LAT: Katrina Anniversary Draws Bush to Gulf Coast (overnight in N.O.)

[DeepModem Mom]

Anniversary Draws Bush to Gulf Coast
His visit next week aims to counter Democrats' plans to focus on the slow Katrina response.
By Peter Wallsten and Maura Reynolds, Times Staff Writers
August 23, 2006

WASHINGTON — As next week's anniversary of Hurricane Katrina triggers recollections of rooftop refugees and massive devastation along the Gulf Coast, the White House has begun a public relations blitz to counteract Democrats' plans to use the government's tardy response and the region's slow recovery in the coming congressional elections.

President Bush will visit the area Monday and Tuesday, including an overnight stay in New Orleans. He probably will visit the city's Lower 9th Ward, the heavily black area that remains mired in debris, and is expected to meet with storm victims.

The trip will force Bush to revisit sensitive racial issues that arose with the flooding of New Orleans; at that time, civil rights leaders charged that the White House was slow to respond because so many victims were black. GOP strategists acknowledged that the administration's failure to act quickly was a significant setback in their efforts to court traditionally Democratic African American voters.

The White House announced Bush's visit Tuesday as a phalanx of administration officials stood before reporters to argue that billions of dollars had flowed to the region and millions more was on the way. The plans for the trip were disclosed one day after Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales announced that he was sending additional lawyers and resources to the city to fight fraud and abuse....

***

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada is scheduled to spend Thursday in New Orleans with fellow Democratic Sen. Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana to kick off what they call the "Hope and Recovery Tour." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco plans to arrive this weekend with about 20 other Democrats for additional events....

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-katrina23aug23,0,5631796.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[babylonsister]

1. And I'll bet all the survivors just wish he'd stay away; hell, I'll bet

dimson would rather be anywhere else, perhaps eating cake in LA?

[OwnedByFerrets]

3. He will only visit the "pretty" areas

and then tell american how wonderful things are in NO. :puke:

[Benhurst]

2. What an asshole! NT

[skiddlybop]

11. We need a national moment of silence for

the Katrina victims just like the dead and wounded of Iraq and WTC.

It could start on Air America Radio and fan out from there.

[Double T]

4. This A-hole obviously has no conscience.........

another shameless photo-op by the oblivious idiot.

[klook]

5. Katrina vs. 9/11

Like most Americans, I've been revisiting these two colossal Bush failures recently. It seems somehow surreal that 9/11 is the colossal failure the Bush administration is proud of, while Hurricane Katrina is the colossal failure they just want to go away.

But of course, Katrina won't go away. So the Bush administration has decided to tackle this important issue and show its concern for the people of the Gulf Coast with the strongest effort they can muster: a series of photo-ops.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. How many troops will he be taking with him into the 9th. Ward? Someone

will have to 'protect' his ass.

[Virginia Dare]

8. They'll have to set up a "green zone" for him...n/t

[slampoet]

9. A note to his body guards...

...Those people marching towards you with torches? They just don't have electricity.

[leesa]

14. The pitchforks are for gardening?

[rodeodance]

7. this should be no surprize to anyone. And the media will, for the most

part play along!

[acmavm]

10. Someone needs to ask the SOB if he watched Spike Lee's

documentary.

[soup]

12. yep.

First thing I thought of when I saw the thread.

Damage control.

[cyberpj]

13. Now you know he didn't. Perhaps he had someone watch for him -

but he would never subject himself to seeing someone else's reality that way.

Still - I'll be anyone and everyone who could watch it from N.O. watched it and should be ready for him this time.

[KamaAina]

19. "I love Spike Jones! I didn't know he made a doc-a-ma-whatchacallit?"

:dunce:

[acmavm]

20. I think you're frighteningly close to the 'thoughts' that would bounce

off the inside of those concrete walls between his ears.

[Monkeyman]

15. Breaking Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi just hit back

I look for link its not up yet here
http://DemocraticLeader.house.gov

[Generator]

16. Ah yes, the fact that he's there a year later

really counters the slow response doesn't it? What a fucking insane country. Also-reminds me of the bullhorn WTC moment-that I saw some talking head evoke last week on TV because of the terror arrests-yeah Bush-our great leader, great president-he can always manage to stand on rubble.

That's our great country, an image of a leader standing on rubble who did nothing to stop that rubble from coming to be-either on 9/11/01 or on 8/29-9/1/2005. And who most certainly was nowhere near those sites on those days or for days afterwards. What a hero!

[goclark]

17. Hope Phyllis LaBlanc

will be there to greet Mr. Chimp!

She would really welcome him... LOL

If you have not seen the Sure to Be Emmy Winning HBO segments with Phyllis LaBlanc, I urge you to get some popcorn and watch a real soul sister in action.

She is my new hero! :popcorn:

[Az_lefty]

18. He said this anniversary was just another date...

now he's going to try and exploit NO like 911? Not gonna work monkey-boy.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1967223