Posted by Frank James at 7:35 pm CST

The Department of Homeland Security distributed a picture this evening following the release earlier today of the White House's report on how the government botched the response to Hurricane Katrina.

The photo is of Homeland Security Sec. Michael Chertoff in a non-descript room with senior officials from his department. The email the photo came with said Chertoff was discussing "implementation plans," resulting from the Katrina-response analysis. Chertoff is at the head of the table. To his right are Deputy Secretary Michael Jackson; to his left are George Foresman, under secretary for preparedness; John Wood, his chief of staff, and Sharon Hardie, chief of staff for the preparedness directorate.

I would love to know what was going through Chertoff's mind when this picture was taken. Could it have been "I left a life-time appointment on the federal bench for this?"

What Chertoff actually said in a statement the department released today was this:

I commend Fran Townsend for leading a thorough and comprehensive after action review of the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina. The Department of Homeland Security participated actively in this effort. We have already begun to take action to address many of the issues raised in the report, particularly those areas we need to improve before the start of the 2006 hurricane season. This report is consistent with the Second Stage Review plan we announced in July as well as the FEMA improvements we recently announced. It will help our shared efforts to build a more integrated DHS and a more seamless federal disaster management system. I look forward to working with Fran and the Homeland Security Council to assess and address these important recommendations.

Frances Fragos Townsend is assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism. She briefed the press today on the report.