President Bush Feels Your Pain, From 5000 Feet
President Bush Feels Your Pain, From 5000 Feet
Remember, the White House is not politicizing Hurricane Katrina. During today’s White House press briefing, Scott McClellan described the President’s flyover of the affected areas:
MCCLELLAN: Okay, just to update you on the flyover. He was — you’ll have the still photos that will go out from the stills that were up there, you’ll have pictures of him. But he was sitting up in the — on the left side of the plane, the front part there, where the Secret Service detail usually sits, and looking out at all the hurricane damage along the Gulf coast region.
[Snip]
The President, when we were passing over that part of New Orleans, said, It’s devastating, it’s got to be doubly devastating on the ground. And he pointed out some of the neighborhoods that I just mentioned, and pointed out — there’s a shopping mall, I think it was, we were trying to figure out what it was, and we thought it was a shopping mall that was under a lot of water.
QUESTION: It’s devastating, it’s got to be doubly devastating on the ground.
MCCLELLAN: Yes. And then we came up on — after we passed New Orleans, and I think we passed Slidell, then it wasn’t too far after that when we were in Mississippi that we came upon communities that — where the houses were just totally destroyed. The President made a comment saying, it’s totally wiped out, when he looked down at this one community, where you can see the homes that were just in pieces.
It’s good to know that the White House is providing this critical information to the press.
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"wow, they look like ants down there"
August 31st, 2005 at 4:19 pmFor the love of pete, why din't he just have a U2 spy plane overfly the area? At least he could make the claim of bringing in the military assitance.
"There was a French Quarter there? Well that'll show 'em..heh heh".
August 31st, 2005 at 4:22 pmW to Photographer: "Can I stop looking out now? Tell me when"
August 31st, 2005 at 4:25 pmWhy would Bush go into New Orleans when they're getting everybody out? How could he help? He's not the mayor of New Orleans or a local official. His job is to coordinate from the national level, which means being somewhere other than Louisiana or Mississippi.
August 31st, 2005 at 4:30 pmSeemed like Bush and McClellan were speechless in seeing the damage done. I don't sense anything disingenius or see this as evidence of him not having compassion.
August 31st, 2005 at 4:32 pmLyle
It's called leadership. I know you don't remember what real leaders are like, it's been so long since we have had one, but look back to Clinton and see what leaders do. Fishy, fishy, ...
August 31st, 2005 at 4:33 pmLyle,
August 31st, 2005 at 4:33 pmIn case you hadn't noticed, junior can't coordinate wiping his own ass, rove has to help him.
I'm not arguing he should go to New Orleans. That wouldn't be a good idea. I'm just noting that he's making a big show about his flyover.
August 31st, 2005 at 4:34 pmYes, Lyle. Why would America want their leader to act like a leader. I am sure everybody wants him to stay away. You know just like the coach of a losing team doesn't give a hoorah speach at half-time. What good would it do for all of these people to see their commander-in-chief cares. WHat a stupid idea.
August 31st, 2005 at 4:35 pm"Their back" Troll, troll, troubled trolls
August 31st, 2005 at 4:35 pmIf he ever manages to do anything constructive, the MSM will never let us hear the end of it.
August 31st, 2005 at 4:35 pmYeah Lyle, he should just go back to his month long vacation. Heck he doesn't need their votes anymore anyways. He has more important things to attend to like gutting Social Security and making life more miserable for the masses.
August 31st, 2005 at 4:41 pm"wow..heh..heh..it always gets me thinkin' how something this big can get off the ground...WHEEE!!...oh yeah the tragedy...gotta look concerned."
August 31st, 2005 at 4:43 pmProviding the promised disaster preparedness funding to New Orleans, rather than giving it away in tax cuts to the wealthy, might have also been helpful.
For the full story, see:
"New Orleans Pays the Death Tax."
August 31st, 2005 at 4:45 pmSir..did you want to land and go help?....
August 31st, 2005 at 4:47 pmIs that a smirk or is he saying bye-bey to Cindy Sheehan in anticipation of a photo op on the Lousiana front lines?
