Tony Snow's White House Serenade: Among The Light Moments @ Congressional Picnic On White House Lawn

[maddezmom]

(CBS/AP) President Bush and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi were arm in arm, posing for the cameras. Chief White House political adviser Karl Rove worked the crowd. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow played the flute, and strains of a New Orleans jazz band filled the air, as Mr. Bush hosted the annual Congressional picnic – on the White House lawn.

"You all enjoy yourself," said President Bush, who ambled out on the lawn with first lady Laura Bush to greet his guests, including many of his longtime political adversaries.

"Make sure you pick up all the trash after it's over," he joked just before Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers struck up a rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching in."

Further evoking New Orleans, Mardi Gras beads were on hand and drivers in top hats ferried some of the estimated 1,500 guests around the White House driveway in horse-drawn carriages.

The food was also Big Easy style.

more:http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/20/politics/main2954409.shtml


New Orleans turns to international aid
City has received only half of promised funds

By BECKY BOHRER
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW ORLEANS --The cash-strapped city of New Orleans is turning to foreign countries for help to rebuild as federal hurricane-recovery dollars remain slow to flow.

Kenya Smith, director of intergovernmental relations for Mayor Ray Nagin, said city leaders are talking with more than five countries. He wouldn't identify the countries, saying discussions were in the early stages. But he said the city is "very serious" about pursuing foreign help.

"Of course, we would love to have all the resources we need from federal and state partners, but we're comfortable now in having to be creative," Smith said. He did not know if the city would have to overcome any obstacles if it got firm pledges for aid, but "we want to make sure we're leaving no options unexplored."

For months Nagin has complained bureaucracy is choking the flow of much-needed federal aid dollars to New Orleans - slowing the city's recovery. As of June 8, the city said it had received just over half of the $320 million FEMA has obligated for rebuilding city infrastructure and emergency response-related costs. The city has estimated its damage at far more than that - at least $1 billion. And that doesn't include other improvements - such as raised neighborhoods - meant to help build the stronger city promoted by Nagin and his recovery director.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2881977


Barbara LeBlanc poses for a photograph inside her Lakeview home in New Orleans Tuesday, June 12, 2007. LeBlanc is living on the second floor of her gutted house, making dinner in what was her laundry room — and waiting on a federal rebuilding grant that she fears, now, may never come. The state-run Road Home program, which administers the grants, has pledged all $6.2 billion it has on hand to only about 60 percent of homeowners who have applied for aid. (AP)

Aaron Hall, left, and Kevin Hewitt talk with reporters while working on Hewitt's home in the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans, May 23, 2007. Hewitt began pounding nails into his 140-year-old home just weeks after it was battered by Hurricane Katrina. But he soon realized the city required him to go far beyond basic repairs and restore his one-story shotgun house to the full gingerbread aesthetics of the historic Holy Cross neighborhood, at a cost of $150,000. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

[Solly Mack]

1. ...

Under no circumstances would I give Bush the benefit of social acceptance.

The continued plight of Katrina survivors just highlights the many - many - reasons why...

Not to mention the insult to injury of a Mardi Gras themed picnic.


Though I suppose we should be grateful he didn't bring out the coat hangers for branding or blow up any frogs.

[maddezmom]

2. those pics really irritated me this am

and looking at them again makes me more pissed off.

[Solly Mack]

3. I know just how you feel

[bdamomma]

4. they act like everything is rosy! looking through those rose colored glasses

I guess. sickening. really sickening.

[maddezmom]

5. besides all the death and destruction going on in the world

using the Jazz Feast backdrop is a smack in the face to NO.