On his way back to DC from Crawford President Bush had Airforce One fly low so he could see the devestation. Now he wants to actually visit effected areas in Mississippi and New Orleans itself! This is absurd with the amount of security the man will need. The only reason for the President to be there is for PR. The local police and National Guard have enought to worry about without having to provide security for a presidential visit.
There is no way on earth Bush can stay away. He’d be criticized for not going as well.
In My Himble Opinion, this will turn into a Great Debate soon…
In My Humble Opinion, this will turn into a Great Debate soon…
He’s damned no matter what he does
This was during Charley. It doesn’t matter when he shows up, for some, it will be too early/too late/too disruptive/too short a visit/too long.
And what would Bush actually do if he went, other than get his picture taken next to ruins with survivors? Unless he’s going to transfer his powers to Cheney and start handing out bottled water to refugees or dodge snipers to evacutate hospital patients (sans Secret Service), this is a PR stunt. 
:mad:
A show of strong leadership is what this disaster needs right now. It is a good idea for Bush to go and not even really a choice IMHO. Bush standing next to the fallen WTCs let people know that the highest levels of government were taking things very seriously and working on the problem. The same thing needs to be done here.
A lot of politics is just grandstanding and showmanship but this is an example of a place where it needs to be done. The people effected need a boost of confidence that things can be solved.
IMOWBRHO, a real leader would do what is best for the people in NO … which means stay away unless there is actually something he could contribute.
I agree. Yes, right right now isn’t quite the time. Keep getting those people out of there. But remember the speech? he gave through that bullhorn at Ground Zero? (I say “speech?” because I don’t know if it was scripted or not.) I don’t remember exactly what he said the night of 9/11. I don’t remember much of what he said yesterday in the press conference. But I do remember what he said through that bullhorn and that’s the kind of message that is needed.
But he wasn’t just talking to NYC when he was on the rubble after 9/11.
He needed to say something to the nation.
It’s a SOP for a leader of a country to head to a disaster area. Blair left the G8 conference to go to London after the bombings. Bush toured Florida last year after the hurricanes.
Like it or not, he needs to do this. If he doesn’t show up people would be screaming about him not showing up.
What Bush needs to do is say, “The extent of the devastation is so self-evident. I do not wish to distract from the rescue efforts so while I am not going to personally visit the site at this time I am ordering the immediate relief efforts…”
You actually think he would get away with it? He’s going to go tour the devastation. That’s part of his job as POTUS.
It’ll never work. He’s got to go, even if it’s foolhardy. No excuse will suffice. He must appear “leaderly”, even if his presence is more of a hindrance than anything, or the American Public will never forgive him.
I’m no Bush fan, but I’ll cut him slack on that one. The demands we place on our leaders in times of crisis make no rational sense (nor do some of the things we’re willing to forgive, either).
I remember all the flack Putin got for the sinking of the Kursk. It could be argued that the lashing he received by the press at that time had a great deal to do with his repressive crackdown on it. What was his crime? He stayed in the Crimea on holiday. But really, if he’d flown off to the northern seas and donned goggles and flippers himself it wouldn’t have made a damn bit of difference. The boat would be just as sunk, and the crew just as dead no matter what his actions, so why focus on his whereabouts? It’s a universal phenomenon.
True. But do you see what I’m trying to get at? If you’re looking for President Bush to provide some sort of leadership (and let’s face it, talking is about any president can do in such a situation, the people under him in the Executive Department are the ones that really do things), this is what he can do. Touring the site doesn’t really do anything. He’s not going to clear rubble or rescue survivors. But if he can give at least some comfort and hope to the people, then, in my opinion, he has done his job as best he can at this particular point in time. Heck, I’d advocate him visting every refugee site as soon as possible if the security problems could be taken care of.
I thought Putin got crap for the sinking of the Kursk because the Russian government waited until it was too late to ask for help that they needed to rescue the sailors, who could have been rescued. Remember how when another Russian sub had problems earlier this summer that this time they asked for help at once and we were able to save the sailors?
How are they going to secure the area for a head of state when they can’t even secure it for rescuers? Whenever POTUS visits an area under normal circumstances it causes a massive disruption for local authorities. To secure parts of NOLA for him they’ll need to pull even more police from search & rescue. As to bringing hope and comfort to refugees; visit the Houston Astrodome. New Orleanians will be better comforted by being let out of the city! As much I dislike Bush him getting shot would might make things worse.
You don’t think the Secret Service knows how to handle this? Pres Bush will be quite safe, I assure you. And he has to see with his own eyes. And the news has to broadcast him touring the area. The rescue efforts will go on around him. It’s not like he’s going to tie up traffic with his motorcade as they travel down I-10.
President Bush going to the Astrodome and the other sites are what I was thinking of, not going into New Orleans. My apologies that that wasn’t clear. But you still do have some security problem if you’re going to have him try to visit 25,000 people and make it have some sort of meaning. Maybe it’s no worse a problem than what the Secret Service faces when he goes anywhere else to talk to a group, but it is still a consideration.
as long as he brings cases and jugs of water with him let him visit.