Amazing how many so-called conservatives have become Clintonized in expecting RHETORIC rather than action. We want words like "dogs" "murderous scum" Blah Blah.
Bush is not given to hyperbole, EVER. He is not an emotional, bite-your-lip guy. His use of the term "folks" IS about as nasty as he personally gets in his language. Think of Lincoln, who seldom, if EVER, used strong language either to attack Confederates OR slaveholders. Indeed, Lincoln is the perfect comparison to Bush, insofar as his speeches were unemotional when given---flat and bland. Yet when read, over the years, contained immense power. If you read the text of Bush's speeches, they are QUITE powerful.
Now, as to where the president was, I hope you feel quite foolish. The evidence now is that Bush told his advisors that he was not going to let a "tinpot terrorist" keep him from going to Washington, yet at that VERY TIME, the Secret Service had good information that Air Force One was targeted and that the terrorists knew the location based on code words that came through the communication. In that circumstance, it's plain silly to "go back to Washington" to be a figurehead.
These comments reflect the total Hollywoodization and Clintonization of the presidency and what people now expect it to be, rather than the effective executive that the Constitution intended it.
It wouldn't do for any of these Bush haters to express their sentiments in front of me right now - they'll have to get their jaws wired back up.