Clinton, Bush Tour Nations Hit by Tsunami

[Moloch]

PHUKET, Thailand - Former presidents Clinton and Bush, leaders of the American effort to help survivors of the Dec. 26 tsunami, began a tour of affected countries on Saturday to promote reconstruction efforts and meet with those who lost their loved ones and livelihoods.

Also Saturday, a powerful earthquake rocked parts of Sulawesi in eastern Indonesia, causing panic among residents but no immediate reports of injury or damage. There were no reports of a tsunami, either.

Indonesia's meteorological agency put the magnitude at 6.9, while the U.S. Geological Survey (news - web sites) said it had a 6.5 magnitude. The cause for the discrepancy wasn't immediately clear.

After arriving on Thailand's hard-hit Phuket island, Clinton and Bush — father of the current president — planned to fly by helicopter to Ban Nam Khem, a fishing village where nearly 2,000 people died in the earthquake-triggered tsunami.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=3&u=/ap/20050219/ap_on_re_as/tsunami

[chookie]

1. What a contrast

President Clinton has CREDS when it comes to this sort of thing, and in this region. When India was decimated by floods, Bill worked with our very prosperous Indian-American community to raise funds, and followed it up by going to India to hit up the rich nationals there who could afford great generousity. And then -- he took it to the people. Aftermath: Bill Clinton is loved--adored -- in India. He delivered what people needed. Period. His wife and daughter visited as well, and were welcomed even more warmly among Hindu and Muslim women who are trying to better their families' lives by being an active creative part of the economy.

One major statement Bill said, in the aftermath, was "We'll get in there and help them, and then we'll sort out politics." Bravo, I say. Contrast to Wolfowitz trip, which was, "We demand capitulation first, and then we sort out the desperately needed aid." And GUESS who is more popular in this ravaged region?

This may be a first -- but George W was intelligent to recognize it will take a Real Man of the stature of Bill Clinton (aka the Loved and Admired American President Throughout the Globe) to help heal the unimaginable ravages of this recent geological event on such a wide and volatile area.

WhEW -- glad Bill is going to be there. My blood pressure dropped some, hearing that....

[kskiska]

2. White House Bond: Teamed by No. 43, 41 and 42 Hit It Off

By ELISABETH BUMILLER

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 - Former President George Bush calls them "the odd couple," and this weekend one of the most unlikely teams in modern American politics is on a four-day humanitarian air odyssey to the Asian nations hit hard by the tsunami last year.

On Thursday night in Houston, Mr. Bush boarded an official blue-and-white Boeing 757 jet with "United States of America" on its side in Houston and flew to Los Angeles to pick up former President Bill Clinton.

(snip)

"I know there are couches and beds, and they'll figure out the sleeping arrangements when they get on the plane," she said.

(snip)

When Mr. Clinton was in the hospital for quadruple bypass heart surgery last September, aides say, the 41st president was almost instantly on the telephone.

"President Bush immediately picked up the phone and said, 'Bill, what the hell happened to you?' " Ms. Becker recounted.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/19/politics/19friends.html?pagewanted=all&position=

[merh]

3. .

:puke:

[patricia92243]

9. Agreed!!

[OKNancy]

4. Who wouldn't like Bill Clinton?

He has charisma, even his enemies say that.

From the article:

"Frankly, President Bush likes Clinton a lot," Roland Betts, a close friend of the president, said. "He says he thinks he's a terrific person. He's not judging his administration. He just likes being around him."

and

It always has to be said that Bill Clinton was one of the most gifted American political figures in modern times," Former President Bush said. "Trust me. I learned this the hard way."

Mr. Bush added that "seeing him out on the campaign trail, it was plain to see how he fed off the energy and the hopes and the aspirations of the American people."

"Simply put," Mr. Bush said, "he was a natural and he made it look easy. And, oh, how I hated him for that!"

---
As far as Bill Clinton's side of it, he's a people pleaser. Perhaps he sees a father figure in Bush 41 ( the head of a large patrician family that he never had) or Clinton could be yanking his chain for the sheer politics of it all so as to smooth things over for Hillary.

[LynnTheDem]

6. "Bill Clinton was one of the most gifted American political figures"

Ya KNOW that's gotta drive duhhhbya insane(r) especially coming from his daddy.

:D :D :D

[54anickel]

5. So, who is using whom? (Heh, if that's the proper usage of who and whom -

I get that mixed up).

Is Bill using Poppy to smooth things over for Hillary, (or just for the entertainment factor)?

Or is Poppy using Bill to try and smooth things over for the Chimp?

Politics certainly does make strange bed-fellows.

[flordehinojos]

7. yes, strange bed-fellows indeed, and as a result, what a puke at phuket!

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. Hmmm - I'm curious

.
.
.

Remember this?

What was that all about: - :shrug: -

[Tesla]

11. That's the secret Presidential handshake.

Kinda like the Mason's have.
Maybe it a degree of Masonic handshake we aren't familiar with.

I would love to hear one of their "private" talks about what Shrub is doing.

[anarchy1999]

10. The "elite" are all in it together. Bless us all!

nt

New World Order, come on down.

1,000 points of light and all.

(Dems and Repubs both).

We only have a few representatives in each house and they are consistently eliminated. By death or trial.