Aid Grows Amid Remarks About President's Absence -WP

[Rose Siding]

...Skeptics said the initial aid sums -- as well as Bush's decision at first to remain cloistered on his Texas ranch for the Christmas holiday rather than speak in person about the tragedy -- showed scant appreciation for the magnitude of suffering and for the rescue and rebuilding work facing such nations as Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Indonesia.
After a day of repeated inquiries from reporters about his public absence, Bush late yesterday afternoon announced plans to hold a National Security Council meeting by teleconference to discuss several issues, including the tsunami, followed by a short public statement.

Bush's deepened public involvement puts him more in line with other world figures. In Germany, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder cut short his vacation and returned to work in Berlin because of the Indian Ocean crisis, which began with a gigantic underwater earthquake. In Britain, the predominant U.S. voice speaking about the disaster was not Bush but former president Bill Clinton, who in an interview with the BBC said the suffering was like something in a "horror movie," and urged a coordinated international response.

Earlier yesterday, White House spokesman Trent Duffy said the president was confident he could monitor events effectively without returning to Washington or making public statements in Crawford, where he spent part of the day clearing brush and bicycling. Explaining the about-face, a White House official said: "The president wanted to be fully briefed on our efforts. He didn't want to make a symbolic statement about 'We feel your pain.' "
...
Some foreign policy specialists said Bush's actions and words both communicated a lack of urgency to an event that will loom as large in the collective memories of several countries as the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks do in the United States. "When that many human beings die -- at the hands of terrorists or nature -- you've got to show that this matters to you, that you care," said Leslie Gelb, emeritus president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32337-2004Dec28.html?nav=rss_politics

He might get chewed up over this.

[Catshrink]

1. They had to dry him out...

must have been some bender, eh?

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

4. Yep...

... something is rotten in Crawford (but we all knew that).

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

5. Dude needs a couple of days

to dry out, don'tcha know...

Strolling...bike riding...

Have a pretzel while you are at it, George...

[Supersedeas]

111. Speech writers complete with Biblical References to come

The commoners are so impatient these days....another yogurt covered pretzel please.

Rove smiles.

[DBoon]

12. No - they had to convince him to pretend to give a damn

about people who are actually suffering.

I think they had to train him to stop giggling when he thought about poor dark-skinned Asians being swept to sea.

[Name removed]

61. Deleted message

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[Straight Shooter]

64. No. Only the parts of the world with oil.

Jeebers.

[DBoon]

69. That's why God speaks to George Bush

and guides his every decision. The US is God's blessed country, and as such is responsible for the salvation of the rest of the world.

[The Zanti Regent]

94. He probably wanted more tax cuts

OR

I can truly see that ass on the phone screaming for India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia to cut their taxes, then he'll slip the Jesus witnessing shit in too...

[Nothing Without Hope]

121. He doesn't care about their tax cuts

since it doesn't benefit HIM. He gets both money and support from Fat Cats for his regime from his tax cut scheme. It's not like it's something he really believes is going to help the country. Why would he ask some other country to do it? If it isn't in his own personal interest, he isn't going to give a damn one way or the other. As he has been demonstrating with his apathy toward the survivors of the catastrophe.

Like I said elsewhere on this thread, it's HARD WORK to pretend to feel compassion when you're a sociopath.

It must be even harder for an relentlessly greedy, endlessly narcissistic one.

[Dulcinea]

156. He had to practice pronouncing "tsunami"

because "tidal wave" wouldn't sound presidential.

HARD WORK, y'know.

[Gman]

33. Yup

pickling his liver

[mitchum]

46. That's the same reason it took him so long to respond after the Columbia..

disaster (which was nearly 5 hours) His days off are really off and he must be "prepped"

[DoYouEverWonder]

86. I was thinking about that event also

NASA had to delay their own press conference that day, so that W could finish getting prepped and it wouldn't look so bad that it took him half the day to get his act together.

[Lorien]

130. I think that's what "clearing brush" really means

and he seems to do a lot of it in Crawford.

[BlueStatesForever]

159. Joking aside

Joking aside, I'll bet you're right about that. I hadn't even thought of it.

[Catfight]

2. Bush needs the extra time to pronounce "Tsunami" correctly. nt

[marew]

35. Sadly, your comment is probably true. n/t

[TexasChick]

123. OMG! ROFLMBO!! n/t

[davidinalameda]

140. that's wrong

but true

[arcos]

3. but some people here think $35 million is too much money for aid....

:eyes:

[MichiganVote]

7. Really Arcos? That's funny coming from you

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

8. Sounds like downright WELFARE to me

just think of how many cruise missiles that money could buy...

Or inaugural parties...

[hatrack]

24. Damn straight! They can pull themselves up by their bootstraps!

It worked for George W. Bush and by God, it can work for THEM!

On edit: :puke:

[DBoon]

70. We earned it, we get to keep it

If they want money, let them earn it too

[svpadgham]

150. Actually...

I don't think $35 million would pay for one of *'s inaguration parties.

[GetTheRightVote]

11. but $40 million for * argu, we should always lead with compassion in

our hearts so we can stand before all people where ever they live and stand tall. If it were are home that was destoried we would turn to the world for this type of help so we should give it as well. I feel so sorry for those people over there, life cut off short ......... no amount of money can replace the lost of life, just terrible, terrible.

