Sometimes the difference between two candidates in an election can be totally encapsulated in one single day.  For Paul Hackett and Jean Schmidt, it was 10/25/04.  That was the day U.S. Marine Corps Major Paul Hackett touched down in Ramadi, Iraq -- the same day Jean Schmidt failed to report an evening of fine dining and box seats at Cincinnati Bengals game, paid for a biotech lobbying group.

For Karen Carter and William Jefferson, that day was September 2, 2005 ... a mere days after "the storm" and "the flood." You remember it.  

That was the day a President Bush declared, "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." That was the day explosions at a chemical facility rocked New Orleans.  That was the day "10,000 people stood in 100-plus degree heat outside the Superdome, wading through knee-deep trash to board busses."(link) Coast Guard helicopters and military Humvees "raced to save thousands of victims" that day, rescuing Americans trapped on rooftops, in attics, or attempting to traverse impassable land and water on their way to food, drink, and general safety.

With all this going on, Congressman Jefferson was "curious." Curious to know if HIS house was looted.  So he boarded one of those Humvees and took a ride to find out ....

Meanwhile, Karen Carter was pissed.  As a State Representative, she was determined to "do something." At the Emergency Command Center politicians publicly patted each other on the back for funds appropriated by Congress earlier that day. Carter kept it simple:

Don't give me your money.  Don't send me $10 million today.  Give me buses and gas.  Buses and gas.  If you have to commandeer Greyhound, commandeer Greyhound ... If you don't get a bus, if we don't get them out of there, they will die."

Maybe you remember that monent?  I do, vaguely.  It was repeated on all the cable television stations across the country.  If there was ONE thing this city needed, just one thing, it was the means to get folks OUT.  

Meanwhile, Congressman Jefferson's Humvee got stuck in the mud, and a second rescue vehicle was dispatched to assist him and the military escort.  When they finally arrived at Jefferson's home, they were spotted by a Coast Guard helicopter that had been rescuing people stranded on rooftops.  A member of the team was sent down to investigate ...

All told, two Humvees and one rescue helicopter were tied up assisting Congressman Jefferson that afternoon.  According to the Louisiana National Guard, he was the only elected official who requested an opportunity to visit their home.  The spokesman refused to answer if the trip kept the military assets from rescuing other people.  And for what?

[Jefferson] said the only things he removed from the his house were two suitcases and two laptop computers belonging to his daughters, who were preparing to leave for college and an internship.

Meanwhile Karen Carter continued to anyone who would listen, "It's a wonderful city.  If you want to save it, give us some buses and gas." They're down there dying, and I need some buses and gas to get them out."