[LincolnLover]

"The federal response was noticeably different last week. Even before Hurricane Charley struck, the second Bush White House was poised to act, this time backed by another Bush in the Florida governor's mansion. Hours after Hurricane Charley made landfall, federal aid was flowing, and the president arrives this morning.

As emergency crews and National Guard troops swooped in to help residents across the state, the start of the cleanup on Saturday brought a public relations effort apparently designed to show that history would not be repeated.

President Bush, brother Jeb Bush - Florida's governor and the president's state campaign chairman - and other state Republicans showered Floridians with promises, assurances and lists of toll-free numbers they could call for help."

[socal_parrot]

Kerry said he had no immediate plans to visit the state, saying: ``For the moment, our focus is on all of the police and response personnel necessary not being diverted from a visitor, and really focusing on the recovery itself...''

..."and afterall, I am irrelevant."