[BlueSky]

There's only one thing more important than getting aid to the victims of Katrina, and that's looking good doing it. Or looking like you're doing anything at all.

Photo ops can serve a purpose, to one degree or another. On the other hand, photo ops which serve as nothing more than good PR for the Prez at a time like this are despicable and indicative of the lack of character and leadership ability by the current inhabitant of the ovaltine office.

The 'Recovery Efforts': Wherever Bush went yesterday, it seemed as though people were already hard at work rebuilding the affected areas. Unfortunately for Bush, there were a few foreign journalists at his photo ops, and they pulled back the curtain on what we saw on TV to reveal that the 'work' was staged for the media. Here's a translation from the German news show web site.

"Two minutes ago the President drove by with his convoy. What happened here in Biloxi during the day is really unbelievable. All of a sudden the rescue troops finally showed up, the clean-up vehicles; we didn't see those over the last days here. In an area where it really isn't urgent, there is nobody around, all the remaining people went to the city center.

The President is traveling with a press convoy, so they get wonderful pictures saying the president was here and the help will follow. The amount of this catastrophe shocked me, but the amount of set-up that happened here today is at least equally shocking for me.

ZDF News reported that the president's visit was a completely staged event. Their crew witnessed how the open air food distribution point Bush visited in front of the cameras was torn down immediately after the president and the herd of 'news people' had left and that others which were allegedly being set up were abandoned at the same time.

The people in the area were once again left to fend for themselves, said ZDF.

Levee Repairs in New Orleans: As Bush flew around the skies above New Orleans, CNN began showing footage of a bulldozer and dump trucks working on the 17th Street levee, which was the maqin source of the flood waters in New Orleans. When Bush got ready to leave, he crowed that 'progress is flowing.' But according to Sen. Mary Landrieu, the crew that was working so hard yesterday left and apparently never came back:

But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw what I believed to be a real and significant effort to get a handle on a major cause of this catastrophe. Flying over this critical spot again this morning, less than 24 hours later, it became apparent that yesterday we witnessed a hastily prepared stage set for a Presidential photo opportunity; and the desperately needed resources we saw were this morning reduced to a single, lonely piece of equipment. The good and decent people of southeast Louisiana and the Gulf Coast - black and white, rich and poor, young and old - deserve far better from their national government.

The First 'Comforting Session': Then it was off to Biloxi, MS to survey the damage. As Bush, Haley Barbour and others walked down a street, 2 women appeared seemingly out of nowhere for Bush to 'comfort' them. But it turns out that the two women didn't even live in Biloxi, and had just come down for the day to try to 'salvage' clothes from the area for one of the women's son (were they looters?). But they were apparently reasonably telegenic and happened to be in the area, so they were recruited to represent an area where they didn't even live. A number of threads at Democratic Underground discuss the weirdness of these women showing up in a disaster area. And a trandcript of the conversation between Bush and the women reads like a bad comedy skit:

Bush to women: "There's a Salvation Army center that I want to, that I'll tell you where it is, and they'll get you some help. I'm sorry.... They'll help you.....
Woman 1: "I came here looking for clothes..."
Bush: "They'll get you some clothes, at the Salvation Army center..."
Woman 1: "We don't have anything..."
Bush: "I understand.... Do you know where the center is, that I'm talking to you about?"
Guy with shades: "There's no center there, sir, it's a truck."
Bush: "There's trucks?"
Guy: "There's a school, a school about two miles away....."
Bush: "But isn't there a Salvation center down there?"
Guy: "No that's wiped out...."
Bush: "A temporary center? "
Guy: "No sir they've got a truck there, for food."
Bush: "That's what I'm saying, for food and water."
Bush turns to the sister who's been saying how she needs clothes.
Bush to sister: "You need food and water."

More here.

We are and have been in the midst of some very weird national karma. Two major disasters, with a *****wit at the helm.

[Mark Larr]

All of this wouldn't have happened if the mayor had did his job.

http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?...6&tabid=26

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by Mark Larr

All of this wouldn't have happened if the mayor had did his job.

But it did happen, and Bush is doing phoney PR. Is that the mayor's fault too?

[placebo1969]

I thought people were initially complaining that Bush was in Crawford and not in New Orleans. He has/is there and now people are complaining about that?

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by placebo1969

I thought people were initially complaining that Bush was in Crawford and not in New Orleans. He has/is there and now people are complaining about that?

