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Subscribe to RSSUpdated 3:15 pm: Twitter has a way of really highlighting the comity in Washington.
Louisiana Sen. David Vitter (R), upset with Harry Reid saying Hurricane Katrina was "nothing in comparison" to Hurricane Sandy and the devastation caused to the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area, lashed out on the social network calling the Senate majority leader an "idiot."
"Sadly, Harry Reid has again revealed himself to be an idiot, this time gravely insulting Gulf Coast residents," Vitter Tweeted, linking to a story in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Vitter later also released a statement with the same language and adding, "Both Katrina and Sandy were horribly destructive storms that caused real human misery. And by most any measure, Katrina was our worst natural disaster in history. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused 1,833 deaths and over $108 billion in damage. Hurricane Sandy has caused 131 deaths and $65 billion in damage."
On Friday, Reid said the following on the floor, urging passage of Sandy funding:
"I really do believe it is important that I have the record reflect the reason we have gotten as far as we have on Sandy is because of the senior Senator from New York. It is too bad that it has taken so long. When we had that devastation from Katrina, we were there within days taking care of Mississippi, Alabama, and especially Louisiana--within days. We are now past 2 months with the people of New York and New Jersey.
"The people of New Orleans and that area, they were hurt but nothing in comparison to what happened to the people in New York and New Jersey. Almost 1 million people have lost their homes; 1 million people lost their homes. That is homes, that is not people in those homes. So I think it is just unfortunate that we do not have the relief for New York and New Jersey and the rest already. It has to be done. We have to meet the needs of the American people when an act of God occurs."
The Times-Pic writes:
"Sandy devastated some of the nation's most populated areas, but it didn't come close to Katrina. Hurricane Katrina, and the flooding that followed when federally built levees failed, killing 1,833 and causing more than $145 billion in damage. Sandy has been blamed for 120 deaths and over $80 billion in damage."
Monday afternoon, Reid released a statement saying he "misspoke" on Friday:
"In my recent comments criticizing House Republicans for threatening to betray Congress' tradition of providing aid to disaster victims in a timely fashion regardless of region, I simply misspoke. I am proud to have been an advocate for disaster victims in the face of Republican foot-dragging, from Hurricane Katrina to Hurricane Sandy, from fires in the west to tornadoes in the Midwest. I have worked hard with Senator Landrieu to ensure that the people of the Gulf Coast have the resources they need to fully recover, and I will continue to advocate on their behalf until the region is fully recovered."
The House passed a $9.7 billion Sandy recovery aid package Friday, which the Senate took up and passed by unanimous consent. The House is expected to take up another $51 billion aid package as a result of Sandy Jan. 15th, after it returns from recess.
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I would be very much surprised to learn that Reid actually had two brain cells he could rub together. Has he ever missed a chance to politicize anything he comments about nationally? Certainly folks, let's be clear here. The democrats are the only ones who really know what the " American people want " --- ? right ?
So now Reid is saying how great the response to katrina was back when President Bush was in office. Make up your mind, Harry and fellow dems. he's right, of course, but it took a long time to admit it. The blame for many/most katrina problems lays with the Mayor of new orleans and the democratic givernor of LA at the time. Someone tell Kanye!
Reid, What a dope! He's a guy who is in it for the money. I'd love to see his before and after bank statements. Another cheat who is more than willing to take a great healthcare package for himself paid for by us, and in turn make us pay for obamacare. Our country is turning to @#$%.
Truer words were never spoken Sen Vittner! In fact I'm naming my next pet "Harry Reid is an idiot."
Democrats what a bunch of scum bags!!!
As a former citizen of the Silver State I would agree Reid is an IDIOT!!! First, there is plenty of money and resources at this time to aide the victims of Sandy. Once again, like Katrina it's a bloated federal government that has failed to provide that aide. FEMA once again has failed. There is BILLIONS of dollars available but it's NOT getting to the people who need it. Passing once again another bill filled with PORK for everything from Alaska fish to studying the breeding habits of pigs isn't helping the people affected.
