Stupid Is As Stupid Says

New Orleans Police Superintendent Eddie Compass really needs to shut the hell up.

On Monday, Compass said the following:

"In the annals of history, no police department in the history of the world was asked to do what we were asked."

He said this with a straight face. Is it just me, or does anyone else think he's exaggerating just a tad? Wasn't there a police department (and a fire department) about 90 miles north of my town that was asked to do a lot four years ago? If memory serves, there was a police department in Southern California that dealt with a lot of crap in Watts in the 60's as well. Hell, while we're at it, I'd bet the Pompeii Police Department had a lot to handle when Mount Vesuvius erupted.

Of course, Unsteady Eddie didn't stop there.

Yesterday, Compass said that incompetent New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin would "go down as the greatest mayor in the history of America."

He said that with a straight face, too. Let's ponder that remark for a moment, shall we? Nagin was called by President Bush the Saturday before the hurricane and was begged to evacuate the city. (Keep in mind, NOLA's crisis scenario determined that it would take at least 72 hours to evacuate a city that size.) Nagin refused to issue the order, and didn't issue the evac order until 20 hours before Katrina hit. Unfortunately, Nagin also refused to utilize the dozens of city buses to ship his citizens to safety.

At least he opened the Superdome to the victims. That was a smart move, right? Well, yes and no. Nagin waited far too long to open up the stadium, but also – in a perfect example of idiocy – told the citizens to bring their own food and water, because they would receive nothing at the dome. Well played, Ray.

Look, I really don't relish ripping Nagin after all the man has been through, but let's be honest: he dropped the ball. For Compass to claim that Nagin is the greatest anything is preposterous – and he should be doing more important things than kissing his boss' ass.