WPCNR NEWS COMMENTARY UPDATE. By John F. Bailey. September 2, 2005: This is an update to my previous two columns.

Today several things were said by President Bush in his live radio address. He said he is calling the First Cavalry Airborn from Fort Bragg to aid in the recovery. A Fort Bragg soldier on the radio earlier this week suggested this on Wednesday. Good job, kid. The military was not given a chance to help when they could have helped!!!

President Bush also implied oh, so subtlely in the live radio address that essentially this is a failure of state and local governments to deal with the problem. The Beltway Boys first blamed the looters to disguise the fact they were not ready. Well, that's no longer going to play. Now they are saying the state and local governments are not doing the job as their excuse. Don't be fooled. This is buckpassing of the shameless most self-serving kind.

Now, Condoleeza Rice, is actually back from her New York adventure in stiletto land and was heard on WCBS radio listing the countries offering aid, and said more medical aid would be brought in from these countries "if needed."  If needed? Hey Condoleeza, could we please turn on the television, like Michael Brown, the head of FEMA does to update himself on the medical needs?  This is God awful, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. America and the world. Back to Farragamo, Ms. Rice. And Kudos to the New York Post for telling us what you were doing while thousands of black people were out their waiting for the help that never came.

Let's put Mack Carter in her position, he would know whether medical aid is needed. He was a Medic in Viet Nam.

Now, contrary to what CNN reported at 3 AM this morning that most of the Superdome people had been evacuated, giving the false impression the evacuations were done, the new National Guard commander down there gave us a firm number an hour ago  10:30 A.M. He says they are turning their attention to evacuating the 25,000 people in the New Orleans Convention Center. Well where is the fleet of 620 or so buses needed for them? Are they stretched as far as the eye can see? Where are they going? Can we expect those choppers from Fort Bragg to be ferrying them out soon? Could we have one aircraft?????

It is six days. Please. We have a little bit of a crisis here, Mr. President. And could you please go to New Orleans and spend a night in the convention center for your next photo op. That just might play better.

Where are the buses for the rest of the 200,000 folks according to Jessie Jackson that may or may not be still there in the rest of the city? Where are the true numbers of whose left in the city does any one for God's sake know? It is reassuring the military is taking charge. They know how to do that.

And why isn't the national media whose "in the muck" reporters are doing a great, hard job and are (actually being supressed by their neatly coiffed anchors) demanding  those numbers? Keep reporting.Suspend your incredulity and politeness and toast these political hacks.

The military commanders should have been in charge six days ago. They are now trying to straighten out the mess.

Oh -- are Michael Brown and  Mr. Chertoff in New Orleans yet? Please advise CNN. And how about a key slide showing the location of these spokespeople? That is a glaring bit of sucking up by the networks.

 Could somebody take charge of this situation? God, where is Alexander Haig when you need him?

And is Dick Cheney on the way? Or does this turn his stomach? It turns mine. Perhaps it is too much for him.

And considering Cuba is ready to fly in doctors now, and we, I do not believe have ever helped them when they have been raked by hurricanes, let's accept Mr. Castro's help. Thank you Mr. Castro from we Americans who are as appalled as you are at this debacle of leadership. Spanky and Alfalfa could do better.

 Now, locally, this is an update for Andy Spano and Mayor Joseph Delfino of White Plains. The oil companies latest contribution to the "Temporary Disruption Being Handled by the Federal Government and Private Sector" is that the price of regular gasoline on Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, NY is $3.47.9. a gallon as of noon Saturday. We will check it again in an hour. Perhaps we should do the county gas survey every day.