White House Punts as the Wackenhuts Blitz

A: No, I think, again, that might be one to direct to FEMA on the ground or the Department of Homeland Security here in Washington.

Q: Have you considered making a request for international aid?

A: Again, this is something that is probably a question best directed to the Department of Homeland Security.

Q: Do you know anything about how small towns are being responded to versus the larger communities?

A: I think those are operational details that probably are best provided . . . by FEMA or . . . by the Department of Homeland Security.

Eventually, ABC News's Jessica Yellin protested: "Message boards on the Internet are going crazy. They're frustrated that you're deflecting this to FEMA. Is the White House properly, adequately concerned?"

"Deflecting what to FEMA?" McClellan asked.

With each hot potato passed Chertoff's way, McClellan was suggesting the homeland security secretary would be the one to blame if recovery efforts don't go well. The spokesman also said questions about pre-storm preparations were off-limits. The Washington Post's Peter Baker asked if there "is any second-guessing" because people long knew about New Orleans's vulnerability.

"This is not a time for finger-pointing or playing politics," came McClellan's reply.

The New York Times's Dick Stevenson tried again: "Would you concede . . . that more could have or should have been done?"

McClellan would not concede anything. "There'll be a time for politics later," he said.

The White House briefing ended at 1:11, leaving reporters just enough time to reach the Chertoff briefing by 1:30. But DHS officials, turning the reporters away, said they did not care that McClellan had sent them. "The White House didn't coordinate the briefing times," one said.

Inside, Chertoff, joined by other top officials, were busy contradicting McClellan. "This is not, as it has been erroneously reported, martial law," Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum of the National Guard said. On Wednesday, McClellan had told reporters: "As you're all aware, martial law has been declared in Mississippi and Louisiana."

The latecomers arrived just as the session was ending. But when McClellan's name was invoked, Chertoff agreed to provide some of the promised specifics. Costs so far have been "over a couple of billion" dollars, he said. The government is weighing offers of help from Canada, Germany and Britain. And, he said, there are 20,000 to 30,000 people in the evacuation process.

"Ultimately," Chertoff said, "we're talking about dislocations of hundreds of thousands of people. And that will be a challenge for this country on a par with some of the great tragedies we've seen overseas."

It was, at last, a straight answer.