Unfortunately the Republican party has not learned the importance of PR in shaping public opinion. The Democrat spin machine used Katrina to effectively end the Bush presidency. Republicans are daily being handed huge opportunities to highlight the ineptness of the current leader and seem unable to go on the offensive. Obama is right about one thing, having a message matters, particularly when the other side is silent.
I think you are forgetting that the left is in control of the main propaganda organs.
“The Democrat spin machine used Katrina to effectively end the Bush presidency”
and so we don’t see jack chit from the Gulf or any of the beaches & wetlands now. Nada.