The Weather Story

Houston is drowned and headlines in the media are weather stories and tales of disaster. It is times like this that the public forms enduring impressions of politicians, the police and rescue personnel. What they do and how they respond is burned into memory. It took years for FEMA to regain its reputation after Hurricane Katrina and the botch of the New Orleans response. How FEMA handles Houston and surrounding communities will be under a media and public microscope. Perception will rule more than fact. That is why President Trump will visit the Houston area tomorrow to show the administration’s concern. One hopes he doesn’t mess up this critical engagement as he did recently in Arizona. Because of the volume of water falling on Texas, recovery will be slow and impressions of the effectiveness or lack of it of government will be imprinted on those who have suffered loss. They won’t forget.