By Scott Wright

I have to admit, President Bush surprised me last week. I figured even the largest natural disaster in the history of the United States of America wouldn't be enough to pry Dubya away from the solitude of his vacation hideaway in Crawford, Texas. But last Tuesday, two days ahead of schedule -- though still a day later than he SHOULD HAVE -- Bush flew back to take try something he's already proven time and again he totally sucks at doing: his job.

A vast majority of Americans' opinions of the 43rd president are already lower than a Crawford ranch snake's bellybutton, and Bush said nothing in his remarks to the nation Wednesday and Thursday to improve his standing with any of the hundreds of thousands of Louisianans who no longer have homes, jobs, cars, schools, etc., to get back to anymore.

With one of his patented "awe, shucks" grins and the evil chuckle that John Stewart mocks so expertly on "The Daily Show," Bush waved off the tragedy in New Orleans the same way he has waved off the nation's growing discontent over the war in Iraq -- like it doesn't matter. Maybe Bush didn't mean it that way; after all, we know how much trouble he has communicating via the English language anyway. But geez! What a lack of compassion! And if there's anything the people of the Gulf Coast need right now, it's compassion. Oh, and maybe some fresh drinking water. And some food. And their overpriced prescription medications.

As the president spoke last week, people were dying in New Orleans, Alabama and Mississippi, including one woman in Hattiesburg who was shot and killed by her brother over a bag of ice. Over 25,000 people were standing in knee-deep water in front of the Louisiana Superdome, waiting for a fleet of buses that were told not to come because the National Guard -- the National-friggin Guard! -- feared for the safety of both the refugees and themselves.

There was chaos in the streets. Women were being raped and beaten, there was massive looting and burning piles of garbage all over town. Thousands were starving and hurting and people couldn't help because they feared for their lives.

What did the president of the United States have to say in response? "We'll all be stronger when this whole thing is over." Thanks, George.

Certainly, the hurricane itself was no one's fault. And we can argue later whether the administration's massive Corps of Engineers funding cuts in 2003-04 had anything to do with why the levees failed and left New Orleans flooded, wasted, disease- and death-infested and possibly abandoned for all times.

I hope by the time this paper hits the streets all these horrible storm-related issues will be resolved. But even if they are as you read this, the process took days too long, and that's partly because our do-nothing president was fiddling around while the Gulf Coast crashed and burned.
 

Scott Wright is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and an award-winning member of the Society of Professional Journalists. He is a native of Cherokee County.