All due respect girls, you are taking some very desperate and irrelevant quasi-rationalizing measures.

[placebo1969]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

All due respect girls, you are taking some very desperate and irrelevant quasi-rationalizing measures.

?? Who's rationalizing? I'm asking a question. People were complaining when Bush wasn't there and now are complaining that he is there. I don't see any rationalizing with that question. I feel that people who don't like Bush will see anything that he does there (in the disaster area) as a "Great American Photo Op."

[Mark Larr]

What was it the mayor said?

"where's the beef?"

It's not beef he'll be eating, it'll be sole food as his foot is now in his mouth for abandoning his city by completely IGNORING their evac plans.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by placebo1969

?? Who's rationalizing? I'm asking a question. People were complaining when Bush wasn't there and now are complaining that he is there. I don't see any rationalizing with that question. I feel that people who don't like Bush will see anything that he does there (in the disaster area) as a "Great American Photo Op."

I'm not complaining about Bush being there. I'm saying (by demonstration of the quotes/link I posted) that he is faking it. That's what the thread, such as it is, is about. Not that Bush should stay out of the area or not, or that he should wear green underwear or learn to speak english.

Screamingly obvious to us "lefties" from the beginning of his presidency is that the guy is an empty suit, a boy sent to do a man's job. The set-up photo-ops are another example of that. Set-ups at a time like this, where the background is set up to look like something it's not.

Imagine this, a president at a disaster site: "OK, press people, I know you have your stories to report and your pictures to take, but you're going to have to try to keep up. I have a lot of people I want to talk to and a lot of first-hand experience of what's going on here and we're not gonna do any posing or setups or anything like that. This is serious shît."

The only way Bush could ever say anything remotely like that is if it was handed to him in a script.

[ThinkInsane]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

Screamingly obvious to us "lefties" from the beginning of his presidency is that the guy is an empty suit, a boy sent to do a man's job. The set-up photo-ops are another example of that. Set-ups at a time like this, where the background is set up to look like something it's not.

And you don't think that maybe that opinion is coloring your perception of the situation, as it may well be coloring the perception of those you quoted? Sometimes things are exactly what they are, nothing more. You can find what you want to see in any circumstance, if you look hard enough.

[placebo1969]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

I'm not complaining about Bush being there. I'm saying (by demonstration of the quotes/link I posted) that he is faking it. That's what the thread, such as it is, is about. Not that Bush should stay out of the area or not, or that he should wear green underwear or learn to speak english.

Screamingly obvious to us "lefties" from the beginning of his presidency is that the guy is an empty suit, a boy sent to do a man's job. The set-up photo-ops are another example of that. Set-ups at a time like this, where the background is set up to look like something it's not.

Imagine this, a president at a disaster site: "OK, press people, I know you have your stories to report and your pictures to take, but you're going to have to try to keep up. I have a lot of people I want to talk to and a lot of first-hand experience of what's going on here and we're not gonna do any posing or setups or anything like that. This is serious shît."

The only way Bush could ever say anything remotely like that is if it was handed to him in a script.

Does that include any and all politicians who do something like that in front of the cameras. My point, it that the complaints on Bush are so partisian. Just as many, if not most were during Clinton's time in office. As soon as this disaster happened, people wanted to place blame somewhere. How about helping the people and then looking at the situation later?

[smacintush]

Good. God.

When he does something now he's "faking it".

He could sprinkle magic dust and totally undo the whole NO disaster and you people would accuse him of doing it for political gain or getting the magic dust from "Big Oil™".

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by placebo1969

Does that include any and all politicians who do something like that in front of the cameras.

As I said, "Photo ops can serve a purpose, to one degree or another". I'm not talking about other politicians at the moment, I'm talking about 2-3 instances in particular involving one particular Bush, as reported and quoted. If it was reported that some other guy did the same thing with setups and so on, I'd find it just as pathetic.

My point, it that the complaints on Bush are so partisian. Just as many, if not most were during Clinton's time in office. As soon as this disaster happened, people wanted to place blame somewhere.

You're insinuating that because I (or others) are partisan, then the reports don't mean anything? I am partisan, I do dislike Bush for very many reasons, AND there have been reports that Bush was doing phoney setups for his photo-ops and I started a thread about it. All can live in the same universe.

