Dean: Bush trip "another callous political move"...to shift the blame.

[madfloridian]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/05/AR2005090500759_pf.html

POPLARVILLE, Mississippi (Reuters) - "President George W. Bush, under fierce criticism for his government's slow response to Hurricane Katrina, sought to reassure storm survivors on Monday as a veteran lawmaker complained that bureaucratic red tape was hampering relief efforts in Mississippi."

Trent Lott speaks out:

"In a sign of the political pressure facing Bush, Mississippi Republican Sen. Trent Lott, a former Senate majority leader, said he has been battling the Federal Emergency Management Agency and its Mississippi counterpart for help for his state and urged Bush to cut red tape.

After a one-on-one meeting with Bush in Poplarville, Lott said: "I am demanding help for the people of Mississippi to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina."

Harry Reid speaks out:

"In Washington, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada backed calls to create a commission, like the one that examined the September 11, 2001, attacks, to study how the hurricane response went wrong.

"Serious mistakes were made," Reid said."

Dean speaks out:

"Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean called the Bush trip "another callous political move" aimed at shifting blame for the political crisis from himself.

While calling some of the relief efforts unacceptable, Bush has not publicly singled out anyone for criticism although there has been some finger-pointing between state, federal and local authorities. "All levels of government are doing the best they can," Bush said."

Dear George, you most certainly have been trying to shift the blame. You said Blanco did not ask for emergency help...she did. On the 26th. You have been squirming and shifting all over the place.

[Arugula Latte]

1. Once again, Dr. Dean speaks out for the grassroots.

Attention other Democratic "Leaders": IT'S OKAY TO CRITICIZE THE PRESIDENT NOW... Um, this miiiiiiiiight be a good time to do so, m'kay?

[V. Kid]

3. Yeah...

...at first I was really worried about their ability to do that very thing. Senator Landrieu was very measured in response at first, and it pissed of Anderson Cooper among other people. It seemed strange, it was very politician-ish. But seeing that clip of her on Stephenopolous's show, she showed herself to be quite tenacious and that she wasn't going to take any guff from the Bush Administration trying to duck out of their responsibilities on this by blaming local officials with bald faced lies.

[jpgray]

2. But where's Dean? Where are the Democrats?

Either they satisfy every whim and wish of mine in a timetable of my choosing, or they are traitorous scumbags unfit to even be spat upon.

:sarcasm::crazy:

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. You don't get in the way when Republicans are self-destructing.

You don't get in the way when Republicans are self-destructing.

You help patiently and quietly like Gore did with his mercy flight.

You support the Louisiana governor like deWitt is doing.

[Southsideirish]

5. Disagree 100% - this is the time to get your message out - carpe diem!

No cringing in the bi-partisan closet-that's a loser's passive strategy and something KKKarl dearly hopes they do.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. Yes, Get the message out, but don't let them pin partisanship on it.

[madfloridian]

12. Hell, it IS partisan.

This is the most partisan administration ever. They have no mercy...none.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. Yes, Regime is partisan. Don't give them a partisan straw man.

Don't give them partisan target with with to spin and deflect blame. Assist the media to grow more new-found backbone and focus the magnifying glass on the Bush Republican ants.

[madfloridian]

9. Some did not appear to get your sarcasm even with the tag.

I knew right away what you meant. All over the board.

Guess what...Dean says calls Bush callous about his photo ops, and it just drops. They must not want to know where they are really.

[Cha]

6. This is the heart of the matter..right here!

"Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean called the Bush trip "another callous political move" aimed at shifting blame for the political crisis from himself."


This is what the rove Lyin' machine has been doing ever since they were caught flat-footed with their pants down..doin' photo ops and dropping the fema ball. Not to mention Gutting the Sela funds to divert them to Iraq and paying for Tax Cuts with Budget Cuts!!


Thank you, Chairman Dean!

[madfloridian]

8. Photo ops and shifting blame.

That is about all he has done this week. He and his whole administration should be fired. They let those people suffer needlessly.

[NoPasaran]

7. Once again

Dean speaks for me.

[CarolNYC]

10. Go Howard!

I'm glad to see him calling out Bush on this.

I'm so tired of the Republicans telling Dems that they can't criticize this Administration for one reason or another and the Democrats listen like good little puppies over and over again, just waiting for the Republicans to let them know when it's OK to criticize. I got news for them...the Republicans are NEVER going to tell them it's OK!!!!

And, as we're told now is not the time to criticize the Administration, they are subtly and not so sublty shifting the blame, as the Chairmans says, to state and local Democrats. ARGH!!!

I was so glad to hear and see Gen Clark call out Bush a couple of times last week. I was glad to see Dennis do it also...and I'm glad to see Dean following suit. We need to keep hammering at them or they are going to slip away and the state and local Dems will end up shouldering all of the responsibility. No doubt, there is enough blame in this whole thing to spread around at every level but for Christ's sake, the President screwed up big time AGAIN...and lots of lives were lost because of it, AGAIN! How many lives have to be destroyed or lost before we hold him accountable?!?

Oh, and I was glad to see Landrieu get a little starch too...I'd love to see her punch Bush.

[madfloridian]

14. This is being picked up by local news stations.

http://www.wtev.com/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=C8857082-A888-47ED-A2DE-88EE5858EA5C

WHITE HOUSE (AP) - President Bush is trying to pump up what he calls a "tidal wave of compassion" in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Bush has four sessions today related to the killer storm. He confers with his Cabinet, meets with lawmakers, sits down with charity groups and makes a Rose Garden pitch for schools to take young evacuees.

Critics are questioning the focus. Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean says Bush is firing a barrage of photo opportunities and misinformation, while shifting blame for what went wrong.

Dean is not alone. At least one evacuee who saw Bush yesterday in Baton Rouge says she's "not interested in hand-shaking" and "photo ops." Mildred Brown says, "I need answers."

[Arkana]

15. And people said Dean was keeping mum.

Soylent Dean strikes again!