[snooker]

CHARLEY can't win the election for Bush, but it sure can LOSE the election for him.

If W is not seen as caring, compassionate, acting to ensure HELP IS ON THE WAY, and then delivering ... Then the partisan media will do the rest.

[Tall_Texan]

The partisan media will do the rest anyway, no matter what Bush does.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

The 1992 Hurricane and its aftermath are perhaps the greatest proof of the fact that perception is reality - and that politicians need to manage perceptions carefully. What I recall in the media, several days after the Hurricane was a woman who was in charge of Emergency Government in Miami-Dade having a virtual breakdown on camera and complaining about the lack of response. In a normal world - you might think, gee, this is not the right person to have running emergency government, she obviously couldn't handle the stress. But the way it came across in the media was that Evil, Incompetent GHWB was neglecting the Miami area and her frustration and emotional breakdown must have been warranted. I'll never forget that video - maybe some Freepers out there can identify the woman I'm thinking of.