Dan Gillmor thinks Speaker Hastert made a good point when he questioned the wisdom of rebuilding an-under-sea-level New Orleans: “Too bad he’s being pilloried for it.”

There’s a time and place for everything, but this wasn’t the time for the Speaker to suggest bulldozing New Orleans. It would have been a good time to question the federal rescue effort. You know, focus on first things first.

But Dan’s point is a good one, especially when he puts it in the context of rebuilding the San Francisco Bay Area following the big one. Whether and how to rebuild should—and, of course, will—be on the table. But even there, the focus should be on learning the lessons of New Orleans so we can put in place the planning and resources so we can recover. For example, is the Bay Area vulnerable to the kind of emergency response we are witnessing in New Orleans?

After we save as many lives as possible, after we provide food, shelter and medical attention to those in need, after we restore water and sewer service, then would be a more appropriate time to talk about rebuilding. And when we do, recognize that it is as much a political as financial question.

Politics? Hastert is Speaker of the House, a person who just helped dole out $Billions of transportation pork. Or was that energy pork?

Frankly I prefer President Bush’s answer about rebuilding New Orleans: Let’s listen to some experts first.

And let’s make sure the execution is better.