corrente

AP's headline over Jennifer Loven's story: Bush Acknowledges Problems With Federal Disaster Relief Effort!

Except that's not what happened. Loven's quotes are taken from this transsript. Generously billed by AP as a "press conference," the actual context is "remarks to the press," i.e. the sort of one-way, no-questions photo-op on the way to the helicopter that Bush loves so much.

[BUSH] A lot of people working hard to help those who've been affected. And I want to thank the people for their efforts. The results are not acceptable.

Funny, I don't hear Bush acknowleding any responsibility....

I'm heading down there right now. I'm looking forward to talking to the people on the ground.

What, you mean this can't be handled from Hellmouth Crawford, TX ?
Does Bush not trust his own chain of command, or—say it isn't so—could this trip be just an extended photo op?

Yeah, it's my guess that Rove has decided that Bush needs to stand on top of a second pile of rubble. Watch for the photo of someone handing him a hard hat with a flag on it.

I want to assure the people of the affected areas and this country that we'll deploy the assets necessary to get the situation under control, to get the help to the people who've been affected, and that we're beginning long-term planning to help those who have been displaced, as well as long-term planning to help rebuild the communities that have been affected.

"Rebuild the communities..." Say, I bet that "Blame New Orleans" meme (back) is going to die like a switch got thrown...

But "long-term planning", eh? Funny how I don't hear anything about money...

And funny, I still don't hear Bush taking any responsibility...

I'm looking forward to my trip down there and looking forward to thanking those on the ground and looking forward to assure people that we'll get on top of this situation and we're going to help people who need help.

Gosh, I hate to point this out, but the time to get "on top of this situation" was before the disaster happened. Too little, too late. As usual.

Any sign of Bush taking responsibility here? Didn't think so.

Thank you. That's it.

Yeah, "that's it" alright. Bush doesn't want to take questions. I wonder why?

NOTE Anyone see this on TV? I wonder what Bush's body language was like. In the text itself, the langauge is wierdly corporate; it's as if Bush is quoting from half-remembered MBA papers; "deploy assets," "long term planning," "affected areas,"
"the situation" ... A very flat affect.