Dubya’s main mistake in handling Katrina’s issue was that he voluntarily owned it, by saying “I’m responsible for some of the failures.” He’s a nice person, and felt deeply sad about what happened, but I don’t think that’s a good move, politically. His poll numbers started to spiral down since then.
“Dubya’s main mistake in handling Katrina’s issue was that he voluntarily owned it, by saying ‘I’m responsible for some of the failures.’”
I agree. But I mainly agree because he cemented in people’s minds that the federal government bears primary responsibility for every local disaster — a completely stupid idea. Only state and local governments already have first responders in place. Before Katrina, everybody more or less understood that the feds only came in after the fact, and only if they were called in by the state and local governments.
But, Bush’s political enemies saw an opportunity to make hay, and they did it, with the completely false assertion that the federal government — and not just the federal government, but the President, himself — somehow had an obligation to be there on the scene, and first.
Instead of reminding people how the system was supposed to work, he let his political enemies define the situation.
Paudio writes - “Dubya’s main mistake in handling Katrina’s issue was that he voluntarily owned it, by saying “I’m responsible for some of the failures.” He’s a nice person, and felt deeply sad about what happened, but I don’t think that’s a good move, politically. “”
I cannot agree. Being raised by a father who was a Goldwater man, and who’s favorite President was Harry S. - IMHO, when you are The Boss, taking responsibility is what you do, and I commend W for it. Individual issues wise, W and I parted company early and often, but as a man, and our leader in a 9 -11 world, he was purt near as good as it gets.
Except of course, for that @#*^ open border..... shakes head. I think his personal feelings about the Hispanic people clouded his view, to far too great an extent, and the American people, at least this one, felt that OUR best interests were not being served... : (
FReeregards,
Tatt