W. calls Katrina Photo 'Huge Mistake'

[Blake]

The full Lauer interview airs 8 p.m. Monday night, with Bush's book hitting shelves the following day. But NBC released the following excerpt Friday:

LAUER: Yeah. And in comes the press and they take that picture. And it made you look so out of touch.

BUSH: Detached and uncaring. No question about it.

LAUER: Whose fault was it?

BUSH: It's always my fault. I mean I was the one who should have said, A, don't take my picture, B, let's land in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, C, let's don't even come close to the area. Let's -- the next place to be seen is in Washington at a command center. I mean, it was my fault.

LAUER: When the picture's released you write, "I immediately knew it was a problem."

BUSH: Of course. I'd been around long enough to know that when it was released. And the reason why we didn't land in Louisiana is because I was concerned that first responders would be pulled off their task and I'd be criticized. In retrospect, however, I should have touched down in Baton Rouge, met with the governor and walked out and said, "I hear you. We understand. And we're going to help the state and help the local governments with as much resources as needed." And then got back on a flight up to Washington. I did not do that. And paid a price for it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101105/pl_yblog_upshot/former-president-bush-calls-katrina-photo-a-huge-mistake

what a jackass.

[MannyIsGod]

I'm not sure I understand what about what he said makes him a jackass.

[TeyshaBlue]

I'm not sure I understand what about what he said makes him a jackass.

Me either. Seems like a candid admission that he fucked up. ???

[Blake]

I'm not sure I understand what about what he said makes him a jackass.

My perception of this is that he is really more sorry that the picture got taken than anything else.

[MannyIsGod]

Thats probably because he was being asked about the picture.

[TeyshaBlue]

YPIYR I guess.:depressed

[ChumpDumper]

Definitely a tough one to spin. Might as well fess up to it.

[baseline bum]

I don't get what's so objectionable about the picture? Now if he was playing XBox or something with the city in shambles out the window behind him, I could understand.

[MannyIsGod]

Its a political issue. A picture of a white guy safely in a plane above while people are on the ground dying shows a huge displacement. Politics is all about perception.

[boutons_deux]

dubya was a huge mistake

[Blake]

YPIYR I guess.:depressed


Its a political issue. A picture of a white guy safely in a plane above while people are on the ground dying shows a huge displacement. Politics is all about perception.

ftr, that's not why I think he's a jackass.

I think he's a jackass along the same lines as someone saying they're sorry only because they got caught.

when reflecting on it in the interview his point "A" was "I should have said 'don't take my picture".

maybe I'm blowing it up a bit, but it doesn't sit right with me.

JMP I guess. :(

[Winehole23]

If there's any spin here, it's the inference from topical emphasis that the problem with Katrina for Bush was a more matter of mismanaged PR than indifference and ineptitude.

[TeyshaBlue]

ftr, that's not why I think he's a jackass.

I think he's a jackass along the same lines as someone saying they're sorry only because they got caught.

when reflecting on it in the interview his point "A" was "I should have said 'don't take my picture".

maybe I'm blowing it up a bit, but it doesn't sit right with me.

JMP I guess. :(

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/teyshablue/beer.jpg

[Blake]

If there's any spin here, it's the inference from topical emphasis that the problem with Katrina for Bush was a more matter of mismanaged PR than indifference and ineptitude.

right.

I'd much rather him just flat out own it and say "I fucked up. I should have done more" than "damn, I wish they hadn't taken a picture of me looking down at LA while flying back to DC"

[MannyIsGod]

He might in the book. I think in this particular case he was talking about the picture, though.

I gained a lot of sympathy for Bush when I read Woodward's books. The guy should never have been elected - in way over his head and really was a puppet.

[boutons_deux]

This is exactly like dubya standing up before the NAACP and saying

"I value the black vote"

not "I value black people"

[CosmicCowboy]

what a jackass.

Yeah, he at least should have stopped for a photo op cavorting in the surf with Jenna and announced Louisiana "open for business!"

[jack sommerset]

Yeah, he at least should have stopped for a photo op cavorting in the surf with Jenna and announced Louisiana "open for business!"

The mission accomplish banner kind of screwed Bush on photo ops by that time.

[ChumpDumper]

Yeah, he at least should have stopped for a photo op cavorting in the surf with Jenna and announced Louisiana "open for business!"Was it open for business right after Katrina?

[CosmicCowboy]

Was it open for business right after Katrina?

Chump...I thought you were smart enough to see the imaginary "smiley" after that one...

I was pointing out that all politicians occasionally allow photo ops they wish they could take back.

[jack sommerset]

Chump...I thought you were smart enough to see the imaginary "smiley" after that one...

I was pointing out that all politicians occasionally allow photo ops they wish they could take back.

You thought wrong. He is petty, insecure and probably pretty bitter right about now.

[ChumpDumper]

Chump...I thought you were smart enough to see the imaginary "smiley" after that one...

I was pointing out that all politicians occasionally allow photo ops they wish they could take back.I'm not sure if Obama wants that particular one back.

I'm sure there are others.

[Yonivore]

I'm not sure I understand what about what he said makes him a jackass.
Me either.

[CosmicCowboy]

Can you guys even imagine what it would be like for your every waking moment to be photographed/evaluated/dissected?

Sheeeeut!

I'd have 5 bad photo ops in the first week.

[Winehole23]

I'm totally photogeneric and I make photo face.


(Papparazzi beware!)

[johnsmith]

Can you guys even imagine what it would be like for your every waking moment to be photographed/evaluated/dissected?

Sheeeeut!

I'd have 5 bad photo ops in the first week.

I'd roll with "Magnum" all day long.

[boutons_deux]

"Can you guys even imagine what it would be like for your every waking moment to be photographed/evaluated/dissected"

nobody forced dubya to be President.

"If you can stand the heat, ..."

[DMX7]

W. was a huge mistake.