:kick:

* is a disgrace to have not ran home the moment he heard about it.

Sorry son of a b*.

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

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[MichiganVote]

6. Who gives a damn. He'll only offer another Bushism anyway.

What book is he reading this time?

[puddycat]

9. to paraphrase his momma, "Why should he worry his mind about that?"

Here's Babs Bush's quote: "Why should we hear about body bags and deaths," Barbara Bush said on ABC's "Good Morning America" on March 18, 2003. "Oh, I mean, it's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?" (from article by Joyce Marcel titled "Her Beautiful Mind" http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0429-11.htm )

So, no wonder Junior has grown up just like his Momma. One sociopath begets another. To Junior, those thousands of victims of the tidal wave are just a nuisance, to be swatted away like a fly.

[Tinoire]

79. The beautiful mind syndrome! you beat me to it lol n/t

[lonestarnot]

147. Oh Gawd the Mamma; living testament to abortion rights!

Like to whack her on the can with a skillet!

[TahitiNut]

10. Considering the outpouring of sympathy we got on 9/11 ...

... Smirk demonstrates the molecule-thin sham of 'compassion' he cloaks himself within. That utter waste of protoplasm is a disgrace to the human race.

[NYC]

16. Good comparison.

3,000 dead, and we expect an outpouring of sympathy from everyone -- and got it.

55,000 dead and counting, he can't even interrupt his vacation for 5 minutes to say he's sorry to hear it.

[Nothing Without Hope]

29. Pretending to feel compassion is HARD WORK when you're a sociopath

He shames us all...again.

[TahitiNut]

42. He's a detestible sack of narcissistic shit, for sure.

"What's in it for me?" is his sole guide - provoking reaction rather than acting with conscience.

[Nothing Without Hope]

43. One of the remaining mysteries...

...is how, even with the power of spin, ANYONE could ever have believed he was a "nice guy." His shallowness and meanness of spirit are obvious to the whole world.

[tavalon]

48. They did it

by rarely letting him out without a script. When he accidently gets out unscripted, people are repelled.

[Nothing Without Hope]

56. It still amazes me

that with his entire life history of bullying, petty meanness, together with that of his extremely unpleasant family, "they" have managed to convince so many people that he is a "nice guy."

The magnitude of distortion that had to be maintained constantly, without revealing moments of truth being allowed to get out, is boggling.

Another mystery is why the wingnut fundies don't suspect that this non-church-attending, go-by-what-I-say-not-by-what-I-do hypocrite is a fraud. Usually their level of paranoia is pretty high.

Well, that's enough thinking about that for tonight. My disgust-o-meter is pegging out here. Time for a hot shower and bed.

[Flammable Materials]

98. His supporters don't like him because he's a "nice guy" ...

... they like him because he's a bully and they KNOW he's a bully.

[Nothing Without Hope]

122. I don't think anyone who really knows him likes him -- but they USE him

I do think there are a lot of people who have been taken in by the "nice guy" spin and THINK they like him. Of course, they don't really know him at all, only the TV image that has been carefully concocted.

As for his "friends," it's not his being a bully that they most admire IMO, it's that he is USEFUL to their own interests. They tolerate his pettiness because he's a tool for them. His policies are geared to giving them what they want -- pigs at the trough -- and as long as they get it, they will continue to support him.

Early in his first term, there was a New Yorker cartoon that I thought captured this well: Two obvious Fat Cats are having a private chat, and one says to the other, "I really like the way he is mismanaging the economy." The other smiles wolfishly.

[VaYallaDawg]

134. I think you hit it right on the head tavalon.

Nothing puts fear in the hearts of the GOP bigwigs like the thought of * without a script.

[Maat]

59. That's exact what it is.

During my therapist-intern/social-worker years, I repeatedly came upon a certain type of personality (and discussed it with psychologists who agreed with me), that were essentially spoiled brats. They started out as narcissists, continued on, viewing themselves as the center of the Earth. They tend to become enraged when one of the pawns (that's everyone else) does not do what they want. If they show kindness or empathy, it comes off as phoney, because they literally do not feel the need to put themselves in anyone else's shoes. The only thing that they respect is brutal power. And they respect each other. They seemed to be such narcissists to me, that the line between them and sociopathy seemsed thin. It was just that their conduct didn't appear overtly antisocial, and they weren't poor enough to encounter the prison system cycle over and over again. Bush really seems like this type of person.

One of my close relatives is just like this. She believes that O.J. (a fellow narcissist of this type) is innocent, and Bush is a great leader. They seem to have an affinity for each other. Scott Peterson seems like another to me.

[TahitiNut]

114. Yes, it's pretty obvious he has Narcissistic Personality Disorder ...

... and (secondarily) Sociopathic Personality Disorder, per DSM-IV. He's the poster boy for NPD as far as I can tell. This has been discussed frequently on DU for over three years, and has been opined in the niche media by mental health professionals, as well.

For nearly all of my life (6 decades), I've thought people who voiced a deep animosity toward a political figure, particularly a president, were strange, fringe zealots. Rabid partisans. This is the first time I've held such a belief myself, and I'm anything but a partisan.

