
If Reed's office felt it was important to have someone on CNN live, they should have sent a representative who could repeat a clear, concise statement from Reed without going off message. Even if Costello ate that person’s lunch in front of viewers, Reed could have come back later at a press conference in front of multiple cameras at once, to tell everyone what was what, and not just firmly taking responsibility for what happens next, but taking questions and conveying that he was taking action.



Realizing she could frustrate him with needling questions (based totally on incorrect assumptions either she had or she figured her viewers did), she threw inquisitive darts like “Don’t you collaborate??”, and “So, they just overruled your suggestions??”, when the topic of traffic and shutting down school buses came up. To the first question, he said to her in a calm-but-frustrated tone, “Well, you ought to be fair with your interview.” That in itself was a fair statement, because Costello should have done her homework to know that the school superintendent makes the call for school closures and public transportation of students. And it doesn’t take a journalism degree from Columbia to know that people weren’t waiting on Mayor Reed to tell them when to leave work on Tuesday afternoon. Either way, Costello starts straight-up interrupting Reed, asking “So who is to blame?!”, and “Who made that decision to let schools let out, businesses to let out and government offices to let out all at the same time??” She’s dropping her hand down in Tomahawk Chop-fashion, smirking at Reed. He’d already answered the question back when he correctly said it was the superintendent’s call on the schools, but by then it was on like Duck Hunt.
And then there was God. Costello rebutted Reed’s claim that there had been no fatalities (at least reported) by saying that was only by the “grace of God.” Reed replied, “It was not just by the grace of God; it was through a lot of people working, Carol.” See, that’s true, but you can’t just say that. Georgia is beneath the bible belt. This state is the balls of Bible Country. You can’t bring up God and say there’s something He didn’t do by Himself. Reed artfully backpedaled/amended that line by saying “I think it’s by the grace of God, and thousands of employees who did not go to sleep last night who are working very hard.” Seconds later he adds “I agree that God had a role in it, but God needs partners.” Good God Almighty. In Drake’s dad’s voice. People just aren’t able to handle statements like that. While true, again, this is Georgia. From there he kept getting interrupted, and from there it was out of control.
