Bush in New Orleans: What He Didn't Say

In his visit to New Orleans yesterday on the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, President Bush said, "We understand."

He didn't say, "We care."

He understands, all right. He understands that New Orleans is not to his liking: culturally, politically, or demographically. He understands it is a city that is largely impoverished and non-white. That means low priority. Real, real low.

President Bush doesn't know any poor or working-class non-white people and he sure doesn't want to start now, with any who are in crisis.

He understands that no one can really make him do anything, so he sure won't, except visit on anniversaries, and get photographed moving around the city a little, and then get out. Fast.

The last time he visited, he was barely there. He didn't stay in the city. He stayed on an aircraft carrier in the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane Katrina was a natural disaster. It didn't have to be a catastrophe of years, with no end in sight. As in Iraq, for that you need George Bush, who simply doesn't care.

Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog