I haven't been too impressed with the new season of Real Time With Bill Maher on HBO. The conversations have seemed rather flabby with people talking a lot but not saying much.
The most interesting parts of the new episode — the one that debuted last night and which repeats throughout the week — were two interviews near the beginning of the show. The second was with Harry Anderson, who was down in New Orleans, reminding us what a disaster area it still is down there. The first was with former FEMA director Michael Brown, who seems to be rehabilitating his image due to one videotape that shows him acting with some amount of competence in sounding a pre-Katrina warning. I think people are so shocked by this that they've forgotten how little actually was done and also about some embarrassing quotes and e-mails from Mr. Brown. Perhaps "Brownie" was not quite the incompetent he was made out to be. Perhaps he was to some extent the scapegoat for the sins of others. I'm still skeptical but in fairness to the man, this article helps make the case for him.