The White House refused to answer any questions about reports the Bush administration cut flood control funding for New Orleans to support the war in Iraq. Here's the transcript from today's White House Briefing featuring Spokesman Scott McClellan:
"REPORTER: There's a lot of discussion going on about the funding of projects prior to this, whether projects in New Orleans in particular were underfunded because of the Iraq war or for other reasons. Do you find any of this criticism legitimate? Do you think there is any second guessing to be done now about priorities given that [a disaster in] New Orleans was sort of obvious to a lot of the experts?
MCCLELLAN: As I have indicated, this is not a time for politics. This is a time for the nation to come together for those in the Gulf Coast region and that's where our focus is. This is not a time for finger-pointing or politics. And I think the last thing that the people who have been displaced or the people who have been affected need is people seeking partisan gain in Washington. So if that's what you're talking about, that's one thing. Now, if you're talking about specific areas, I would be glad to talk about some of those, if that's what you want.
REPORTER: I'm talking about policy.
REPORTER: One project, for instance, is the one where people felt they needed $60 million in the current '06 fiscal year, and they were given $10 million. Those types of projects. And a lot --
MCCLELLAN: Which project is this?
REPORTER: Southeast Louisiana Flood Control.
MCCLELLAN: Flood control has been a priority of this administration from day one."
But former Clinton Presidential advisor Sidney Blumenthal claims the Bush administration cut flood control funding for New Orleans by 44%. (Think Progress, HT: Taegan Goddard's PoliticalWire.com)
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