Here are some interesting video and audio clips recording the first-hand impressions of officers, politicians, pop music stars, the New Orleans Mayor, and television reporters that don’t get much distribution on mainstream US news media.

“But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast - black and white, rich and poor, young and old - deserve far better from their national government.” (U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-LA)

[Here are some of the audio and video clips]