I eschew political partisanship - almost obsessively focused on issues, principles, and character compatible with what I strongly believe are egalitarian and just. I've probably supported as many Republicans as Democrats in my life - until the Clinton Inquisitions. (While I have some major disagreements with Clinton/Gore policies, the Inquisition was insane and corrupt.)

Bush* Pere et Fils have been the most detestable figures in American politics since McCarthy, and maybe even surpassing ol' Joe. Bush* Fils is 10 times worse than Pere, and Pere was an unmitigated disaster as both a person and a president. I never imagined I'd see this in the US.

[NYC]

44. I'll bet they don't even apologize for the delay.

And it's 68,000 dead the last I heard.

[Nothing Without Hope]

53. I think it's going to be well over 100,000

There should be a national day of mourning, with flags at half-mast
Most of the money for the inaugural should be shifted to disaster relief
And much more

But instead we have the self-satisfied little sociopath in Crawford, who cannot even be bothered to speak on the tragedy with his own imperial mouth.

It used to be thought around the world that the national character of the US included a "good heart." Well, he's taken care of what was left of that.

[calimary]

96. Oh no, he must not be denied his orgy. Now watch this drive.

Ladies and gentlemen, Nero lives. Nero meets Marie Antoinette.

[MidwestTransplant]

66. American dead don't equal foreign dead

much less people from 3rd world countries.

In the meantime, over at Free Republic they are trying to figure out how missionary work may be more succesful in the wake of the tradgedy. Just like Jesus would have wanted.

[NYC]

75. Are you serious? Missionaries?

I hope not. Those people need clean drinking water, not bibles. What an insult that would be to them.

[TexasChick]

127. Eh, you're talking about Freeptards here. It makes complete sense to

those imbeciles!!!

[pacifictiger]

73. and that 3000 number

(for 9/11) included people from other countries as well. I think there were about 2800 americans.

[NYC]

76. You're right. And I think

it was under 2,800 Americans. The count kept going down.

Either way, it's unacceptable to ignore a major catastrophe like the earthquakes that have just occurred. Last I read, Bush is "biking, clearing brush, and strolling". He's not the sort of man who has to dial his own telephone. They could have handed him a telephone so that he could make a statement saying he was sorry this had happened. He could have done that in one minute. Too much trouble. Wouldn't want to interfere with his vacation.

Bush, the professional vacationer.

[Lorien]

133. I think the actual number may have been under

2800; the media consistently rounds the numbers upwards for 9/11, downwards for things like American and Iraqi casualties in Iraq, marchers at protests, taxpayer $$ used to fund the invasion and Halliburtan, exit poll #s for Kerry, etc.

[aquart]

32. The world was wonderful to us.

I will NEVER forget those pictures of memorials and candle lightings all over the world.

They won't forget that we turned out to be cold-hearted bastards when they were suffering. Nor should they.

[Wilms]

60. Yeah, but 9/11 is different.

We had nothing to do with that. It was caused by people who "hate Freedom" and Christ, too.

The tsunami was God's judgement. Those people must have....

OK, I'll stop. :eyes:

[Valerie5555]

Didn't the Ayatollahs Fallwellmeini and Robertsonmeini also say that 9/11

was also a "judgement of God??????????????????" :eyes:

[Wilms]

72. You are right.

I guess they have trouble staying on-message somedays!:)

[Hekate]

87. Fortunately, Americans (aside from Bushes) do want to help

The average American, whether Red or Blue state, has a compassionate heart and I'm guessing we're already contributing mightily to the various aid organizations.

It would be nice if we also had a president who could spontaneously and genuinely speak on our behalf, instead of Mr. Let Them Eat Cake, the drunken chimp. He makes us all look cheap and uncaring.

Hekate

[Rose Siding]

106. People were asking "where's the president" then, too.

[Patchuli]

13. 'We feel your pain?"

Anyone else feel as mortified as I do right now even though you
didn't vote for him either???????? What an *^*$@%#!!!

[Skittles]

17. mortified beyond belief

that incompetent bastard is a disgrace to America

[marew]

47. You've got that right.

Bush is an embarrassment to the human race. He doesn't have a clue about real life. If this is the way a Christian behaves...then I sure don't want to be one. Our jackass president was born into money..he doesn't have a clue. Between this lousy response to this horrible tragedy and the monstrous things he has caused in Iraq, by the time he leaves office, the whole world will hate us. Obviously the man is completely incapable of sensitivity, compassion, kindness. He has been a selfish jerk all his life. Why should he change now? America could have led the world in helping those who have suffered so in this last tragedy. Bush disgusts me more every day! And with his "mandate" and "political capital" it is going to get a lot worse. The next four years will be hell. I still keep hoping this is just a nightmare, that 51% of the population are not complete idiots, and the chimp won't be around for the next four years.

[TexasChick]

129. marew, that Chimp is no Christian. We true Christians call him a "false

prophet". Chimpy McFlightsuit wouldn't know Christ from a rock on the ground. It's just a ploy to gain Reich Wing fundie votes. We Christians see right through this fake Christian Chimp, please don't think that Chimp represents Christians because he doesn't. :hi:

[Patchuli]

148. I agree with you

with all my heart. I am of the Christian Left and see nothing
of what I believe in the behavior of the neocon-supporting
evangelical hordes.

