Posted on 01/12/2006 5:31:50 PM PST by snugs
The President visited the Gulf Region today participating in a roundtable with small business owners and community leaders while visiting New Orleans and made remarks on Gulf Coast reconstruction at St. Stanislaus College in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attended a Press Conference at the State Department and also held talks with Japanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld accompanied by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace met with reporters at the Pentagon in Washington.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has arrived in the States she is making her first trip to the United States since taking office on November 22, 2005.
Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island
QUOTE OF THE DAY
President Visits Mississippi, Discusses Gulf Coast Reconstruction
St. Stanislaus College
St. Louis, Mississippi
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. Haley said that it's protocol not to introduce the President. Well, that shows what he knows about protocol. (Laughter.) He just introduced me. (Laughter.) Thanks for having me back. My first observation is, it's good to see -- to be able to look in people's eyes and not see them all bloodshot. (Laughter.)
can remember coming here, the times I came, and looked hard in people's eyes and saw a sense of desperation and worry and deep, deep concern about the future. I'm sure there is still concern about the future, but the eyes have cleared up. There's a sense of optimism. There's a hope, there's a little bounce in people's step. I'm not surprised; the people down here have showed incredible courage. And I want to thank you for showing the rest of our country what it means to survive an incredible hardship with high spirits. (Applause.)
Your Governor has done a magnificent job. He went up to Washington -- (applause.) You know, it's nice of him to give me the credit to sign the bill. It's nice of him to compliment Congressman Taylor, who deserves to be complimented, and compliment -- (applause) -- and Congressman Chip Pickering -- (applause) -- both of whom are here, and I thank them for coming. It's wise of him to compliment Senator Lott and Senator Cochran. (Laughter.) And he's right to compliment them. But the truth of the matter is, the person who deserve the biggest compliment, in my judgment, is the man who brought the will of the Mississippi people, the needs of the Mississippi people up to Washington and fashioned one heck of a piece of legislation for the people of this important state -- thank you, Governor, for your hard work. (Applause.)
I stood in Jackson Square early on in -- after the storm hit, and I said we're not just going to survive, but thrive. By that I meant, it's one thing to kind of ride it out; it's another thing to take out of the harm that came, convert this into a better life. I said we're not just going to cope, but we'll overcome. I meant what I said. I couldn't have said that if I didn't have confidence, though, in the people in the local area that have such a spirit to be able to do so.
One of the lessons, of course, as I mentioned, is the compassion of our fellow citizens. Think about lonely folks being sent out, having all their property, their material goods destroyed, wondering what the future meant for them, and there's a loving family saying, I love you, brother; I love you, sister. Think about a country where the compassion is so strong that a neighbor in need can find a stranger that wants to help them get their feet back on the ground. (Applause.)
One of the lessons of this storm is the decency of people, the decency of men and women who care a lot about their fellow citizens, whether they be elected officials or just folks on the ground here just trying to make somebody else's life even better than it was before. So we learned some lessons about how to respond, and we're going to change. But some of the lessons shouldn't change, and that is the decency and character of the American people.
It's been an amazing experience for you. You just got to know, though, that a lot of people in this country, many of whom have never been down here, care for you, they pray for you, and they're pulling for you. God bless. (Applause.)
.
PHOTO OF THE DAY 
President Bush, calling from aboard Air Force One, talks with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006, on the final day of the judge's confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Hello snugs!
Dose going up please wait until all clear before posting or reposting any photos or graphics.
Hey there!
Hi!
Hello you beat the ping LOL
Missed it by 26 seconds...
Good evening
Prayers for the Alito family.
hello
Dang, dang, dang! This is the first time I was even close! Congratulations!
Better luck next time
Drat that sloe dialup!
Lurking can be lucrative ;-)
Amen it has been a tough week
Hi Pippin, it's been a while!
Hi, snugs. Great picture of the President on AF1.
You still did well my little hobbit, does this mean you have the net at home again!!!
Thanks - you are always at the very top of my list, Miss M.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, right, looks on as President Bush gestures during a discussion with small business owners and community leaders on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006 in New Orleans, La
President Bush pauses during a discussion with small business owners and community leaders on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006 in New Orleans, La.
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