Bush Sees "Better Days" For New Orleans

(CBS/AP)  President Bush commemorated Hurricane Katrina's devastating blow Wednesday with a somber moment of silence. Across town, in a symbol of a federal-city divide that persists two years after the killer storm, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin marked the levee-breach moment with bell-ringing.

"Better days are ahead," Mr. Bush said as he sought to assure residents that his administration had not forgotten the region and would make good on the promises of aid.

"We're still paying attention. We understand," the president said at a recovering school in the Lower Ninth Ward, a predominantly black, low-income area that was all but obliterated by the storm.

Wreaths were laid, prayers were said, and bells were rung across New Orleans to commemorate this day two years ago when Katrina went from being a name to a nightmare, reports CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric.

Katrina was a Category 3 hurricane when it hit the Gulf Coast, broke through levees in New Orleans and flooded 80 percent of the city.

The storm ravaged the city, and despite many promises to rebuild, much of New Orleans remains in ruins, adds Couric.

"We fully understand New Orleans can't be rebuilt until there is confidence in the levees," President Bush said Wednesday.

By the time the last of the water dried up weeks later, more than 1,600 people across Louisiana and Mississippi were dead, and a shocked nation was looking at miles of wrecked homes, mud and debris from the worst natural disaster in its history.

"We ring the bells for a city that is in recovery, that is struggling, that is performing miracles on a daily basis," Nagin said at a groundbreaking ceremony for a memorial that will be the final resting place for more than two dozen still-unidentified victims.

After he spoke, a large bell tolled a dozen times and a crowd rang hand-held bells for more than a minute to remember the victims.

"The saddest thing I've seen here is that there are 30 human beings who will be buried here one day that nobody ever called about," said David Kopra, a volunteer from Olympia, Wash., holding back tears. "It says something to my heart. This city needs so much care."

The front page of The Times-Picayune advertised a scathing editorial above the masthead: "Treat us fairly, Mr. President." It chided the Bush administration for giving Republican-dominated Mississippi a share of federal money that it said was disproportionate to the lesser impact the storm had there than in largely Democratic Louisiana. "We ought to get no less help from our government than any other victims of this disaster," it said.

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CBS News Poll: Little Progress Seen Since Katrina

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Protesters, remembering the government's slow response in the storm's immediate aftermath, planned to march from the Lower 9th Ward to Congo Square to spread their message that the government has also failed to help people return.

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[pcraven7]

I had to work the last two days and came back to see hte progress of this comments page. Sadly it deteriorated from general ignorance of the situation across the entire Gulf Coast to pure and simple HATE.
For those who prefer to blame everyone on the local level, God Bless You! May He keep you safe from harm and secure from ignorance and show you the path to glory and righteousness.
For those who prefer to blame Bush and Co., God Bless You! May He continue to give you hope for a better future filled with leadership from someone.
For those who live on the Southern Coast of the United States, God Bless You! May he continue to give us strength to change those things we can, peace to accept those things which we cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference between the two.

[oakishpines]

'' ... putting women in mens armys did not turn men into gardenets, it turned women into rapists of husbands and children ... putting children into armys does not turn women and men into gardenets, it turns children into parent rapists ... if men are to treat children with respect, then men are to start acting like children ... and are to start treating two year olds like two year olds ... ''

'' ... all the front pages would have been covered in photos of local children dancing get well feed world songs rallied around the sick beds drifting the farm trails, except a terrorist warned against it ... ''

[greybeardvet]

What a sad state of affairs. The suffering, loss of life, and loss of purpose must be overwhelming for the poor folks caught up in this mess. And then to have our trivial moron of a president visit for a photo op is too crass for words.

If you want to know what he really thinks just reflect back on the words of his bug-eyed old hag of a mother when she opined that some of the victims were better off than before the storm.

[j-whitman]

Biker-N-OH,,, Thanks again,,,,, "A conflict" is an understatment on the War of Roses in Iraq & Katrina progress.

[biker-n-oh]

J-whitman...Sir I can see that you recognize honor for those who haven''t served and you are very correct many cannot do that. You are one of the few. I''ve dealt with this issue numerous times in my employment. But nonetheless those who have served deserve the respect of every American citizen.

As for the rest of your post I can see where you are coming from and I understand your frustrations. I would not necessarily catagorize only this administration in the manner in which you have. Many other admins have put the shaft to the troops and veterans as well. The reason the spotlight is on this administration is because we are unfortunatly in a conflict. So what ever they do it is going to be critiqued.

But I say to you and all other Veterans........Thank you. Have a nice day.

[j-whitman]

Biker-N-OH,,, I hope you didn''t interpret me as not recognizing honor for those who didn''t serve... Frankly many can''t ------

-- But those who Flag Wave, pretend to be veterans or Fail to meet military obligations then become President while slaming those who have,,,, Have never past up an opertunity put the shaft to our troops & veterans Like this administration -
-- Flatly, they should be jailed for Dishonor to thier country

[j-whitman]

sblake63,,
I have said I don''t believe we bombed our Trade Center & never have ----

--- FYI, by Law,,, A Conspericay is when more that 2 plan to break the law -
-- There are many factual Conspericy''s such as Violations of our laws & Constitution,, War Profiteering & Treason (now being tried in courts),, Violations of Human Rights laws,, Bad leadership of the White House,,, Misuse of National Security,,, Violations of the Hatch Act.. etc.

[j-whitman]

sblake63 --- Some Christian you are, you are exactly what drove me away from the church in search of truth..
.. Thousands still in that area don''t have trailers, many that where not homeless now are -
--- The blame should be layed directly on our Federal Government & some local appointed officials.
.. With Your Logic --- Why educate children if they squander thier education like you have.
...

[biker-n-oh]

J-whitman....Sir, you are very welcome I wish I could have the honor of saying I''m a vet but I''m not. I come from a family of Marines and Navy all the way back to my great grandfather. I was diagnosed with a heart condition at a very young age and that pretty much ruled me out for the military. I did try though but they labled me as a liability. Nonetheless, pride, dignity and honor are still there. I''ve worked for the DOD for going on 20 years now.

I agree with you regarding the difference of political opinions because I beleive that we do have them. I enjoyed your conversation with chimneyfish. Simple reunions such as that are always enjoyable. But idiotic comments such as the one from sblack63 is just disrespectful and uncalled for.

[sblake63]

Lmao @ sjc_1

Thinking that most of the money went to MS because it''s mainly republican? What in the bloody hell? LOL??? I think it''s more a matter of prioritizing and placing the funds where they are most likely to succeed. What I mean is that vast areas of NO were bombed out ghettos way before Katrina hit (yes I have been there LOL). Why pay to rebuild something that out of control residents will in a few short years will tear down anyway?

The state of MS is by no means "upper class", but even it''s most red neck trailer park are in better condition (and lets not forget safer) than 90 % of the metro area of New Orleans pre Katrina.

I bet folks like j-whitman and sjc_1 are likely to believe in conspiracy theories like Bush and the Jews knew about 9-11 and it was allowed to happen so they would have a reason to start the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Remember the video floating around in 2002 that "proved" the Pentagon was hit by a US missile and not a hijacker''s plane? This is the kind of material passed around by the left to fool people into thinking our nation is "evil". Sad, even bordering on treason if you ask me.

Folks, we have a class of people living in our country that hate America and everything it stands for, perhaps they should join the terrorists over there in the mid east? At least they would be demonstrating consistency instead of masquerading as one of us!