Bush Announces Videoconference Photo-Op Weds, SoCal Photo-Op Thurs --->>>

[Stephanie]

The WH PR machine is finally kicking into gear. The disaster assistance machine, not so much. Talk about too little too late.

FEDERAL AID: President Bush mobilized the federal emergency assistance establishment Tuesday on behalf of Southern California officials struggling with devastating wildfires.

RESPECTS: Bush and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed over the phone that Thursday was the best day for a presidential visit to the region.

PRAYERS: The president briefly departed from his scheduled war on terror speech to offer prayers for those in the path of the fires.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071023/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_wildfires_summary_box_1

Perino also announced that Bush was convening a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning for a briefing from FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison and his boss, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. The top federal disaster officials were arriving in California on Tuesday night to see what more could be done from Washington and were to address the president and the Cabinet via secure videoconference.

***

Bush briefly departed from a war on terror speech at the National Defense University to offer prayers for those losing houses and businesses — or about to lose them.

***

"All of us across this nation are concerned for the families who have lost their homes and the many families who have been evacuated from their homes," he said. "We send the help of the federal government."

California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer complained on Capitol Hill Tuesday that the ability of the state's National Guard to respond to disasters like the fires has been compromised because too much of its equipment and personnel are committed in Iraq.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071024/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_wildfires_24

[Wiley50]

1. delete n/t

[Stephanie]

2. my fault, I took Cali out of the title

It was too long! :hi: