Yes, but the Der Spigel story was from 9/12.
I agree with you that having [link|http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/15/politics/15bush.html|Karl Rove] in charge (even if only in the White House) of New Orleans reconstruction is nonsensical. But I really doubt that the decision on what planes were allowed to overfly New Orleans or what cargo was allowed in was made in the West Wing.
[aside]
AFAIK, the only source for the story of Rove being put in charge is that NY Times story above. It says:
Instead, administration officials and a Republican close to the White House said Mr. Bush would offer some general principles about "building a better New Orleans" with stricter construction standards to try to avoid a replay of the recent catastrophe. Republicans said Mr. Bush would not mention a price tag, in large part because of budget and political pressures from House Republicans and other supporters angry about administration spending.
Republicans said Karl Rove, the White House deputy chief of staff and Mr. Bush's chief political adviser, was in charge of the reconstruction effort, which reaches across many agencies of government and includes the direct involvement of Alphonso R. Jackson, secretary of housing and urban development.
As of Wednesday, few if any members of Congress had been informed by the administration of the president's plans.
Also, I don't see any questions from the press about it in the White House press briefings [link|http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/briefings/|transcripts].
FWIW.
[/aside]
[link|http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050910/ap_on_re_eu/katrina_germany|Yahoo News]:
Sat Sep 10,11:18 AM ET
BERLIN - A German military plane carrying 15 tons of military rations for survivors of Hurricane Katrina was sent back by U.S. authorities, officials said Saturday.
The plane was turned away Thursday because it did not have the required authorization, a German government spokesman said.
The spokesman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, declined to comment on a report in the German news magazine Der Spiegel that U.S. authorities refused the delivery on the grounds that the
NATO military rations could carry mad cow disease.
The spokesman said U.S. authorities had since given approval for future aid flights, but it was unclear whether the German military would try again to deliver the rations.
Since Hurricane Katrina struck the United States, many international donors have complained of frustration that bureaucratic entanglements have hindered shipments to the United States.
A U.S. Embassy official, who agreed to discuss the matter only if not quoted by name, blamed the German flight's rejection on temporary technical and logistical problems that have accompanied recovery operations in the devastated region.
German military planes have flown several loads of rations to the Gulf Coast. Berlin is also sending teams equipped with high-capacity pumps to help clear floodwaters.
That Thursday would have been September 8. "Brownie" would have still been at FEMA (he resigned on 9/12). Rove that week was recovering from his kidney stone surgery and/or apparently trying to shift the blame to the Mayor and Governor - do you really think he was thinking about landing rights for aircraft?
The federal government is huge. Just the White House Staff is [link|http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/administration/whbriefing/2004stafflistb.html|several hundred paid people]. I count 430 in 2004. That doesn't include the military staff, the interns, volunteers, etc. But they don't have the time, inclination, or skill to manage things at such a low level. Quite often in large organizations, the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing. The idea that Karl Rove was directing that some German planes would be turned back while others would be allowed in is a little silly, isn't it?
Don't be so paranoid, eh? Remember Napoleon's [link|http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonbo130787.html|aphorism].
:-)
Cheers,
Scott.
