Despite being a simple American (and yes, like all of us I'm easily distracted by shiny things), I've never believed that the unpardonable conduct of the initial recovery was any single person's -- much less department's -- fault. However, I have this feeling that the city of NOLA and the state of LA will come in for an appropriate level of scrutiny, while the Feds will more or less walk away whistling. So I'm probably guilty of over-attacking the Feds.

But just you watch -- over the next few weeks you're going to see everything possible dumped as low on the totem pole as possible, despite the fact that this was a massive, multi-state disaster.

Don't forget, the Backroom of the Org has its own scorched-earth atmosphere, full of charm and cinders. If you want to single-handedly bring perspective and balance to the room, then you're on a mission from God, as the Blues Brothers would say.

My personal take on the tagedy would be best summed up by Andrew Sullivan's latest column.