MSNBC Scarborough Country - Transcript
MSNBC Scarborough Country - Transcript
Thursday, September 1, 2005
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SCARBOROUGH: Greatly appreciate it.
Now, if you want to help, you can certainly do it by giving to an organization that I know about. It's called Christian Ministries. You can send a donation to Christian ministries. It's P.O. Box 911, Pensacola, Florida, 32591. That's Christian ministries, P.O. Box 911, Pensacola, Florida, 32591.
And, friends, this is my thought. At some point, the Red Cross, these other agencies are going to be starting to get what's needed on the ground. That has happened yet. And, as long as it doesn't happen, we are going to keep bringing food, clothes, water, over to the people of Biloxi, and the entire Gulf Coast.
I now want to go to Congressman Bobby Jindal. He's been waiting patiently for us.
Congressman, you know an awful lot about Louisiana politics. You know an awful lot about national politics. If you can, rate for us how the president and the governor of Louisiana have been doing in this crisis.
REP. BOBBY JINDAL ®, LOUISIANA: Yes, I had the privilege of hearing David Vitter. And I want to echo a couple of things he said, clearly, there should have been more boots on the ground earlier. There should have been more relief earlier.
You and I talked yesterday. There should have been a zero-tolerance policy from the beginning. By allowing looting, that's degenerated into violence. And I think that, unfortunately, now we are having to come back and reestablish civil order after the fact.
And what's been frustrating is also watching the debate about who could declare order, when, clearly, that needed to happen. Like David, I also think, while there are people still in the water-there will time to assess blame after the fact. I think the important thing is what you're reporting, in breaking news, that it does appear that troops are arriving. It does appear that we are beginning to reclaim the city.
But to the people that have been stuck for days now without food, without drinkable water, relief is coming a little late. The good news is, I found a lot of-a lot of-yesterday in shelters-people who were able to be evacuated out of New Orleans in the last couple of days are finally getting the food, the water. The church groups have been phenomenal. Churches all over Louisiana are just literally opening their doors to strangers.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: Yes, churches are really doing a remarkable job, churches, synagogues, faith-based organizations going overboard and doing what it's taking. They really have stepped into the breach here and are making a difference.
I want to ask you really quickly, Bobby, is the governor of Louisiana up to the task of protecting your state in this time of crisis?
JINDAL: Well, again, I am going to have to echo what David said. Now that we are in the middle of it, I think it's important that we get these people safe.
I think there will be an appropriate when we do need to look back and say what worked, what didn't work, because we cannot have this happen again. If we ever are unfortunate enough to face any kind of tragedy of this scope, we have got to be prepared to act quickly. I think there will be a time to assess blame. And there's plenty of blame to go around, but, at this point, let's focus on getting those people safe.
SCARBOROUGH: Yes.
All right. Thank you so much, Congressman. I greatly appreciate you staying with us tonight. I love getting your input, because you talk straight.
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