Barack Obama from this week’s Democratic debate:

“I think that what’s most important, though, that we have a president who is in touch with the needs of New Orleans before the hurricane hits, because part of the reason that we had such a tragedy was the assumption that everybody could jump in their SUVs, load up with some sparkling water, and check into the nearest hotel.”

Let’s pop open some Perrier and quote Obama from earlier times:

September 2005:

“Whoever was in charge planning was so detached from the realities of inner city life in a place like New Orleans that they couldn’t conceive of the notion that somebody couldn’t load up their SUV, put $100 worth of gas in there, put some sparkling water and drive off to a hotel and check in with a credit card.”

Again from September 2005:

“… the sense that of course once the evacuation order was issued that you will hop in your SUV with $100 worth of gasoline and load up your truck with sparkling water and take your credit card and check into the nearest hotel until the storm passed.”

For those of us who prefer our water flat, without gas, this Obama statement is a bit tastier:

“Like most Americans, I never want to worry about whether the glass of water my child is drinking has been tampered with by terrorists.”

Of course, if he really wants to appeal to folks like me who are fans of Dr. Strangelove, I urge him to warn about fluoridation of water.