I'm trying to stay on topic...this is about phoniness...crass phoniness at a time when not even all of the people in N.O. have been evacuated. This is not not about whether he was to blame for the Fed's slow response. I'm talking about someone whom, to me, is quite obviously going through the motions and is apparently more concerned about his own on-screen image than he is about the people who are presently suffering.

[placebo1969]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

You're insinuating that because I (or others) are partisan, then the reports don't mean anything? I am partisan, I do dislike Bush for very many reasons, AND there have been reports that Bush was doing phoney setups for his photo-ops and I started a thread about it. All can live in the same universe.

I wasn't trying to insinuate anything. I'm not discounting any reports. It's simply a matter of opinion that Bush (or any politician) is going through the motions. However, when you say you are partisian, it takes the strength away from your argument, in my opinion.

I saw Harry Connick, Jr. and Matthew McConaughey on TV with cameras following them around. I feel that they are phonies. Does that make it a fact? No. It's my opinion.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by ThinkInsane

And you don't think that maybe that opinion is coloring your perception of the situation, as it may well be coloring the perception of those you quoted?

We're talking about direct observation, and I assume the reporters were employing that and reporting what they saw, as reporters do. Let's do it this way. Can you come up with a possible explanation of what was going on? Again, from the report:

ZDF News reported that the president's visit was a completely staged event. Their crew witnessed how the open air food distribution point Bush visited in front of the cameras was torn down immediately after the president and the herd of 'news people' had left and that others which were allegedly being set up were abandoned at the same time.

"Torn down immediately after..." etc. It's good to be skeptical, but until you or anyone else can come up with a reasonable alternative explanation as to what was going on, I'll go by the report, which is simple and straightforward.

Sometimes things are exactly what they are, nothing more. You can find what you want to see in any circumstance, if you look hard enough.

I'll raise ya on that one...things are ALWAYS exactly what they are.

[spauldingg]

Read the whole article

Firefighters say they want to brave the heat, the debris-littered roads, the poisonous cottonmouth snakes and fire ants and travel into pockets of Louisiana where many people have yet to receive emergency aid.
But as specific orders began arriving to the firefighters in Atlanta, a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment: to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by smacintush

Good. God.

When he does something now he's "faking it".

He could sprinkle magic dust and totally undo the whole NO disaster and you people would accuse him of doing it for political gain or getting the magic dust from "Big Oil™".

That, m'boy, is called colored smoke. That's all fine, but it hardly addresses the point of the thread.

[Face Ache]

Originally Posted by spauldingg

Read the whole article

Firefighters say they want to brave the heat, the debris-littered roads, the poisonous cottonmouth snakes and fire ants and travel into pockets of Louisiana where many people have yet to receive emergency aid.
But as specific orders began arriving to the firefighters in Atlanta, a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment: to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas.

Ooh, he's rolling his sleeves up! Stand back everybody!

Meanwhile...

Louisiana senator: Thank you Canada

A Louisiana state senator has praised a Canadian search and rescue team. Senator Walter Boasso said a Vancouver-based team reached St. Bernard parish five days before the U.S. army got there.

"Fabulous, fabulous guys," Boasso said. "They started rolling with us and got in boats to save people ... We've got Canadian flags flying everywhere."

The suburb of 68,000 people was initially ignored by U.S. authorities who were scrambling to get aid to New Orleans. Boasso said floodwater in his parish is still 2.4 metres deep in some places.

He said residents of the outlying parishes had to mount their own rescue and relief efforts when Hurricane Katrina struck last week.

The U.S. government response to the disaster has been widely criticized. Some politicians and editorial writers have called for the resignation of top Bush administration officials.

Boasso saved his praise for the Canadians and their quick work. "They were so glad to be here," he said. "They're still here. They are actually going door-to-door looking in the attics" for people to rescue.

[ThinkInsane]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

We're talking about direct observation, and I assume the reporters were employing that and reporting what they saw, as reporters do. Let's do it this way. Can you come up with a possible explanation of what was going on? Again, from the report:



"Torn down immediately after..." etc. It's good to be skeptical, but until you or anyone else can come up with a reasonable alternative explanation as to what was going on, I'll go by the report, which is simple and straightforward.



I'll raise ya on that one...things are ALWAYS exactly what they are.

And is there any confirmation that those reports are accurate? Multiple sources, things like that? Has anyone come forward and validated these accusations? Do we know, if these accusations are true, whether Bush was aware that these food distribution centers were torn down after he left?

