That's interesting because Santorum's GOP colleague, Sen. Jim DeMint -- who happens to chair the Disaster Prediction and Prevention Subcommittee, offered words of praise for the NWS. DeMint said that after reviewing the NWS's actions, he was "convinced that this was one of the most accurate hurricane predictions we have ever seen."
Indeed, Monday's Wall Street Journal notes that if there was any blame to be assigned for a lack of warning, it is the media -- not weather officials -- who deserve it. The Journal reports that in addition to tracking Katrina's approach, the NWS also was on top of the potential for flooding caused by compromised levees:
The New Orleans office of the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning at 8:14 a.m. Monday (Aug. 29), saying "a levee breech occurred along the industrial canal at Tennessee Street, 3 to 8 feet of water is expected due to the breech." The media largely ignored [the warning].So what's Santorum's beef with the NWS? This Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article offers some critical clues:
Sen. Rick Santorum, who has sponsored legislation to limit the information that the National Weather Service can provide to the public, told radio reporters this week that Congress should investigate whether the federal agency's initial warnings on the severity of Hurricane Katrina were adequate.Not that we needed additional reasons to hope that Pennsylvania voters reject Santorum's re-election bid next year.
... [Democrats] have contended that his legislation is intended to benefit private weather companies, at least one of which has contributed to his campaign.
By the way, this is the Democrat with the best shot of defeating Santorum next November.
0 comments in Need A New Reason to Find Santorum Annoying?
Post a Comment