Burn a source? How 'bout slow roasting?

The Washington Post corrects:

A Sept. 4 article on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina incorrectly said that Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (D) had not declared a state of emergency. She declared an emergency on Aug. 26.

The offending sentence:

As of Saturday, [Louisiana governor Kathleen] Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency, [a] senior Bush official said.

Smells like a Rove, eh? Kevin Drum yesterday:

Hmmm. Is this statement from a "senior Bush official" true? Why no. No it's not:

August 26: Blanco declares a state level state of emergency.

August 27: Blanco asks the president to declare a federal state of emergency for the state of Louisiana.

August 27: Bush declares a federal state of emergency for Louisiana.

Better liars please.

Whaddaya know! Yonder stench-o'-Rove is Rove. (I hope Chertoff can find enough fresh water to shower off, after 'not politicizing' this by blaming everyone else.) New York Times:

In a reflection of what has long been a hallmark of Mr. Rove's tough political style, the administration is also working to shift the blame away from the White House and toward officials of New Orleans and Louisiana who, as it happens, are Democrats.

"The way that emergency operations act under the law is the responsibility and the power, the authority, to order an evacuation rests with state and local officials," Mr. Chertoff said in his television interview. "The federal government comes in and supports those officials."

That line of argument was echoed throughout the day, in harsher language, by Republicans reflecting the White House line.

"Tough"? They sure can coordinate a photo-op from afar. Too bad they can't get FEMA to call the United States Navy's USS Bataan off the coast of the United States.

This whole notion that it's the state-and-locals' fault requires this operating premise: Hurricane Katrina was not an Incident of National Significance as defined by the National Response Plan:

A catastrophic event could result in sustained national impacts over a prolonged period of time; almost immediately exceeds resources normally available to State, local, tribal, and private-sector authorities in the impacted area; and significantly interrupts governmental operations and emergency services to such an extent that national security could be threatened. All catastrophic events are Incidents of National Significance. [via No Quarter]

Perhaps just as significantly, given the Washington Post just fell on its face thanks to its perennial willingness to swallow bullshit from "anonymous" officials, don't burn the source: slow-roast the asshole.

Cross-posted at Liberals Against Terrorism