Brownback Disputes Guard Shortages

[CatWoman]

what else is he going to say?

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback disputed claims by Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius that a deadly Kansas tornado exposed holes in National Guard readiness caused by the Iraq war.

Sebelius said Monday that Kansas is missing about half its National Guard trucks and many well-trained personnel that could have helped respond to last weekend's tornado in Greensburg, Kan. The twister killed at least 10 people and razed the farming town.

''The issue for the National Guard is the same wherever you go in the country. Stuff that we would have borrowed is gone. It's gone across the country,'' she said Monday.

Brownback said Tuesday that local officials and the Kansas National Guard commander all told him they have the resources needed to respond.

''That's what really got me, is her saying that,'' Brownback said in an interview.

''So I asked, privately and publicly, the adjutant general, do you have the equipment you need?'' he said. ''Because if you don't, we're going to hit Fort Riley and McConnell (Air Force Base) and other places to make sure we have all the equipment we need to respond to disasters. Everybody there said no, we have the equipment we needed.''

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Brownback-Tornado.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[Horse with no Name]

1. Bullshit.

This is another chance to marginalize a female Democratic Governor. That is all it is.

[BOSSHOG]

2. Wow, you'd think

the U. S. Senator from Kansas would do all he could to assist the Governor now, but no he can't do that, she's a democrat. I have every confidence that Governor Sebelius is not someone to fuck with. Katrina and bush were just too overwhelming for Governor Blanco in LA. Not only has brownback never done anything FOR his country it now seems he has no inclination to do anything FOR his state.

[CatWoman]

16. and check this out:

White House Blames Gov. Sebelius (D-KS) For Tornado Response

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Bush-Tornado.html

[Neecy]

17. is this patronizing, or what?

Snow said ''I'm not aware of any prior complaints,'' and said it would be ''standard procedure'' when a tornado hits for a state to consult its disaster plan and start making assessments about where the federal government needed to step in.

''We are certainly going to try to clean up any misunderstandings about how this works,'' Snow said.

Oooooh, a female Democratic governor, let's try and make her look like an incompetent ninny...worked so well before.

[zbdent]

20. As Bush parties with the Queen and waits for a while

to go down ...

But hey, he can fly in after a special emergency session of Congress, and sign legislation while still in his Dr. Dentons ...

[SoCalDem]

3. and so the demonization of a "democRAT lady governor" begins.. Where have we heard this before?

Watch for praise of how neighboring republican-governors "handle" the tornado damage :(

[Neecy]

4. notice a theme here?

He added: ''I think what we need to do is to focus on what we need here now, and not draw a broader political question in. We've got a disaster, and we need to all pull together to get everything we need from the state and the federal for the local need.''

Tony Snow said this morning that they don't want to get in a 'political debate' with Sebelius.

This issue is a poison pill for Republicans - if people see evidence that the Iraq war is actually making them much less safe in the event of a natural disaster it's not only going to chip away from the 'strong on defense' nonsense but make even the small percentage who still support this war start to question things.

No doubt Brownback is doing this at the request of the WH.

And further down the KNG adjutant general says they're fine...at THIS POINT. What happens when more than one tornado strikes next? Or the flooding in eastern Kansas gets worse? THAT was her point - that they can't deal with multiple emergencies, tornado or otherwise. She just wants her damn equipment back.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. I am so proud of her for speaking out

I could just bust!

[Neecy]

9. she's really terrific

I wrote her office yesterday to thank her for speaking out on this issue, because you just know the nutters are probably putting her on autodial for criticizing their hero. She needs to know she has our support.

[jean]

5. Brownback is one of the flat-earthers - he disputes the theory of evolution, why is

this any different? Denydenydeny!

[jwirr]

13. Desputes evolution but he is not against playing social darwinism.

This sounds just like the response to Katrina. All we have to do is wait until they do not get the help they need and we will know the truth.

I go past a National Guard Armory everyday to the grocery store. The equipment yard is all but empty and many of our soldiers are in Iraq. Who do they think they are kidding. We can see for ourselves that the Guard is being shorted.

[piedmont]

15. His schtick seems to be reality-denial-- just like the current WH occupant. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Oh blow it out your ass, Sam!

God, he makes me sick!! Instead of getting his rear in gear and rolling up his sleeves and HELPING, he is criticizing Sebelius! Now just who would know MORE about available resources in the fucking state, Sam? You or the governor?? Your ass is NEVER here, especially since you decided to make your talibornagain fans happy and run for president.

This man is the WORST senator EVER. He has never once responded to ANY phone calls or letters or emails from me. I disagree with our other senator Pat Roberts on most issues as well, but he at least has the courtesy to write back. Snowflake Baby Sam is too busy prasing Jeezus to do his job.

[Rosemary2205]

8. ABC world news reported Monday that the Gov is right.

In fact, appearantly the nation's governors have been bitching at the White House about this for quite a while and were told it will be at least 6 years before the equipment can be replaced.

No link but I think ABC.com likely has the World News podcast up for Monday by now.

[Neecy]

12. MSNBC is agreeing with her as well

One of their reporters mentioned the percentage of equipment that's missing, and emphasized that while they have enough for Greensburg they DON'T have enough for another tornado emergency or to deal with flooding in the state.

FU, Brownback, you goddamn stooge.

[Oreo]

10. Would he tell Kansas' Nat'l Guard COmmander the same?

He said they didn't have all of their equipment and went beyond that to say the guard members are exhausted.

[Bandit]

11. Sounds like he is off the Reservation with the Bush* Administration

They don't want to tap other military assets, they want to hire Private Contractors and their equipment..Brownbeck better get with the program. Disasters mean money $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.and we thought this guy was a Republican....

[Lobster Martini]

14. Some more Kansas National Guard BS

This is from the Kansas Army National Guard's Web site:

Good part-time job with retirement benefits, all for 39 days per year.

Beg your pardon? A part-time job for 39 days a year?

[lpbk2713]

18. Naturally. He has read the memo from BushCo.

He just didn't know what to say until it arrived.

[Bitwit1234]

19. Snow just got thru blaming her

for not replacing the National Guard sent to Iraq and for not replacing the equipment....so a democrat must round up more volunteers for the NG so bush who can't get ONE volunteer - can send them off to Iraq also. This administration is so awash in bullshit you can't even recognize them anymore.