Are Chertoff & Brown Toast?

[The_Hamster_King]

In today’s White House press briefing, Scott McClellan repeatedly refused to answer when asked point-blank if the President retained confidence in both men. (Relevant exchange posted below.)

Is the White House taking the first steps to distance itself from DHS and FEMA?

It sounds to me like the White House has decided major shit is about to hit the fan and they’re refusing to make any comments that could later come back to haunt them when they eventually sack C&B. Personally, I think the President should either back his subordinates up, or can them immediately. Letting them twist in the wind like this is ridiculous.

…
Q Scott, does the President retain confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security?

MR. McCLELLAN: And again, David, see, this is where some people want to look at the blame game issue, and finger-point. We’re focused on solving problems, and we’re doing everything we can –

Q What about the question?

MR. McCLELLAN: We’re doing everything we can in support –

Q We know all that.

MR. McCLELLAN: – of the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.

Q Does he retain complete confidence –

MR. McCLELLAN: We’re going to continue. We appreciate the great effort that all of those at FEMA, including the head of FEMA, are doing to help the people in the region. And I’m just not going to engage in the blame game or finger-pointing that you’re trying to get me to engage.

Q Okay, but that’s not at all what I was asking.

MR. McCLELLAN: Sure it is. It’s exactly what you’re trying to play.

Q You have your same point you want to make about the blame game, which you’ve said enough now. I’m asking you a direct question, which you’re dodging.

MR. McCLELLAN: No –

Q Does the President retain complete confidence in his Director of FEMA and Secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: I just answered the question.

Q Is the answer “yes” on both?

MR. McCLELLAN: And what you’re doing is trying to engage in a game of finger-pointing.

Q There’s a lot of criticism. I’m just wondering if he still has confidence.

MR. McCLELLAN: – and blame-gaming. What we’re trying to do is solve problems, David. And that’s where we’re going to keep our focus.

Q So you’re not – you won’t answer that question directly?

MR. McCLELLAN: I did. I just did.

Q No, you didn’t. Yes or no? Does he have complete confidence or doesn’t he?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, if you want to continue to engage in finger-pointing and blame-gaming, that’s fine –

Q Scott, that’s ridiculous. I’m not engaging in any of that.

MR. McCLELLAN: It’s not ridiculous.

Q Don’t try to accuse me of that. I’m asking you a direct question and you should answer it. Does he retain complete confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said – that’s exactly what you’re engaging in.

Q I’m not engaging in anything. I’m asking you a question about what the President’s views are –

MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely – absolutely –

Q – under pretty substantial criticism of members of his administration. Okay? And you know that, and everybody watching knows that, as well.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, everybody watching this knows, David, that you’re trying to engage in a blame game.

Q I’m trying to engage?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q I am trying to engage?

MR. McCLELLAN: That’s correct.

Q That’s a dodge. I have a follow-up question since you dodged that one … .

[Shagnasty]

I would say they are toast. They are a political liability now. Even though Bush doesn’t have to face another election, I don’t think that he wants to damage the other members of his cabinet or the Republican Party in general by keeping them on.

[bizzwire]

Definitely; as part of President Bush’s recently stated demand to have an inquiry into the FEMA clusterfuck, it will be discovered that they, in fact leaked Valerie Plame’s name to the media, and he will have no choice but to fire their asses, as he promised.

[duality72]

If by toast you mean future Medal of Freedom recipients, then yes.

[Jonathan_Chance]

I’ve said this before…

I think Chertoff is too recent to get tossed. But Brown is sufficiently low on the food chain that he can (and most likely will) be tossed over the side with minimal difficulty.

But the most important thing is how the story plays over the next week.

[Marley23]

I think they’d like to keep them for a while longer before dumping at least Brown. The administration won’t want it to look like they’re panicking and firing them because of the public outcry.

[Manduck]

I thought Brownie was doing a heck of a job?

[RyJae]

Well as Bush is the man in power, if either are let go Bush should resign, out of respect for those who perished as well as taking responsibility for this failure of power to protect its people.
Here is a list of people who should offer their resignations if this was avoidable.
A: Bush
B: Nagin
C: Blanco
D: Entire city council of NO
E: Chertoff
F: Brown
G: Add your own.

Its high time our countries leaders accepted responsibility for their actions. And maybe doing so will cause other Americans to follow suit. I seen another thread talking about the “Blame Game” yet all parties do that, no one is willing to commit political suicide by accepting fault.

Will this ever happen, nope, not ever.

Now we will await the commissions and reports they will issue to see where the blame lays, and if it was avoidable, I hope to see a lot of openings in the governments from Louisiana to the White House.
If it was simply bloated government in action, one hand not knowing what the other is doing, I hope to see a streamlined disaster response that I thought I was getting with the DHS.
If it was a failure in the chain of command I hope those links are sliced off.

[zamboniracer]

You people are all just so cyncial. Trust the president. He said that there’d be a proper time for an investigation, so we just have to wait for that time to come to pass. I believe it is currently scheduled for the week after the Cubs’ World Series victory parade.