I'm sorry, I am going to require some proof before I'll believe that food distribution centers were set up and torn down just as a photo-op while people were starving and dying. I wasn't there, so I don't know what was going on, but somehow, I think that your mind was made up the moment you saw the pictures.

[finboy]

Originally Posted by ThinkInsane

Do we know, if these accusations are true, whether Bush was aware that these food distribution centers were torn down after he left?

That's the big question. How some of you guys can insist that GWB is an "empty suit" is beyond me. He's no more of an empty suit than any other national politician -- they're just human.

[spauldingg]

There are at least six links on the originally linked article.

[smacintush]

I won't try to defend Bush for the photo-ops. This is the way it's played in politics. Clinton was famous for it. (Normandy anyone?) Bush 41, Reagan, Carter…

[ironknee]

come on...bush has been holding meetings with approved audiences so it looks good on the sound/video clip...come on....you KNOW this is true...

why would this be a surprise? besides the it's all clinton';s fault arguments, come on...

[zizban]

You know, no one is blameless, from the Presidemt down to the mayor of New Orleans. Personally, I put most of the blame on the head of FEMA. Do you know what the present head of FEMA did before being appointed? He worked for the President's campaigns in Texas and for the White House. No experience in disaster management. Neither does his #2 or #3.

[ThinkInsane]

Originally Posted by spauldingg

There are at least six links on the originally linked article.

By article, you mean a blog post written by the renowned journalist 'stranger'? With 4 of the 6 links linking to other blogs? I would prefer some actual confirmaion, not just a bunch of like minded bloggers starting their posts with "Jesus Christ!".

[ironknee]

i thought it's jesus H christ!

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by smacintush

I won't try to defend Bush for the photo-ops. This is the way it's played in politics. Clinton was famous for it. (Normandy anyone?) Bush 41, Reagan, Carter…

Exactly!

I'll look for any chance I can get to criticize Bush but this is what he, and all other modern Presidents, do. They show up, look concerned, express some generally positive sentiments and get the hell out of whatever godforsaken place they are in. This is what modern Presidential image-making has become, style IS more important than substance. Make no mistake about that. You know, we could very easily have had President Kerry down there doing the exact same thing.

[spauldingg]

President Kerry wouldn't have put a failed horse judge crony in charge of FEMA.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Mark Larr

All of this wouldn't have happened if the mayor had did his job.

http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?...6&tabid=26

Yes it would have, are you trying to say the Katrina would have moved some place else if the Mayor had evac'ed the city sooner? That the trees and buildings would still be standing? No flood would have happened? Are you that dense?

[Athens]

Originally Posted by placebo1969

Does that include any and all politicians who do something like that in front of the cameras. My point, it that the complaints on Bush are so partisian. Just as many, if not most were during Clinton's time in office. As soon as this disaster happened, people wanted to place blame somewhere. How about helping the people and then looking at the situation later?

I think it the party doing it, Bush has nothing to gain looking good personally, his time is up, he cant get re-elected. But his party on the otherhand needs good PR. For all we know Bush might be flying in seeing things being done and not know its all PR.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by smacintush

Good. God.

When he does something now he's "faking it".

i'm sorry, but every single news report I've seen/heard/read on the President's visit(s) to Louisiana post-Katrina have been VERY clear.

The rescue crews and workers showed up with the President and the press corps, did some hard work in areas of secondary urgency, and left shortly after the President and the press corps.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by spauldingg

President Kerry wouldn't have put a failed horse judge crony in charge of FEMA.

Your right. President Kerry would have appointed one of his own crony's to be head of FEMA. Who knows what that person would be into but it would certainly not be disaster management.

[Mark Larr]

??K\0\0\0\0??0\0Yes it would have, are you trying to say the Katrina would have moved some place else if the Mayor had evac'ed the city sooner? That the trees and buildings would still be standing? No flood would have happened? Are you that dense?[/QUOTE]


Did you read the evac plan?

I didn't think so.


If the Mayor would have done the MANDANTORY 72 hour evac and had called in the bus teams like outlined in the plan, there would only be rebuilding and cleanup.

The mayor FAILED to the point of criminal neglegence.

[mojo2]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

There's only one thing more important than getting aid to the victims of Katrina, and that's looking good doing it. Or looking like you're doing anything at all.

