquently.

He was apparently quite familiar with the reporters -- in one case, he appears to say "Mike" and points to a reporter -- and was asked an oddly in-house question about "what it means to have an emergency declaration as opposed to a major disaster declaration" signed by the president. He once again explained smoothly.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/25/AR2007102502488_pf.html

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[QueenOfCalifornia]

1. Self to Self,

Hi Self, I wanted to ask you... Are you "nice?"

Hi Self, glad you asked, Why, yes... Yes I am damned nice.

Makes sense to me, myself and I