[Prodemsouth]

14. Lets take a little kick at Clinton..He didn't want to make a symbolic

statement about "We feel your pain".. Worried more about Clinton upstaging them than the damn tragic event. Jeeze Damn these people and those that support them to Hell...

[Rose Siding]

18. Yeah, and heaven FORBID

that a pol ever actually FEEL the pain of others. As if it were a GIVEN, the toad dismisses the concept as "symbolic".

I wish I could find the rest of the speech. Pundit clowns and repubs would mock the Sermon on The Mount if it could be spun to their advantage.

But Clinton is upstaging him anyway- this is the first I've read of his statements in Europe, but you can bet he's getting press there and making us look better than Bushbo could.

[Prodemsouth]

23. No Clinton is not making us like good..Europe is thinking they

impeached this guy for a blow job.. and they love this monkey so much..God what a fucked up country.

[LynnTheDem]

77. Actually Europe thought Americans were strange idiots for giving a damn

about a man and a woman having consensual sex. They're not as uptight over there about sex.

Clinton has always been popular abroad. He still is.

bush, of course, is massively detested abroad, including by his poodle's people, the Brits.

[Prodemsouth]

99. That is exactly what I am saying. They think were screwed up for

impeaching Clinton and loving the monkey(that would mean Bush) so much.

[LynnTheDem]

104. Ahhh, gotcha now

Sorry. :)

[Prodemsouth]

109. No, apology needed. I could have made the post more clear.

I was just so pissed off - I was just spewing through the keyboard last night. I am always pissed off at Bush and his supporters- but I was extra, extra, pissed off at him last night.

[LynnTheDem]

110. Me too...

I was too extra pissed off with bush to read your post correctly.

He really is a sociopathic ignorant stupid fool of a total idiotic MFer, isn't he.

[Prodemsouth]

116. Yes and then some.

n/t

[Valerie5555]

68. Since Clinton upstaged him in NY after the "incidents" of Sept 11 2001 ,

what would it matter????????????????????????


On edit He was in AUSTRALIA and BEAT the "POLLO MIERDA" OR "CHICKEN SHIT" back to NY, remember????????????????????

[Strawman]

55. That has to be one of the most heartless, immature quotes I have ever read

I cannot even fathom what kind of person uses a tragedy like this to take a hyper-defensive dig at fucking Bill Clinton in the face of such staggering loss of life. How thoroughly cynical and morally bankrupt must a person be to even think like that? I hope * can get it together and show proper respect for the victims of this disaster. As much as I can't stand the guy, I really do hope that somehow he will manage not to fail here. That's pure hope. I have no confidence it will go that way.

I imagine this official who made the "I feel your pain" sarcastic quip reads the New York Times and saw the same pictures that I did today. And he/she says that in response? That comment is seriously upsetting me. It literally makes me sick in the pit of my stomach that these are the kind of heartless cynical people in charge of our government.

[wicket]

93. I'm so disgusted

They just HAD to get in a dig at him, what a bunch of scumbags!!! :grr: :grr:

[lancdem]

125. Yeah, that made me mad

As if I need another reason to despise them.

[yorkiemommie1]

15. once again slow to react

eom

[SuffragetteSal]

30. and this is the way a true leader behaves?

I think not! To your room George and no video games for you tonight!

[Pithy Cherub]

19. * has to shamed into responding like a real president.

The fact that he can not do this on his own initiative confirms the crass character that is *. He can not even be bothered to read a statement espousing America's concern and a rendering of assistance.

My personal symapthy and empathy to each and every individual that suffered the loss of a home, loved one and way of life. May blessings be bestowed upon them and us. We will need them.

[Divernan]

20. Sociopaths are incapable of feeling ANYBODY'S pain.

Remember how Bush mocked the woman on death row when he was Governor of Texas: "Oh, please, don't kill me" he simpered in a falsetto voice. Truly inhuman, without a scintilla of human kindness in his being.

[jbnow]

154. They might not feel the pain

but they sre usually better at pretending they do then bush is.

And I have never forgotten how he mocked Carla Fay Tucker. (He was probably surprised that Tucker Carlson reported it...along with the profanities he used in the interview. He felt comfortable in front of a sympathizer. The campaign later said Carlson invented it!)

Bush is not a very good sociopath, not as clever, cunning or charming as they can be. So how are people being duped by someone who is not even good at it. (Whether it was 48% or 51% of voters who picked him...how could there be that many. OK I know that is another subject, it just boggles my mind)

[Pastiche423]

21. When did Trent Duffy

become the WH spokesman?

I do hope photos from his short public statement make it to the net. It appears his make-up person is going to have a hell of a job.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

22. bush is PURE EVIL

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

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[4MoreYearsOfHell]

80. You gotta be shittin' me

some lurking asshole commented on this?

Get a life, freeptard...

[bpilgrim]

25. "clearing brush and bicycling" my a$$

while on VACATION?!

i thought the lazy bum was tired form all the 'hard work' :argh:

peace

[bpilgrim]

27. looks like the rest of our gov followed his lead - OFFICIALS in VIP louge

American diver underwater during catastrophe

Faye Wachs said she was impressed by the efforts of the Thai government and the International Committee for the Red Cross, but "she was appalled at the treatment they got" from the U.S. government, her mother said.

