In Gulf, Bush Warns Of "Disaster Fatigue"

Surveying Hurricane Ike's Damage, President Urges Americans To Donate To Recovery Effort

(CBS/AP)  President Bush urged Americans on Tuesday to give money to help people recover from Hurricane Ike's battering of the Gulf Coast, warning against letting "disaster fatigue" slow donations when the need remains great.

The president also asked frustrated people who were displaced by the storm "to listen to state and local authorities before you come back." Many areas remain without power and are dangerous because of unstable buildings.

"It is their considered judgment which is important for you," Mr. Bush said.

Mr. Bush spoke to reporters from Houston, his first stop on a daylong trip through some parts of Texas hardest hit by Ike. He landed at Ellington Field to sunny skies, and was briefed on the storm and its aftermath inside a U.S. Coast Guard hangar.

The president called the destruction a "tough situation."

"I have been president long enough to have seen tough situations, and have seen the resilience of the people to be able to deal with the tough situations," he said. "I know with proper help from the federal government and the state government, there will be a better tomorrow."

He then took an aerial tour of the damage, with his helicopter flying low along the Texas coastline. From the air, he could see homes left with only foundations, roofs torn from buildings, and roads and beaches strewn with debris.

The president's next stop was Galveston, which suffered far greater damage as the place where Ike made landfall on Saturday as Category 2 storm with 110 mph winds. Areas such as the resort barrier island of Bolivar Peninsula, just east of Galveston, were nearly completely wiped out. The eye missed Houston, but still caused problems such as widespread power outages in the nation's fourth-largest city. As Ike slogged through Texas and Louisiana and into the nation's midsection, it has caused over three dozen deaths.

It was Mr. Bush's third trip to survey Gulf Coast hurricane damage in two weeks. Earlier this month, Mr. Bush scrapped his planned opening-night speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., to fly instead to emergency command centers in Texas just as Hurricane Gustav hit. He returned to the region later that week to visit Louisiana, also socked by Gustav.

Meanwhile, just a few months after near-record flooding in the Midwest, authorities in towns along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers fear a soggy repeat following heavy rain from the remnants of Ike.

As Mr. Bush flew back to Texas Tuesday, the president was monitoring twin crises. He talked by phone with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to discuss turmoil in the financial markets. He also received a storm briefing on the plane from FEMA Director David Paulison, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt and his homeland security adviser Ken Wainstein, who all traveled with him to the region.

Mr. Bush singled out the American Red Cross as needing Americans' support. The federal government relies on the nonprofit agency and other private organizations to help organize a disaster response, and that takes private donations. The Red Cross in particular is scrambling to replenish its disaster relief funds after repeatedly doling out aid in this busy hurricane season.

"It is very important for our citizens to support the American Red Cross," the president said. "I hope the country does not have disaster fatigue. The Red Cross is a vital part of helping people recover."

The main needs for people in the storm zone are food, water and ice. More than 2 million in Texas alone lack power and could face weeks before the lights come back on. Many thousands also face weeks in shelters, and Mr. Bush assured them personally and publicly that the federal government would reimburse them for their costs, up to 30 days, of interim housing.

There is one glimmer of good news for U.S. regions prone to severe storms: the peak time for Atlantic hurricanes is now past, noted CBS Early Show weather anchor Dave Price.

Paulison said that the rescue phase is winding down and that officials are turning toward a focus on providing blankets and tarps to victims as well as working on long-term housing solutions. An estimated 70 percent of Houston should have power by the end of the week, but Galveston won't fare as well, he said.

Mr. Bush noted the damage to infrastructure was extensive, but still not as bad as some had predicted.

Ike missed the largest concentrations of oil and gas refineries. But at least 14 Texas refineries closed before the storm made landfall, removing more than 20 percent of the nation's petroleum refining capacity. Ike also destroyed at least a dozen production platforms and drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico - though only a tiny fraction of those there - and production is still shut down in the critical region.

Two major pipelines are up and running again, and power has been restored to a number of massive refineries. But it may be several weeks before the nation's refining capacity is restored.

Mr. Bush's trip on Tuesday took the place of a fundraising swing he had planned for the day through Topeka, Kan., and Fort Worth, Texas; those duties were being performed instead by first lady Laura Bush.

[babooph]

I thought he never tired of rushing to the ranch for a few weeks-maybe his wife is tired of rolling up his sleeves so it looks like he has worked on something??

[twimhoff]

Could someone contact GOOGLE and have them update their Satilite images to show the Gulf of Mexico area as it is now. With updated images everyone would be able to see the extent of the destruction of Gustave and Ike, also the displaced residents would be able to see what their homes looked like. This would eliminate them from clogging the roads trying to get in to see their homes and allow the emergancy crews and equipment quicker entry. Just a thought

[ajaxtheleast]

STUPID!!,,"WARNS" ?

What''s wrong with "REPORTS"
disaster fatigue"?

"WARNS" suggests that we better stop
something or that we should prepare
for something that is about to happen.

WHO''s he "WARNING" ?

US?,,God?,,Cheney?,,

And since when is he ABLE TO feel
"fatigue" or ANY OTHER hardship or
emotion experienced by others ??

If suddenly he IS now able to "feel"
others'' pain, suffering or "fatigue"
we should soon be seeing the topic,,

Bush Warns Of "George Bush Fatigue"

And for THAT "warning" of "fatigue"

we could prepare a trip

to The Hague.

[spadeisspade]

I think that thanks to George Bush, we''re all suffering from "disaster fatigue". When "cult of personality" can run against "tortured POW" and we''re taking it seriously, that is a sure sign.