August 31st, 2005 at 4:50 pmThe world to Georgie -- Duh.
August 31st, 2005 at 4:50 pmOK....all you librials...here's PHOTO proof Bush is doing something for the victoms!!!
August 31st, 2005 at 4:54 pmhttp://www.dudehisattva.com/
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you'd almost think President Bush takes advantage of these disasters for a photo op.
August 31st, 2005 at 4:55 pm#4 Like 911?
August 31st, 2005 at 4:56 pm#5 Blind - just like they like 'em.
August 31st, 2005 at 4:58 pmThree days later Bushie decides to get off his ass.
9-11 all over again.
The bottom line is Bushie tried to ignore the fact that the levy would break. He knew it would because he cut the funds to shore it up in 03.
9-11 all over again.
votetoimpeach.org
August 31st, 2005 at 5:02 pmDemand for oil has decreased by two million barrels per day in the US. That will put pressure on the oil prices. The price of a barrel of oil is going to decrease. It ended at 68.79 today. I suspect that the price will decrease again tomorrow. The price of gasoline is at 3.20 today at the pump. The ripple effects are going to be devastating. The 'Blue Zone' in New Orleans has crushed shipping and transportation capacity at the mouth of the Mississippi River.
We are witnessing the collapse of the system. Things are going to hell in a handbasket in a hurry.
Brace yourselves. We can thank George Bush and the neocons for this... this... whatever it is.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:07 pmI am just counting down until he makes the first reference of this tragedy reminding him of 9/11...
August 31st, 2005 at 5:08 pmI think Bush was wrong to invade Iraq, that he screwed up our chances to get Bin Laden, that his pride and ignorance turned the prosecution of the war into a deadly embarassment. He continues to divide the country with Karl Rove politics and to mistreat the environment. Legislation he supported paid off big oil and rewarded big pharma. I could go on.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:10 pmIt remains to be seen whether anything positive will result from his view of the disaster. But he is president, and he should look at the disaster. It doesn't bother me that he made the trip.
The headline today that irritates me is the one that says the richest country in the world has a growing poverty rate. Bush and his "help the rich and hurt the poor" politics helped make that happen.
Bush could have gone to the FEMA command center (I assume they have one set up at the scene). The mere presence of leadership makes people work that much harder and care that much more.
Juliani knew that instinctively.
And this is a national crisis:
August 31st, 2005 at 5:10 pm- 1 million people displaced
- 10% of the nation's oil infrastructure destroyed or interrupted
Exactly right, Ron - whatever it is. Much like in Iraq, we don't know what the hell is going to happen because of all of these horrible decisions made only on the basis of greed and stupidity. It's hard to fathom how bad it can get. One more hurricane or earthquake disaster and this country will be crippled for decades to come. Social security needs shoring? How about Orleans? Creeps.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:11 pm"Devastation is devastating."
August 31st, 2005 at 5:11 pma must read!
How Bush's policies doomed New Orleans.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:11 pmhttp://www.phxnews.com/fullstory.php?article=24745
Caption Contest: "Nope, no WMD down there"
August 31st, 2005 at 5:20 pmThanks for that Thom. The levy that broke was to be shored up by a 10 year project that began in the mid 90's by Clinton. In 03 Bushie took the funds to support the war in Iraq. The project was halted.
The levy that broke is the reason why New Orleans is under water, the hurricane is not the reason.
Bushie is responsible for all of the deaths due to the flooding.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:29 pm"responsible for all of the deaths caused by the flooding".
August 31st, 2005 at 5:32 pm"Dang it Skippy, step on it will you, here comes Cindy Sheehan out of the sun"
August 31st, 2005 at 5:32 pmSuch Bush compassion leaves me speechless.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:32 pmAny call for conservation?
Any call for a tax on windfall profits from the oil companies who have made record profits in recent years?
And in the future - do you think anyone will admit that global warming might be playing a role - and the Kyoto treaty might have been a good idea?
Or that the auto mfrs. might be required to stop making huge gas guzzlers and concentrate their engineers on more efficient cars, alternative fuels, etc?
Marie, Ask and you shall receive ...
