SAN DIEGO, Oct. 26, 2007
Bush Tours Wildfire Zone
President Views Hard-Hit California Communities; Pledges Strong Federal Response
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President Bush, followed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, walks through remains of a home destroyed by the California wildfires, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007, in San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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Marine One helicopter, with President Bush aboard, takes an aerial tour of the California wildfires, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007, near San Diego, Calif. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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President Bush hugs Jay Jeffcoat and his wife, Kendra, as they tour the charred remains of the Jeffcoat's home in Rancho Bernardo, Calif., Oct. 25, 2007. (Getty)
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Play CBS Video
Video
Schwarzenegger On Fires' Toll
"Only on the Web": Harry Smith asks California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger about injured firefighters, and whether or not insurance companies will cover those who lost homes in the wildfires.
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Video
Schwarzenegger Interviewed
In an exclusive interview, Harry Smith speaks with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger about the fight against the raging California wildfires and comments on suspicions of arson.
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Video
FEMA's Fire Plan Burned
Hannah Storm grills FEMA administrator David Paulison about reports that a lack of air resources led to rapid spread of wildfires in Southern California.
More Coverage:
Stories:
- Seven Days Of Fury
- Arson Investigation Continues
- Bush Tours Fire Zone
- Memories In The Rubble
- From Katrina To Fires
- Protect Your Lungs Near Wildfires
- Don't Get Burned By Insurers
- Environmental Impact Of Fires
- Opinion: Katrina And The Beast
- Calif. Fire Drives Victims Online
- Was California Unprepared?
- Climate Change And Mega-Fires
Multimedia:
In Depth:
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SoCal Wildfires: Latest Stories SoCal Wildfires: Latest VideosMr. Bush boarded Marine One at mid-morning and headed off into the smoky haze that has choked Southern California since Sunday, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds.
The president's trip to California drew close scrutiny today, with every step and sound bite compared to what he said and did after Hurricane Katrina, when his administration was harshly criticized for a slow and ineffective response.
But Mr. Bush dismissed comparisons between Katrina and California and he seemed satisfied by the response he saw here today, adds Reynolds.
"We've got a big problem out here," the president said near the end of his quick, four-hour visit. "We want the people to know there's a better day ahead - that today your life may look dismal, but tomorrow life's going to be better," Mr. Bush said. "And to the extent that the federal government can help you, we want to do so."
Said California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mr. Bush's tour guide for the day: "The only way to grasp the true magnitude is to see it for yourself and to be out there with the people whose lives have been turned upside down."
Masks and small, wet towels were distributed to the presidential entourage to help cope with the smoky conditions.
For 15 minutes Mr. Bush flew over the now familiar scenes of scorched earth, putting down at San Diego community of Rancho Bernardo and the rubble that once was the home of Jay and Kendra Jeffcoat, reports Reynolds.
"Those of us who are here in government, our hearts are right here with the Jeffcoats," the president said, his arm draped around Mrs. Jeffcoat. Holding her small brown dog on a leash, she fought back tears and Mr. Bush kissed her on the head.
He shook hands at a makeshift disaster assistance center where government agencies and private companies are providing help to residents.
From there, the president's motorcade passed charred hillsides on the way north to Escondido, where he assessed that area's damage and addressed the public and about 200 tired-looking firefighters.
"We can't thank people enough for putting their lives at risk to help a neighbor," Mr. Bush said.
Amid all this pain were lingering memories of Washington's slow response to Katrina over two years ago, and how it damaged Mr. Bush's standing.
As the first natural disaster to begin to approach the scale of the Gulf Coast storm, the fires represent a tough test for the administration. Katrina, however, affected a far larger geographic area, knocked out all communications and most key infrastructure, and impacted a relatively poorer population and much less-prepared states.
With the White House determined to convey a picture of a speedy and effective performance this time around, Mr. Bush was asked to compare the two.
