McClellan can’t have it both ways

August 31, 2005

I’m glad the president is cutting his five-week vacation short by two days to oversee the federal response to Hurricane Katrina. It’s only the second time Bush has cut a trip short — the first was to sign the Terri Schiavo bill — but even if it’s just for symbolic significance, I think appearances alone dictate that the president not clear brush and ride his bike while so many are suffering along the Gulf Coast.

Having said that, I can’t help but find it a little odd that the White House’s line is that this has nothing to do with symbolism and or appearances. Consider this exchange from yesterday’s press briefing with Scott McClellan.

Q: This is more — this is more symbolic. Cutting short his vacation is more symbolic because he can do all this from the ranch, right?

McClellan: No, I think — no, I disagree. Like I said, this is one of the most devastating storms in our nation’s history, and the President, after receiving a further update this morning, made the decision that he wanted to get back to D.C. and oversee the response efforts from there. This is going to — there are many agencies involved in this — in this response effort, and it’s going to require a long and sustained effort on behalf of all the federal agencies working closely with state and local officials to help people recover from the destruction and devastation.

Q: What is he unable to — what is he unable to do in Crawford he could do —

McClellan: We’ll talk to you all later. We’ve got to go. Thank you.

Look, the president is doing the right thing here. There’s a calamity of biblical proportions in Louisiana and Mississippi and Bush is heading back to work. Fine.

The problem arises from McClellan’s claim that Bush’s abilities to oversee government activities are hampered by being in Crawford. If McClellan’s right, why hasn’t the war in Iraq prompted Bush to return to the White House sooner?

For years, every time Bush takes another break, the White House message emphasizes that the president is still “on the job.” He’s getting briefings, calling world leaders, being kept appraised of international developments, etc. It only looks like he’s taking a five-week vacation every August, they say. There’s no reason for Bush to oversee the war in Iraq from the White House, aides insist, because everything that he could do in DC he can do from the ranch.

So, is that old line no longer operative?

Last week they said he wasn’t really on vacation, he was in Texas because of renovations…

  • Bush should have gone back to DC when he learned that Katrina was going to hit N.O. to start coordinating evacuation and relief efforts. The day of landfall he was having birthday cake with McCain, gathering with his adoring masses at a country club, and playing his new gee-tar. While pushing his unpopular agenda. Barely mentioning the devastating storm in his country.

    There’s the true reality.

  • Froomkin had some good stuff on this today:

    * If the reason Bush returned to Washington is that he is more effective here, then why didn’t he come back two days ago?

    * If the White House considers the return from vacation largely symbolic, then what is the symbolism of his long vacation during a war?

    * Could Bush and the federal government have done more to prepare for hurricane recovery? Unlike the Asian tsunami, this hurricane was forecast days ahead of time.

    * Did any of his previous budget decisions allow the hurricane to cause more damage than it might have otherwise?

    * Are National Guard troops and equipment required to restore order in this country many thousands of miles away.

    * Will he and his administration meet this disaster quickly and effective with the appropriate civilian and military resources and manpower?

    * Will the White House provide the bold leadership and vision that the nation requires?

  • As with 9/11, Bush has a way of showing up three days late, and then taking credit for work done by “little people”. He couldn’t manage his own crisis of falling of a couch.

    I think it was more telling that (rather than clearing brush) was playing a game of golf! Just like his daddy, riding his cigarette boat or whatever that damn thing was during a previous hurricane. That hurt GWHB, here’s hoping this hurts GWB.

    What a lousy excuse for a “chief executive”. Spoiled, lousy, brain-damaged, rich, frat-rat brat.

  • What a tragedy, though, Gary, that the
    mainstream media and press won’t
    raise these issues. They simply will
    not oppose this president, anymore
    than the Democrats will.

  • Yesterday was amazing. In a matter of hours, Bush had both his “let them eat cake” moment and his “fiddling while Rome burned” moment.

  • Bush didn’t have a very relaxing vacation this time, did he? That annoying Cindy Sheehan, like static in his ears, making him zip off to Utah and Idaho to give speeches to approving audiences about the honored dead. For him the hurricane must have been the last straw. With only two days left, PR advantages aside, it was time to cut bait and just get on back to DC. “Oh heck, my time in Crawford’s already ruined, may as well go look Presidential.”

    And I second Ed’s comment about Bush and 9/11. He didn’t come to New York for three or four days (heck, he didn’t even ADDRESS the people of New York during that time), and then only for a brief PR opportunity (obvious even then) to climb onto some debris at Ground Zero with a few firemen and shout through a bullhorn — what passes for “leadership” in these enlightened times. No doubt the three days after 9/11 were spent prepping and rehearsing Bush for his big moment in the rubble of Ground Zero. This is undoubtedly the reason Bush won’t set foot in New Orleans until Friday (today’s flyover notwithstanding) — he has to learn his lines first.

  • If you work as little as Bush does during his non-vacation days in DC, all Crawford is is a change of scenery. He couldn’t be doing less there than he normally does in DC.

  • Maybe this story should read – being president of the U.S. is hampering Bush’s time to be in Crawford. Gotta cut that brush, ya know.
    Priorities,man, priorities. W sure has em, right?

    • Comments are closed.