Harry Reid is the perfect example of why we need TERM LIMITS!
funny last thing i heard david vitter say was i made a mistake with the whole d.c. madam 47 different times...david vitter is a liar and the fact he cloaks himself as a christian makes it worse.... a mistake is once 47 times it's a lifestyle... he has no creditability with me.... i don't have the time to check out everything said in done in this world but i do have the time to listen to those i can trust... david vitter isn't one of them... and i wont' be listening to carl rove or dick morris after there wonderfully acturate work of picking who's winning the election...wow...romney in a landslide and no ohio isn't going to obama i've got people.... thanks dick and karl... oh ted nugent a draft dodging hawk that adopted a underage girl to be his girlfriend...hmmmm sean hannity and that's your friend...hmmmmm don't listen to fools and liar's ....david vitter...joke... harry maybe an ass but vitter you got balls to say that about anyone....run that by your wife and kids...hypo
harry is a good mormom,,,never cheaped on his wife....but he's a scumbag dem what's that make vitter an auduter and liar.... a normal republican....? you guys don't have a good enough arm to throw stones, in a character contest harry beats vitter...
you claim to be the party of value family values but obviously you reelected vitter.... how does that conflict work out because david vitters past doesn;t seem to bothered you gopsters.. clean up your own party before worrying about the dems...you guys need a enema.... lalalalahahahahahahah
harry reid is and why we should have term limits ,,,david vitter is the reason we have divorce...
if vitter risk his marriage, jail time, his family , kids and his house seat would he not to be an idiot....? d.c. madam he's lucky.....not smart just lucky....
All Presidents have lied, some worst that others, the unique aspect of Obama is he doesn't hide or care if you know or knew he lied, Obama will make some absurd comment that is no where close to being true and look like he doesn't care if you believe him or not. I don't know if that's supreme confidence or just out & out liar mentality. I really think that in time Obama ism will get old, and he will gut him self of support, he has betrayed the Black & Hispanic Community by lying to them, and falsely making them believe he is on their side by giving them so-called freebies and ways to get more welfare, more unemployment insurance, more ways to become a legal illegal, non of which is sustainable. No true American would do or attempt to do what Obama is trying to force down the throat of America. The Muslim Brotherhood faith that Obama believes in will prevent him from crossing any line that improves the condition of the situation of the United States of America. And so he must fail at what he is really trying to do which is destroy America as we know it.,,,,,,,,,,
If any one doesn't truly believe that Harry Reid is nothing more that a worn out corrupt politician who should have been put out to pasture a long time ago then they are not facing the facts & the truth. I was in business in NV for 12 short years & I was amazed at how Harry could get milk out of a dead cow, of course he didn't but a lot of voters got the impression that he did by using smoke & mirrors, lies and phony statements, and his supporters were bought & paid for by the Unions, in & out of state. The Katrina incident was a night mare, the local politicians were the first to screw it up, then the so-called support groups, and FEMA really didn't get the job done and Bush should have been their sooner and pressed for quicker responses, money was not the problem, corruptness & lack of experience was & is still the problem in that area. Obama has not cleaned that up at all or even attempted to, relying on the premise that it was Bush who screwed it up so why should I intervene and so it goes. All I'm really saying is that without proper leadership we go no where, Bush, Clinton, Obama, take your pick, 3 rotten apples non of their policies were long term, and could be sustained, and least of unsustainable policies are the ones of Obama. So, put that in your pipe & smoke it for a while before you condemn me for being a racist, for which I'm not. ,,,,,
Mr. Vitter was actually being kind to Mr. Reid...comparing Katrina's $145 billion to Sandy's "$60 billion" in damage. How much of that $60 billion was pure pork?
Reid is the problem. He will not put a budget up he says whatever he wants regardless if it is a lie or not. He did make the statement about Romney not paying taxes for 10 years which he knew was a lie and the IRS would certainly have known. He called Bohner a dictator when most of it was his fault. Now he says this knowing the bill he sent over to the House was loaded with non Sandy spending he just does what he wants. The republicans need to grow some balls and go after these people.
Most accurate comment by any politician in the last decade.
I find it hard to believe how people get on here and actually defend what Harry Reid said....Pathetic The President did not follow thru to make sure FEMA did its job. We watched the President do all the photo shots and lie to all the Sandy Victims about a quick response....Then we re-elect him. You got what you voted for .....The Buck stops with the President.
Hey, Vitter, if you ever want to go to a LEGAL brothel, please come spend your money in Nevada. We really need it.
more proof that "materialistic" items are more important than human life. He didn't "misspeak", he said exactly how they "think" in Washington. Proof of having any compassion would have been for them to refuse the raises they all just gave themselves, and donate what their "cost of living" raises will amount to, to the aid of Katrina or Sandy. (first off they have NO cost of living expense.... we pay for everything, including their transportation, restaurants. I would love to see an investigative report on our exact expense per politcian!