Residents question intentions of Bush visit

[Nambe]

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (AP)

If Hurricane Charley had struck three years ago, President Bush's tour through the wreckage of this coastal city would have been just the sort of post-disaster visit that other presidents have made to the scenes of storms, earthquakes, floods and fires. ..

You wonder if they're just coming down for votes," said Melinda Grantham, whose downtown home was severely damaged and whose business, the Waves of Grain Bakery, was destroyed. "It would have been nice if he put on a pair of gloves and helped us." ..

Chad Maxwell, shoveling up debris in front of the real estate agency where he works, said the visit wouldn't affect people's votes — but the follow-through might.

If politicians don't offer assistance "they won't be back. This is what they're voted in for," Maxwell said. "It's extremely political. They're the ones who have the ability to help." ..

Ride Don’t Drive * * It’s Global Cool

[bluestateguy]

1. Charlotte and Lee are Republican counties

So the risk is greater for Bush. Hurricane Andrew, however, struck Miami-Dade and Broward counties, which leaned Democratic (and have become more so since then). As these folks try to put their lives back together, they may find that this wonderful "turn the corner" economy Baby Bush has been touting is going to make their recovery much more difficult.

[PartyPooper]

2. Junior is just another grotesque "rubber-necker".

No more, no less.

:evilfrown:

[progressivebydesign]

3. He probably had the victims vetted before he agreed to get out of the limo

Just a weird feeling I have. I have no doubt they made sure he only toured friendly areas.. (GOP areas).

[flordehinojos]

8. This coward of a president who wears a vest. travels in incredibly thick

steel limousines, has helicopters and antitanks protecting his every move when he goes abroad and militarized police on the streets of the USA to protect him from that deadly disease called DISSENT ... you have got to be one hundred percent right ... they must have vetted that neighborhood and those victims before the cowardly weasel agreed to get out of that limo.}(

[SpecialK84]

10. C'mon ... can you blame him?

When your actions cause 99% of the world to hate you what other option do you have?

[Tight_rope]

4. "put on a pair of gloves and helped us"?...yeah right...Not King George!

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. He would have hurt himself or something

Heavy lifting, maintaining balance, small hand tools are all hazardous for someone who is severely challenged.

[truthisfreedom]

7. his face, for the umpteenth time... he has to look good for the debates...

that's all he's got... looking okay.

[smallprint]

6. Why doesn't he whip out the ole chainsaw and CLEAR SOME BRUSH!!

C'mon, we all know how much he loves CLEARING BRUSH!!

x(

[opihimoimoi]

9. Come November, we gonna clear some BUSH with chainsaw votes...

[Zorra]

11. This is what we pay taxes for. To help our fellow Americans.

Not to kill them in places like Iraq.

Bu$h and his insane war have eaten up, a thousand times over, the budget surplus built up during the Clinton Presidency. Instead of being able to use surplus money to help disaster victims, Bu$h will now have to borrow money to help them.

Well, I guess it is way better to borrow money to help Americans in need than it is borrow money to bomb and conquer sovereign countries.

Maybe Bu$h, for the first time during his pResidency, will actually do the right thing for America by helping victims of a natural disaster. Let's hope so.

But I won't hold my breath.

[soup]

12. This says it all.

Buried down in an article this morning was the best quote I've seen about *jr's visit.

Heller joked about President Bush's visit. "We don't need Bush; we need Carter," he said, alluding to the ex-president's work building homes with Habitat for Humanity. "We don't need suits; we need hammers."
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/08/16/Weather/Notebook__Crowd_raids.shtml