FLORIDA'S VERSION OF MICHAEL D. BROWN

The Orlando Sentinel's Scott Maxwell looked Tuesday at the resume of Florida's top Federal Emergency Management Agency official, Scott R. Morris. He recently took over the fed's long-term disaster relief aid in the Sunshine State, based in Orlando.

Michael D. Brown, as everyone knows by now, was the director of FEMA before he stepped aside following the debacle that was the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. There were questions about his qualifications for the job and his connections which got him such a high position.

Morris' resume on the FEMA site include:

"...media strategist for the George W. Bush for President primary campaign and the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign."

"...managed grass-roots activities and media strategies for the Dole for President campaign."

"...assisted the executive director of the Republican National Committee."

BTW: The executive director of the Republican National Committee was Haley Barbour, now Governor of Mississippi.

Morris had no hands-on experience in emergency management until President Bush appointed him FEMA's deputy chief of staff nearly two years ago.

Maxwell notes, correctly: But if you were going to hire someone to build you a house, would you get someone with a lot of experience building homes or someone with a lot of experience leading?

A long pause from Morris.

Finally: "That's a good question."