By host Tom Ashbrook
When 9/11 came, the Red Cross was there — with mountains of Americans’ donations and support for the stricken. And then came criticism and the ouster of its chief.
When Hurricane Katrina came, the Red Cross was there again, with more mountains of American charity. And again came criticism — more heated this time — that the Red Cross response was too slow, too patchy, too heavy-handed. And again, yesterday, another chief of the organization was shown the door.
The American Red Cross is the country’s primary bulwark of disaster response — but is it working?
Hear a conversation with Dr. Bernadine Healy, the former chief who left after 9/11, about the trouble at America’s premier relief agency.
Guests:
Dr. Bernadine Healy, Former President and CEO of the American Red Cross (1999-2001);
Stephanie Strom, national correspondent for the New York Times;
Peter Walker, Director of the Feinstein International Famine Institute at Tufts University
Richard Walden, CEO of Operation USA
