Transcript shows governments underestimated Katrina

Thursday, March 2, 2006; Posted: 7:01 a.m. EST (12:01 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Six months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, a newly released video transcript from the day the hurricane struck seems to reinforce stinging criticism that governments at all levels were ill-prepared for the storm that flooded most of the city and killed more than 1,300 people.

Michael Brown, then-director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which held the briefing that was videotaped at noon on August 29, was confident the emergency response was well in hand.

He praised Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and others for "doing a good job" and assured officials that President Bush, who was vacationing at his Crawford, Texas, ranch, was in close touch.

Bush has been accused of showing poor leadership in the disaster, and for indicating, along with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, that no one could have anticipated the immense destruction or that the levees surrounding New Orleans would be breached.

Read more on this developing story at CNN.