Bush Tours Wildfire Zone

President Views Hard-Hit California Communities; Pledges Strong Federal Response

(CBS/AP)  President Bush had a message Thursday for Southern Californians weary and frightened from five days of still-burning wildfires. "We're not going to forget you in Washington, D.C," he declared in an eerie echo of what he once told Hurricane Katrina victims.

Mr. 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.

[usaprophet]

I want to report a major fire, friends. CBS isn''t reporting it. Our Constitution is currently on fire. And it''s being burned in Congress. See H.R. 1955, a.k.a., Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. I couldn''t believe it. Apparently, activists with Web sites are really begining to anger the elite insofar as they are publically holding officials accountable for their evil. The bill passed the house on Oct 23, in spite of Congressman, Ron Paul''s opposition. The right to free speech on the Internet is gone, my friends. Look it up for yourself, and weep for your country as I have that our rights have eroded this far. Here''s a short excerpt from the bill''s DEFINITIONS statement: "The development and implementation of methods and processes that can be utilized to prevent violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence in the United States is critical to combating domestic terrorism." Here''s another excerpt from the bill''s FINDINGS statement: "The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." And guess who get''s to decide what is "terrorist-related propaganda" is? You got it! The Department of Homeland Insecurity, an agency that''s answerable ONLY to The President. If Ron Paul isn''t elected, our country is doomed!

[signof4]

What a bunch of bedwetting lib whiners. You cry because he doesn''t go to the gulf coast fast enough. Now you''re crying because he''s going to the west coast too fast.

You people are intellectual dwarfs and devoid of any character. Just pathetic.

[kevzgrl]

Cool - a new photo-op for King George II, and a bunch of empty promises and platitudes for the people suffering. Politics as usual.

Only 340 days to go until we can get rid of this worthless, ***-in-a-windstorm that is supposedly the "leader of the free world" and get someone in there with a real heart and soul, not someone who fakes it for the cameras.

When I see Jenna or Barbara, or one of Hawk Chaney''s pin-headed kids put on a uniform and put their life on the line like our soldiers are doing every day, then I will believe that BU-llSH-it truly understands our pain at losing our brave soldiers - if the National Guard troops were here in the United States where they belong, they could have been helping to try and stop this disaster, but they are mostly overseas in harm''s way in a war we SHOULD NOT BE IN!!!

[watcher269-2009]

Did Bush really say "So where''s the Marshmallows"?

[krystelv]

Wow! So he FINALLY appears. Does anybody know where he was 4 DAYS AGO! Drinking tea and eating cookies probaly. Wait, that wasn''t enough, he most likely was having "quality" time with the family. It just wasn''t heart-breaking to hear about California burning to smitherins! I bet that if it would of been Texas, he would of been there within the hour. I mean...honestly! The nerve! Fifteen minutes of "looking" at the affected areas and disaster. I can''t beleive it. What has our country come to.

[alanrobisch]

You are all morons ignoring this disaster and harping about politics!


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Posted by MissSuZQ at 07:44 PM : Oct 25, 2007

I am sorry but the crazy left have to find a reason and a place to vent. No objectivity just bitter venom

[alanrobisch]

We should compete the way the Europeans do--their people get better benefits, screwed over less by the bosses, high standards of living, better public health than the US, and nobody is ignoring them. In contrast, a corrupt Neocon administration here screws over the middle class to pay off their billionaire buddies, US and otherwise.


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Posted by gkc99 at 04:31 PM : Oct 25, 2007
+ report

I think you forgot the riots because of a large underclass of muslim immigrants and native born were prevented from getting a job because of the rigid rules sef up to protect each frenchman from losing their jobs

[pakaal]

Mr. Bush said "It makes a significant difference when you have somebody in the statehouse willing to take the lead."

More importantly, it takes a federal disaster program that isn''t headed by an ex-horse trainer, fear of a replay of Katrina and a problem in no way comparable to Katrina''s devastation.

[sgtrds]

Expect some very powerful photo ops and some very empty promises.

Posted by frankly6 at 12:57 PM : Oct 25, 2007

The same thing as usual will happen. Bush will lie through his teeth that "he cares", will hand out a couple of 100 billion dollars in no-bid Halliburton contracts, Halliburton will do their usual scr*ewed up, half-as*sed job (and gouge the taxpayers on the price) and 5 years from now people will still be waiting for help.

[sgtrds]

Hey did Anyone catch the Vid of the Meeting the Administration had on this situation before Sir Lies-A-Lot left Washington. CHENEY was dead asleep... I mean he was OUT of it.. guess that says more about what these people really think about this than anything else. Sieg Heil Bush!!

Posted by MCVet at 05:52 PM : Oct 25, 2007

Yeah, but sadly he really was only sleeping and hadn''t died. We couldn''t be that lucky........maybe his batteries ran down......

[rushlimpdrug]

You are all morons ignoring this disaster and harping about politics!
Posted by MissSuZQ

Hey Lady-love-long-time, after a disaster it is all about politics with bush.

Anyway, sound bites are cool.
Especially when the president uses them.

[alphaa10-2009]

Let''s see-- Bush wanted FEMA to look good for this high-profile disaster. So, we wait with bated breath for the outcome...

Sure enough, most CA National Guard aircraft are securely tied by red tape until Der Terminator fixes der problem fur der Decider.

Und by then, Santa Anna is in charge of chaos, taking over from Der Terminator und Der Decider.

And now we have people who post agitatedly that we are ignoring the REAL disaster to talk about Bush. Hate to tell you this, but Bush IS the real disaster.

One of the routines neglected by FEMA under Bush has been training and coordination at the state level. That imposture continues, even after Katrina. No one knew who was on first.

Heckuva job!

[jumkey]

Bush is a sociopath - he doesn''t care about San Diego or ordinary Americans. That''s obvious.

We''d better wake up. Corporate America wants to make you poor and dependent, just like the Chinese.

[speakinup]

MCVet - go have your little PTSD problem somewhere else, will you ? No one is feeling sorry for you today.

[mcvet]

You are all morons ignoring this disaster and harping about politics!


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Posted by MissSuZQ at 07:44 PM : Oct 25, 2007
+ report abuse

Did you miss something? I believe Sir LIES-A-LOT made this a Political Event. When you have an approval rating of 30% or less and the vast majority of the nation hates your guts, there''s a pretty good chance some very ugly statements will come out. But you don''t have to come on here to experence that, just walk around town and listen. Sieg Heil Bush!!

[misssuzq]

You are all morons ignoring this disaster and harping about politics!

[thatchmo62]

Photo-ops are standard procedures for ANY politician, Republican or Democrat (see Bush (R) and Feinstein (D) arm in arm). The big story here is that Hey FEMA, Hey Federal Govt., we are taking care of our own in CA and don''t need you here mucking up the works.

[rfcnj68]

What BS here he is hugging a guy in a photo op thats all this is he could give two *** about these people and what they have lost. Another way for a politician to get postive press. All we need now Jeeie and Rev. Al to show up, oooopsss that''s right this is not a racial crime just some white people that lost everything.

[knyghtwolf]

Note that the photo opt shows NO SERCURITY around bush, this is an attempt to make bush look strong. I wish they would show pictures of the security bush has around to prevent an assination attempt. bush''s donation of weenies and marshmellows should be showing up soon to make use of the fire so all the homeless people will NOT go hungry under its BOOT.

[misssuzq]

donbl1 and j-whitman

Do you not have a real ife to attend to?

And why can''t anyone stay focused on the issue - the fires?