Don't get stuck on stupid, Senator!!!!

QUOTE OF THE CENTURY --

DON'T GET STUCK ON STUPID!!!

Best account comes from "Radio Blogger" here....

From Tuesday's Radio Blogger:

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin held a press conference a little
bit ago, and started losing control to a media pool assembled
that was showing signs of panic, due to the previous incompetence
in the region by the local and state government. Lt. Gen. Russell
Honore stepped in and literally took over.

Here's what he had to say:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Honore: And Mr. Mayor, let's go back, because I can see
right now, we're setting this up as he said, he said, we said.
All right? We are not going to go, by order of the mayor and
the governor, and open the convention center for people to
come in. There are buses there. Is that clear to you? Buses
parked. There are 4,000 troops there. People come, they get
on a bus, they get on a truck, they move on. Is that clear? Is
that clear to the public?

Female reporter: Where do they move on...

Honore: That's not your business.

Male reporter: But General, that didn't work the
first time...

Honore: Wait a minute. It didn't work the first
time. This ain't the first time. Okay? If...we don't
control Rita, you understand? So there are a lot of
pieces of it that's going to be worked out. You got
good public servants working through it. Let's get a
little trust here, because you're starting to act like
this is your problem. You are carrying the message,
okay? What we're going to do is have the buses staged.
The initial place is at the convention center. We're
not going to announce other places at this time, until
we get a plan set, and we'll let people know where those
locations are, through the government, and through
public announcements. Right now, to handle the number
of people that want to leave, we've got the capacity. You
will come to the convention center. There are soldiers
there from the 82nd Airborne, and from the Louisiana
National Guard. People will be told to get on the bus,
and we will take care of them. And where they go will
be dependent on the capacity in this state. We've got
our communications up. And we'll tell them where to go.
And when they get there, they'll be able to get a chance,
an opportunity to get registered, and so they can let their
families know where they are. But don't start panic here.
Okay? We've got a location. It is in the front of the convention
center, and that's where we will use to migrate people
from it, into the system.

Male reporter: General Honore, we were told that Berman
Stadium on the west bank would be another staging area...

Honore: Not to my knowledge. Again, the current place,
I just told you one time, is the convention center. Once we
complete the plan with the mayor, and is approved by
the governor, then we'll start that in the next 12-24 hours.
And we understand that there's a problem in getting
communications out. That's where we need your help. But let's
not confuse the questions with the answers. Buses at the
convention center will move our citizens, for whom we have
sworn that we will support and defend...and we'll move
them on. Let's not get stuck on the last storm. You're asking
last storm questions for people who are concerned about the
future storm. Don't get stuck on stupid, reporters.
We are moving forward. And don't confuse the people
please. You are part of the public message. So help us get the
message straight. And if you don't understand, maybe
you'll confuse it to the people. That's why we like follow-up
questions. But right now, it's the convention center, and move on.

Male reporter: General, a little bit more about why that's
happening this time, though, and did not have that last time...

Honore: You are stuck on stupid. I'm not going to
answer that question. We are going to deal with Rita.
This is public information that people are depending
on the government to put out. This is the way we've got
to do it. So please. I apologize to you, but let's talk about
the future. Rita is happening. And right now, we need to
get good, clean information out to the people that they
can use. And we can have a conversation on the side about
the past, in a couple of months.
- - - - - - - - -

I think the General just started a movement, and he may
not even realize it. Every time a reporter, in any situation,
starts spinning, or completely misses the point, they need
to be peppered with, "Don't get stuck on stupid."

I'd pay money to see David Gregory in the White House Press
Corps foaming at the mouth over something trivial Scott McClellan
said, and have McClellan say, "David, you're stuck on stupid. I'm not
going to answer that."

I'd have fallen out of my chair if John Roberts would have listened
to Joe Biden ramble on, and said, "Don't get stuck on stupid, Senator."

I can see the bumper stickers now. I can even see those stupid
rubber wristbands with DGSOS etched in them. I love General Honore.

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