Initially the response from the authorities was baffling. Some point to this as evidence of a conspiracy. Others view it as evidence that government is not to be trusted with responsibilities this important. Aaron Broussard told Tim Russert the following on the Sep 4, 2005 "Meet the Press"

Let me give you just three quick examples.  We had Wal-Mart deliver three trucks of water, trailer trucks of water.  FEMA turned them back.  They said we didn't need them.  This was a week ago.  FEMA--we had 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel on a Coast Guard vessel docked in my parish.  The Coast Guard said, "Come get the fuel right away."  When we got there with our trucks, they got a word.  "FEMA says don't give you the fuel."  Yesterday--yesterday--FEMA comes in and cuts all of our emergency communication lines.  They cut them without notice.  Our sheriff, Harry Lee, goes back in, he reconnects the line. He posts armed guards on our line and says, "No one is getting near these lines."  Sheriff Harry Lee said that if America--American government would have responded like Wal-Mart has responded, we wouldn't be in this crisis.

There were a few bright spots from the government.

• The storm and evacuation warnings and contraflow plan were excellent.
  
• The Coast Guard rescues were brilliant.
• FEMA staged huge amounts of food, water and ice as well as generators, lights and fuel.
• The city government opened the Superdome as a refuge of last resort. Had they not done this there well could have been thousands more fatalities.
• Municipal fire and police resources worked heroically to protect and serve the city.
  

But there were dark spots as well.

• Government failed to believe its own eyes that the levees had failed and needlessly delayed its response.
  
• Squabbling over command authority denied the city much needed security resources.
• Unmanned pumps in Jefferson Parish caused needless flooding and Mr. Broussard much political damage.
  
• Staged supplies remained just out of reach of those in need, separated by a flooded section of  I-10 which could easily have been circumvented by taking the route across the westbank which remained open throughout
• Supplies which could have helped were turned away. These include the examples mentioned above plus nearly a billion dollars in aid from foreign countries.
  
• The city was evacuated and citizens denied reentry. With inadequate security this encouraged looting.
• Guns were taken from citizens who stayed behind. What possible logic disarms law abiding citizenry in the face of chaos?
• A few police officers abandoned their responsibilities, a few more engaged in dubious behaviors. Seven are currently being prosecuted for shootings at the Danziger Bridge.

Transcript of  September 4th Meet the Press.