F R I D A Y , S E P T E M B E R 0 9 , 2 0 0 5That AP Story Is Even Worse Than JohnImpliedby Michael in New York on 9/09/2005 03:00:00 AMNOTE: This is in reference to an AP story written before Cheneyvisited the region and made what I believe were his first publicstatements of sympathy for the people affected by thisdisaster.John posted approvingly below that the Dems were finallyshowing some cajones -- gee, all it took was an outrageouslyincompetent scandal unfolding in front of the entire country ina manner so shockingly inept that even Fox News wasinfuriated.</p><p> At the end, he mentioned the AP AP story gave atechnically accurate but unfairly positive spin to the facts bysaying Bush had "cut short his vacation by two days." Readingthe entire paragraph, it's much worse than misleading.</p><p> HowardDean is quoted saying "Americans deserve better from theirleaders" and that's immediately followed by this blast of"facts":Bush cut short his vacation by two days last week to returnto Washington.</p><p> He has presided over daily meetings, visitedstricken Gulf Coast areas twice and was expected to returnsoon.</p><p> He has sent Cabinet members to the region; VicePresident Dick Cheney planned to be there on Thursday.Why is AP carrying water for Bush? This sounds like a press releasefrom the White House press office, not a sober retelling of the factsby the MSM.</p><p> If you hadn't been watching TV for the last ten dayswhile disaster unfolded in front of us, you'd read that paragraph andthink, "Wow, Bush is really on the ball."The truth of course is far removed from that.</p><p> Bush "cut short hisvacation by two days." Well, what the hell is the president SUPPOSEDto do during a national emergency? And the more telling point is theshocking fact (which Scotty says is just rude to bring up) that BUSHSTAYED ON VACATI0N DURING THE WORST NATURAL DISASTER INOUR NATION'S HISTORY. (Are you tired of me writing that yet? I'mtired of typing it, but until Bush apologizes for abandoning thiscountry during its need, I won't stop.) Instead of praising thePresident for actually getting back to work, a real journalist would askwhy after the hurricane struck on Monday, or after the waters wererising on Tuesday and the situation grew ever dire, why would thePresident stay on vacation?Then AP trumpets the fact that Bush has presided over dailymeetings.</p><p> That's right up there with Bush's own remarkable assertionthat he thinks about Iraq every day.</p><p> Every day.</p><p> OF COURSE hepresides over daily meetings -- thousands of Americans died,hundreds of thousands are homeless and an entire city has beenvirtually wiped off the face of the earth.</p><p> Why is it noteworthy orcommendable that Bush is paying attention to this disaster?Further, AP points out that Bush has visited the region twice andplans to do so again.</p><p> We point out the obvious -- that it would beutterly BIZARRE if the President didn't visit a region hit by socalamitious disaster.</p><p> A real reporter would have talked about thephoto-op nature of the visits, how Bush didn't schedule them to avoiddisruptions in rescue and humanitarian work but in fact DELAYED ashipment of food so it would arrive when he did.</p><p> A real reporterwould have mentioned the comments by Sen.</p><p> Landrieu who lamentedthe fact that Bush spoke at an area that seemd bustling with activityonly to realize it had been "staged" to provide a good backdrop forthe TV cameras and dismantled as soon as he left.</p><p> They might havementioned Bush's tone deaf jokes about getting drunk in New Orleanswhen so many people had seen their lives shattered, a scene thatechoed criticism by Cindy Sheehan that Bush had behaved like hewas at a party when Bush was supposed to be comforting the parentsof dead soldiers.</p><p> Indeed, it was widely reported that Bush's first tripwas such a disaster pr-wise (which is all Bush cares about) that he Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Tonight's crew ofRescue Rangers were vcmvo2, grog, dopper0189,shayera, and joyful.</p><p> In the meantime, dadanationlooked editorial.</p><p> Oh yeah, a big shout ...14 minutes ago HuffPost PoliticsPalin's Next Step Is Still A Mystery - Sarah Palinwill enter uncharted political waters when sheleaves the Alaska stage Sunday.</p><p> Now the questionis whether she will go on to become...14 minutes ago FiredoglakeLate Night: MSNBC – Will Any RepublicanDenounce Rush Limbaugh? - I sure do remember atime when the GOP made Barack Obama denounceJeremiah Wright, insisting that if he didn't it wasan explicit endorsement of anything W...59 minutes ago Crooks and LiarsC&L's Late Nite Music Club - Friday Night Ripoffswith Green Day and Chicago - Title: Brain Stew vs.25 or 6 to 4 Artist: Green Day vs.</p><p> Chicago Chicago- 25 or 6 to 4 Green Day - Brain Stew This is thethird post in a series called ...1 hour ago AMERICAblog GayE.</p><p> Lynn Harris Dies - NYT: E.</p><p> Lynn Harris, thebest-selling author of novels that addressedquestions of identity and sexuality among blackmen, has died, his publicist told Th...3 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: That A...http://www.americablog.com/2005/09/that-ap-story-is-even-wor... 1 of 57/25/09 12:25 AMVisit ourAMERICAblog TV site.see all 329 videos >I collect with vodpod A two minute explanationof the warped and cynical The economy is better.But....</p><p> Judge order San Diego toget rid of the seals Massive brawl in SouthKorean parliament Mormons may havesecretly baptizedAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: That A...http://www.americablog.com/2005/09/that-ap-story-is-even-wor... 2 of 57/25/09 12:25 AMEzra KleinTab Dump4 hours agoWonk RoomF-22 Killed BySeven-Meme Voltron4 hours agoNYCeveHuge victories: Maloney& Pingree - Health CareHeroes, Clyburnreceives petition - video5 hours agoDaily DoseWill Doctors in theHouse, SenateInfluence Debate?6 hours agoThe TreatmentDoes the GOP ReallyHave an AlternativePlan in the Works?6 hours agoG AY P O L I T I C S Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S Blog RSS AMERICAblog TV RSS Twitter RSSTwitter Feed Get the blog by email: Subscribe me! 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