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September 10, 2005
Who padded Michael Brown's resume? (and will he retire?)
The Michael Brown damage-control machine is in full operation, as evident by media reports.
First, an AP story appearing on the WJLA-TV website makes the following statements:
A beleaguered Michael Brown said Friday he doesn't know why he was removed from his onsite command of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts . . .
He [Brown] was assistant to the city manager in Edmond, Okla. "I have no clue" why the FEMA Web site says he was assistant city manager, an important distinction.
A 2003 White House press release incorrectly says Brown was executive director of the Independent Electrical Contractors, which is headquartered in Virginia. Brown said he worked for the group's Denver chapter, and he didn't know why the White House suggested otherwise.
Are we to believe that Michael Brown let other people write his resume for him?
The AP story makes this particularly-interesting statement:
Brown said he will still oversee FEMA, including housing, victims' assistance and other aspects of Katrina recovery efforts. But he may not be there for long, according to two officials close to Brown who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to discuss his plans. They said the FEMA chief had been planning to retire after the hurricane season, and Friday's action virtually assures his departure.
So a 50-year-old man plans to retire this year, while other people his age don't retire until they are much older.
Are we to believe that Brown's retirement plans have nothing to do with the fact that his name is now Mud?
Meanwhile, Brown's hometown of Edmond, Oklahoma has issued the following press release:
Claudia Deakins, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, statement to clarify comments in Time Magazine's story about Michael D. Brown's employment with the city of Edmond."I spoke with two reporters from Time Magazine Thursday. I answered questions about the city of Edmond, the organizational structure and role of the city manager and his staff. My comments were in the context of the organization as it functions today. I explained that my employment with the city of Edmond began in 1997, several years after Michael D. Brown's employment by the city and that I could not speak to the specifics of the organizational structure as it was during that time. I also explained that I could not I speak to the details of Mr. Brown's role within the organization.
The only people who can speak with authority with regard to Mr. Brown's position in the organization are those who were at the city of Edmond during that time and worked with Mr. Brown, such as the city manager or members of the city council.
I regret any misunderstanding that may have occurred as a result of my comments."
What nonsense! There was no misunderstanding. A former Edmond city counselor has stated that when Brown worked for the Edmond government, there was no position of Assistant City Manager [Info Source].
Edmond's public-relations director says that she can't speak of Michael Brown's role when he was a city employee. The Dodo thinks that she is lying. A few days before the Time report was published, the Tulsa World newspaper published a story about Michael Brown's image problem, and the newspaper gave its readers data about Brown's background.
So an Oklahoma newspaper knows what Brown allegedly did as an Edmond employee, but Edmond's top PR person doesn't know? Granted, Okies (the Dodo being one) aren't known for great intellect, but Edmond's PR person should at least demonstrate that she has some.
Perhaps Ms. Deakins is attempting damage-control in regards to her own job. The Dodo has no doubt that she told the truth to the Time reporters, but the truth isn't always welcomed by Oklahoma politicians.
Being that he is an Okie, the Dodo will monitor what members of the Oklahoma media find out about Michael Brown.
Posted by Dodo David at September 10, 2005 06:15 PM
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Comments
Dodo - I would like to know if you have a blog of your own...it would be nice to read a more well-rounded pundit's posts like yours on a regular basis.
keep the heat on everyone, dodo!
Posted by: tj at September 10, 2005 06:28 PM
tj:
Thanks for the compliment.
In order to create a good blog, a person has to be able to create posts on a daily basis. I don't have time for such a thing. I started blogging here after Aaron Arnwine sought applications for assistant bloggers.
By the way, my bio is accessible by clicking on my name, which is in the left-hand column titled "The Pundits".
Posted by: Dodo David at September 10, 2005 06:57 PM
What a great Post, David!
TJ, obviously, wants to read posts that are only critical.
We love you because you keep it real.
I am gonna try my best to get a link to this post on Malkin's site or something compareable.
Posted by: aaron at September 10, 2005 11:17 PM
Aaron - you have it so, and I presume deliberately, wrong.
I want critical posts that are non-partisan - that question everyone, that search for the responsibility of all...
This post is a bit like that, in that it is the polar opposite of this site in general - ignore the responsibility of the administration, point fingers at everyone else...
Dodo seems to be the only one who doesn't follow that Motto...
Posted by: tj at September 11, 2005 02:11 AM