"There's all kinds of time for historians to compare this response to that response," he said. "You better ask the governor how we're doing."
Schwarzenegger, standing next to Mr. Bush on a cul de sac, said the president reached out to him earlier this week before he even had a chance to make the call himself. "I call this quick action - quicker than I expected, I can tell you that," the governor said.
Later, in Escondido, Schwarzenegger was more effusive.
"I want to thank the president for coming out here today and being such a tremendous partner, such a great help, having done everything that needs to be done," he said.
Mr. Bush returned the praise for his fellow Republican. "It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the statehouse willing to take the lead," he said.
It wasn't clear whether this was a subtle swipe at the Democratic governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, with whom the White House has traded blame for the Katrina crisis.
But much of Mr. Bush's stay in California offered reminders of Katrina, with some of his rhetoric even remarkably similar.
For instance, Thursday's "we're not going to forget you" promise echoed what Bush said in New Orleans as he ended his first day in the hurricane zone on Sept. 2, 2005: "I'm not going to forget what I've seen," he said then. And Bush's "better day ahead" consolation in California recalled lofty words from his speech in New Orleans' Jackson Square on Sept. 15, 2005.
"I know that when you sit on the steps of a porch where a home once stood, or sleep on a cot in a crowded shelter, it is hard to imagine a bright future. But that future will come," he said.
Fran Townsend, Bush's White House-based homeland security adviser, said the disaster response this time is unfolding "exactly the way it should be" and is "better and faster" than the administration's performance after Katrina.
"This is not the end of federal assistance. It's just the beginning," she said.
A break in this week's high, hot winds, and a helpful change in their direction, had officials hoping they could make progress Thursday. Some evacuees were even being allowed back into their neighborhoods. But several fires remained far from containment and threatened thousands more homes.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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3rd day and federal aide is already being applied. That is quiet fast. Now let the flaming begin.
Why Don''t You Know Ron Paul??????
The corporate media will not give Ron Paul any Exposure. Because, NBC is owned by GE. GE is one of the world''s largest war-makers. They make things that go boom. They make $Billions on war. A Ron Paul administration would be bad for business. CNN is owned by AOL. Majority share holder is Saudi Royal Talal who is also partners with GHWBush in The Carlyle Group. Another major warmaker. And on and on. You get the picture. This is why they are doing a Media Blackout on him. Because they don''''t WANT YOU TO KNOW THE TRUTH!
Who is Ron Paul?
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/about
Ron Paul WON The GOP Debate On Sunday!
Again No EXPOSURE!
Who Owns The Media: http://www.mediaowners.com
***************************
RON PAUL IS THE ONLY POLITICAN REPUBLICAN OR
DEMOCRAT THAT WILL STOP THE WAR! NO ONE ELSE
WILL, PERIOD! WAKE UP AMERICA! VOTE RON PAUL 2008
TAKE CARE OF AMERICA AND OUR PEOPLE FIRST, INSTEAD
OF HAVING OUR CHILDREN DIE IN A B.S. WAR!
***************************
Ron Paul Goes Head To Head With Bernanke "Federal Reserve" Explaining Why Our Economy Is So Poor! Watch This Video America So You Can Understand Your Own Dollar And The Hidden Inflation Tax!
WATCH THIS VIDEO:
http://tinyurl.com/345s6g
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Posted by SgtRDS at 05:16 PM : Oct 23, 2007
+ report abuse
I guess we will let your state burn to the ground then you un-pateriotic neocon.
Why dont you take some action and go help with the fires, go donate go do something other then tell the man who is trying to send aide for those poor people. *** are you smoking. If you dont need the help of bush, then im assuming that you can handle it yourself personally. Class A, Royal ******.
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Posted by MichelleM99 at 05:32 PM : Oct 23, 2007
+ report abuse
Sending water is a problem, us in Las Vegas activly particapate by reducing the amount of water we use from the drying colorado. If GA did the same they wouldnt have been in this boat. They are just now saying take shorter showers, dont water the grass, etc etc etc. I feel sorry for them, but in all reality they are screwed unless they get hit with a hurricane.
