# Brown's gotta get fired right? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 9, 2005, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796 "2005-09-09T11:39:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/21 "2005-09-09T13:51:53Z")
> [@](#): > > [Mike Brown] always had on a suit and a starched white shirt. Well, alright then. C’mon people, what more qualities could W have _possibly_ asked of the man? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/22 "2005-09-09T13:59:17Z")
> [@](#): > > He always had on a suit and a starched white shirt. Clearly this is a subtle swipe at the guy, one of those letters-of-reference comments that you have to read between the lines to see. From the Beatles’ White Album: > [@](#): > > Have you seen the bigger piggies in their starched white shirts? > You will find the bigger piggies stirring up the dirt. > Always have clean shirts to play around in. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/23 "2005-09-09T14:23:13Z")
Lots of people wishing James Lee Witt was still director, I reckon. (He’s a family friend and a really good, honest guy, as well as being qualified and competent.)Sure he was a FOB, but at least he wasn’t shoehorned into something he didn’t qualify for. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/24 "2005-09-09T14:32:54Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > Sure he was a FOB, but at least he wasn’t shoehorned into something he didn’t qualify for. I certainly wish we had a lot more Friends of Bill running things about now. Along with being Friends of Bill, they were also competent, effective, and yielded good results. Friends of George (FOGs) seem to have led to a vast number of fuckups (FOGups?), in pretty much all domains. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/25 "2005-09-09T14:35:41Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > I certainly wish we had a lot more Friends of Bill running things about now. Along with being Friends of Bill, they were also competent, effective, and yielded good results. Friends of George (FOGs) seem to have led to a vast number of fuckups (FOGups?), in pretty much all domains. A man is known by the company he keeps. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/26 "2005-09-09T14:36:14Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > Friends of George (FOGs) seem to have led to a vast number of fuckups (FOGups?), in pretty much all domains. Yeah, what ever happened to, “Bush is a fuck up, but he is surrounded by really talented people.” Are Bush apologists sticking to that? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/27 "2005-09-09T14:37:51Z")
Look, George likes him. Hey, Mikey! ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/28 "2005-09-09T14:47:59Z")
What I’d really like to know is with incredibly unqualified people like that getting high up jobs… where can I sign on? I could use the money and apparantly would be just as good in a crisis. Or more seriously, how’d someone with so little aptitude for the job and experience in anything approaching the kind of duties he’s expected to perform get hired in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/29 "2005-09-09T14:49:01Z")
_George, Condi, Dick, Trent all sing:_ You’re a fuck-up, Michael Brown You’re the kind of reminder we need No credibility, culpability and blank expression That show you are a dickweed! _Snoopy:_ Woof! _George, Condi, Dick, Trent:_ You’re a fuck-up, Michael Brown So we know you will go very far Yes it’s hard to believe Almost frightening to conceive What a fuck-up you are! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/30 "2005-09-09T14:54:20Z")
> [@Silentgoldfish](#): > > Or more seriously, how’d someone with so little aptitude for the job and experience in anything approaching the kind of duties he’s expected to perform get hired in the first place? He was a college buddy of the previous director, Joe M. Allbaugh, who himself got the job because he Dubya’s campaign manager in 2000. The Bush administration is rife with patronage jobs bestowed on unqualified cronies and campaign contributors. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/31 "2005-09-09T14:55:46Z")
> [@Silentgoldfish](#): > > Or more seriously, how’d someone with so little aptitude for the job and experience in anything approaching the kind of duties he’s expected to perform get hired in the first place? You have not been paying attention. Evidently \*the clothes \* do make the man. I mean come on… a starched white shirt… every day! Don’t underestimate the level of commitment that requires. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/32 "2005-09-09T14:55:49Z")
You know the assistant city manager thing may just be a punctuation error. Maybe when he wrote his résumé he typed ‘Assistant City Manager’ instead of ‘Assistant\*\*,\*\* City Manager’. Could happen to anybody. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/33 "2005-09-09T15:00:45Z")
_There’s a bright oily glaze on New Orleans, There’s a bright oily glaze on New Orleans. The water’s as high as an elephant’s eye… And it looks like Mike Brown simply ain’t the right guuuuuuyyyyyy… Oh what a stupendous fuck up Oh what a horrific day I got a sneakin’ suspicion FEMA will just have to paaaaayyyy And Mike Brown’s not gonna staaaayy._ ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/34 "2005-09-09T15:01:40Z")
Ummmm. Gee. I’m not sure how to respond. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. Thank you. The Administration. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/35 "2005-09-09T15:10:54Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > Ummmm. Gee. I’m not sure how to respond. > > 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. 9/11. > > Thank you. > > The Administration. I agree. The terrorists _want_ us to start pointing fingers at eachother. That’s how they’ll win. ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/36 "2005-09-09T15:15:49Z")
He also [pads his resume](http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1103003,00.html). His entry in FindLaw is [here](http://pview.findlaw.com/view/2507976_1); apparently both the “Outstanding Political Science Professor, Central State University” and “Director, Oklahoma Christian Home” are bogus. But of course the buck will stop with Brown, and not any of the people who put this politically reliable know-nothing apparatchik in a position of such responsibility. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/37 "2005-09-09T15:17:04Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > Lots of people wishing James Lee Witt was still director, I reckon. (He’s a family friend and a really good, honest guy, as well as being qualified and competent.)Sure he was a FOB, but at least he wasn’t shoehorned into something he didn’t qualify for. But Clinton got a blowjob! That means that Witt et al. are clearly guilty by association! Robin ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/38 "2005-09-09T15:18:31Z")
Of course, they can’t admit it, because it means they made a mistake, but I think it’s obvious that the White House realized that Michael Brown is the wrong man for the job. That’s what they hired a Coast Guard vice admiral as his deputy. > [@Washington Post](#): > > Vice Adm. Thad W. Allen, the Coast Guard’s chief of staff, was assigned on Monday to be Brown’s deputy and to take over operational control of the search-and-rescue and recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast. The unprecedented task of coordinating the massive effort was handed off to a leader and expert who was described by colleagues as unflappable, engaging and intensely organized. [Link](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/06/AR2005090601677.html); Registration required. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/39 "2005-09-09T15:26:35Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > But Clinton got a blowjob! That means that Witt et al. are clearly guilty by association! > > Robin _Psssst! Robin! **Doors** is logged onto the account instead of you!_ ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796/40 "2005-09-09T15:29:34Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > But Clinton got a blowjob! That means that Witt et al. are clearly guilty by association! > > Robin Funny you should mention that. My late father (who was good friends with James Lee from home) told me that James Lee told him that he asked Clinton straight up if the Lewinsky allegations were true. Clinton told him no. Of course, that wasn’t true. He took that really personally. James Lee’s relationship with Clinton cooled after that, IIRC. James Lee is an honest, christian man, one who still holds hands with his wife, Lea Ellen, everywhere they go. I’m not saying he’s perfect, but he undoubtedly walks the walk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browns-gotta-get-fired-right/320796.md?page=3)