The Case of the Missing Parishes

First raised by Bob Harris, "Freepers" and "DUmmies" are debating whether President Bush, or then-FEMA boss Mike Brown, accidentally or deliberately delayed Federal help for the Southern-most Louisiana parishes, allegedly majority-Democrat. Or whether Governor Blanco inadvertently slighted Louisiana's hardest hit areas. The Katrina Coverage blog is all over the issue but -- as far as I know -- the question's still unresolved.

The four most relevant letters:

1. August 27: Blanco's request for an "emergency" declaration



2. August 27: Bush's "emergency" declaration



3. August 28: Blanco's request for a "disaster" declaration



4. August 29: Bush's "disaster" declaration

There seems to be no question that # 3 and # 4 each included all of Louisiana. But Bush's emergency release (# 2) covers only northern parishes (excluding New Orleans), whereas Blanco's request (# 1) lists no parishes at all. What happened? Was Federal assistance to New Orleans mistakenly delayed two days?

That ain't all. Testifying before Congress (page 51), Mike Brown said the August 27th White House declaration copied Blanco's parish list. But neither of the two possible Blanco letters (an August 26th state declaration and the August 27th request to Bush) narrow the affected area to the parish level. Katrina Coverage blog speculated Brown is mistaken or lying.

There's a third possibility. One Freeper wondered whether Blanco's August 27th letter, Press Release number 976 on the official state website, was revised. Seems implausible. But Katrina Coverage blog asks: where is press release number 975? (Note: there are other gaps in sequential numbering: #s 959 and 957.)

But most importantly, would the White House or FEMA catalog Louisiana place names on its own? These aren't normal, red-blooded American counties after all, but weird -- possibly French? -- parishes. Did the Administration have a parish list on August 27th? Are there any imaginable circumstances (this explanation apparently is a red-herring) where FEMA wouldn't merely cut-and-paste from Blanco's request?

Any ideas?