Can any one of you come up with that in a single day alone?
If answer = "no" then
punch head
elseif answer = "yes" then
explain
end if
Plus Blackwater is being sent in to provide security. You don''t go to the shelter, they gun you down.
Posted by homjett at 05:52 PM : Oct 23, 2007
Don''t be acting like Bush is some how doing us a favor by sending money and aid to California. He has to. He has no choice. Besides California is the 5th largest economy in the world. We pay far far far more into the Federal system then we get back. All this amounts to is him sending some of our own money back to us. Nothing more. And no, we don''t want that lying POS to deliver it in person or to use us as a phony photo op. Stay out Bush. You are not welcome in California!
Do us a favor you hypocical fktard. Jump in the fire.
Do us a favor you hypocical fktard. Jump in the fire"--Posted by Badmofojim
Yeah well if the little Texass fvckjer helps California the way he''s helped Iraq, the whole f state will be a smoking wasteland, *************!
I guess those same folks happen to have a different opinion when it comes to a more well-off area that happens to have a more "lilly-white" occupancy.
This story and the current administration uses terms like "indifferences" and "lessons learned"...why not call it exactly what it is and this country is still based upon, RACISM, pure and simple! Stop spinning the truth and get real, especially you 28% of the US population who support the head racist crook in charge. Reagan made racism fashionable and taught racists how to legally get away with it, Bush has made it stupidly popular at the expense of all Americans.
The headline should have read:
Bush Promises to Fire California Aid
Anyway, I hope he goes in and does a
"Shock and Awe" show for them.
Maybe LucasFilm could help.
That would be cool.
LOL
San Diego,remember when Bush said he''d rebuild New Orleans? Uh, well how do I say this........it didn''t happen. Best of luck.
Too bad Bush doesn''t have total control of Congress anymore, he could give Halliburton and his other buddies no-bid contracts to rebuild Southern California the way he did with New Orleans. Most of the money for New Orleans was funneled out of state through these kinds of schemes.
Now these suspicious fires (that stop right at the mexican border--what, the slums of tijuana don''t ignite???) to burn out the few remaining white (wasp, racist, whatever they are these days) people to finish the mexican occupation of Southern California after the insurance pays off and people decide to leave rather than build another house in the middle of stinking cinders.
Muchas gracias for your help, senor! viva la mexico!
Posted by SgtRDS at 06:39 PM : Oct 23, 2007
Amen. Just give us our money back, George, and stay the f out. Our hard-working fire fighters have enough to contend with, without some pompous fool strutting around for the cameras. As if you ever cared about the suffering of others!
Perino said there are other places to get the needed resources to do the job.
"When you are a nation at war you have to use assets available to you and sometimes those come from the National Guard," Perino said. "The president has said we will get them what they need."
What, is the Champagne Squadron still in business, keeping the white sons of Texass millionaires out of harm''s way? Is Bushit going to send them in to California?
Why Don''t You Know Ron Paul??????
The corporate media will not give Ron Paul any Exposure. Because, NBC is owned by GE. GE is one of the world''s largest war-makers. They make things that go boom. They make $Billions on war. A Ron Paul administration would be bad for business. CNN is owned by AOL. Majority share holder is Saudi Royal Talal who is also partners with GHWBush in The Carlyle Group. Another major warmaker. And on and on. You get the picture. This is why they are doing a Media Blackout on him. Because they don''''t WANT YOU TO KNOW THE TRUTH!
Who is Ron Paul?
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/about
Ron Paul WON The GOP Debate On Sunday!
Again No EXPOSURE!
