Tsunami Aid Grows Amid Remarks about Bush's absence

[Jero]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Dec28.html

Once again, in a time of great tragedy, he looks clueless.

[Axegrinder]

He shows great leadership while on vacation.He's working hard....ordering in...
No surprizes here.Just like that month long vacation before 9-11.
Way to show you care George!You make this American proud.

[Booser]

this is the kind of stuff that really gets my goat. we have pledged support, sent money, and we are mobilizing every last aircrew we have to fly disaster relief this coming weekend. by next week, every spare aircraft will be flying to the pacific. yet people still complain that we aren't being sensitive enough and that arsehole calls us stingy in a thinly veiled statement. how much is enough? maybe we could pledge 6 trillion dollars in aid. would that be enough? or only if bush canceled his vacation. what could canceling his vacation possibly do to affect the situation in the pacific? make a more meaningful gesture?
unfortunately for those ravaged by the tidal wave, bush's vacation has absolutely no bearing on the amount of suffering that is sure to come.

[Axegrinder]

Originally Posted by Booser

this is the kind of stuff that really gets my goat. we have pledged support, sent money, and we are mobilizing every last aircrew we have to fly disaster relief this coming weekend. by next week, every spare aircraft will be flying to the pacific. yet people still complain that we aren't being sensitive enough and that arsehole calls us stingy in a thinly veiled statement. how much is enough? maybe we could pledge 6 trillion dollars in aid. would that be enough? or only if bush canceled his vacation. what could canceling his vacation possibly do to affect the situation in the pacific? make a more meaningful gesture?
unfortunately for those ravaged by the tidal wave, bush's vacation has absolutely no bearing on the amount of suffering that is sure to come.

If you're the leader of the free world...Act Like It.
If you want the job,take the responsibility that goes with it.
Go Front and Center and at least act like you care.
If the election was being held next month,he'd exploit this situation for all that it's worth.

[Jero]

Originally Posted by Axegrinder

If you're the leader of the free world...Act Like It.
If you want the job,take the responsibility that goes with it.
Go Front and Center and at least act like you care.
If the election was being held next month,he'd exploit this situation for all that it's worth.

EXACTLY. I just saw some amateur video of this thing while it happened, and i couldn't get through it. It was just awful.

[Spence]

We will spend more on Mr Bush's inauguration than on disaster relief. Source

[Spence]

Originally Posted by Axegrinder

If you're the leader of the free world...Act Like It.
If you want the job,take the responsibility that goes with it.
Go Front and Center and at least act like you care.
If the election was being held next month,he'd exploit this situation for all that it's worth.

Are you suggesting that there is more to being a world leader than bombing the crap out of stuff? That's CRAZY TALK, sir!

[Jimreaper007]

The estimated budget for the event is $30-40 million, but that will not cover security costs.

15 million for a country that was wiped out....That is sad. If I am not mistaken, we sent more aid to a mortal enemy (Iran) during their earthquake.

[RedskinsDave]

The only thing priceless is you guy's ability to whine about every thing possible. Please answer Booser's question as to what Bush cancelling his vacation would have done to make things better?

Does the doubling of relief money have anything to do with the doubling of the death toll estimates? Nah, it because some jerk at the UN called us cheap and Bush was on vacation. Good lord.

[Spence]

Originally Posted by RedskinsDave

The only thing priceless is you guy's ability to whine about every thing possible. Please answer Booser's question as to what Bush cancelling his vacation would have done to make things better?

Boy, did you ever get me wrong on this, Dave. I'm not in favor of Mr Bush cancelling his vacation. On the contrary, I think he should lengthen it. He has spent a greater percentage of his term in office on vacation than any other prez since such things have been recorded and I applaud that. I hope Mr Bush enjoys his latest vacation and I hope he stays in Crawford, Texas for as long as possible.

[RedskinsDave]

Originally Posted by Spence

He has spent a greater percentage of his term in office on vacation than any other prez since such things have been recorded

Of course he has.

[Spence]

As of August 2004:

CBS News tally shows that President Bush is now making his 38th visit to his Prairie Chapel ranch since taking office. Add up the number of full or partial days he has been there - it comes out to 254.

That's about 20 percent of his presidency. Add in his time at Camp David and the Bush family home in Kennebunkport, Maine, and the percentage more than doubles. And the White House is self-conscious about it.

The Democratic National Committee loves to needle Mr. Bush about the time spent at his ranch.

A DNC press release this week carried the headline: "George W. Bush: Taking Vacation, Not Responsibility."

The White House regards the swipe as a cheap shot - but still avoids using the word "vacation."

And I support every single minute of it!

Source

[RedskinsDave]

He should spend more time in the Oval Office getting bj's.

[Axegrinder]

Originally Posted by RedskinsDave

He should spend more time in the Oval Office getting bj's.

I'm all for that!"

[Spence]

Originally Posted by RedskinsDave

He should spend more time in the Oval Office getting bj's.

Every time some righty insists Bill Clinton wasn't impeached for sex, one of you gives away the worst-kept secret in American history.

In any case, I think this bit from today's Washington Post may help put the situation in some context:

Still, it was possible to understand the frustration of Jan Egeland, head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who said Monday that rich nations have grown "stingy" about providing international aid even as they have grown more wealthy. A U.N. aid appeal next month for 11 countries affected by this disaster is likely to be numbered in the billions.

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell's response yesterday was partly reassuring: He said that "clearly the United States will be a major contributor to this international effort. And, yes, it will run into the billions of dollars." It will be up to Mr. Powell's successor at the State Department, and Congress, to ensure that that promise is realized.

Apparently, Jan Egeland was complaining about contributions made by rich nations, not just the United States. And that complaint goes further than this latest catastrophe and represents what Jan Egeland believes is more of a long-term problem.

Source

I must confess that I love Dave's reference to Jan Egeland as "some jerk." Only a righty would refer to someone who has devoted their adult life to humanitarian relief as "some jerk." I guess when Jesus returns to Earth He will be an insurance company executive.