News-Record.com

Gov. Mike Easley held a news conference today to let us scrubby press types (and all you folks) know what it is the state is doing to prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Ophelia.

Click here to read the official-looking news release.

Given the problems along the Gulf Coast, it's nearly impossible to view the governor's actions without comparing and contrasting the response in advance of Katrina.

The cynical among us might say that Easley is taking the chance to appear all gubernatorial and in charge now so he can't be accused of not being on the ball later.

And, in fact, as he stood in his news conference room flanked by military, police and other emergency management folks, he was asked whether some of the preparation might be an over-reaction.

"This is the exact same pattern we always follow," Easley said. "This is the way we've always done it."

I'll buy that. But I'll also buy the thinking that says Easley wants to make darn sure everyone knows what the state is doing, even if it is the same old stuff.

At any rate, the governor was asking folks down east who might be in the path of this thing to get out of the way. Given what happened with Katrina, that's probably pretty good advice, whatever the motivation for giving it.

Update: And this tidbit from my notebook shows that even high-ranking government officials have reason to quibble with the weather man: "Ophelia's track has changed . . . on each update I’ve gotten every six hours," Easley said.

By the way, my news reader says Ophelia has been downgraded to a tropical storm.