Friday, September 09, 2005
Brown out, Vice Admiral Allen in
FEMA director Brown has been recalled to Washington, and Coast Guard Vice Admiral Allen has been given the job of overseeing federal relief efforts on the Gulf coast. Brown has not been fired from his actual job, but his family jewels and the rest of his body now reside in entirely different time zones:
Ouch.
I know too little to be certain that Michael Brown has done a bad job substantively -- that question will sort itself out in the fullness of time. But there is no question that his communication skills were entirely inadequate.
In addition, sometimes you have to clean house just to restore public confidence. Franklin Roosevelt whacked most of the Pacific command after Pearl Harbor, fairly or unfairly, because he could not fight a war with lingering doubts about the chain of command in that theater. Bush should have fired John Ashcroft and George Tenet after September 11. Not only would have it defanged the self-destructive investigation that was bound to follow, but it would have reassured Americans who otherwise had their doubts about the men in charge on that day. Removing Brown from Louisiana is a good first step, but he should be removed from his job with all deliberate speed.
Less than an hour before Brown's removal came to light, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Brown had not resigned and the president had not asked for his resignation.
McClellan did not directly answer a question about whether the president had full confidence in Brown.
"We appreciate all those who are working round the clock, and that's the way I would answer it," he said.
Ouch.
I know too little to be certain that Michael Brown has done a bad job substantively -- that question will sort itself out in the fullness of time. But there is no question that his communication skills were entirely inadequate.
In addition, sometimes you have to clean house just to restore public confidence. Franklin Roosevelt whacked most of the Pacific command after Pearl Harbor, fairly or unfairly, because he could not fight a war with lingering doubts about the chain of command in that theater. Bush should have fired John Ashcroft and George Tenet after September 11. Not only would have it defanged the self-destructive investigation that was bound to follow, but it would have reassured Americans who otherwise had their doubts about the men in charge on that day. Removing Brown from Louisiana is a good first step, but he should be removed from his job with all deliberate speed.
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