100 million US households
x 1000 watts (average electricity use)
= 100 billion watts required
and
100 billion watts
x $2 watt to develop wind power
= $200 billion dollars
The cost of the Iraq oil war could pay for green energy for every household in America
August 31st, 2005 at 5:35 pmWeren't we just recently talking about the fact that funds had been cut over the past few years for shoring up the levees?
August 31st, 2005 at 5:36 pmClinton began the process in 1995, but the work wasn't finished when Bush came in and said "no more funding" tax cuts are better.
Maybe Pat Robertson could donate "matching" funds for the million bucks being offered by a Venezuelan oil company.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:38 pmJeff #30 You made me laugh out loud.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:40 pmIn face of this calamity, it was a brief relief.
Gosh, this helping out sure is hard work. I best take a nap as soon as I get home.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:47 pmYes Marie #36, Bushie is responsible for all the deaths that occured due to the flooding.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:57 pmIt has been the practice in the past for Big Oil to reduce gasoline prices significantly immediately after Labor Day Weekend. I will offer my ususal odds ($20 to a glass of warm pee) that Katrina will be used as an excuse for raising the prices more and the Bushies will do nothing but wet their pants when filling up the glass over the price gouging and windfall profits by Big Oil (Read Daddy and Uncle Dick).
August 31st, 2005 at 5:59 pmMaybe Bush will make an inspirational 'fly over' at Baghdad or Fallujah next.
August 31st, 2005 at 5:59 pmKarl, the TV cable is broke again. All I can get is snow.
August 31st, 2005 at 6:00 pmPresident George W. Irrelevant = Pussy.
August 31st, 2005 at 6:04 pmAny Cheney sightings? Is he in Wyoming, laying up eating battered and fried onion rings, counting his millions as New Orleans dies?
August 31st, 2005 at 6:05 pm#43:
President Bush: "Snow? Did someone say snow?"
Aide: "No, Mr. President."
PB: "I distinctly heard someone say snow..."
A: "It was someone on one of those silly liberal blogs..."
PB: "What's a blog? Does it have anything to do with snow?"
A: [sigh]
PB: "I need some snow. Karl, get my dealer on the scrambled phone. Order me up a pound or two of my sister-in-law's finest Columbian. Now!"
[fffzzzzzztttt]
August 31st, 2005 at 6:17 pmCarl, remind me to avoid this place for my next vacation in September.
August 31st, 2005 at 6:20 pm#45:
Meanwhile, back in the other wacko-vortex on the planet, Dick "Hung Like a Whale" Cheney sighs. Things are good. God has saved he and his administration. A little hurricane wiped Cindy Sheehan from the 24hour news network headlines.
People may be dying, but BushCo floats on with barely a ripple. Life is good.
August 31st, 2005 at 6:21 pmBest caption contest entry: "First 9/11, now Katrina! Whay do these things always happen to ME?"
August 31st, 2005 at 6:24 pmYou people are absolutely... sick.
August 31st, 2005 at 6:24 pmThank you, Barry!
August 31st, 2005 at 6:25 pm#49: Best caption contest entry -
August 31st, 2005 at 6:28 pmPresident Bush: "Turd Blossom! Look at this, will ya? God is good. He's REAL good. Look at all this distruction. He did MUCH better than Cheney did on 9/11. Have you figured out how we can milk this?..."
Listening to Bush makes my head hurt. He's a vacant sick f*ck. I can't believe he's the f*cking president.
August 31st, 2005 at 6:29 pmbush can't even tie his own f**king shoes, much less command any kind or relief for real people experiencing real life! we are going to hell in a handbasket, quickly! no doubt all the energy companies are looking for their own hand-out! just wait, gas will hit $5.00/gallon before '06 and the big oil guys will never get rid of the big woody and the slick bush-cheney sneer!
August 31st, 2005 at 6:29 pmMuuurka
Muuurka
Muuurka
Why can't Bush wrap his lop-sided mouth around the letter "A"?