At the airport in Bangkok, other governments had set up booths to greet nationals who had been affected and to help repatriate them, she said.

That was not the case with the U.S. government, Wachs told her mother. It took the couple three hours, she said, to find the officials from the American consulate, who were in the VIP lounge.

Because they had lost all their possessions, including their documentation, they had to have new passports issued.

But the U.S. officials demanded payment to take the passport pictures, Helen Wachs said.

more...
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/28/tsunami.diver/

there is nothing healthy bout being well adjusted to a SICK society -

peace

[aquart]

36. The CNN story is disgusting. In the VIP Lounge???????

Europe took care of its people and WE CHARGED FOR PASSPORT PICTURES?????

[bpilgrim]

39. they didn't want make a "SYMBOLIC STATEMENT" - "We feel your pain"

"The president wanted to be fully briefed on our efforts. He didn't want to make a symbolic statement about 'We feel your pain.'

Many Bush aides believe Clinton was too quick to head for the cameras to hold forth on tragedies with his trademark empathy. "Actions speak louder than words," a top Bush aide said, describing the president's view of his appropriate role.

source...
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6763683

these are some SICK puppies :puke:

peace

[Mr_Scarecrow]

135. Trademark Empathy!

And the Repugs wonder why they can't break the Clintonistas! It's that "trademark empathy," oh so calculated and endearing. It's almost like he "cares" or something. What a foreign concept to them.

My theory why Bush hasn't responded: Not a bender, like many have said. It's the orchestra. Just like the orchestration after 9/11, Rove, et al are composing a grand symphony, of which the primary beneficiaries will be the Republican party and their business interests. It takes time to compose the master plan, to come up with the exact notes that must be played to demonize the left and glorify the right. In this case, they are adjusting their already existing fugue to incorporate the "tsunami overture".

The freepers are not crazy to know that missionaries will be a huge part of our relief efforts. Look at our Bush-directed aid efforts elsewhere and the shape of tsunami relief should be clear.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

157. I remember being impressed by the amount of compassion and empathy

that Clinton showed when one of these major natural disasters occurred on his watch -I think it was either a massive earthquake in India or in Turkey (I forget which). And that tragedy only claimed a tiny proportion of lives compared to this one.

I am truly sickened by the fact that we have such selfish and self-absorbed officials in the White House consistently playing the fiddle while the world burns all around them

[burrowowl]

58. This is typical U$ Gov

behavior. I have traveled a lot and coming back into the U$, even though a citizen, is always a pain. Never, ever, when abroad feel like U$ embassies and counsulates are there to help you the citizen. There are there to make deals, spy, etc. in the country they are located in.

[Valerie5555]

71. Am sure the Canadian ones may be slightly better in coming to the defence

of Canadians but things may be problematic for you if you're a "dual national" i.e. like Maher Arrar or Zahra Kazemi.

[Spazito]

119. Untrue! Arar being sent to Syria was the actions of the US...

not Canada. There is an official inquiry going on regarding this but none going on in the US for deporting a Canadian citizen to Syria to be tortured.

[burrowowl]

144. Let's say that

other countries are less anal and controlling and Canada is looking into said cases.

[thecrow]

82. Yes. I saw the interview on CNN earlier today

I was disgusted

[KansDem]

141. Yeah, apparently between martinis...

I'm surprised those officials in the VIP Lounge didn't request the Americans to "pick up the check..."

[ElsewheresDaughter]

115. Kerry made a statement about the disaster

[bpilgrim]

138. gotta link?

tia :toast:

peace

[FourStarDemocrat]

26. How I long for the days when we had a *real* President...

..like Bill Clinton, instead of this criminal hanging about on his Texas ranch sweeping brush, while an international crisis unfolds.

[hatrack]

28. A strategic consideration I can't believe no one's mentioned

Natural disasters like this (and there hasn't been anything on this scale since perhaps the Bangladesh cyclone of 1970 - something like 300,000 killed - a conservative estimate) can destabilize entire countries. I find it unbelievable that no one at the White House has even apparently thought about this.

Look at the last time Indonesia's geology went ape-shit. When Krakatoa blew, the effects were so devastating, and the response so ineffective in the face of absolute devastation, that it produced a slow-burning Muslim religious insurrection across a big chunk of the (then) Dutch East Indies, especially in western Java and Eastern Sumatra. It went on for years in a long and hopeless war against the Dutch, and thousands died.

Krakatoa killed about 35,000, most in Indonesia. This time around, I'd be willing to bet that we'll be talking about at least 100,000 dead before it's all done, and I think that's probably a lowball estimate.

So let's look at the countries involved:

Sri Lanka - in the middle of a slow-motion civil war in which 10s of thousands have already died.

Thailand & Malaysia - both facing Islamic radicals

India - Staggering poverty, staggering corruption and a calcified bureaucracy which is probably not going to come out of this smelling too sweet, especially considering their response to the Orissa cyclone a few years back.

Burma - a corrupt military dictatorship trying to hold the lid on a whole lot of pissed-off people.

Indonesia - the worst-hit region is Aceh, where there's already an insurrection against both the central government and foreign oil companies underway.

