This is just completely astounding. FEMA, the organization that screwed up the Katrina response two years ago, is responding to the California fires. On Tuesday at 1pm FEMA held a news briefing. Al Kamen in the Washington Post explains the press conference was faked.
"Reporters were given only 15 minutes' notice of the briefing, making it unlikely many could show up at FEMA's Southwest D.C. offices. They were given an 800 number to call in, though it was a 'listen only' line, the notice said -- no questions. Parts of the briefing were carried live on Fox News, MSNBC and other outlets."
He then describes how the briefing went, with questions taken from the audience and how the answers were smooth and polished and the questions were softballs.
"Of course, that could be because the questions were asked by FEMA staffers playing reporters. We're told the questions were asked by Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of external affairs, and by 'Mike' Widomski, the deputy director of public affairs. Director of External Affairs John 'Pat' Philbin asked a question, and another came, we understand, from someone who sounds like press aide Ali Kirin."
Yep, FEMA faked a press conference. Widomski admitted this, explaining they were getting questions from reporters all day and since reporters couldn't make the meeting, they put staffers in the seats and asked the questions reporters had asked them. Uh huh.
Unfuckingbelievable.
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