Photo ops can serve a purpose, to one degree or another. On the other hand, photo ops which serve as nothing more than good PR for the Prez at a time like this are despicable and indicative of the lack of character and leadership ability by the current inhabitant of the ovaltine office.

More here.

We are and have been in the midst of some very weird national karma. Two major disasters, with a *****wit at the helm.

Your fellow Bush basher, iDrive X thinks the power of imagery and symbolism are important!
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...14#post2689414

How do you jibe his valid comment and pov with your own which seems, at best, ignorant of human nature and the importance of imagery to leadership?

If you are an American you really SHOULD want your President to do a good job for us and the world.

If you are not American then it seems you are concerned MORE with how Bush has changed America into something you can no longer love as you once did.

What you must consider is whether you loved with your eyes open or not. You loved us for what America is and you loved America for what you wanted it to be. But your love is a manipulative love, a co-dependent kind of love. You are unwilling to allow that AMERICA has visions and needs for America that are DIFFERENT from your views and needs and perception and EXPECTATIONS.

And in any love relationship it is not the partner who dictates the path of the loved one.

I'm sorry, BlueSky. To borrow a line from Seinfeld's George Costanza, it's not you, it's U.S.

[ghporter]

You know, I can think of about ten different reasons for setting up a food distribution station for a while and then moving it. In that area (any of you ever been there? I LIVED THERE for almost 10 years) there are huge areas of devastation, with small pockets of less devastation; the people there are often in small groups that need relatively little support because of their small numbers. And the roads are wiped out-not just covered by debris, but GONE in a lot of places. So people have a hard time getting from point to point on their own, and it would make sense to pack up and move to where the people are instead of making them come to you.

and as ThinkInsane says, I'd like to see OTHER reporters' views of what happened. Much of the German press is exceptionally anti-American and particularly anti-Bush, so what better way to poke at us and him than to use unconfirmable "I was there" stories? It's a low blow, but hey, that's what slanted journalism is all about.

[mojo2]

Originally Posted by spauldingg

Read the whole article

Firefighters say they want to brave the heat, the debris-littered roads, the poisonous cottonmouth snakes and fire ants and travel into pockets of Louisiana where many people have yet to receive emergency aid.
But as specific orders began arriving to the firefighters in Atlanta, a team of 50 Monday morning quickly was ushered onto a flight headed for Louisiana. The crew's first assignment: to stand beside President Bush as he tours devastated areas.

We should all, (especially BlueSky) recognize spauldingg's effective invalidation of this thread's assertion, that photo ops ARE NOT important.

spauldingg used an UNFLATTERING photo to make a statement. Whether it is an accurate or inaccurate one is the only question.

Imagery and symbolism ARE important. You just disagree with the President's leadership. Admit it. His leadership ain't that bad, you just disagree with it.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by mojo2

If you are not American then it seems you are concerned MORE with how Bush has changed America into something you can no longer love as you once did.

So, you're saying that people who feel that America has changed are not patriotic Americans?

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by mojo2

Your fellow Bush basher, iDrive X thinks the power of imagery and symbolism are important!

How do you jibe his valid comment and pov with your own which seems, at best, ignorant of human nature and the importance of imagery to leadership?

If you are an American you really SHOULD want your President to do a good job for us and the world.

If you are not American then it seems you are concerned MORE with how Bush has changed America into something you can no longer love as you once did.

What you must consider is whether you loved with your eyes open or not. You loved us for what America is and you loved America for what you wanted it to be. But your love is a manipulative love, a co-dependent kind of love. You are unwilling to allow that AMERICA has visions and needs for America that are DIFFERENT from your views and needs and perception and EXPECTATIONS.

And in any love relationship it is not the partner who dictates the path of the loved one.

I'm sorry, BlueSky. To borrow a line from Seinfeld's George Costanza, it's not you, it's U.S.

Foo Fighters just did "Born on the Bayou" and Neil Young did "When God Made Me" on that Relief Effort show. They were awesome!

Mojo, let's cut to the heart of the matter. All you have said is:

a) Fall in line with iDrive or I'm not a Good American.
b) Fall in line with Bush or I'm not a Good American.
c) Fall in line with you or I'm not George Costanza. I think.

No to all.

And stop doing that. Read the second paragraph of my initial post to answer your question re: imagery and leadership.