So, what we're looking at is a whole lot of stress on social and government systems striking governments that are not too well equipped to handle that stress. This is a serious geopolitical regional kick in the pants, and all the Crawford Chimpanzee can do is hurl sticks and fruit while emitting sporadic sympathetic hoots. Not good enough, Chimpass.

[riverwalker]

34. which why I worry about all the military

we are sending there "to help". How is the military going to help? I can understand the hospital ships, and perhaps the use of their heavy equipment, but I don't trust Rummy's intentions.
After Abu Ghraib, I doubt the US military will ever be welcome anywhere, even after a disaster such as this.

[aquart]

38. But a really huge and efficient western response

Might quell many rising movements of resentment against the west. I know who was kind when I was grief-stricken. I'll never turn against those people.

So, basically, it's shell out now or spend it on war later. And if we show our compassionate side now (and I know we have a great one) we don't get to watch our children die later.

And maybe, the next time we're in trouble, they'll help us.

This is why social darwinism is a total bust. Social altruism is what leads to another generation.

[mitchum]

52. Aquart, that is beautiful and true

"Social altruism is what leads to another generation"
Well said, my friend

[Straight Shooter]

65. Well said. There is a critical sociopolitical perspective.

bush of course is blind to anything except that which stares him in the face. Your post is much too nuanced and complex for him to consider. Could you please restate that for the mentality of a 5-year-old? Perhaps a fraggot (freeper maggot) may be able to relay the info to Rove, then on to Little Boots.

[Hekate]

90. The Crawford Chimp hurls sticks and fruit while hooting?! ROFLMAO

"... and all the Crawford Chimpanzee can do is hurl sticks and fruit while emitting sporadic sympathetic hoots. Not good enough, Chimpass."

Oh my. (wipes tears from eyes) Oh my. Very well put. Excellent extension of the metaphor.

Thank you for the enduring image. :evilgrin:

Hekate

[Cerridwen]

95. Perhaps it was a fortuitous happenstance for the * family empire.

"There were also governments in the developing sector whose obedience to the Anglo-Saxon supermen was in doubt. The 250,000,000 Arabs, who were in turn the vanguard of a billion Moslems, would always be intractable. The out-of-area deployments doctrine of the Atlantic Alliance would now be the framework for the ritual immolation of the leading Arab state, which happened to be Iraq. Later, there would be time to crush and dismember India, Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia and some others." emphasis mine

snipped from George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography --- by Webster G. Tarpley & Anton Chaitkin http://www.tarpley.net/bush24.htm

I'm not saying conspiracy theory; I'm saying if the * family has it's sights set on destroying these nations; this makes it easier for them to carry out their agenda.

But then, maybe the author of that site is full of crap.

:shrug:

edited to add emphasis and my part in it

[young_at_heart]

31. Was he really clearing brush........again?

Clearing brush seems to be very important to him for some reason. It's hard to picture our president doing this while something of such major magnitude has been going on.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

45. Hard To Picture?

"It's hard to picture our president doing this while something of such major magnitude has been going on"

IT IS?

[young_at_heart]

54. Our, meaning THE president of this country, whomever that might be

I believe that Clinton or Carter would have responded immediately.

[pacifictiger]

83. Self absorbed with a

bush - how telling.

[Tangledog]

37. Yeah, absence

Explaining the about-face, a White House official said: "The president wanted to be fully briefed on our efforts. He didn't want to make a symbolic statement about 'We feel your pain.' "

That's exactly what any president has to do. For starters. Symbolic statements have symbolic importance. That's why we call them "symbolic."

Aww, what the blow, he'll find a way to blame Trent Duffy and carry on as before.

[bpilgrim]

40. this is GROSS incompetence

it'll be us against the world before this is over :argh:

peace

[tavalon]

50. Already is, my friend.

This is just icing on the shit cake we've been handing out since 2001.

[buddysmellgood]

41. Kerry should have issued a statement. Did he? That would have

really put the stink on Dubya.

[Prodemsouth]

49. "Upstage Dubya that would not be polite..I might get a stain on my pink

tutu."-J.Kerry

[tavalon]

51. Who knows?

Because the MSM doesn't cover anyone as passe as Kerry. He's so yesterday. (sarcasm)

[ObamaFan2500]

57. He Should Speak Out

It might help save more lives for the poor people

[LibDemAlways]

67. "You've got to show that this matters to you....

that you care." The chimp took several days to haul his ass to NYC for an embarrassing photo op at Ground Zero. He has yet to attend a single funeral for an American service man or woman killed fighting his insane, illegal war of choice in Iraq. He's been in Iraq exactly once -- inside a hanger where he was photographed holding a plastic turkey before he bid a hasty retreat back to Crawford.

Expecting real concern or genuine commitment from this lightweight asshole is expecting way too much. A real President would instinctively know what to do. Chimp is lost without his handlers, who are apparently on vacation.

[pacifictiger]

74. nah, his handlers are too busy planning

shrubs glitsy coronation extravaganza to be bothered with anything so mundane as a natural mega-disaster.

[Old Mouse]

78. they are framing the incident for their base

As soon as the precise Jesus-like persona can be calculated, Bush will appear and deliver a statement intended to further endear him to his loyal followers. BushCo does not care about the opinions of anyone, be they foreign leaders or American citizens, other than his own loyal base.

