As South drowns, Rice soaks in N.Y.
Did New Yorkers chase Condoleezza Rice back to Washington yesterday?
Like President Bush, the Secretary of State has been on vacation during the Hurricane Katrina crisis, with Rice enjoying her downtime in New York Wednesday and yesterday. The cabinet member's responsibilities are usually international, but her timing contributed to the "fiddling while Rome burns" impression given by her boss during the disaster, which may have claimed thousands of lives.
On Wednesday night, Secretary Rice was booed by some audience members at "Spamalot!," the Monty Python musical at the Shubert, when the lights went up after the performance.
Yesterday, Rice went shopping at Ferragamo on Fifth Ave. According to the Web site www.Gawker.com, the 50-year-old bought "several thousand dollars' worth of shoes" at the pricey leather-goods boutique.
A fellow shopper shouted, "How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!" - presumably referring to Louisiana and Mississippi.
The woman expressing her First Amendment rights was promptly removed from the store. A Ferragamo store manager confirmed to us that Rice did shop there yesterday, but refused to answer questions about whether the protester was removed, and whether by his own security or the Secret Service.
At the State Department's daily briefing yesterday morning, before the New York incident, spokesman Sean McCormack responded to a journalist who asked whether Rice was involved with hurricane relief efforts by saying, "She's in contact with the department as appropriate." He made no mention that his boss had any plans to leave New York.
But yesterday afternoon, Rice had done just that. Department spokeswoman Joanne Moore told us: "The secretary is back in Washington, and she is being briefed on the situation." Moore did not know whether Condi had planned a longer stay here.
Airboaters stalled by FEMA
The pilots stand ready to go help hurricane victims but have not been allowed to do so.
By Nancy Imperiale / Orlando Sentinel
As a flooded New Orleans sinks further into despair, up to 500 Florida airboat pilots have volunteered to rescue Hurricane Katrina victims, transport relief workers and ferry supplies.
But they aren't being allowed in. And they're growing frustrated.
"We cannot get deployed to save our behinds," said Robert Dummett, state coordinator of the Florida Airboat Association. He said the pilots, who range from commercial airboat operators to weekend pleasure boaters, "are physically sick, watching the New Orleans coverage and knowing that the resources to help these poor people is sitting right in our driveways."
On standby since Monday, the pilots -- many from Central Florida -- have spent thousands of their own dollars stocking their boats and swamp buggies with food, water, medical supplies and fuel.
But the Federal Emergency Management Agency will not authorize the airboaters to enter New Orleans. Without that permission, they would be subject to arrest and would not receive security and support services.
The airboat association has complained to several congressmen who have contacted the federal agency on their behalf.
"To me, 500 airboats seems a perfect solution to the chaos and difficulty getting people out of their flooded homes," said U.S. Rep Mark Foley, R-Palm Beach Gardens. "I'd love them to be able to go in and help, and that's what I've conveyed to FEMA."
A FEMA representative said citizen volunteers are not being allowed into New Orleans for one big reason: It's just not safe.
"I think it's understandable, particularly given the TV footage that the entire world is seeing, for folks who have a big heart to feel a little bit frustrated and want to help," said Frances Marine, Orlando's FEMA public-affairs director. "However, it's so important to be coordinated. Those areas are dangerous right now. There are health hazards and limited ways of getting in and out. . . . Right now, private citizens trying to go into those impacted areas are more hindrance than help."
That explanation doesn't sit well with one victim of Hurricane Andrew, who e-mailed the airboat association, demanding to know why they weren't in New Orleans.
"I lost my house with Andrew," said Merle Arostegui, 59, of Perrine. "I was one of those people sitting on what was left of my doorstep. Let me tell you: I could be [a victim] in New Orleans right now, and I am so frustrated.''
Meanwhile, airboat operators watch and wait.
"It's probably a 50-50 chance right now that we'll go," said James E. Brown, a 54-year-old Longwood man who heads a convoy of 14 local airboat pilots. "We're willing to go, we're able to go, but it's all up to FEMA."
However, chaos in the Big Easy is making boaters' family members nervous.
"The more that is shown on TV of the shootings and looting," Brown said, "the more loved ones are telling us: 'Don't go. You're not going.' "
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