What Leadership Looks Like (Hint: Not Like This)

superplin's journal hits a lot of the points that immediately leap to my mind about crisis of leadership in the hurricane disaster - knowing how to actually do things, or even know the names of or how to find those who do, is pretty obviously not the "leadership" style of those in the position to make a difference. On that same note: how much do I not want to see footage of Dubya shaking hands right now, dressed all pretty and "man of the people" in a neatly pressed shirt? Answer: not at all. There's a lot of coverage starting up today, of nicely dressed commentators talking, replacing the actual disaster footage. Laura Bush is blathering on MSNBC right now. Talking about schools and issuing thanks. She's trying to put a positive spin on all this. It's all about the gratitude. Good luck.

There needs to be righteous rage right now. Seriously. And I'm already feeling like the media is going to let us down. If all those reporters who were so honestly appalled fall back into complacency after this, meekly accepting government excuses? Then I should hope every citizen with a voice and the ability to type or hold a pen will make sure to let them know how "not acceptable" that is.

What is the job of a leader? To make sure things get done. Short of that is a figurehead, a talker, a blue-skyer, a promise-maker, which is not the same as getting things done.

I don't want to see any of these people laugh right now. Laura just laughed.

Links worth looking at: the WWLTV web coverage, the local New Orleans affiliate. Everything in a timeline, as it came in. Horrific. Nearly impossible to stop reading. God.

Slate, if you're a subscriber, compiles reactions from various newspapers around the country. BBC's compilation of the international response.

These people need to stop smiling. I'm certainly not.