[mojo2]

Originally Posted by BlueSky

Foo Fighters just did "Born on the Bayou" and Neil Young did "When God Made Me" on that Relief Effort show. They were awesome!

Mojo, let's cut to the heart of the matter. All you have said is:

a) Fall in line with iDrive or I'm not a Good American.
b) Fall in line with Bush or I'm not a Good American.
c) Fall in line with you or I'm not George Costanza. I think.

No to all.

And stop doing that. Read the second paragraph of my initial post to answer your question re: imagery and leadership.

Photo ops can serve a purpose, to one degree or another. On the other hand, photo ops which serve as nothing more than good PR for the Prez at a time like this are despicable and indicative of the lack of character and leadership ability by the current inhabitant of the ovaltine office.

You do not encourage someone on your team by tearing them down in the middle of the contest. You NEED them to continue doing their job and doing it credibly and to the best of their ability. PR is a necessary tool to any leader, be it Bush or OBL. We need Bush to indulge the Photo ops so he can continue doing our work as best as he can. I doubt he enjoys the photo ops, if that makes you feel any better.

You simply disagree with Bush's actions.

You needn't deny it. You are not on our team. But I still respect your opinion.

I just need you to know that the AMERICA many of you think BUSH TOOK AWAY FROM YOU...

...was really an America he revealed to you.

[mojo2]

Originally Posted by besson3c

So, you're saying that people who feel that America has changed are not patriotic Americans?

You simply disagree with Bush's actions. But I still respect your opinion.

I just need you to know that the AMERICA many of you think BUSH TOOK AWAY FROM YOU...

...was really an America he revealed to you.

...people who feel that America has changed are not patriotic Americans?

No, that's not exactly what I meant, but it's a pretty funny interpretation.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by Mark Larr

??K\0\0\0\0??0\0Yes it would have, are you trying to say the Katrina would have moved some place else if the Mayor had evac'ed the city sooner? That the trees and buildings would still be standing? No flood would have happened? Are you that dense?

Did you read the evac plan?

I didn't think so.


If the Mayor would have done the MANDANTORY 72 hour evac and had called in the bus teams like outlined in the plan, there would only be rebuilding and cleanup.

The mayor FAILED to the point of criminal neglegence.[/QUOTE]

Not true. Those that could leave did leave. Those that couldnt relocated to the Super Dome. With a few exceptions like the nursing home and perhaps some homes of elderly or sick people the people being rescured right now are mostly those that decided to not evac. We would still have the same kind of problem as we do now. This was the first case in history in the US of a entire city being evacuated. I think it went rather well considering how large NO is.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by ghporter

You know, I can think of about ten different reasons for setting up a food distribution station for a while and then moving it. In that area (any of you ever been there? I LIVED THERE for almost 10 years) there are huge areas of devastation, with small pockets of less devastation; the people there are often in small groups that need relatively little support because of their small numbers. And the roads are wiped out-not just covered by debris, but GONE in a lot of places. So people have a hard time getting from point to point on their own, and it would make sense to pack up and move to where the people are instead of making them come to you.

and as ThinkInsane says, I'd like to see OTHER reporters' views of what happened. Much of the German press is exceptionally anti-American and particularly anti-Bush, so what better way to poke at us and him than to use unconfirmable "I was there" stories? It's a low blow, but hey, that's what slanted journalism is all about.

That never even crossed my mind.

[spauldingg]

Originally Posted by mojo2

We should all, (especially BlueSky) recognize spauldingg's effective invalidation of this thread's assertion, that photo ops ARE NOT important.

spauldingg used an UNFLATTERING photo to make a statement. Whether it is an accurate or inaccurate one is the only question.

Imagery and symbolism ARE important. You just disagree with the President's leadership. Admit it. His leadership ain't that bad, you just disagree with it.

WT Flying F?

50 (fifty!) trained and willing rescuers of our fellow humans during a time of suffering and dying beings diverted for propaganda purposes instead of saving human lives is just plain evil.

So, yes, if this is the President's brand of "leadership" then I will admit my "disagreement" to all corners of the Earth. Loudly.

[Athens]

Originally Posted by spauldingg

WT Flying F?

50 (fifty!) trained and willing rescuers of our fellow humans during a time of suffering and dying beings diverted for propaganda purposes instead of saving human lives is just plain evil.

So, yes, if this is the President's brand of "leadership" then I will admit my "disagreement" to all corners of the Earth. Loudly.