He will make a statement that is a rewording of Clinton's, equate it with our own suffering in the war on terror, and then speak as though aid has already been delivered. The lion's share of aid will be less than promised, slow in coming, and finally, out of the eyes of American television, reveal to be loans with strict economic development or war participation requirements attached.

The only thing Bush seems to enjoy more than the senseless death and suffering of people in the lower economic classes is profiting off of the senseless death and suffering of people in the lower economic classes. I hope the moderate republicans who voted for this monster pay close attention to his reaction to this horrible tragedy.

[arikara]

84. Are you psychic?

Or just very aware... I have a feeling that's exactly what'll happen.

[scarletlib]

102. brilliant post and probably so true

n/t

[renaissanceguy]

120. Damn. Right on.

Of course, the MSM will only praise him for whatever mediocre actions he takes.

----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.15676271
http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues.15032002

[NVMojo]

81. I really doubt this jerk feels anyone's pain ...

[truthisfreedom]

85. once again, one-upped by Clinton in 2004.

woohoo for Clinton. and my heart goes out to millions of people who have suffered unthinkable losses.

[aikido15]

88. "We feel you pain"

What a horrible remark. And what a puke to have made it. They make me sick!:puke:

[xchrom]

89. ''symbolic statement about 'We feel your pain.' " ''

a compassionate conservative in action.
god wants bush to enjoy his vacation.

it's back to ''worst president ever''.

[area51]

91. "... showed scant appreciation for the magnitude of suffering ..."

Well, of course. The chimp doesn't give a rat's ass about anyone but himself.


"Prosperity is just around the corner." -- Herbert Hoover
"The economy has turned a corner." -- GW Bush

Herbert Hoover = GW Bush

[JoFerret]

101. Hoover of course

DID care. Look at his work to feed Europe after both world wars.

[Art_from_Ark]

108. It's too bad Hoover didn't show the same compassion to starving veterans--

or to average Americans, for that matter.

[tngledwebb]

92. Does any of this surprise us?

Bush is an evil fool and his masters are inhuman.
They care about nothing except carrying out their bloody and insane agenda.

And not one of them will be 'chewed up' by their bought and paid for MSM propaganda mill, not in any real sense.

[Child_Of_Isis]

97. Say what?

"Bush's decision at first to remain cloistered on his Texas ranch for the Christmas holiday rather than speak in person about the tragedy"


"Bush's deepened public involvement"


Oh, the double talk.:eyes:

[reality based]

100. To quote *'s favorite philosopher:

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45 (NIV) I miss Bill Clinton.

[wicket]

103. They just HAD to get a dig in at Clinton

:eyes:

[Francine Frensky]

158. Tomorrow, Limbaugh will blame clinton for the tsunami

he'll start in on how this was caused by something from the 90's that somehow traces back to clinton....

[DFWJock]

105. Bush to world:

Sorry about that tsunami thing, but I got brush to cut in Crawford.

[marew]

107. Just saw shrub on TV talking about this...

He just can't get that smirk off his face. Mentioned waiting for "assessment" of the tragedy. Maybe he doesn't watch TV and see what the rest of us have. We know he doesn't read anything. And then, probably he just doesn't give a damn. I don't think he could have a compassionate thought if his life depended on it. Probably pissed because he catching flack for his extremely slow response. Do you think he ever really read his bible? If I remember correctly, doesn't the Christian bible talk about feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc. I would bet, with all his family's millions, he hasn't contributed a personal penny. Guess he thinks he can take it with him to buy an air conditioner in hell.

[young_at_heart]

117. He is such an embarrassment.......I had to leave the room

I just can't stand the way he talks or his horrible facial expressions!

[Spinzonner]

126. This is the same attitude that gave us 9/11

Bush can't process the concept that the President has to get involved to energize the bureaucracy and get it off the 'business as usual' attitude that prevails, sometimes even in the presence of extraordinary circumstances. Bureaucrats see no percentage in taking risks and being seen to over-react to things and then getting criticized for it.

Of course, in this case there's probably no PDB on it for him to ignore.

[NJCher]

139. similar to what Colin Powell said on Today Show

Powell was going on about "as soon as they submit the proper requests" to us. I imagined someone without paper or pencil or phone trying to put together the tools with which to become bureaucratic.

They are so used to sandbagging and holding requests at bay.

It must hurt to see money going out of the country that they can't figure a way to steal from. Oh well, give them a day or two and I'm sure they'll have that angle down.


Cher

[dzoner]

112. Billion or Million

Just listened to replay of part of speech on MSNBC. Commentator first said US with initial gift of 35 million. Bush seemed to say 35 "Billion" not million???????

[Catchawave]

113. I caught that too....

...and here I was accusing Bushco for not running his comments live so they could edit out the hard questions! Yes, he said billion. Whoa! That's quite a faux pas.

[Rose Siding]

118. This is the point in the transcript that he blew...

snip>
First of all, we provide immediate cash relief to the tune of about $35 million. And then there will be an assessment of the damage so that the next tranche of relief will be spent wisely. That's what's happening now.
--------------

He said billion there, not million, although the amt is mentioned correctly at other points in the speech.

