Which party wil be hurt by this joke of an effort to save lifes

[ag]

Let me put out my 2 cents. I will not be partisan, just analytic.

Both will be somewhat damaged, but Republicans will fare far worse, even if (in fact, especially if) Democrats do not do anything to exploit it.  So, on balance, in a "zero-sum game" of US politics Democrats will gain, Republicans will loose.

The fact is, Gov'nor Blanco is a local figure (and not a very popular one within the Democratic party, for that matter), and Mayor Nagin is only on the screen because of the disaster.  You can legitimately argue, how much they could be doing given their local authority and responsibility (Republicans) and the natural limits on the resources of a poor state and the poorest and most stagnant large metro area in the South (Democrats). Of course local leaders are not coming out of it smelling roses.

However, it is irrelevant. Outside of Louisiana in 2 months few people will be able to recognize their names, still less recall their party affiliation. Whatever happens, neither of them is a symbolic face of the party - if needed,  they can be dumped as unfortunate screw ups. Few in the Democratic party nationwide would shed tears over the fate of Kathleen Blanco.

Fair or not, but the perceived national screw up is going to be put at the feet of the feds, and the feds are Republican, and George Bush is a symbol.  When things go well, they collect accolades, when they don't they are damaged. Namely, Bush is damaged personally, and he is a symbol that can't be easily "dropped" - not until 2008, when the new nominee is clear, at least.  The only thing that would avoid it, is if from this moment on everything goes remarkably well and well-organized. But this is not happening, unfortunately. 

Democrats being seen "exploiting" it could, paradoxically, somewhat mitigate the damage to the Republicans.  The best advertisement for the Dems right now are the news (from Fox to CNN to the broadcasters).  People perceive the screw up (fairly or not, is irrelevant here) and imagine that but for the will of God it could have been them. Even if they personally don't intend to blame either Republicans or Bush, these things impact consumer confidence, trust in government, etc., and these things are always worse for the incumbents.  In the future, it would be enough for the Dems to remind ever so indirectly of NO floods for the unhappy feeling to go through many heads, taking with it a point or two of generic Republican support.

To sum up, fairly or not, this has been perceived as a screw up, screw ups of these proportions hurt the incumbents, and nationally the incumbents are Republican.  Case closed. No need to break chairs arguing details.  The only thing Republicans can do is somehow miraculously do everything "right" (and be perceived as doing it "right" - doubly hard given the initial impression) from now on. The only thing Democrats have to do is stick to the "patriotic good citizen" line and let the Fox News, for once, do their propaganda job (NB people like Mayor Nagin exempt from this last requirement - he is not a national Democratic figure, and he is allowed to be histerical given the situation: in this news story, he is a victim and not a politician - again, fairly or not is irrelevant).