Where Was George During the Tsunami? On Vacation, Of Course! --->>>

[Stephanie]

In case you have forgotten, Katrina was not the first example of Bush's utter indifference to human suffering. Remember? Bush was AWOL for the Tsunami, too. The photos have expired from the posts below, but the captions remain. With yesterday's coverage of the one-year anniversary of the Tsunami, I think it's important to remember this. It's kind of astounding.


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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051226/ap_on_re_as/tsunami_toll_1

At Least 216,000 Dead, Missing in Tsunami
By The Associated Press Mon Dec 26, 4:35 PM ET

At least 216,000 people were killed or disappeared in the tsunami of Dec. 26, 2004, according to an assessment by The Associated Press of government and credible relief agency figures in the dozen countries affect.

The United Nations puts its total at 223,492 dead and missing, but notes that some figures are still being updated and that some countries haven't always distinguished between those killed and those not accounted for.

A definitive total will probably never be obtained. Many bodies were lost at sea and some places did not have good records of residents to allow an accurate assessment of missing people.
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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2872044

This president will surely rot in hell
Mon Dec-27-04 08:38 PM

AP

President George Bush (news - web sites) pulls his wife first lady Laura Bush into a photo op with the Crawford High School Pirates at Texas State Technical College in Waco, Texas, Dec. 26, 2004. The Pirates won the State 2A Division II football title this season. Bush is spending the New Year's holiday at his Crawford ranch. Standing in the front row are players, from left, Derek Dumas, Lee Murphy and Hunter Brown. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2877486

60,000 DEAD - Bush is RIDING HIS BIKE
Tue Dec-28-04 09:38 PM

Forget the recount. I say this is grounds for impeachment.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBP3EPKA3E.html

Bush Biking, Relaxing at Ranch
By Deb Riechmann Associated Press Writer
Published: Dec 28, 2004

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - Besides monitoring the devastating earthquake in Southeast Asia, President Bush is biking and strolling around his ranch here and pondering tax reform and other goals in his second term.

"He's clearing some brush this morning," deputy White House press secretary Trent Duffy said Tuesday, adding that the president and first lady also planned to host friends at the ranch.

"He's doing some biking and exercising as he normally does, taking walks with the first lady, and thinking about what he wants to accomplish in the second term." (more)

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2877029

Let Them Eat Cake
Wed Dec-29-04 12:39 AM

60,000 dead, to date.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32337-20...

The U.S. Role
Aid Grows Amid Remarks About President's Absence
Wednesday, December 29, 2004; Page A01

The Bush administration more than doubled its financial commitment yesterday to provide relief to nations suffering from the Indian Ocean tsunami, amid complaints that the vacationing President Bush has been insensitive to a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.

As the death toll surpassed 50,000 with no sign of abating, the U.S. Agency for International Development added $20 million to an earlier pledge of $15 million to provide relief, and the Pentagon dispatched an aircraft carrier and other military assets to the region. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, in morning television appearances, chafed at a top U.N. aid official's comment on Monday that wealthy countries were being stingy with aid. "The United States is not stingy," Powell said on CNN.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/chitribts/20041228/ts_chicagotrib/bushgalahasbigdonationspouringin

Bush gala has big donations pouring in
Tue Dec 28, 9:40 AM ET
By Mark Silva Washington Bureau

Soldiers will dance free of charge at President Bush (news - web sites)'s second inauguration, a record $40 million-plus celebration for "a nation at war" financed by some of the same big donors who bankrolled Bush's re-election campaign.

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2879268

Too Little Too Late, George >>>
Wed Dec-29-04 02:03 PM

Posing for a photo four days later does not count for anything.

Wed Dec 29,12:00 PM ET
AP

In this photo released by the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004, President Bush (news - web sites) speaks with Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga from Crawford, Texas on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004. (AP Photo/The White House, Eric Draper, HO)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/041229/480/wx10112291657
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[Jayhawk Lib]

1. If we only had a president.

If we only had a president instead of a rich playboy running around playing his little games. A real president would be in Washington DC taking care of business.

On the otherhand...with this on maybe we are better off with him out of the office and playing his little games...

[Stephanie]

2. The timing is almost exactly the same as Katrina

Katrina hit early Monday morning and Bush remained on vacation until Wednesday, when he finally flew back to DC. The tsunami hit on Sunday, and Bush did not appear to make a statement until Wednesday.

Welcome to DU!

[liberal N proud]

3. When is he not on Vacation or some little glory trip of some sort

He has managed to NOT be in Washington for more major events than any other president.
Never miss a Photo-Op though

[Stephanie]

4. And after the disaster occurs, he still won't get off his bicycle

That's what's astonishing. You get news that 60,000 people were just wiped off the planet, and you can't take a minute to go on television to pledge your support? Not for THREE DAYS? Just EXACTLY the same as Katrina. He's a sick man. Depraved indifference to human suffering. Criminal.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

5. Okay, Bush is a creep

this we know.

But I do have to mention that unlike Katrina, which was apparent immediately that major death and destruction was happening, the tsunami unfolded more slowly.

I remember hearing the first day 1000 people, then 3000. Then each day it went up. And it did not happen in this country.

So personally, I think Katrina is a better example of his cluelessness.

[Stephanie]

6. Actually first reports were of 60,000 killed, if you'll notice in my posts

I've posted links to threads from that week, above, and initially we thought 60,000 were dead. I think you are mis-remembering. Katrina revealed his cluelessness more clearly because it was happening here and it got so much more news coverage, but I think it's very interesting that the tsunami exactly foreshadowed his Katrina reaction, or non-reaction.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

7. I might have spread out the days. According to this linkk

it was a shorter period of time. I do remember it growing exponentially until it was absolutlely mind boggling.

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,334583,00.html


It was eerie foreshadowing, though, wasn't it?

[Stephanie]

8. thanks for the link -

So here is the report from Monday. Bush chose to go for a bike ride rather than make a statement or offer any aid:



http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,334583,00.html

1 p.m. and later: The number of victims rises by the hour. Only on Sunday night and early Monday do the biblical dimensions of the disaster become clear. By late Monday, officials estimate 26,000 deaths, with a minimum of 12,000 in Sri Lanka alone. Close to 5,000 are dead in Indonesia and another 5,600 in India. Thailand has reported 866 deaths, Malaysia 50 and the Maldives 43. About 12 people were killed by flooding in Burma. In Somalia on the Horn of Africa, reports trickle in indicating hundreds of dead.

Even now, one day later, the dimensions of the disaster are still immeasurable. The victim count rises by the hour, countless numbers of people are still missing and millions are homeless. The tidal wave is likely to be remembered as the worst catastrophe in recent history.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

9. Someone sent me a link during those days

of a truly horrible photograph where bodies were washed up among the debris as far as the eye could see. I have kept that in my picture folder and sometimes I look at it just to remind myself. It is easy to become deadened and numb to these things.