President Bush during a briefing on Hurricane Katrina

[hummingwolf]

The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch. (Laughter.)

I think it is time for me to get away from the news and take a good, long walk.

Comments

[darth-spacey.livejournal.com]

Honestly, what's wrong with him remaining upbeat -- trying, no doubt to provide a good example to people having a hard time maintaining good morale?

If he was running round crying "OMGZ! The world is ending! We're all fucked! New Orleans is finished!" would you feel any better?

[xforge.livejournal.com]

How about a happy medium, Darth? How about the President not making stupid wisecracks about the sweet palace one of his ultrarich buddies is going to build with the insurance money whilst people are dying of dehydration in a convention hall in Louisiana?

[darth-spacey.livejournal.com]

Potentially, but I think he wants to try very hard to *not* project any kind of "doom and gloom" attitude. I really think people would be charging "Chicken Little" if he so much as let that facade slip for a moment.

[paradigm-palace.livejournal.com]

I'm absolutely convinced that no mater what Bush says or how he says it, people who already have a deep-seeded political dislike for the man are going to perceive his comments as half-hearted, insincere and opportunistic when it comes to Hurricane Katrina. I agree with you that his remaining upbeat is preferable to a doomsday speech that would likely do little but cause *more* panic and grief.

[hummingwolf.livejournal.com]

Gosh, did I say there was anything wrong with it? I just posted a quote, then said I needed to go for a walk.

Okay, you want to know why I have a problem with his statement? The fact that the known death toll in Mississippi has reached well over a hundred, and officials in New Orleans believe the death toll in their city alone--nevermind the surrounding areas--may be in the thousands. This is a time of national mourning. One job of a head of state at a time like this is to express sympathy to the bereaved.

I'll give him this. If when he says "out
of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before," he means he will miraculously resurrect the dead, he deserves all the credit we can give him. But in the real world where he is merely human, he gets credit for stunning insensitivity.