Michael Moore: Gustav Proves There Is a God

In just one weird moment, Michael Moore, appearing on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann," says Hurricane Gustav's projected landfall on New Orleans during the GOP convention is proof that there is a God because it would disrupt McCain's plans. Olbermann's response is just a grin of approval. Moore and Olbermann seem to delight in New Orleans plight because of its political implications.

What's in the soul of a person who can find joy in such a disaster?



Jeff Poor of the Business and Media Institute writes:

Sometime you really have wonder at what cost some are willing to see their political ideology advanced.

To liberal documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, the bounds are seemingly endless. Moore has made a recent career out of attacking President George W. Bush, bashing conservatives and criticizing business. His latest outrage occurred on MSNBC’s August 29 “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” and when he commented about the coincidental timing of an unfortunate disaster – the potential for Hurricane Gustav to make landfall at the beginning of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.

“I was just thinking, this Gustav is proof that there is a God in heaven,” Moore said, laughing. “To have it planned at the same time – that it would actually be on its way to New Orleans for day one of the Republican Convention, up in the Twin Cities – at the top of the Mississippi River.”

After that comment, Moore backed off a bit and did say he hoped nobody got hurt and he hoped everybody is taking cover. However, he failed to make note of the $43.625 billion in damage the last hurricane to strike New Orleans caused – Hurricane Katrina in 2005 – and the billions of dollars the storm cost taxpayers.

I spent three years as an executive with Habitat for Humanity. I was in New Orleans a month after Katrina working on the ground in the relief effort. I've never seen such mass destruction in my life. Power was out, roads were still flooded, garbage was everywhere. My team was driving along to our work site one day, and a large boat was blocking the road. We were three miles from the lake!

A lot went wrong with FEMA and President Bush's response, and they deserve all the criticism they received and more. But the proof that there is a God isn't from natural disasters disrupting any political opponent's plans. The proof there is a God is in witnessing the goodwill of thousands of people who reached out to help countless victims whose lives were so devastated. I saw that proof in New Orleans when so many people did what they could to help that community when it needed it the most.

My hope today is that federal, state and local officials have learned their lessons, so if Gustav does land as a Category 3, the people of New Oreleans will not suffer as much as they did three years ago.