Blame game

VodkaPundit shares this tantalizing tidbit from an AP story:

Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding.

That story was dated Saturday, Aug. 28 -- the day meterologists and weather realized that Katrina was jogging west and would head for the Big Easy. (Read the story for yourself here.) Another telling quote:

"This is a once in a lifetime event," the mayor said. "The city of New Orleans has never seen a hurricane of this magnitude hit it directly," the mayor said.

He told those who had to move to the Superdome to come with enough food for several days and with blankets. He said it will be a very uncomfortable place and encouraged everybody who could to get out.

Translation: Bush personally begged for evacuation. The CITY of N.O. -- headed by a black mayor -- directed stranded people to the Superdome. (Granted, with a warning about conditions.)

Now, no one should have to die or be raped or whatever because they couldn't evacuate or, in some cases, just didn't prepare adequately.

But my question is: Why didn't the government -- including City of New Orleans -- provide some sort of public transportation out of New Orleans? If we can just stay away from the conspiracy theories and the race-baiting, it's a valid question to ask.