Reflecting on Ike

"Just like Tina Turner, I was slapped around by Ike but I survived," is the new catchphrase competing with "y'all" and "howdy" round these parts.

More than a week since the hurricane pulled into town Houston is slowly getting back to normal. Ike may have spared downtown from the expected devastation but other areas of this state were not so lucky. Parts of nearby Galveston have been practically wiped off the map causing many deaths. Remnants of local businesses found floating miles away from their original home have become a depressingly familiar sight.

Broadly speaking the evacuation effort was a success. Local government issued a dire warning for residents to leave Galveston or face "certain death" and a curfew was implemented in Houston. Of course in the event of any natural disaster some die hards refused to leave their homes but lived to tell the tale. They were the lucky ones.

For those who survived the tragedy unfolded not during the storm but after Ike passed. Carbon monoxide poisoning has been responsible for several deaths in particular the dreadful loss of four year old lad Joshua Aguirre. The youngster died after a fuel operated generator was left running in his family home and he inhaled the deadly fumes while sleeping.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6006076.html

At these moments politics and electioneering are put into perspective. Direct campaigning has been suspended indefinitely while the local Obama headquarters remains boarded up. Political volunteers have been making calls to check on supporters of Barack and blockwalking local housing estates. We've been handing out flyers with essential post hurricane information to every home - regardless of their political persuasion. Petty politics go out the window in the aftermath of a disaster or at least they should.

As for my own hurricane experience it was relatively uneventful. Cooped up in a friend's house in the museum district we gazed out the window (from a safe distance) and listened to the storm. Our greatest drama was being sans power for over a week but hey we talked more, read books and improved our skills on the grill. Oprah and Dr Phil can wait for a while.

Natural disasters seem to bring out the best in human nature. My host told me he had never spoken to his neighbours more than in the past week, generators were shared and community barbecues were a welcome distraction. Texans are a resilient bunch. With a history of hurricanes they have to be.

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I shall be resuming the normal political musings in the next few days on this site. Many thanks for the several emails of support and concern from readers which are always welcome. There will be some media content attached soon so keep clicking back for the latest. 42 days to go.
Pic by Art Cizek

Hunting Anderson Cooper

Day one of journalism school you are taught many things. Dog bites man - not a story, man bites dog - that's a story, be assertive, put people first etc.

One thing that didn't come up during that heady day way back in 2001 was what to do in the event of an emergency. Specifically a hurricane. Stranded here in Houston where Ike is gathering momentum my friend and fellow Obama volunteers Art were at a loose end. What to do with so much free time?

Then the answer appeared to us in the shape of a silver haired reporter. His name was Anderson Cooper and our challenge was to track him down.

The CNN hack is based in Houston for Ike and spotting him on TV awoke us from our slumber. Much as I would like to say it was the case of a fellow journo meeting another that appealed to me in our quest it was Anderson's repeated pointers to an all night bar during his broadcast which drew me in.

Onwards we went past the boarded up stores and houses. Downtown Houston is a ghost town at the time of writing. Thousands have fled the city but a hardy/foolish few remain to ride the storm out.

Up in the historic district my colleague and I spot the Budget rental truck. We've found the place and Anderson is in the vicinity. But where is he?

To alleviate the boredom we visit some bars, soda water for me, something else for my buddy. One lady working a local watering hole tells us her joint will remain open till 2am - regardless of the weather.

An hour ticks by and no sign of the silver fox. Has Anderson got a dose of the nerves? Then in a blink of an eye he appears with the trademark figure hugging t-shirt and combat trousers. His broadcast flies by and he takes refuge in the CNN garage. Autograph hunters abandon but we're far too cool for that.

AC appears in my eye line and figuring this is my last day on earth I approach him. He's far from the Prima Donna and enjoys the banter. Turns out Anderson spent a month in my home country to interview the IRA back in 1995. His favourite haunt, the Shelbourne of course.

Knowing he's a busy man I skip to the important questions, his views on Sarah Palin? Who will win the election? No, the far more important, where do you buy your t-shirts?

Anderson is quite the style icon and when dispatched to the disaster zones never fails to dress for the occasion.

"I get my t-shirts at Urban Outfitters and I have about 20 of them!" quipped the reporter.

Chancing my arm I asked why Anderson always gets the "shitty deals" and why do we never see Larry King or Lou Dobbs in the disaster zones. Something to do with braces and hair pieces going a flying maybe?

"Trust me, you wouldn't want to see Larry King out here," laughed the journalist.

A few more stories about his time journeying round Ireland and the relaxed host appears at ease with the public. He even enquires whether this is my first hurricane. Sure is sir. Let's hope we both survive it.

And we are back...

Not with people who look like things (Simpsons joke there) but on the campaign trail here in Texas. Let me bring you up to speed with what's been shaking on the ground in the last few months.

My first stint working on the Obama campaign ran its course at the end of June and coincided with the Senator landing the Democratic nomination. Yes I'm taking all the credit. After returning home for the summer I kept in contact with my newly acquired friends in Texas and lo and behold I've returned to witness some history in the making.

One significant difference between now and before is my location, I've been transferred from Austin to Houston a la Eric Cantona. That said Austin is a tad more inviting than Leeds could ever dream to be. As for Houston, well it's hot and full of conservatives. Hence the challenge ahead.

Democrats are mobilising together in a way not seen for decades in the lone star state. Austin, with its liberal reputation has always voted blue but Houston is now up for grabs. Post Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as many as a million African Americans crossed over from New Orleans to this city and there has been a relentless drive to get them registered and vote Democrat come November.

Election fever was clearly evident during my last adventure Stateside. Three months later and it's clear how much this year's race has mirrored the public interest. Drive downtown and you'll spot Obama/Biden yard signs, bumper stickers with the new buzz word 'Obamanos' to the more peculiar 'When Clinton lied, nobody died.'

You have to go far back as 1976 and the era of Jimmy Carter, flared trousers and Abba before this state was blue. Years of Republican dominance ensured that Texas was viewed as the ATM of the Democratic party - put simply buckets of cash was raised here but none was spent on campaigning in Texas.

Barack Obama's historic campaign has changed all that. Obama for America has 11 full time staffers in Texas with Houston alone having three of them. Combine that with a volunteer network in the thousands and it's no surprise that Democrats are quietly confident of making this state competitive and a potential battleground one in future elections. Watch this space....

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At the time of writing Hurricane Ike is headed our way. Preparations are already under way to prevent a disaster of Katrina proportions. Just this morning I saw houses being boarded up and certain parts of the state have to be evacuated. Those 'I Like Ike' buttons are being buried as we speak.

Locals here are used to such lark and seem curiously relaxed about it all. Their attitude has rubbed off on me even though my only hurricane experience was the storm of abuse accompanying 'Bertiegate' last year.

Obama volunteers are a resilient bunch and smart as shit too. When news of the hurricane emerged our team leader suggested we get a donor to give us some water and supplies and head down to the various shelters kitted out in our Obama shirts. The reason - register as many new voters as possible so we have registration cards in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

As a wise sage once said, 'A problem is just an opportunity in disguise.'

I shall be updating the blog during Ike so click back for the latest.