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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jlallen who wrote (1081)	1/4/2005 12:51:27 PM
From: cirrus	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 224713

Bush saves face after slow response to disaster Tuesday, January 4, 2005 Analysis His governing style in tsunami catastrophe hits its stride after stumbling at the gate. By Edwin Chen / Los Angeles Times CRAWFORD, Texas -- President Bush's initial, halting response to the Indian Ocean tsunami catastrophe, followed within days by strong expressions of concern and decisive action, spotlighted a governing style that sometimes finds its stride only after stumbling at the gate. This seems especially true when Bush is confronted with a cataclysmic event and must improvise quickly -- as with last Sunday's tsunami or the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "The pattern we tend to see is an administration that quite often ends up doing the right thing, even though their initial judgments and first reactions are often wrong and short-sighted," said Charles Cook, a Washington-based political analyst and publisher of the Cook Political Report. Slow to speak out, Bush first offered $15 million in financial aid, then $35 million. But now, having upped the aid package to $350 million and dispatched both Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, to survey relief efforts, the president may capitalize on an opportunity to provide world leadership and make amends with Muslims opposed to the Iraq war. Many of the tsunami victims are Muslim. The president's decision to send his brother to the region was "about as strong a signal of personal concern and intent to help as Bush could send without going himself," said Bruce Buchanan, a University of Texas historian. The first U.S. president with a graduate business degree, Bush sees himself as an unflinching leader who sticks to his guns. Administration officials have defended Bush's response to the Asian crisis by saying his primary focus was to ensure, out of the spotlight, a swift and coordinated U.S. relief effort. Bush also is known to deeply dislike providing running commentary on an ongoing major event -- "grandstanding," as he might say. The president's delayed but escalating response could tarnish Bush's image, but perhaps only in the short term, analysts said. Yet Cook predicted that the flap would quickly blow over. "These things tend to be short-lived, inconsequential in the long run," he said. detnews.com ----------------------------------- Letters of condolence? I don't think you grasp why it was so important for the President to make a timely, personal, public statement. In any case, the President has done well since then. Case closed.