http://mediamatters.org/tools/syndication/tag_rss/natural_disasters This link is for use by RSS-enabled software to retrieve Media Matters items matching the term: Natural Disasters en-US Copyright 2008, Media Matters for America http://mediamatters.org/items/200806270005 On <em>Fox &amp; Friends</em>, Mike Huckabee falsely asserted, "When Katrina, a Cat-5 hurricane, hit the Gulf Coast, not one drop of oil was spilled off of those rigs out in the Gulf of Mexico." In fact, according to a report prepared for the federal government by an international consulting firm, damages related to Hurricane Katrina resulted in 70 spills from outer continental shelf structures with a total volume of approximately 11,104 barrels of oil and petroleum products. http://mediamatters.org/items/200806270005 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:11:31 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200806250007 On <em>MSNBC Live</em>, responding to a comment by Andrea Mitchell about "the massive 1969 oil spill" in Santa Barbara, California, Sen. Richard Burr stated: "Well, Andrea, how technology has changed since 1969. It can take a Category 5 hurricane in the Gulf that really came twice, and the technology made sure that there wasn't a drop that was spilled in the Gulf." In fact, a report prepared for the U.S. Minerals Management Service stated that as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita "124 [oil] spills were reported with a total volume of roughly 17,700 barrels of total petroleum products." http://mediamatters.org/items/200806250007 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:51:44 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200806190009 On his radio show, Neal Boortz asked: "[W]hy is it that the people who are being affected by the floods in Iowa and the upper Midwest, why is it that they seem to be so much more capable of taking care of themselves and handling this disaster than were the people of Katrina in New Orleans?" Boortz continued, "I think the answer's pretty clear, is that up there in that part of the country, you find a great deal of self-sufficiency. Down there in New Orleans, it was basically a parasite class totally dependent on government for their existence." http://mediamatters.org/items/200806190009 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:33:12 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200804250006 NBC's <em>Today</em> and CBS' <em>The Early Show</em> both aired interviews with Sen. John McCain while the candidate was in New Orleans, but in neither case asked McCain about controversial comments that one of his endorsers, Pastor John Hagee, recently made about Hurricane Katrina, though both programs discussed controversial comments made by Rev. Jeremiah Wright. http://mediamatters.org/items/200804250006 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:44:54 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200802010015 On his nationally syndicated radio show, Neal Boortz made disparaging remarks about Hurricane Katrina victims, stating, "When these Katrina so-called refugees were scattered about the country, it was just a glorified episode of putting out the garbage." Boortz also described New Orleans as "a city of parasites, a city of people who could not and had no desire to fend for themselves." http://mediamatters.org/items/200802010015 Fri, 1 Feb 2008 21:22:54 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200710290002 CNN's Ed Henry uncritically reported that "local Republicans hammered the point that, unlike in Louisiana, California officials only relied on the feds for the secondary help," quoting Republican Rep. Brian Bilbray as saying, "I think that's how the system's actually designed, and it's worked great." But the House Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina found that Katrina was not a "normal" disaster, but a "catastrophic" one; thus, federal officials should have "clearly and forcefully instruct[ed] everyone involved with the federal response to be proactive, anticipate future requirements, develop plans to fulfill them, and execute those plans without waiting for formal requests from overwhelmed state and local response officials." <br /> http://mediamatters.org/items/200710290002 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 12:12:00 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200710260001 During the "All-Star Panel" segment on <em>Special Report</em>, the <em>Washington Examiner</em>'s Bill Sammon and <em>Roll Call</em>'s Mort Kondracke blamed the Louisiana state and local governments for their handling of Hurricane Katrina while excusing or ignoring the failures of the federal government. Sammon concluded that "to the extent that anybody failed [during Katrina], I think it was state and local, and in this case [the California wildfires], the state and locals have stepped up." However, two congressional reports -- while not excusing the state and local governments -- extensively detailed the federal government's failures in its preparation for and response to Katrina. http://mediamatters.org/items/200710260001 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 21:09:51 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200709180004 On his radio program, Lee Rodgers said of Hurricane Katrina refugees, "[T]he people who have been freeloading for two years are whining because the gravy train is slowing down," adding, "At what point after a disaster and personal hardship are people expected to start taking care of themselves again? Is one hurricane supposed to be a permanent lifelong ticket on a bleeping gravy train? Come on!" <br /> http://mediamatters.org/items/200709180004 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:24:05 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200708300010 Despite widespread reporting on the reconstruction in the Gulf Coast, the media have largely ignored reports that Mississippi Republican Gov. Haley Barbour has used waivers to redirect funds designated for low- to moderate-income Katrina victims. <br /> http://mediamatters.org/items/200708300010 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 19:39:24 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200705100001 http://mediamatters.org/items/200705100001 Wed, 9 May 2007 20:13:41 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200609200002 On <em>Tucker</em>, independent Texas gubernatorial candidate Richard "Kinky" Friedman falsely claimed that "the [Hurricane Katrina] evacuees have been responsible for 20 percent of the homicides in Houston last year." Tucker Carlson did not challenge Friedman, instead saying, "That is shocking. That's upsetting -- and good for you for having the brass to talk about it in public. You're winning me over, by the way." http://mediamatters.org/items/200609200002 Wed, 20 Sep 2006 10:59:59 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200608310010 On <em>Tucker</em>, while discussing Fox News' choice of Richard Simmons and Don King as Katrina "expert[s]," Tucker Carlson asked: "Our civilization -- is it collapsing? Has it already collapsed?" http://mediamatters.org/items/200608310010 Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:03:33 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200608310007 MSNBC host Tucker Carlson declared that "as far as I know, the [Bush] administration hasn't been blaming mayors and governors" for the government's poor response to Hurricane Katrina. In fact, the White House's strategy of shifting blame to Louisiana officials for the poor response to Katrina has been well documented. http://mediamatters.org/items/200608310007 Thu, 31 Aug 2006 14:24:06 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200608300006 On Fox News' <em>Your World with Neil Cavuto</em>, boxing promoter Don King claimed that the vast majority of African-Americans who supported Sen. John Kerry for president in 2004 did so "[b]ecause they didn't know any better." He also defended President Bush's handling of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, asserting that Bush is "is one of the best presidents we have ever had in the history of this country." http://mediamatters.org/items/200608300006 Wed, 30 Aug 2006 18:39:14 EST http://mediamatters.org/items/200608290011 Interviewing Laura Bush on ABC's <em>Good Morning America</em>, Robin Roberts allowed Laura Bush to dismiss a <em>New York Times</em> article documenting the widespread view that President Bush's handling of Hurricane Katrina has adversely affected his image. http://mediamatters.org/items/200608290011 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 19:18:58 EST