ABSTRACT
A proven leader, Admiral Thad Allen took over as the principal federal official for the Gulf Coast recovery in the aftermath of Katrina. The environment he entered was one of chaos and confusion. The Bush administration, considered by many to lack focus and direction, was concerned that the response to this natural disaster would define the president’s domestic legacy. Admiral Allen’s charge was to restore order and to recover from the disaster while negotiating the challenges of a new, undefined position.
