Posted on 10/25/2007 12:21:01 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
SAN DIEGO - President Bush dismissed comparisons between the federal response to Hurricane Katrina and the California wildfires Thursday, saying that getting help to people who are hurting is the most important thing. "There's all kinds of time for historians to compare this response to that response," Bush said during a tour of the state's fire-ravaged communities. The president walked down a street of the hard hit community of Rancho Bernardo, where homes have been burned to rubble, at one point offering comfort to Jay and Kendra Jeffcoat, standing near where a single spiral staircase rested amid rubble that used to be their home and near their burnt-out car melted into the scorched earth. "For those of us here in government, our hearts are right here with the Jeffcoats," the president said, his armed draped around Mrs. Jeffcoat. Holding her small brown dog on a leash, she fought back tears. Bush ferried several California lawmakers with him on Air Force One and was greeted on the tarmac at Marine Corps Air Station-Miramar here by his tour guide for the day, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger — and the smell of smoke. On the White House's South Lawn before the long flight, the president said he aimed to bring to weary Southern Californians the assurance of federal help, support for those who've lost home and businesses and thanks to weary firefighters. He took at the start of a four-hour tour in a helicopter to get an aerial tour of the devastation. Masks and small, wet towels were distributed to the presidential entourage to help cope with the smoky conditions. A white film covered the sky and, as the choppers drew closer to San Diego, Bush saw homes that had been reduced to piles of sticks. Bush then got a look at the situation on the ground. In Rancho Bernardo, Bush strolled among Mediterranean-style homes, where houses that remained unscathed were interspersed with what amounted to mere shells of the American dream. Stepping through rubble, he talked with the Jeffcoats about belongings they hoped to salvage. He shook hands at a makeshift disaster assistance center where government agencies and private companies are providing help to residents. From there, the president's motorcade passed charred hillsides on the way north to Escondido, where he was to assess that area's damage, talk about recovery efforts and have lunch with emergency responders. Amid all this pain were lingering memories of Washington's slow response to Katrina over two years ago, and how it damaged Bush's standing. As the first natural disaster to begin to approach the scale of the Gulf Coast storm, the fires represented a tough test for the administration. Katrina, however, affected a far larger geographic area, knocked out all communications and nearly all key infrastructure, and impacted a relatively poorer population and much less-prepared states. With the White House determined to convey a picture of a speedy and effective performance this time around, Bush was asked to compare the two. "You better ask the governor how we're doing," he said, with Swarzenegger next to him on a cul de sac. "I will tell you this: In all of these responses, the thing that has amazed me most is the courage of the first responders." Schwarzenegger said Bush called him even before he could reach out to the president for help. "I call this quick action — quicker than I expected, I can tell you that," the governor said. Fran Townsend, Bush's White House-based homeland security adviser, said the disaster response is unfolding "exactly the way it should be" and is "better and faster" that the administration's performance after Katrina. "This is not the end of federal assistance. It's just the beginning," she said. Bush declared the fires a major disaster on Wednesday, setting in motion long-term federal recovery program. The fires have destroyed about 2,200 structures since Sunday and led to the largest evacuation in California history. The flames have burned at least 431,000 acres across five counties, from Ventura in the north all the way into Mexico. Property damage has reached at least $1 billion in San Diego County alone. A break in this week's high, hot winds, and a helpful change in their direction, had officials hoping they could make progress Thursday against the still-threatening fires.
He just thanked the Gov and said that there is no hill that he wasn’t willing to charge. President Bush then said IT SHOWS WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT CAN MAKE WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN THE STATEHOUSE THAT IS WILLING TO TAKE THE LEAD!!!!!!
Well said, BTTT
The federal governments response in the long run has very little to do in what happens on the ground in the first 48 hours.
Only a moonbat liberal doesn't know that because he thinks the federal government is his mommie
I loved it, I loved the way he said that, pausing for emphasis...;^)
I'm glad he dismissed them. Now the MSM can take their comparisons and SHOVE THEM!
Bitch slapped Blanco...the new lame duck democrap governor of LA.
I HEARD THAT! LOL!! This morning my Democrat neighbors were talking to me about how proud they are of how California is dealing with this disaster. Surprisingly, they also said “I don’t blame President Bush for what went wrong in New Orleans. He did all he could do! I blame the local government!” Then they went down the list of what the local govt. could have done and didn’t! Of course, I agreed and threw in my two cents as well.
Yep, I noticed the president saying it makes a difference to have peoople at the state willing to take action. I thought, hmm, wonder who else he has in mind, lol.
Just goes to show that even Democrats can sometimes think clearly if they don’t have BDS!
This can’t be from AP. It doesn’t paint the President in a negative light.
Outstanding slap at the piss poor leadership Blanco demonstrated.
Diane Feinstein is going to have trouble with the moonbats and pinkos with this picture!
Just what we need... another politican “feeling your pain.”
Great pics, thanks.
You’re welcome.
Barbara Boxer said today she did not know right now if all the equipment Bush could give has been given. Using that logic, If all the equipment was in California, what happens when MY state has a catastrophe? Do I blame Bush or Boxer?
I can think of one obvious similarity, the press is "stuck on stupid".
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