August 31st, 2005 at 6:34 pm#56 his speech writer is Mel T TTTTTT TT Tillis
August 31st, 2005 at 7:05 pmSubliml...a sublimo...a subalimimimal...
You all would be the first ones bitching if BW DIDN'T fly over the effected area's. If fact, I'll bet some of you have been bitching from day one, "So, where's Bush???"
August 31st, 2005 at 8:20 pmGet over yourselves. Go do something productive - like help the people that need help after Katrina - it's a much better use of the energy you spend, thinking about what and who you get to gripe about today.....
Get over it Emma. We don't like this President.
August 31st, 2005 at 8:31 pmEmma, no I would have not asked "So, where's Bush???" I knew where he is. While soldiers were dieing in Iraq he was down in Crawford. When the disabled hero's were learning how to use their artifical limbs in Walter Reed, he was riding his bike with Lance Armstrong. When families were drowning in Biloxi, Mississippi, he was playing a guitar in San Diego. When the desperate looters were carrying out wonder bread in New Orleans, he was in Phoenix having birthday cake with Sen. McCain.
As cynical ex-hippie pointed out. We don't like this President.
August 31st, 2005 at 8:42 pmAnd yet, apparently nobody thought to just push him out the window. Think of all the money something like that would have saved the country. And provided a much-needed boost of morale too.
August 31st, 2005 at 8:52 pmGet over yourselves. Go do something productive - like help the people that need help after Katrina - it’s a much better use of the energy you spend, thinking about what and who you get to gripe about today. Emma
If you insist.
We could grind up and send you in dry ice to New Orleans as fatty protein for the shelter dogs to eat.
August 31st, 2005 at 9:31 pmHey Emma, why don't you do something to help the people?
I gave all my money to kill babies in Iraq, fill my gas tank, give Osama Bin Laden the life of luxury and to Tsunami. Sorry, there's nothing left.
Quit your whining. Bushie bankrupted America and now he can pay the price.
August 31st, 2005 at 9:46 pmEmma...perahps we should help victims like the head of homeland secrutity suggested today....something like, "For additional informtion or assistance call our 800 number or visit our web site." Duh.... Are we really paying this guy?
August 31st, 2005 at 9:46 pmHow appropriate that Bush should be photographed eating cake in the face of all the misery here and in Iraq. LIke Marie Antoinette who said "Let them eat cake" he should be led to the gallows - oh no -- it was the guillotine. This flood is the result of his cutting taxes for the rich, financing his debacle in Iraq, and taking the money for each of those stupid, stupid acts from domestic programs like shoring up the levees. The Senate was planning to attempt to reinstate some of the funding for the levees in 2006, no guarantee that it would pass, but it's moot now. Even the energy bill that was so hailed was filled with pork, but no levee money. See the picture -- poor and black -- they're still getting a poke in the eye.
August 31st, 2005 at 9:57 pmNow let's be fair. In '92, daddy made it down to Florida after Andrew pretty quick. Unfortunately, It was a little to obviously just a photo-op. Maybe W just doesn't want us to see his (genetic?)lack of empathy so up-close.
August 31st, 2005 at 10:05 pmSick. Sick. Sick. All this bitching, get a life. It sounds like all you can do is "bitch". What have any of you done "other than bitch". for the people who are actually suffering? Would be interisting to know... nothing i'm sure.
August 31st, 2005 at 10:26 pmSorry Barry, spent all my money on gas. You clean up Bushies mess its not my job. You support the incompetent freak you change his diapers.
YOu are absolutely correct, I'm going to bitch, bitch and do more bitching and I will not give your theives one cent.
August 31st, 2005 at 10:39 pmI'll bitch all I want! If it wasn't for this selfish, arrogant,so called "Commander In Thief" maybee these people wouldn't be needing help! It's because of him the funding was cut. This one you can't blame on Clinton...but you will!
August 31st, 2005 at 10:54 pmHey Barry, your criminal leader just demanded that police in New Orleans call off search and rescue so they can go after the looters. Nice fella you support. Forget the stranded and trapped, get the purse snatcher who has no home to go to.
For sure Louisiana has turned blue.
