Posted on 09/26/2005 7:49:19 PM PDT by Seattle Conservative
Facing criticism that he appeared disengaged from the disaster wrought by Hurricane Katrina, President Bush has been looking for opportunities to show his concern. But the White House will take the effort a step further Tuesday, venturing into untested waters by putting the nation's first lady on reality television.
Laura Bush will travel to storm-damaged Biloxi, Miss., to film a spot on the feel-good, wish-granting hit "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." Mrs. Bush sought to be on the program because she shares the "same principles" that the producers hold, her press secretary said.
It's not clear exactly what Mrs. Bush will do, but Tom Forman, executive producer and creator, said he is hoping that she'll just pitch in and help unload.
"I think we say, 'Mrs. Bush, the stuff is over here, the people are over there, could you grab the other end of that mattress?' " Forman said. Press secretary Susan Whitson envisioned something closer to handing out clothing and thanking volunteers.
Forman said the episode will air in November.
"This is why it is so great the first lady is coming along, just to talk and hear stories and share tears and give hugs and remind everyone we are there for a long time and we are going to keep coming back and nobody has forgotten about them, including their government," Forman said.
Which is probably why the Bush team contacted the show for a booking instead of the other way around.
"We got a call from the White House saying, 'What are you doing and if you need help, just let us know,' " Forman said. "We said here's what we're doing and if the first lady would like to join us, we'd love to have her."
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
The show last week about the medic who lost his leg in Iraq was incredible too.
What is weird is that early on during the aftermath of Katrina--on one of NautiNurse's hurricane threads--I posted that the White House and Extreme Makeover Home Addition should get together and do a show centered around Katrina victims. Guess I wasn't the only one that saw that as a good PR move for the Administration. .
I don't think it's much of a stretch to think Laura herself could have gotten the idea from you. : )
I didn't see the medic show.
NBC's Today Show has been busting their arse all week building houses in Compassion Square (or whatever they call it) trying to oneup ABC. It's pathetically transparent. I'm not a fan of Sears, at all, but this show is fantastic. There sure seems to be a dramatic change in the wind with network programming these days. Amy Grant's new show. There is an absolute about face from 'me' and the bitter backstabbing competitions of 'Survivors' to 'us' and actually doing some constructive uplifting with some of these shows.
LOL
Zrob, I don't have a TV, but I think they are making over a house not Laura.
Instead of the Bush team loudly defending the facts and stating them loud and clearly ,they fall time in time again into the democrats traps.I am so sick and tried if this.
I love this show. I particularly liked the (double-length) show where they rebuilt Lori Piestra's (sp?) family's house after her death in the war. There was a very pro-America flavor to it.
Also, the episode featuring the family whose daughter had been abducted years ago REALLY got me. When they unveiled their missing daughter's room, with the huge word "HOPE" over her bed, I just lost it and started bawling like a baby.
I posted my recollection of that show before I read yours ... I was incredibly moved by it, and so proud that they not only helped Jessica Lynch's promise, but that they had not "Yeah, but..." moments in the show. Really good.
I also like the sense of charity that is NON-GOVERNMENTAL in nature.
The 'Yeah, buts' were exceptional, good observation.
Laura should wield a hammer and saw. Think of the Rosie the Riveter poster back in the forties...We are at WAR, plus slammed by the occasional killer hurricane. GW flying over Louisiana in Air Force One was a p.r. debacle. Laura rolling up her sleeves and hammering in a a few nails would be fabulous. And it wouldn't hurt if GW helped out manually, even for half an hour. We see pictures of him cutting brush and wood in Texas. Yes, his job is all consuming, but he does many photo ops, and this one would really resonate.
You've sucked up too much MSM. The reason he flew over LA in AF 1 was because he knew that it would be a nightmare on the ground if he tried to land. Why should he get down there and muck up the relief and rescue efforts just to assuage some dingbats in the media who were spouting off that he wasn't "doing enough"? They were complete ignoring, and thus not reporting, the fact that he had already done everything that the Fed. Govt. had the authority to do, even before the storm hit!
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