He's so empty. And the Post has NO business cleaning up his mess! Here are links

video- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/mmedia/politics/122904-5v.htm

corrected transcript- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33367-2004Dec29_3.html

[jhain]

131. no difference to him

he can run through a billion just as fast as he can a million.....

he couldn't tell you the difference, I bet.

[VegasWolf]

124. bush to increase taxes on middle class to pay 35 Million cost.n/t

[grace0418]

128. I hope he does

I'm fucking livid about his utter lack of compassion, even though I am not at all surprised by it.

Act for Change has mounted an email campaign to urge BushCo to stop being such fucking assholes for one minute of their miserable lives and send some more money (okay, so they didn't word it that way but that was the gist).

Here's what I wrote (it probably won't do much in the way of convincing but I can't help it, I'm PISSED)...

Act for Change has an email campaign going to urge BushCo to not be such raging assholes for one fucking minute of their sorry lives (they didn't word it that way, but you get my drift).

Here's what I wrote in my email:

Mr. Bush,

You claim to be Christian, you claim to be compassionate, you claim to be inclusive, you claim to care about the less fortunate. It's time to put your money where your mouth is. Offer the relief needed to the victims of this tragedy. It will go a long way towards improving the tensions you've created with your reckless and illegal war and your insolent dismissal of world opinion. It will also help disprove the popular notion that you only "help" countries that have something to offer you or your friends (oil, for example).

Or is it going to be up to us dangerous, non-troop-supporting, America-hating, elitist LIBERALS to ONCE AGAIN shoulder the responsibility of caring for those who have nothing to offer in return? Of course we will help in any way we can, we just don't happen to have oil money or the Walton family's billions.

Please show the world that you have a shred, a molecule even, of decency. Please immediately increase the United States' aid pledge for tsunami relief. Lives depend upon it.

Sincerely,

[grumpy old fart]

137. excellent email....n/t

[PATRICK]

132. God the greatest "terrorist"?

but Bush has given up that hunt. He is not all that interested in seeking out the irrelevant Lord of the Universe while some of His work has been franchised out to atheists and agnostics.(This is meant as satire but will I earn one of my few deletes here?)

Actually, when it comes to natural disasters, it is the unnatural practice of mankind in not exercising prudence and intelligence to the environment that is a major culprit when one is aware of the workings of the very active crust we live on. And it is that wacky laziness and greed
and the pre-eminence of having fun in the short term that typifies Bush Providence. Fatalism works so long as someone else pays the piper.

It never is about the fear but about working together with all our hearts and minds to make life work day to day. Dramatic events teach us huge lessons about the ordinary. Those lessons are generally ignored in our crippled national structure.

[David Zephyr]

136. Look In The Mirror, George W. Bush. "They Hate Us" Because of You.

n/t

[Catherine Vincent]

142. I don't know what all the fuss is about.

Nobody wants to hear that goon say anything anyways.

[Uroboros]

143. With all the brush clearing he seems to do

Maybe it's time we all started refering to * as "President Brush". :)

[manly]

145. whacking it to bush

You people have to give george a break once in a while. So he was a day or two late in jumping into the public arena. You must realize he was in the midst of finishing "My Pet Goat," apparently a book of some difficulty for one who doesn't read regularly. This takes time, folks. Then there were bush's questions(Who ARE these people? Can they vote? If we help them, what will the return on our investment be?)Nothing is as simple as it seems, except possibly george the stupid.

[lonestarnot]

146. He was probably in a drunken stuper and had to sober up to

mmmmmmmmmeet the press. Real Christian of him egh?

[olddad56]

149. I think that Bush is secretly loving this situtaion....

It takes the worlds eyes off of Iraq and at the same time, in his mind, it brings Jesus that much closer to returning to earth. Bush's ultimate goal seems to be Armageddon anyway.

[VegasWolf]

151. Every attempt to remove the smirk has failed, doctors turn to Botox

to help bush through tsunami speech.

[anarchy1999]

152. Maybe, we can only hope, again. How many other times have we

thought the same? This will be the one......

And what was it they all had to say about Clinton? "Teflon"....

We have an administration literally littered with Iran - Contra indicted and convicted criminals, pardoned by Bush I back running this national disaster.

The Ukranians have shamed Americans. Why were we all not on the streets?

I found some pictures today that shocked me. I haven't decided whether to post a link or not. The US response to this unbelievable disaster, led by our "Commander in Chief", the "man of God", has shamed us in the world beyond my comprehension and "we" have let it happen.

"Democracy is not a spectator sport". Who said it?

[Deja Q]

153. If Bush truly cared for the world's pain, he'd disassemble the Neocons.

[manly]

155. CBS News and the tsunami

On New Year's Eve, at 11pm, CBS News led off its newscast with a story about the most pressing problem in the world, namely the crowds in Times Square and the fact that there was now less than an hour before the famous ball descended.
After a couple minutes of drivel on that fascinating subject, they moved on to the most terrible natural disaster of the century, at that time counting approximately 118,000 victims.
Clearly, some asshole at CBS has his priorities mixed up. He should be fired.
I wouldn't be surprised if NBC,ABC, and Fux did the same thing, but I don't know. Did anyone out there notice?