Assignment: document Obama, FEMA, MSM response to ice storms in Kentucky

As of last week, hundreds of thousands in Kentucky and others in Arkansas were without power due to ice storms, and dozens have died. While not as major a disaster as Katrina, some have called into question the mainstream media's coverage of the response, wondering whether they would have approached it differently if it had happened during the Bush administration.

Your assignment: compare the government response to past incidents, and compare the MSM's coverage to how they covered past incidents including Katrina and others. And, find out whether Barack Obama has paid as much attention to this issue as he would have had it occurred in a state that voted for him.

First, on January 29, he signed an emergency declaration:
whitehouse.gov/president-obama-declares-emergencies-in-arkansas-and-kentucky
Has he spoken about this since then?

Second, see the sycophantic report from CNN here called "KY Governor: Obama people 'hit the ground running' on storm", with Gov. Steve Beshear getting Obama's back.

See also (thanks, Insty) January 31's "Many pleading for faster response" (link):

Local officials grew angrier at what they said was a lack of help from the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency... [Grayson County Emergency Management Director Randell Smith] said FEMA was still a no-show days after the storm...

See also:

* "Obama and FEMA Leave Americans to Die in Kentucky"
jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/2009/01/obama-and-fema-leave-americans-to-die.html

* "Kentucky freezes; Obama dines on $100 a pound steak"
betsyspage.blogspot.com/2009/02/kentucky-freezes-obama-dines-on-100.html

* Obama Dozed, People Froze!
eddriscoll.com/archives/014892.php

* Obama: "Let Them Eat Steak"
powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/02/022707.php

* The comments here: shadydowns.com/?p=399

Write it up with a timeline showing what was and wasn't done in an attempt to show whether the MSM didn't cover this in a way that they should have. And, make sure and highlight the names of those reporters who didn't do the job they should have done.

Mon, 02/02/2009 - 03:57 · Importance: 9