Louisiana Republicans Blame Obama For Hurricane Katrina Response: Didn’t That Happen Under Bush?

President Obama is so hated by Louisiana republicans that a new poll shows they blame him for the government’s slow response to hurricane Katrina.

As you will probably recall, Hurricane Katrina’s disastrous response was handled by the George W. Bush administration and it was three years before President Obama took office.

The new poll was conducted by the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling. In the survey, it was discovered that an overwhelming number of Republications in Louisiana blame President Obama for post-Katrina blunders.

When asked the question, “Who do you think was more responsible for the poor response to Hurricane Katrina: George W. Bush or Barack Obama?” 28 percent of respondents blamed President George W. Bush and 29 percent blamed President Obama.

President Obama was still a freshman US Senator from Illinois when devastation swept through the state.

Forty-four percent of Louisiana Republicans said they weren’t sure who to blame.

The survey doesn’t explain why 29 percent of respondents would blame President Obama for something he had no control over, however it is likely that their hatred for Obama has simply led to fact blindness.

Steve Benen on the Maddow Blog brings up an interesting point of view, noting that Republicans often call bad events “Obama’s Katrina” which in turn may lead to the polls Katrina bias. It could also be that many respondents simply shift blame to the leading party in office. The Presidency is suppose to be a representation of all people and political bias could be shifted from one leader to the next when just a large populace is affected by a major life changing event.

With Katrina victims still unable to find jobs, rebuild their homes, or redevelop their neighborhoods there is also the chance that “Obama’s Katrina” refers more to the lasting effects of the storms devastation and not to the actual response or lack of a response from the George W. Bush years.

In any case, the poll shows that oftentimes a political party’s members are so blinded by political bias that they are willing to shift impossible blame to the leaders of their own party.

Are you surprised that so many residents in Louisiana are blaming President Obama for the US Governments Katrina response?