Some Taking Cover from the Storm...

[mcscajun]

..and many are still clueless...Republicans, that is.

(all emphasis mine)

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

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.

(snip)

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.

(snip)

For all the enormity of the destruction and the lingering uncertainty about how many years it will take to "rebuild the great city of New Orleans," as Mr. Bush said in his remarks on Saturday, some Republicans suggested that the impact could prove fleeting in this age of fast-moving events, and that Mr. Bush's visit to the region on Friday had helped some in addressing concerns about his response. (See "clueless")

(snip)

"Given the racial component of this, and given the current political environment, there certainly seems to be a high level of risk to this story," said a Republican Party official, who, citing the concern among party officials about the criticism, would only discuss the question on the condition of not being identified. (See "scared shitless")

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/national/nationalspecial/04bush.html?hp&ex=1125892800&en=81553b958e19b706&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[moc]

1. It's all about managing public perception, isn't it?

The priority is never about doing what's in the public interest. If anything, that's the worst indictment you could have of the GOP.

[eleny]

2. One irony is that survivors are going to other states

No doubt, news organizations will try to interview them. They'll be on local radio, tv and talk programs. Not everyone will be vetted to be sure they will act like Bushbots. So, truth has a chance of spreading in the red states where the survivors are headed.