Where Left Is Right / The Old Site

The Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Hattiesburg American would not seem a likely source for news useful to the forces of blame-gaming. Which is why it's so surprising to read there a report about the federal government's priorities in Katrina's immediate aftermath:

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina roared through South Mississippi knocking out electricity and communication systems, the White House ordered power restored to a pipeline that sends fuel to the Northeast.

That order -- to restart two power substations in Collins that serve Colonial Pipeline Co. -- delayed efforts by at least 24 hours to restore power to two rural hospitals and a number of water systems in the Pine Belt.

Now, you may be thinking, Well, "shortly" covers a lot of ground. Today is "shortly" after Hurricane Katrina roared through South Mississippi, isn't it? Yes, it's true. But the "shortly" here was really shortly (emphases mine):

Dan Jordan, manager of Southern Pines Electric Power Association, said Vice President Dick Cheney's office called and left voice mails twice shortly after the storm struck, saying the Collins substations needed power restored immediately.

Jordan dated the first call the night of Aug. 30 and the second call the morning of Aug. 31. Southern Pines supplies electricity to the substation that powers the Colonial pipeline.

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Mike Callahan said the U.S. Department of Energy called him on Aug. 31. Callahan said department officials said opening the fuel line was a national priority.

[...]

[General manager of the South Mississippi Electric Power Association Jim] Compton said workers who were trying to restore substations that power two rural hospitals -- Stone County Hospital in Wiggins and George County Hospital in Lucedale -- worked instead on the Colonial Pipeline project.

The move caused power to be restored at least 24 hours later than planned.

Mindy Osborn, emergency room coordinator at Stone County Hospital, said the power was not restored until six days after the storm on Sept. 4. She didn't have the number of patients who were hospitalized during the week after the storm.

"Oh, yes, 24 hours earlier would have been a help," Osborn said.

Compton said workers who were trying to restore power to some rural water systems also were taken off their jobs and placed on the Colonial Pipeline project. Compton did not name specific water systems affected.

[...]

Callahan said energy officials told him gasoline and diesel fuel needed to flow through the pipeline to avert a national crisis from the inability to meet fuel needs in the Northeast.

Callahan said the process of getting the pipelines flowing would be difficult and that there was a chance the voltage required to do so would knock out the system -- including power to Wesley Medical Center in Hattiesburg.

With Forrest General Hospital operating on generators, Wesley was the only hospital operating with full electric power in the Pine Belt in the days following Katrina.

"Our concern was that if Wesley went down, it would be a national crisis for Mississippi," Callahan said. "We knew it would take three to four days to get Forrest General Hospital's power restored and we did not want to lose Wesley."

Compton, though, followed the White House's directive.

Jeez. All along, we thought The Dick had (like The Weasel) had simply been lounging on vacation while the Mississippi Delta drowned. Apologies are clearly owed to the White House and the office of the vice-president. And while we're at it, let's move this Compton fellow to FEMA!

(Hat tip to the ever-reliable Smirking Chimp.)