August 31st, 2005 at 11:00 pmSure, continue to bitch, people are dieing, oh sorry, poor people are dieing, you dont care, what funding... wake up, stupid. congress does the porkbarrel, and you should look at who .. who put it there....
politically independent... i want to help.... you just keep bitching....
August 31st, 2005 at 11:16 pmSorry you dont have a clue.... about three neighbors and i are leaving for new orleans in the morning to try and help.. oh... and the gas, we'll pay for it since we know why its high... some people! kill the looters unless its food, cant eat a tv can u......
August 31st, 2005 at 11:22 pmLook, I still say he's the Anti-Christ or at the very least, a jinx. Stop and look at all that's happened since he came into office.
911-High death rate, unbelievable destruction
War in Iraq-(ditto) plus we took it to another country
Destruction in the Cayman Islands by hurricane-
(not sure about loss of lives, but much damage)
Orlando, Fl, hit the 1st time in 40 yrs by hurricane-
(don't know about loss of lives, but the damage was costly.
the Tsunami - they still haven't recovered from it.
(mega loss of lives, $$$$billions)
Katrina - climbing and counting.
Have I missed any?
August 31st, 2005 at 11:27 pmdieing?
August 31st, 2005 at 11:29 pm#73 If your question was directed at me, sorry, I meant, did I miss any other disasters that have happened during his presidency?
August 31st, 2005 at 11:51 pmWhite House Responds to Katrina With New Logo
DHinMI at the Next Hurrah points out that the White House site now has a “hurricane relief” title bar with a photo apparently representing Bush standing with a hurricane victim and an American flag. This would be unremarkable — excep...
September 1st, 2005 at 12:23 amNews worth reporting, or as you'll see, already was:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001051313
"When flooding from a massive rainstorm in May 1995 killed six people, Congress authorized the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, or SELA...
"Yet after 2003, the flow of federal dollars toward SELA dropped to a trickle. The Corps never tried to hide the fact that the spending pressures of the war in Iraq, as well as homeland security -- coming at the same time as federal tax cuts -- was the reason for the strain. At least nine articles in the Times-Picayune from 2004 and 2005 specifically cite the cost of Iraq as a reason for the lack of hurricane- and flood-control dollars."
Also, from Anon: "In 2001, FEMA warned that a hurricane striking New Orleans was one of the three most likely disasters in the U.S. But the Bush administration cut New Orleans flood control funding by 44 percent to pay for the Iraq war."
And then, there are the trolls:
Anon: "Libs are distorting reality again, asserting that human beings (Bush) can prevent hurricanes."
Jeff: "So let me get this streight the environmental policies were just fine prior to 2001 and since then President Bush caused this hurricane..."
"This is just a Lib attempt to blame the President for a hurricane A HURRICANE you idiots."
"This idiot is now blaming a levy breach on the President. Every one of those assertions are wrong."
In case you knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing morons haven't noticed, your pet chimp has been driving the f*cking bus for FIVE YEARS! He picked his priorities, and tending to the nation's needs wasn't one of them — too busy giving away tax cuts, clearing brush and invading THE WRONG F*CKING COUNTRY.
He didn't cause the hurricane, half-wits, but it WASN'T THE F*CKING HURRICANE THAT CAUSED THE FLOODING, it was the failure of the unimproved levee.
Oh, and Jeff... we all really admire your mastery of the language.
September 1st, 2005 at 1:36 amHey, Emma and Barry?
What did I do? I spent the day working for a charity that funds $ directly to Red Cross Disater relief. And this weekend, I'm doing volunteer work at the another organization to help coordinate clothing donations.
And you? Oh yeah, you're bitching about liberals and mouthing talking points. So why don't you two turn off your computers, get off your fat hypocritical asses, and act like real Americans and pitch in, instead of just stroking Bush.
September 1st, 2005 at 1:46 am#76, pretty well put.
September 1st, 2005 at 1:47 amWell, I have to add: At $4.00 per gallon, looks like we will ALL be walking in the other person's shoes.
September 1st, 2005 at 1:48 amDid anyone see the nut-job so called "christian" article about the hurricane being caused by the up coming Southern Decadence party in N.O.?
