Katrina "a threat to Bush second-term agenda, GOP's long-term ambitions?"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

As White House Anxiety Grows, Bush Tries to Quell Political Crisis

By ELISABETH BUMILLER
and ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: September 4, 2005

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04bush.html?ex=1283486400&en=92e1db22850b28f9&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 - Faced with one of the worst political crises of his administration, President Bush abruptly overhauled his September schedule on Saturday as the White House scrambled to gain control of a situation that Republicans said threatened to undermine Mr. Bush's second-term agenda and the party's long-term ambitions.

In a sign of the mounting anxiety at the White House, Mr. Bush made a rare Saturday appearance in the Rose Garden before live television cameras to announce that he was dispatching additional active-duty troops to the Gulf Coast. He struck a more somber tone than he had at times on Friday during a daylong tour of the disaster region, when he had joked at the airport in New Orleans about the fun he had had in his younger days in Houston. His demeanor on Saturday was similar to that of his most somber speeches after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

As Mr. Bush spoke, Vice President Dick Cheney and Karl Rove, the president's senior political adviser, listened on the sidelines, as did Dan Bartlett, the counselor to the president and Mr. Bush's overseer of communications strategy. Their presence underscored how seriously the White House is reacting to the political crisis it faces.

His speech came as analysts and some Republicans warned that the White House's response to the crisis in New Orleans, which has been widely seen as slow and ineffectual, could further undermine Mr. Bush's authority at a time when he was already under fire, endangering his Congressional agenda.



"President Bush delivering his weekly radio address Saturday from the Rose Garden, amid wide criticism for the way he has handled relief efforts."

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

1. If anyone thinks he is getting pounded now

just wait 'til the death counts start rolling in.

DBDB

[thinkingwoman]

6. I truly think most Americans have no idea

what kind of death toll we're going to see.

Denial, stupidity, willfull ignorance--whatever the reason, I think many are chalking it up as equal to 9/11 at the worst. I think the death toll will rock this nation like a mag 10 quake.

[WePurrsevere]

2. "a threat to Bush second-term agenda, GOP's long-term ambitions?"

GOOD! Cry me a river BushCo and neo-CONs. :nopity:

We can but hope that it's a whole lot more then just a "threat". :nuke:

[babylonsister]

3. Nom! Let the undermining begin; long overdue IMO. nt

[DrRang]

4. So Cheney or a CheneyBot was there. n/t

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

5. At the White House yesterday, it appears. n/t