More than five years after the fact, former President George W. Bush is admitting that having a photograph taken of him peering out the window of Air Force One at the Katrina-caused wreckage of New Orleans was a “huge mistake.”
During an interview with NBC’s Matt Lauer set to air next week, Bush had no qualms accepting that, with 20/20 hindsight, he would have approached the situation much differently to avoid appearing “detached and uncaring.”
“It’s always my fault. I mean, I was the one who should have said: ‘A) Don’t take my picture, B) Let’s land in Baton Rouge, La., C) Let’s don’t even come close to the area.’ The next place to be seen is in Washington at a command center. I mean it was my fault,” Bush said.
Bush’s handling of the natural disaster was widely regarded as one of the low points of his political career, which was projected by a downward slide of his approval ratings in the following months.
The former president went on to show remorse for not getting more directly involved with the ground situation in the aftermath of the hurricane’s damage to the gulf.
“In retrospect, however, I should have touched down in Baton Rouge, met with the governor and walked out and said, ‘I hear you. We understand. And we’re going to help the state and help the local governments with as much resources as needed,'” Bush said. “And then got back on a flight up to Washington. I did not do that. And paid a price for it.”
Bush also addressed Katrina backlash in the context of his public image by saying that Kanye West’s “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” comment was one of the most painful moments of his presidency.
2 thoughts on “Bush Admits Katrina Air Force One Photo Was ‘Huge Mistake’”
The fool still doesn’t get it, or won’t admit it. What he should have done is made sure that the victims of Katrina received help. Who cares that he had a photo taken, or that he didn’t land in Baton Rouge, or what he said? What he did not do is he did not help the citizens of the USA who lived in the disaster areas. That is what is important. That shows his lack of concern for the people of the United States, his arrogance, and his greed. This admission at this time simply shows his duplicity and his belief that repetition of a lie will eventually make people believe the lie.
He makes me sick.
Spot-on Bill…! Bush’s regrets are simply an example that image is far more important than substance as you suggest.
You, I, and most Americans have had a bellyful of this ongoing bullshit! It’s tragic we have to put up with two more years of Obama & Co. None of them should get more than two years in office…period! We live in far too dangerous times to give any of these morally degenerate, ineffective assclowns time at the helm of state. It’s insanity! Situations are changing all to quicklly and to entrust them with such power even four years spells disaster for our nation. They should all be on the two year election cycle as our Congressional district reps. We had to suffer the consequences of eight years under Bush/Cheney now paying the price for having elected lying, scheming mattoids to office such as them. Obama & Co. are no better, yet we must suffer his lying, jive turkey presence for some time to come. Meanwhile our nation is foundering while all they do is talk, talk and talk some more while delivering mediocre to disastrous legislation upon our citizenry.
Carl Nemo **==
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