Response to Katrina may impact President Bush's legacy

The Dallas Morning News ^ | ROBERT HILLMAN

[jmc1969]

Blistered by stinging criticism that his administration has failed in its hurricane relief efforts, President Bush faces a new political threat that could further erode his leadership and tarnish his legacy.

His job approval ratings are at record lows for his presidency. And analysts said they will surely dip deeper because of the administration's public struggle to deal with the chaos after Hurricane Katrina.

Democratic critics have charged that Bush's determination to curb spending and implement sweeping tax cuts siphoned funds for levee improvements in New Orleans, among other projects.

For instance, in this fiscal year, the administration cut a $27 million request for hurricane-protection projects around Lake Pontchartrain to just under $4 million

"The president is destroying the fabric of America with a combined policy of war, tax cuts for the wealthy and reductions in spending for domestic needs," said Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.

"He doesn't instinctively know what he should do in these circumstances," Sabato said, noting that it took Bush a day or so to mount a full-blown public response to the 9-11 terrorism attacks four years ago.

Democratic critics had launched a pre-emptive strike, led by the Congressional Black Caucus, which charged Bush with neglect.

"To the president of the United States, I simply say that God cannot be pleased with our response," said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.

Responding to earlier suggestions that the administration's efforts lagged in New Orleans because many of the residents are black and poor, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said "such allegations are baseless and absurd."

Nonetheless, such assertions already have triggered a national debate that at the very least could crimp the Republican Party's outreach to minorities.

..the Bush administration's response already could be an impediment on the president's "ability to govern" and a lasting blemish on his legacy.

[x1stcav]

As though he cares.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Robert Hillman thinks a lot of himself, doesn't he? :) He's a very self-important person. I bet he has 1/10,000th the readership of Free Republic.

[Arkie2]

You're quoting factual information. Unfortunately the emotional garbage the MSM is spreading now will be the baseline for all accusations against the President. The MSM will make sure the acts aren't reported. We're dealing with propaganda here, not actual reporting.

[Arrowhead1952]

Let me complete the beginning sentence for you Robert Hillman.

Blistered by stinging criticism from the main stream media, the Je$$e Jack@$$s, the Al $harpton gang and the dumbocrat party that his administration has failed in its hurricane relief efforts, President Bush faces a new political threat that could further erode his leadership and tarnish his legacy.

Hew Robert, how about laying the blame where it actually belongs? The elected DIMS in LA had no plans for this emergency. ZIP!! ZERO!! NADA!!

[RasterMaster]

This will be the standard reply I'd present to all presstitutes and others who carry the water (make excuses for DUmocrats) when the subject is to blame Bush for all:

The nanny state/welfare mentality - it's always someone else's job. What part of MANDITORY EVACUATION do these fools in the media not get? The people on the coast were warned, told to leave, and chose to stick it out thereby endangered themselves and their families. That would be considered neglect when parents put their children in danger.

The Governor and Mayor's extreme ineptitude is what the bozos in the lame-steam media should be focused on. It was their job to prepare their constituents, NOT the federal government. There was ample time to prepare, and most responsible adults took to the road for safety. Yet all that was offered on the state level was another poor evacuation plan from the dimwit dimocrats. Either using "one way out" stuck in traffic or holing up in the dome, what choices!

Before the storm, they could have used all the school & city busses to evacuate those who couldn't make it on their own to higher ground further inland. But they chose weakness in the face of real danger instead.

After the storm, all resources were put at their disposal, yet they delayed making the request as well as delayed the delivery when aid arrived. Martial Law was declared and yet they still sat on thier hands allowing lawlessness to erupt. Neither can handle their jobs, yet refuse to step aside and allow someone else to handle it.

If President Bush hadn't announced the evacuation order, there would be more loss and suffering, mainly due to the clueless Democrats who failed to do anything - who, by the way, have been in charge of that state long before Bush ran for office.

When you have your hand extended, you shouldn't b!tch about getting aid when you were told to prepare for 3-5 days of food and water. When it comes to your family's safety, waiting on government to solve your problems is no better than waiting on a welfare check instead of getting off your arse and finding work.

But I guess wading around in sewage and griping about it is a much more pleasing alternative if you always pull the "D" lever when it's time to elect leadership. The failure of a democrat-led state is why the media is out in force trying to point fingers at Bush, when they all know the reality of the situation...their own failures cause many more to die than would have if they hadn't been slow to react.

[ncountylee]

My gaydar went off big time!

[DJ Taylor]

"Isn't the Governor of Lousiana, and the Mayor of New Orleans..both Democrats?"

And 77% of the registered voters (including the dead) in New Orleans voted for John Kerry during the last election.

[dfwgator]

The last thing President Bush is worried about right now is his legacy.

[uncbob]

How about that 15 billion to Africa for AIDS

[RobbyS]

I should hope it will affect his legacy, but not necessarily for the worst. It might give him a few openings he might not otherwise have. As for outreach to blacks. Takes two hands outstretched, one from each side. I expect nothing from them except rage and self-defeating actions, like the fool in NO.

[RobbyS]

A liberal.

[RoseofTexas]

"The Hate Bush Dinosaur media still does NOT understand that the President has VERY limited authority here."

They know, but they are counting on the folk to be ignorant, which they are, to call for W head on a stick!

[RobbyS]

The blacks in the United States are no more african than I am German--Less, I at least have the language.

[SuziQ]

Well it should, especially since he seemed the be the ONLY ONE who got things going in New Orleans!

[AmericanMade1776]

looks like they would of been prepared for this Hurricane?

[Misschuck]

Check this out.

http://patriotfilesannex.org/General_Patton_Message.htm

[Irish Eyes]

Why are there 200+ school busses in a flooded parking lot? Could they not have been used to transport people out of New Orleans BEFORE the hurricane hit?

Greta just interviewed the young man that did take one of these busses and drove it with 80 people to Houston. It was the first bus to arrive at the Astrodome. Love the story.

[uncbob]

I was referring to why the $$$$ wasn't there for the levees

[patriciamary]

So where is his backers shouting this message out.

[Natty Bumppo@frontier.net]

Larry Sabato is an embarrassment to the Commonwealth of Virginia and to Mr. Jefferson's university.

For his response to 9-11, history will probably rank President Bush with Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln and precious few others as a statesman and a leader.

Instinctive (read knee-jerk) reactions are the last thing you want in a crisis as they usually compound the problem.

One of the smartest guys I was ever privileged to fly an A-6 with taught me that the first (unwritten) step in an emergency was to "Wind the clock." (The A-6 had a mechanical 7 day clock).

That gave time for the cold shot of urine to clear your heart and for you to extract the ejection seat cushion from your sphincter.

After that you calmly took out your pocket checklist and complied with the Emergency Procedures, minimizing the risk to yourself, the aircraft, and the taxpayers.

Katrina created the initial catastrophe, but Katrina is not responsible for the assault, rapes, murders, and looting. That is because individual citizens remaining in New Orleans abandoned their individual civic responsibilities and the norms of civilization.

Nor is Katrina responsible for human beings reverting to animal instinct to accomplish basic bodily functions. Not to minimize the terrible conditions at the Superdome, but troops in the field have maintained basic sanitation under much worse conditions.

In their incompetence and corruption, the local political hacks are simply pouring fuel on the fire.

Given the bandwidth of modern media, a great deal of ignorance and stupidity has been published as "news" regarding this tragedy.

If the media had a clue., their "Situation Rooms" would prominently display signs with the following "Emergency Procedures" of their own:

1. Say the second thing that comes to mind.
2. It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Ultimately, however, you can't fix stupid.