Shouldn't Laura Bush have supported a "Toys for Tots" for Hurricane Kids?

[KoKo]

I can't think of any Democratic First Lady who wouldn't have put together a program for helping those on the Gulf still living in tents. Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Rosalind Carter?

I can't speak for them but First Ladies used to spearhead campaigns to help the needy. Certainly Laura could have worked with Foundations and her wealthy friends to do something for the kids down there. Private Investment is what they are all about.....yet not a word for thousands suffering down on the Gulf.

Some of us DU'ers who have been around through a few Presidents must remember when First Ladies weren't just showing off the "fresh blooms" on the "All things Bright and Beautiful" White House tree.

It's as if no one exists for them. And the media never calls them on it. I guess folks are more concerned about Donald Trump and the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous to care. Is Oprah doing anything for the kids? I don't watch her so I wouldn't know. Anyone?

[BrklynLiberal]

1. DUH. That would have taken some empathy and intelligence.

What we have now is an empty-headed Stepford Wife.

[CottonBear]

2. Did you see Lynn Cheney being trotted out to defend the Iraq debacle?

Her handlers put her on TV this AM. Since when does the second lady have anything to say about foreign policy?

[Lars39]

5. I hope they don't have the idea to position her to be VP

if the Snarl kicks the bucket.

[EFerrari]

3. Maybe we could do a "Laura Bush where are you"

fundraiser this weekend and send it down to the Gulf Coast - to the NO FD or figure a way to divided it among the towns along the GC where our DUers live? Whatever we send will help.

[LA lady]

4. She did

I am in La. and she was here with Toys for Tots in Kenner and Metarie on Friday doing just that.I think she went to Gulfport yesterday.

[Rowdyboy]

6. I saw that in todays Jackson Mississippi paper too

[KoKo]

15. Thanks Rowdy, I Googled...And I have to EAT my WORDS...She's been

to the Gulf 7 times. Seems it might be mostly to visit military families, but there is a mention of Toys for Tots in this article from "Kansas City Star." It doesn't say she specifially visited NO's though and Mississippi is pretty safe for her. But, I did want to correct what I said. :hi:

---------------
LAURA BUSH VISITS SOUTH MISSISSIPI
BY MICHAEL NEWSOM
Knight Ridder Newspapers

GULFPORT, Miss. - First lady Laura Bush made her seventh trip to South Mississippi since Hurricane Katrina hit, stopping Monday to visit about 50 children of Seabees who are deployed.

She showed the film "A Very Beazley Christmas," which is about the presidential family dogs Barney and Miss Beazley. While the children made Christmas ornaments and wrote letters to their relatives who are deployed with Naval Mobile Construction Battalions 133 and 74, Bush mingled with them.

NMCB 133 is expected to return in mid-April. Some members of NMCB 74 returned to Gulfport last week, and should all be back by Christmas. She told the children she would be thinking about them during the holidays.

"I know some of you might have a holiday without one parent," Bush said. "Maybe one or both were deployed, which will be sad." Bush made the stop as part of a tour on Monday that also included a visit to New Orleans for a "Toys for Tots" event.

The first lady emphasized those in South Mississippi who lost their homes should retain some normalcy with their holiday traditions.

"I know many people will not spend Christmas in their house," Bush said. "I want to tell them to have as normal a Christmas as possible.

"These kids (at the Seabee base) have not only suffered loss, but many have a parent that was deployed," she said. "I read the letters they were writing. One of the kids said, `Dad, All I want for Christmas is for you to be home.'"

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/13392149.htm

[Rowdyboy]

18. If I hadn't chanced across the article, I wouldn't have known either....

It was just this morning that I happened to see it. And, Koko, all things considered, while I appreciate Mrs Bush's symbolic effort, it really means very little to kids living in tents in freezing weather. The Bush's response to Katrina has bordered on criminally negligent and you can be certainly forgiven for doubting their commitment.

[KoKo]

10. Laura Bush or Oprah? If you have a link and it's Laura I'll eat my words.

I haven't seen anything about it...and that would make me feel better about her.

[LA lady]

14. Do you want ketchup with that?

Please know I am joking!

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-21/1134416367168130.xml&storylist=louisiana


First Lady tours with Santa and Toys for Tots traveling workshop
12/12/2005, 2:07 p.m. CT
By JANET McCONNAUGHEY
The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — First Lady Laura Bush went on tour with Santa, delivering a little speech and toys Monday to about 100 children in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans.
"I know Christmas Day will be different for many families here in New Orleans and along the Gulf Coast," she told the parents of children from Crescent City Christian School and Maw Maw Mason's Day Care.

"Try to have as normal a Christmas as possible. They'll take their cues from you," said Bush, a former public school teacher and librarian. "If you can control your behavior, if you can control your sadness, they'll have a happy Christmas."

People in the rest of the country should donate time and money to what will be a long recovery, she said.

[KoKo]

16. Thanks! I just corrected myself (Chomp ...Chomp) in a post above from

the Kansas City Star which talks about her visits to the Gulf. That article doesn't mention NO's though and this article you posted does say that she was in New Orleans giving out toys...so I'm chomping away here on my words......

[FreedomAngel82]

7. Of course they wouldn't

It's pure nonsense they aren't using their powers of influence to help people more. They don't give a damn and it's more proof.

[bammertheblue]

8. This is off topic, but...

is there some drive or something like that? I would love to buy some toys for those kids.
Or is it just a hypothetical whatever?

[KoKo]

11. I haven't seen anything posted here about it. But, might have missed it..

:shrug:

[obxhead]

9. Has pickles been the spearhead of anything yet?

[lectrobyte]

12. Her new slogan is "try not to be sad"

Personally, I've been trying for 5 years.

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/state/13391...

quoting 4 paragraphs:

Bush, accompanied by Santa during stops in New Orleans and Mississippi, said in Gulfport: "Try not to be sad. It's very important for your children."

She recommended reaching out to family services groups and counseling services, if needed.

Still, it was hard to deny how difficult it will be for some children to have a normal holiday season. In addition to having one or more of their parents away in the military, many witnessed the destruction of their homes and neighborhoods when Katrina blew ashore Aug. 29.

Many left homeless by Katrina are still living in trailers or tents.

[cal04]

13. Mike Malloy just read your post

on his show

[KoKo]

17. Oh NO! Just linked an article that said she was in Miss...and another

poster said she was in NO's where she gave out a hundred toys for tots..there. I'm so embarrassed. :blush: Can someone correct him? ...

[leesa]

19. Shouldn't Laura have rallied for Tookie Williams? Wasn't she into some

sort of fake 'save the inner city kids from gangs' thing between shopping trips and plastic surgery touch-ups? Wouldn't that have been a rather natural cause?