Lieberman's Ongoing Betrayal of New Orleans

Lieberman is in New Orleans today, chairing hearings on the failure of the federal government to respond effectively to the catastrophes of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Eric Lolis Elie, columnist for The Times Picayune in New Orleans, speaks for many in New Orleans in his column today entitled "Lieberman Is Giving Up In Our Fight." Elie notes Lieberman's recent statement that he would drop his efforts to compel White House disclosure regarding the response to Hurricane Katrina, and ends his column with the following prayer for New Orleans:

Lieberman will be in town today at the state Supreme Court building, attending a field hearing of his committee.

Let's hope that in our determination to rebuild, he finds the courage he's apparently lost since his re-election.

I suspect Mr. Elie understands that there is little prospect that Lieberman will find courage in this matter or any other in which the political interests of Bush are implicated. Bush and Rove are responsible for putting Lieberman back in the Senate, and their narrow political interests will take precedence over the lives of our troops in Iraq and the suffering of the dispossessed in New Orleans.