Dr. Steven Lerner, a physician who dropped everything to fly to Louisiana in the wake of Katrina, writes in the Washington Post about his experience — which turned out to be a waste of time. Not because Bush failed at anything, but because the media had portrayed an unrealistic picture of the situation on the ground. His conclusion:

"...the final lesson is this: Don't believe all you read and hear from the media about the situation on the ground. Yes, many mistakes were made, and yes, many people suffered, some of them terribly. But through the tireless, selfless efforts of tens of thousands of people, the federal, state and local governments are righting the situation. That news may not be as dramatic for the media as reports of lone physicians braving the elements to help the distressed, but if you ask me, it's closer to the reality of how our country works."

Ed Lasky   9 24 05