Read the timeline, get the facts on Katrina

I found a revealing timeline of the Katrina disaster.

I think before we all start "playing politics" or "the blame game", we should read this timeline together, which is compiled from public news sources and official organs of government (I saw one that I am sure is an editorial, but almost all of them are just news stories). Every item is linked to the source, so read them yourself if some of them are too unbelievable.

Here's the day the hurricane hit and the day after, just the headlines:

Monday, August 29

• 7am – Katrina makes landfall as a Category 4 hurricane
  
  
• 8am – Mayor Nagin reports that water is flowing over levee
  
  
• Morning — Bush calls Secretary Chertoff to discuss immigration
  
  
• Morning – Bush shares birthday cake photo-op with Sen. John McCain
  
  
• 11am — Bush visits Arizona resort to promote Medicare drug benefit
  
  
• Late morning – Levee breached
  
  
• 11:30am — Michael Brown finally requests that DHS dispatch 1,000 employees to region, gives them two days to arrive
  
  
• 2pm — Bush travels to California senior center to discuss Medicare drug benefit
  
  
• 9pm — Rumsfeld attends San Diego Padres baseball game
  

Tuesday, August 30

• 9am – Bush speaks on Iraq at Naval Base Coronado
  
  
• Midday – Chertoff finally becomes aware that levee has failed
  
  
• Pentagon claims there are enough national guard troops in region
  
  
• Mass looting reported, security shortage cited
  
  
• U.S.S. Bataan sits off shore, virtually unused
  
  
• 3pm – President Bush plays guitar with country singer Mark Willis
  
  
• Bush returns to Crawford for final night of vacation
  

It's not like it gets any better after that.