Michael Chertoff
Michael Chertoff
Michael Chertoffis an American attorney who was the second United States Secretary of Homeland Security under Presidents George W. Bush andBarack Obama, and co-author of the USA PATRIOT Act. He previously served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, as a federal prosecutor, and as Assistant U.S. Attorney General. He succeeded Tom Ridge as United States Secretary of Homeland Security on February 15, 2005...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPublic Servant
Date of Birth28 November 1953
CountryUnited States of America
I was very unhappy with the lack of situational awareness I had in the couple of days after Katrina. I never want to be in the position again where I don't have real eyes on the ground to tell me what is going on in no uncertain terms as opposed to waiting to get reports coming through the media or inconsistencies from the field.
I think there's a strong argument that it ought not to be located in downtown Washington because of the desire to have some distance, you know, between ourselves and some other buildings,
My own view is this, I've got to get my own house in order, ... I am not here to judge others. I did not have a problem with state and local officials.
mapping the entire border to determine exactly what the flow is, where we need to put resources.
Our role is not to repair the dikes. Our role is to step in if something happens.
last summer FEMA, who reports to you, and the LSU Hurricane Center, and local and state officials did a simulated Hurricane Pam in which the levees broke. ... Thousands drowned.
I think the American public is rightly distressed about a situation in which they feel we do not have proper control over our borders, ... We need to have a comprehensive solution and one that really will work.
I think that the lesson of this hurricane, which we will clearly look at as we go over an after-action evaluation, is going to be very valuable in moving forward. I mean, this was an ultra-catastrophe, but we have to be prepared even for ultra-catastrophes, even things that happen once in a lifetime and once in a generation. So, yes, we will be studying that.
It is going to be a very difficult process, I think the emotional toll is going to be substantial,
It is going to be an unhappy number,
It is going to be about as ugly of a scene as I think you can imagine.
It is going to be about as ugly a scene as we've witnessed in this country, with the possible exception of 9/11,
It is going to be about as ugly a scene as we've witnessed in this country, ... I really want to tell people that we have got some tough days ahead of us.
Get yourself into that command center in Baton Rouge!