As the Bush administration botched their handling of this disaster, one can see Geraldo Rivera say on camera, "Let them walk out of here, let them walk the hell out of here!” as he sobbed. “Walk to some other town. Walk someplace where you can help 'em. ... These people in the same clothes, where do you think they go to the bathroom? They don't wash their hands’, they don't wash their face, these babies. What the hell?"
To bolster our disconnect from our fellow human beings as we watch various news shows as I was researching this piece, I picked this quote out of a World Net Daily piece "I turned it off. It was ridiculous," said another viewer. "The people there seemed well-mannered, particularly considering the length of their ordeal. But Geraldo seemed like he needed a slap across the chin like a frightened heroine in an old-time western. Get a grip Geraldo. If you want to play in the adult world, act like an adult."
Whoever this viewer was, were they at the Super Dome? I think the reason why Geraldo lost his grip according to this viewer is because he saw first hand man's inhumanity to man as he did when he broke the Willow Brook story decades ago. You would think after 9/11 this country would have been better prepared, but the Bush administration and the various agencies he controlled and still does let the people down.
In that same World Net Daily article this response from a Fox News viewer was revolting to say the least, "Fox News needs to pull his reports now! The man is trying to start a riot. I have never seen anything so irresponsible." To that viewer, one only has to see Bush’s irresponsibility when Katrina made it to shore. If we are to believe that those who watch Fox News support President Bush who some have called compassionate; exactly where was the compassion from this viewer? By the way as I viewed that feed, I saw no evidence of Geraldo trying to start a riot. He was pleading for help as was Shephard Smith. In fact when asked some questions by Sean Hannity, Smith reacted with “I don’t know”
When padlocked in the Fox News studios, Geraldo Rivera reverts back to a Stepford wife when he once said, “But I'm telling the American people right now that Bush is right. The commander in chief is right. Woe on to us if we think that we can forget about what's happened. That, I think, is lamentable.” He said that on June 23, 2006. Did he forget the lessons of Katrina?
While I agree with Keith Olbermann that Geraldo Rivera deserved this Best Person award, I think Geraldo would be wise to get out of the studio more and be out amongst the people. Perhaps he will regain his soul and compassion. At times we are all better when we turn off the idiot box and connect with one another.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
