Below The Beltway

Didn’t we already go through this?

Hurricane Rita quickly intensified into a monster Category 5 storm Wednesday, churning in the Gulf of Mexico with winds of up to 165 mph toward the Texas coast after slapping the Florida Keys.

In an update to an earlier advisory, the National Hurricane Center said this afternoon that reconnaissance aircraft showed Rita has reached the strongest hurricane category, with sustained winds of 165 mph. A Category 5 hurricane has winds over 155 mph.

I guess the only good thing about this is that New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast will likely dodge a bullet on this one, though they are likely to still get rain from Rita which won’t help the situation.

The one thing that Rita is making clear is the contrast between the leadership in Texas and the leadership in Lousiana:

“Homes and business can be rebuilt,” said Texas Gov. Perry. “Lives cannot. If you’re on the coast between Beaumont and Corpus Christi, now’s the time to leave.”

Kathleen Blanco, you’re no Rick Perry.

Houston Mayor Bill White called Wednesday for a voluntary evacuation of low-lying, flood-prone parts of the greater Houston area as well as of people living in mobile homes. He said the evacuation order would become mandatory by 6 a.m. Thursday. Houston is just miles from the mouth of Galveston Bay, and if Rita makes landfall where expected, there could be significant flooding inland when the anticipated storm surge rushes through Galveston Bay and along the Houston Ship Channel, officials warned.

Speaking at a news conference, White asked Houston area schools to close Thursday and Friday and area employers to allow all but essential employees to stay home both days.

“Hurricane Rita on its present course poses a risk to Houston and the whole Houston region,” White told reporters.

White said there would not be enough government vehicles available to transport everyone who needs evacuating. He asked citizens to lend a hand to those who need help evacuating. The evacuation order could mean that as many as 1 million people may attempt to leave the area.

And Ray Nagin, you’re no Bill White.

Of course, nothing makes the contrast more apparent than these pictures.