Some on the right claim that President Obama's response to the Oil Spill is just like President Bush's Katrina response back in August of 2005.

The fact however is, the two instances are not the same.

Saturday morning, approximately 48 hours before Katrina passed next to New Orleans, Bush got a call from the then-LA Governor who asked Bush to declare a State of Emergency. Bush did so shortly thereafter, and in a published memorandum authorized the FEMA to coordinate efforts, and so on. But here at the spill, how long did it take for the LA governor to hear back from the Feds regarding barrier islands? WEEKS!

Sunday morning, a day before the New Orleans mess, Bush on the call of then-FEMA director Brown, contacted the LA Governor to demand a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. Here at the spill, what did Obama demand beyond "Plug the Damn Hole" 30 days later?

Sunday midday, Bush held a video-conference out of his Texas ranch with all relevant agencies. When did Obama have his first Conference regarding this spill?

Katrina made fall near New Orleans Monday 6:00 AM. By 2:30 that day, a representative of FEMA had already assessed - In person - the situation at the Superdome. Here at the spill, when was the first time a civilian from NOAA or whatever crazy federal agency in charge of Spills, assessed the situation?

Back during Katrina, FEMA had only 2,600 employees, non/few of which are trained or equipped to rescue people from roof tops. That's why, according to the rescue plan put in motion months before Katrina, the first 48-60 hours following any New Orleans disaster, it was to be in the hands of State/Local officials to do things on the ground while FEMA got contractors or whoever to takeover. But here at the spill, how many 48/60-hour periods later did a federal agency take lead of containing the spread of oil?

So my friends: the Left is correct that this spill is not a Katrina. Not even by a long-shot.