Yet, aside from common sense telling us that the White House is not the first line of defense against natural disasters, it would also appear as though the reporting these leftists are hanging their hats on is flawed. The Times reports that the President was in Texas "on vacation" when the levee in New Orleans broke, yet it turns out that he wasn't. He was in San Diego delivering a speech, and one of the Times' own reporters was there:
NEW YORK TIMES’ Eric Lipton today writes that President Bush was “on vacation in Texas” on August 30th but their own reporter filed a pool report that day from San Diego where POTUS giving a speech on the War on Terror and was visiting soldiers and families of the fallen. Sources tell DRUDGE that the original story filed by Lipton did not contain the sentence about Bush being on vacation and that it was added by an editor.
The White House is seeking a retraction.
Think the White House will get that retraction?
I wouldn't hold my breath.
Anyway, here's the "pool report" from the Times journalist who was with the President when he was allegedly told of the levees breaking in New Orleans:
Pool Report #2 (from August 30, 2005) Chaos briefly reigned. After conducting an interview with the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service at a cargo plane hangar near the previous event, President Bush arrived at the Naval Medical Center San Diego on schedule, and proceded to the first event, a meeting with health care providers that was supposed to last a half hour and include a photo op at the bottom. Instead, moments after arrival, the pool was rushed to the door and told the photo op would take place immediately. Then, just as suddenly, it was canceled without explanation. Minutes later – about an hour ahead of schedule, and equally suddenly – the pool was rounded up and rushed back to the motorcade for departure. It is now 11:21 AM local time and we are heading toward the airport. More to come.
Sounds to me like after hearing about the situation in New Orleans the President canceled what he had going to focus his attention. Of course, he didn't do anything right away, but what could he do? Louisiana is a sovereign U.S. state with an elected Governor who is supposed to be in charge during emergencies. That Governor, one Kathleen Blanco, could very easily have requested immediate assistance from the federal government immediately after the levee broke. She didn't, and that's her fault. Not the President's.