Who Owns The Media: http://www.mediaowners.com
***************************
RON PAUL IS THE ONLY POLITICAN REPUBLICAN OR
DEMOCRAT THAT WILL STOP THE WAR! NO ONE ELSE
WILL, PERIOD! WAKE UP AMERICA! VOTE RON PAUL 2008
TAKE CARE OF AMERICA AND OUR PEOPLE FIRST, INSTEAD
OF HAVING OUR CHILDREN DIE IN A B.S. WAR!
***************************
Ron Paul Goes Head To Head With Bernanke "Federal Reserve" Explaining Why Our Economy Is So Poor! Watch This Video America So You Can Understand Your Own Dollar And The Hidden Inflation Tax!
WATCH THIS VIDEO:
http://tinyurl.com/345s6g
Join The ReVoLuTiOn In Your City Stand Up America:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/cities/
Hey idiot!!! Get a clue!!! You are NOT welcome in California!!! We do not want you here pretending you give a dam*n and we don''t need our firefighters to have to get pulled off from the line just for one of your phony photo ops!!!!
STAY AWAY!!! WE DON''T WANT YOU HERE!!!
California Needs KING W!!!He`ll help them,..Ask the people of Louisiana ?
GW Bush is the epitome of todays exclusive Conservative Values Voting jinGOPigs.
Southern California, Bush says he''s going to help you rebuild. Uh, how to say this......he said the same thing to New Orleans. Good luck.
That is a LIE. Dennis Kucinich, if elected, would stop the war ASAP. Bill Richardson has also indicated strongly that he would stop the war.
Don''t the RP spammers know ANYTHING?
Bush sent them off to Iraq to be sitting ducks. Apparently Bush thinks "they" won''t come here if we send them lots of targets to shoot at "over there". That''s how the Republicans "support the troops"!
Raise his hands in the air...
And proclaim his rule over California.
"I give these lands to you Satan. These innocent souls. In the name of Allmighty Greed and Power."
JAIL CHENEY JAIL BUSH Deliberately LIED us into Iraq. Murderous Thugs, War Ciminals, Terrorists with a $500 BILLION Budget.
Maybe god will tell him how to put out the fires.
I predict FEMA''s response will be immediate.
Evacuations have been ordered in Southern California, and people have left the burning areas to keep from catching on fire. There''s no substiture for common sense.
Posted by boatdocster at 10:54 PM : Oct 23, 2007
Amen! Sh*it burns so so should he!
Posted by trumpet008 at 01:27 AM : Oct 24, 2007
Absolutely. I''m sure this as*sholes handlers will be able to find him some black children to hug in most of the photos.
Get a clue Bush! We don''t want you here! You are not welcome! Just put the check for the return of some of our money in the mail and go the fu*ck to your phony ranch in Texas you worthless piece of sh*it!
Evacuations have been ordered in Southern California, and people have left the burning areas to keep from catching on fire. There''''s no substiture for common sense.
Posted by downtowner97
For a lot of people in New Orleans, I think it had something to do with not having much money to evacuate (go where, and at what cost???). I understand why the Faux News watchers always like to blame the victim, but it''s not particularly valid, or, dare I say it, Christian-like, to condemn people so casually like this.
Evacuations have been ordered in Southern California, and people have left the burning areas to keep from catching on fire. There''''s no substiture for common sense.
Posted by downtowner97 at 12:55 AM : Oct 24, 2007
Hey you racist knuckle-dragging ignorant inbred a$$hole, shouldn''t you and another 32% of folks like you in this country be in Iraq fighting a senseless war, or in airport bathrooms tapping your feet, or molesting little boys somewhere. You exemplify everything that''s wrong with this country. I guess it just never occurred to you that maybe some folks couldn''t afford to leave or maybe were too sick or too old. Now, go back to bed...I''m sure your sister is missing you!
Posted by truthspeake2 at 01:34 AM : Oct 24, 2007
Amen, but you''re wrong about one thing. If this poster is a grown man then it''s his daughter that''s needing some daddy loving and if he''s a kid then his Ma that needs him.........
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