Will Media's Attempt to Make Puerto Rico "Trump's Katrina" Be The Media's Own Katrina?

Never before have so few done so much, so obviously, to push a #FakeNews narrative.

Glenn Reynolds: Puerto Rico has problems, but Trump isn't one of them.

Puerto Rico is an island. The long lines of utility trucks and semi-trailers full of supplies that streamed into the areas of Texas and Florida hit by hurricanes Harvey and Irma can’t drive to Puerto Rico. Everything that gets there has to come in by air and sea, and couldn’t even do that until airports and seaports, damaged by the storm, were up and running, which took a while. Plus, as Hendrix notes, Puerto Rico’s infrastructure and government are nowhere near as robust and effective as is the case in Texas and Florida.

Worse yet, Maria was the second hurricane to hit Puerto Rico, and the third to hit the United States in the space of a few weeks, and many U.S. government assets were already committed elsewhere.

That means recovery is going to be slower no matter what. Relief officials on the island say that aid is getting to the ports now, but the problem is distribution, with most truck drivers unable to get to work because of the destruction.

“It’s a lack of drivers for the transport trucks, the 18-wheelers," Col. Michael Valle, who is in charge of the Hurricane Maria relief efforts,told The Huffington Post. "There are ships full of supplies, backed up in the ports, waiting to have a vehicle to unload into. However, only 20% of the truck drivers show up to work. These are private citizens in Puerto Rico, paid by companies that are contracted by the government.”

Deb Heine at PJ Media: FEMA official says San Juan's Trump-bashing mayor is not helping "substatially" in of FEMA's efforts.

Yulin Cruz became a focus of the media's attention last week, after she blasted the United States government's relief efforts while wearing a T-shirt that read "HELP US WE ARE DYING."

During an appearance on Fox and Friends Sunday, FEMA Deputy Administrator Dr. Daniel Kaniewski complimented Governor Ricardo Rosselló, saying that "we've had a strong and collaborative relationship with the governor." He also complimented most of the mayors, saying that FEMA has had a good working relationship with 77 of the 78 municipalities.

"Your answer leaves out one of the 78," Fox and Friends host Pete Hegseth pointed out. "Do you believe that San Juan has been a good-faith partner -- a part of the unified effort?

"I can just say that the mayor of San Juan has not participated substantially in any efforts of the joint field office," Kaniewski replied.

She's delivering Narratives but apparently not doing much to deliver water or medicine.

In fact, according to someone identifying herself as a policewoman in a call-in to a radio show...

Radio Announcer: What is your name?

Police Caller: I cannot give my name because I work for Puerto Rico
s Police Department. I need to pass this information out because the stuff that is being brought from the U.S. is not being distributed. They are not allowing the Puerto Rican people to receive the donations.

Radio Announcer: What part of Puerto Rico are you calling us from right now?

Police Caller: I am right now in Guaynabo.

Radio Announcer 2: Wow.

Radio Announcer 3: But what information do you have? What have you seen?

Police Caller: The Mayor, Carmen Yulin, is not allowing anyone to distribute… We need… what Puerto Ricans need is that the U.S. armed forces come in and distribute the aid. And that they stop the governor, Rosello, and the mayor, Yulin, on doing what they are doing… It’s an abuse, it looks like communism, in our own island (sobbing)… (sobbing continues, inaudible translation due to cries)…

posted by Ace at 12:21 PM

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