Cheney in charge ? Oiling the wheels of industry ?

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina roared through South Mississippi knocking out electricity and communication systems, Dick Cheney’s office at the White House ordered power restored immediately to a pipeline that sends fuel to the Northeast.

Dan Jordan, manager of Southern Pines Electric Power Association, said Vice President Dick Cheney's office called and left voice mails twice shortly after the storm struck, saying the Collins substations needed power restored immediately. The first call the night of Aug. 30 and the 2nd the morning of Aug. 31. Southern Pines supplies electricity to the substation that powers the Colonial pipeline.

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Mike Callahan said the U.S. Department of Energy called him on Aug. 31. Callahan said department officials said opening the fuel line was a national priority.

Callahan said getting the pipelines flowing would be difficult. there was a chance the voltage required to do so would knock out the system - including power to Wesley Medical Centre in Hattiesburg.

With Forrest General Hospital operating on generators, Wesley was the only hospital operating with full electric power in the Pine Belt in the days following Katrina.
"Our concern was that if Wesley went down, it would be a national crisis for Mississippi," Callahan said. "We knew it would take three to four days to get Forrest General Hospital's power restored and we did not want to lose Wesley."

Compton, though, followed the White House's directive.

Go here to read the full incredible story how the White House kept the gas pumpin' from hattiesburgamerican.com