John Gibson: We Are Seeing Order Restored In New Orleans
Reported by Deborah - September 1, 2005
John Gibson anxious to tell viewers tonight that order was being restored in New Orleans stated, "Amazing what a small number of people in uniform can accomplish." Unfortunately, the reports given by people in the midst of the scene sharply contrasted Gibson's optimistic observations. 9/1/05
Shepard Smith told Gibson that the scene on the highway had worsened since yesterday adding that they were forced to change locations because of the violence.He reported that the numbers of people gathering for help had grown.
Gibson then talked to Bernard Kerick who agreed with Gibson on the importance of restoring order. Gibson noted that except for the blue uniforms the armed police looked like Iraq. Kerick agreed saying,"This is like a combat zone." Both men sounded confident that everything would be shortly under control.
Jerry Lynn Parker from Charity Hospital came on with a story that refuted Gibson's claims quite soundly. Parker said that the hospital was surrounded by at least five feet of sewage filled water with bio hazard bags floating everywhere. She told Gibson that they had evacuated the most critical patients this morning to a hospital across the road which had a helicopter pad on the roof. Parker said that the evacuation effort took them a little over an hour this morning and the patients were still stuck waiting on the roof at 5:20PM for a helicopter to arrive. These patients were critically ill and using ventilators which might have needed manual operation.
"It may have turned the corner", Gibson proclaimed brightly before the next segment with David Lee Miller. Miller reported an increase in murders and rapes. He said that conditions in the Superdome are so bad that people were begging to leave. There was video of several hundred people outside the Superdome huddled together and held back by National Guardsman. Only the people inside recieved food and water and the crowd outside was desperate to get inside. Miller told Gibson that an elderly man had collapsed on the street close to his crew and there was no medical aid available so his crew helped the man.
comment:My co- worker's brother lives in New Orleans and finally got through to her yesterday. He asked if the outside world knew what happened in New Orleans? Why isn't anyone helping us, if they know?
He told her of dead bodies everywhere on the streets and constant sniper fire and people going mad from hunger and fear. John Gibson may see order being restored in New Orleans but he's not there living in hell.