[jbright9]

We are more willing to spend money to help other rich people get more money (Iraq War - Halliburton)but we can''t help our own. God help us if McCain and the Republicans win again. They are fately flawed and have started our downward spiral. McCain will finish the job.

Come on religious right - where is your outrage about the lies McCain and Palin are spewing? Where is your moral compass??? I just don''t understand how good people can be so easily tricked. Think, think, think.

[ribbie149]

For those REPUBLICAN''Ts who will log on and say we can''t afford to finance the recovery from IKE, here''s a newsflash...the feds have offered to buy an 80% stake in AIG to bail them out. See what their "benevolent neglect" has cost us. And the Maverick has the nerve to blame Wall Street. Let''s hope there is any money LEFT to help these poor people after funding the war in Iraq and bailing out institutions that should have been REGULATED by the Feds.

[yongamerica]

In other words, Bush is saying the Feds don''t have the money to help Ike victims and wants all of the gas cash strapped, can''t make ends meet anymore middle class to make up for his national policy failures.

[ender18-2009]

I am not going to donate more money so GW Bush can give it away to his buddies in FEMA. What a incompetent group with an incompetent leader. Texas should be happy getting the aid fromt he president they helped elect for 8 years. Go ask Carl Rove, *** (I get a 2 million dollar tax return) Cheney, or your other rich Halliburton execs to donate.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Disaster Fatigue", you say Georgie girl?

You, Bush, are the disaster we are tired of.

See you at the war crimes and treason trials.

[rushlimbaug4]

Climate change anyone?

Get used to 100 year events coming closer in secession.

[tylenol6]

Bush has just bankrupted the U.S.A. and I just read he
will be giving 3 million dollars to Cuba. Not to even
mention all the millions of dollars Bush has given to
Israel. Wait until our bridges start to fall down again
and our roads fall apart. (They already are!!!!!!)
BUSH = MORON

[annia1233]

Bush encourage americans to donate to the golf victims because he is giving all our money to another gulf. If he would bring the money he has given to Iraq back, our victims would have enough and no american would need to donate anything... our economy would be better and americans would donate as usually we do.
However in the present, when he has played santa clause with our money to others, we are really not in conditions to be givers.

[bogusbones]

i prefer not to see this is political football, but unfortunately everything mr. bush does is politically motivated. the country feels your pain. for him to ask for donations is ludicrous. if he wasn''t spending the national treasure in iraq or bailing out multi billion dollar financial institutions, there''d be money enough to help rebuild the texas coast.

[courtkins]

I am disgusted at everyones comments. Save your political views for a different time. The issue here is the gulf region concerning Ike. I am one of the lucky few that finally have power and water. There are hundreds of thousands of people that have no income coming in because their jobs are gone due to this hurricane. They will probably lose their homes because they will not be able to pay for their mortgage. That''s if their homes are still standing. Thank God most did not lose their lives. These people have lived in this community for a long time. They have roots here and family. I don''t think Galveston and Houston are below sea level. I believe you are talking about Louisianna. It''s not like big hurricanes happen here all of the time. The last major destruction in Houston was back in 1983. People are losing 1,000''s of dollars a week not working. There is no power to 66% of our Houston/Galveston community. I have seen people from the Houston area that are fortunate enough to have power, donating their time and money like I have. I am a struggling "pay check to pay check" type of person. My husband can''t work because power and damage to the store he works at prevent it. I am a teacher and fortunately for me, I still get paid. All I am saying is that it''s a scary scene down here and it seems like no one cares!

[hungry1968]

In Gulf, Bush Warns Of "Disaster Fatigue"





Correct.

After 8 years of republican rule, and the disasters they have created AGAINST America, we are most definitely suffering from disaster fatigue.

But pardon me Mr. Bush, could you please leave the gulf region? Don''t you think these people have suffered enough?

[iphyt4u]

We have over a million people in the military. And I know a few of those people. And they would absolutely love the opportunity to help their fellow Americans. But, there dog tired, and all of the money an equipment has been used up in Iraq. And that''s not politics, that''s a fact.

[feedback3-2009]

Self righteous morons. This is a story about a Major disaster and all you can do is debate politics. You people wouldn''''t rescue your own grandmother from quicksand, much less pay attention to the needs of others.

Posted by notso9 at 02:29 PM : Sep 16, 2008
____________________
People choose to live below sea level on an island in the Gulf of Mexico? You''re right I don''t care all that much. If you think the disasters wrought on this country and the world in the past eight years aren''t screaming for your attention over a the self-healing effects of a storm (exacerbated by the non-existent environmental policies of this administration), then I guess I can understand why you probably also think Sarah Palin is cute.

[tonic1111]

Everyone who voted for Bush should pay for disaster relief. God knows the nation''''s coffers have been drained on an unnecessary war.

So where is relief for our citizens when we need it ? Oh it''''s over in Iraq paying for their infrastructure where the Iraqi''''s are sitting on large oil profits.

[tonic1111]

Everyone who voted for Bush should pay for disaster relief. God knows the nation''s coffers have been drained on an unnecessary war.

So where is relief for our citizens when we need it ? Oh it''s over in Iraq paying for their infrastructure when they Iraqi''s are sitting on large oil profits.

[ribbie149]

OK, I''m leaving now, and as much fun as it is to engage in war of words with people who are unarmed, I have a life (unlike SOME here).

Here''s the bottom line:

If you are happy with the way things are in America right now, vote for the people who made it that way.

If you think we are on a disastrous path and want things to improve, vote for the people who will honestly try to bring about those improvements.

It''s really very simple, but as we have proven in the past, so are we...

All the rest is noise.

And God bless the residents of Texas who have been so severely hurt by Hurricane Ike. You are in our prayers (even us Godless Liberals).