host: we are with joe allbaugh, former fema director.do have a special phone line set aside for those impacted by hurricane isaac. california is of first. john, go ahead. caller: good morning and thank you for c-span. if you listened to mr. mitt romney's speech last night, he took the opportunity for ridiculing obama about the concern of rising seas. he said, "i will give you jobs." i do not know how the pundits did not comment about that. the 25-foot high levees did hold back a category one hurricane, but what is going to happen when a member 2 or 3 comes rolling through there? not once did he express concern for those people who lost their homes who are in neck-high water over there. guest: one of the concerns you talked about was the construction of the levees. before hurricane katrina, everybody in the area knew those levees that they were only built for a category three. in an area where the corps controls that system, they have added significantly which has helped this time around. the levees that are in control of the parish organ

and then joe allbaugh discusses resources for

host: joe allbaugh, thanks for joining us this morning. guest: you bet, bill. host: up next, our "by the numbers" segment, with the demographics of undecided voters in the u.s. our guest will be frank newport. that is all ahead as "washington journal" continues. >> during the republican and democratic conventions, we are asking middle and high school students to send a message to the president as part of the studentcam video documentary competition. students will answer the question, what is the most important issue the president should consider in 2013? for a chance to win the grand prize of $5,000, and there is $50,000 in total prize is available. c-span's studentcam video competition is open to students grades 6 through 12. for complete details and rules, go online to studentcam.org. >> c-span's gavel-to-gavel coverage of the democratic convention starts next week. every minute, every speech, live on c-span, c-span radio, an online at c-span.org. featured speakers tuesday and include it the mayor of san antonio and first lady michelle obama. wednesday, massa

joe allbaugh discusses resources for hurricane relief.rank newport talks about undecided voters. alive at 7:00 eastern on c-span. >> i can always surmise. in a movie we rattle out of cages. >> i grabbed my cameraman and pretend to be important. i go on to one of the un's bosses. these people seem pretty upset. >> does anybody know a good song we can sing all the way to the airport? 99 bottles of beer. nobody? >> i was told there would be un peacekeepers who have killed. >> at the beginning of the crisis and here, we had them fighting each other. >> it sounds to me like he is dodging the question. >> i walked out of my apartment on the upper west side of manhattan, nothing particularly exciting happens there. i came out and i was greeted by a man waiting very nicely dressed -- well-made suit. he was waiting for me outside the apartment and said, are you ami horowitz? i said, yes, i am. he simply said, is this movie more important than your family. >> why does an investment banker make a film on you and wasting crimes committed by its troop

. >> we will hear from joe allbaugh. he is the former head of fema. this is the portion of hurricane is it that is still lashing a good part of the coast. as an expert on this, how would you gauge the preparation and the response? caller: that was a nightmare, katrina. this is a serious storm, still. still a lot of rain. i think we have -- it is to the the. -- to the day. we are learning the lessons. be as a country are a lot better about preparation and response. people listened to local officials and actually about to waited to higher ground when they were given the order. i know there are a lot of folks who were not inundated by katrina seven years ago that are feeling the effects this time around. there's a lot more focus on mississippi, and there should be, not just new orleans. i think the people of the federal-state level and the local parish-county levels have done affected jobs sharing information. host: when you hear about the storms, what is the first thing that goes through your mind? abouter: i am curious whether individuals to prepare th