Ex-FEMA Chief Defends Role in Katrina Response

Mr. Brown, who for many became a symbol of government failures in the natural disaster that claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people, rejected accusations that he was too inexperienced for the job. "I've overseen over 150 presidentially declared disasters. I know what I'm doing, and I think I do a pretty darn good job of it," Mr. Brown said.

Good for him. Another gut feeling I have is that FEMA in general and Mr. Brown in particular were made the scapegoat. FEMA has become the "Israel/Jew" of the disaster response. I bet most of it's critics don't even know exactly what their role was supposed to be in the first place.

Rep. Davis pushed Mr. Brown on what he and the agency he led should have done to evacuate New Orleans, restore order in the city and improve communication among law enforcement agencies.

Mr. Brown said: "Those are not FEMA roles. FEMA doesn't evacuate communities. FEMA does not do law enforcement. FEMA does not do communications."

Critics have also made a connection between his lack of experience and his supposed inability to do the job he was hired to do. Well, all of our Presidents had never been Presdients of other countries before - it doesn't mean they couldn't do the job. At best they were Governors or Senators of states that were only a fraction of the size of the federal government with relatively homogenous constituencies. You're either a good manager or your not.