CNN has a great new feature it’s calling “The Big Disconnect,” in which it puts the rosy statements from Michael Brown, the man Bush appointed to head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, up against the grim reality on the ground in New Orleans. Example:

Violence and civil unrest

Brown: I’ve had no reports of unrest, if the connotation of the word unrest means that people are beginning to riot, or you know, they’re banging on walls and screaming and hollering or burning tires or whatever. I’ve had no reports of that.

CNN’s Chris Lawrence: From here and from talking to the police officers, they’re losing control of the city. We’re now standing on the roof of one of the police stations. The police officers came by and told us in very, very strong terms it wasn’t safe to be out on the street.