The Conservative Apologist at Work

Yesterday I wrote a post about Michael Brown’s testimony to congress, suggesting that liberals should hear him out before slaughtering him on the bloody altar of political scapegoats. That should be the stance of anyone serious about assigning accountability for the flawed Katrina response and ensuring that we don’t make the same mistakes again.

I think I’ve been evenhanded in my criticism of the Katrina criticism. And why not? A congressional investigation shouldn’t be a political issue. But some pundits are taking a different stance on the matter. Here’s a snippet from a conservative pundit whose first priority seems to be deflecting blows from Michael Brown.

No doubt FEMA's performance was imperfect. What else is new? But Michael Brown didn't flood New Orleans. Nor did he fail to order a mandatory evacuation. Nor, when the order was finally given by the appropriate authorities, was he the one who failed to carry it out competently. I thought it was a mistake when President Bush cashiered Brown, and his performance tonight validates that judgment. FEMA's position is eminently defensible. But the Bush administration, historically, has failed to defend itself aggressively, and instead has passively yielded to the news cycle.

Forgive and forget, huh? Someone get on the phone to New Orleans and tell them to stop overreacting. At the very least, tell them to lower their expectations. I mean seriously, do they have faith in the federal government’s ability to protect them or something?

Oh yeah, and the post I quote above, tastefully titled “Brownie Kicks Butt,” makes a point of reveling in the way Brown stood up to the sharp-tongued comments of some congressmen. After all, who cares about lives lost when there are political points to be scored?

So, can you guess who the mystery author is? Go on, guess.

Ok, fine. Here you go.

--Matthew McCoy