It gave me gas, and not the good kind.
September 1st, 2005 at 1:50 amThose religious nutballs blame everything on Southern Decadence. It's like the mission statement generator on Dilbert.
September 1st, 2005 at 3:20 amALL,
September 1st, 2005 at 4:10 amI am no Bush supporter, However maybee just this once we should be talking more about the thousands of people fighting for there life than what Bush should be doing or didn't do. Personally I would hope he would go to Wahsington, one less person in the way of the REAL LIFE HERO's that are ricking life and limb to rescue those that are still trapped. My best friend is in route to New Orleans, he is an x-seal and is going to be assisting in search and rescue. I will be joining him there helping however the red cross sees fit. We are both from the New Orleans area and we personally would like to see more about that than trying to point fingers. There will be plenty of time for that later.
Can someone please explain why no one is going after Bush for his gross failure to provide leadership. In Cuba the government sends buses and everyone is evacuated.
The tax cuts prevented the building of adequate levies.
This not a natural disaster - this is a political failure
September 1st, 2005 at 5:46 amStandard Operating Procedure for EVERY disaster recovery plan is to mitigate your greatest risks. Risk is assessed as:
1. Likelihood of occurance
2. Potential impact if it did occur
When FEMA says this is 1 of the 3 most damaging natural disasters that could possibly occur - you cut funding somewhere else, you don't roll the dice.
September 1st, 2005 at 6:36 amBush playin guitar. That's all you really have to say. Castro handling disaster better than the USA? Who would have thunk'd it.
September 1st, 2005 at 8:04 amThe masters of stateing the obvious.
September 1st, 2005 at 10:02 amWake me when they impeach puppet boy....yawnnnn....(Dick Cheney)
September 1st, 2005 at 10:35 amoh...by the way, airforce 1 burns over 10,000 gallons of gas an hour, plus all the motorcade and etc. and we pay for it.
September 1st, 2005 at 10:41 amOkay, you got the shot? Now a fun one; KARL! Git over here so I can make amusin' bunny ears behind yore head."
September 1st, 2005 at 10:43 amAndrew Card wanted him to fly over New Orleans in a helicopter but Rove nixed the idea telling Card that it was too dangerous, someone might shoot at the helicoper.
What? Someone shoot at out beloved preznit?
September 1st, 2005 at 11:14 amthis is the united states people wake up we our being taking for a ride by the bush administration ,he is going to fill his tank up to the overflow before he's gone. this is he's last run in office . He's brother's city florida has been dumded more money than was called for more than once. You didn,t see he's brother cursing & begging for help when he needed it, he had that & more. we are intelilengent people you have to see what is going on New Orleans & the surronding effected areas was not his priority. I am in one of the surronding areas living in my effected home .grasping for every bit of the help i can get which is not easy to come by.we feel hopoless & helpless &( as for as emma what the hell do you think we pay are taxes for) it's for the help for our catastrivies when needed not to put our politicians in double incomes than the former political person before them our for them to have the sweat wiped off their brow at a $100per 1/2hour So as the "saying goes wake up america"
September 7th, 2005 at 2:21 amI'm surprised he just didn't order the USS Ronald Regan to the Gulf of Mexico so he could utilize the photo opportunity to land a jet on it and claim victory over the insurgent Cat 5 Hurricane.
September 7th, 2005 at 8:52 pmI am a fifteen year old sophomore in high school. I live in Comanche, Ok. I have a serious problem with people like you that make things up. Why can't you get a better job and stop making fun of the President? After all he is doing his job and taking care of us. You may not see it but he really is. I understand that he was LATE getting to New Orleans after Katrina hit. However, we had no idea that the hurricane was going to be that bad. Plus New Orleans gets hurricane threats all the time so most people didn't even think that it was really going to come. So you need to wake up and pay attention because President Bush is doing everything in his power to bring this country back together. We are the ones that are pulling away from each other and destroying America. We are a free country and need to act like one. Stop being stupid and pay attention to what is going on around us!
November 15th, 2005 at 1:48 pm