Who cares about that fifty trained and willing, there was much worst mistakes. From Vancouver to Toronto over 200 rescuers could not get past red tape to be used when they where most needed. Same goes with 40 other countries who where ready to send help right away. Between all the countries that got stuck behind red tape, and other American teams from other states the numbers of potential rescuers wasted was prob 500-1000. I think the red tape was a bigger crime/mistake.

[Troll]

Looks like fewer photo ops. The Military is censoring journalists in New Orleans now.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/H...768331,00.html

[Doofy]

If the whole World has been whining that you're not doing enough to solve a problem (i.e. because sitting in your office you're obviously completely oblivious to everything going on outside as long-distance communication hasn't been invented yet ), what are you gonna do?
That's right, you're gonna get out of your office, travel to where the problem is and get some folks to take pictures of you so the folks who've been whining can see that you're doing something.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by mojo2

I just need you to know that the AMERICA many of you think BUSH TOOK AWAY FROM YOU...

...was really an America he revealed to you.

I have realized this for quite some time and that realization is what upsets me so much. I don't like the "America he revealed to [me]" and I am not sure I can figure out how to like it or if I even want to like it.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Doofy

If the whole World has been whining that you're not doing enough to solve a problem (i.e. because sitting in your office you're obviously completely oblivious to everything going on outside as long-distance communication hasn't been invented yet ), what are you gonna do?
That's right, you're gonna get out of your office, travel to where the problem is and get some folks to take pictures of you so the folks who've been whining can see that you're doing something.

And sometimes because it just LOOKS like you're not doing anything you have to go out and be seen in public. The perception of the public is very important and if people don't see leaders, they begin to feel that those leaders are not doing anything.

It's like the assertion that Bush was doing nothing while "on vacation" when the hurricane hit. He WAS calling the Governor of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans and urging them in the strongest terms to ENFORCE a MANDATORY evacuation of New Orleans at that time, but most people think he was sitting around in his drawers and watching wrestling on TV. Presidents really don't have "days off" even if they're not in their offices.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by ghporter

And sometimes because it just LOOKS like you're not doing anything you have to go out and be seen in public. The perception of the public is very important and if people don't see leaders, they begin to feel that those leaders are not doing anything.

Exactly.

I'm in two minds whether the public is actually that dumb as to think a leader isn't doing anything unless s/he's on the scene or whether it's a sort of lemming mentality invoked by the press which tips them into this idiocy.

[spauldingg]

Originally Posted by Troll

Looks like fewer photo ops. The Military is censoring journalists in New Orleans now.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/H...768331,00.html

Not so fast, filthy liberal activist judges rudely decided that the Bill of Rights still, stupidly, applies.

[mojo2]

Originally Posted by spauldingg

WT Flying F?

50 (fifty!) trained and willing rescuers of our fellow humans during a time of suffering and dying beings diverted for propaganda purposes instead of saving human lives is just plain evil.

So, yes, if this is the President's brand of "leadership" then I will admit my "disagreement" to all corners of the Earth. Loudly.

Leadership is partially actions and relationships and timing and capability and partially the APPEARANCE of doing the right thing with the right people at the right time in the right way.

Why is this an important part of leadership? Do your homework starting with: Human Psychology 101, Public Relations 101, Politics 101 and Leadership 101.

You can do everything right but without giving the citizenry the IMAGERY to support the reality people may miss the idea. You can't do everything wrong and manufacture a totally false impression. But when people are LOOKING to see that their leader DOES care, and IS interacting with the people on the scene and are hungering for symbols to support their own belief or the truth of the situation a wise man once said, a picture is worth a thousand words.

To assure the country that the big man himself is on the job and giving the people confidence that the President cares is not an unimportant matter.

I'll use an analogy. If the President is a car and the American people are the operators it's important to US, we, the operators to have evidence that the car is running the way it should. So, we rely on guages and warning lights and indicators to know that the car is running the way we want it to.

The Photo Op serves as our guage (haha, and NOT to be called a 'dummy light') that the leader is doing the right things.

The Photo Op is AS IMPORTANT to US as it is to the President.

Ok. Now, for you, spauldingg...

So, yes, if this is the President's brand of "leadership" then I will admit my "disagreement" to all corners of the Earth. Loudly.

Don't bother with the corners of the Earth. Just here. You may begin now.