|
The president says his administration will spare no effort to help
the hurricane victims. But he acknowledges the initial recovery effort
was flawed, and says he wants to know why. "What I intend to do is to
lead an investigation to find out what went right and what went wrong."
The president says getting it right is a matter of national security,
noting America still lives in what he calls "an unsettled world." He says
the country must be prepared to deal with all kinds of potential
disasters, from a hurricane to a terrorist attack.
But even though he is promising an investigation, the
president is not criticizing any top officials in public. They include
Michael Brown, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or
FEMA. Among those calling for his ouster is the biggest newspaper in the flooded
city of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Mr. Bush says people want to assign blame. But he
says he has bigger priorities at the moment than in his words "playing the
blame game." "We have got to solve problems. We are problem solvers. There
will be ample
time
for people to figure out what went right and what went wrong."
The president spoke to reporters after a meeting with his
cabinet. He said his administration will not rest until the recovery
from Hurricane Katrina is complete. "A lot of people are doing good work. We
have a heck of a lot more work to do. And that is exactly what this
government is going to do."
President Bush said he is sending Vice President
Dick Cheney to the Gulf Coast on Thursday to assess recovery efforts and
find ways to remove bureaucratic obstacles
in areas ranging from housing to public health. One
area of concern cited by the president is how to get government pension
checks to elderly victims who lost their homes and now have no mailing
address.
After the cabinet meeting, Mr. Bush conferred with leaders of various
volunteer and charitable organizations helping to provide food and shelter
to evacuees. He thanked them for their work and took issue with those who
have referred to those displaced by the hurricane as refugees. "Let me
tell you my attitude and the attitude of the people around this table," he
said. "The people we are talking about are not refugees. They are
Americans, and they need the help and love and compassion of our fellow
citizens."
Under fire for the U.S. government's initial response to the disaster,
the president has filled his days with meetings and appearances dealing
with the storm. In addition to his discussions with the cabinet and
private aid officials, his schedule Tuesday also included a session with
his education secretary on students and schools affected by the hurricane
and a meeting with Congressional leaders. | 
