Friday 23 September 2005

White House In Disarray; Bush Torn Between Visiting Texas or New Orleans

Aides Arguing; VP Suggests To Pack Guitar and Head Again To San Diego; Rove Pushing 'Pro-Active' Disaster Appearances

Already conceding the he expects FEMA to "screw up", President Bush is said to be torn between heading back to New Orleans, for more photo-ops showing his concern, or to visit Houston, for a pre-hurricane appearance, a new pro-active approach to disasters that Karl Rove is attempting the White House to embrace.

Sources say that staff and aides close to the President are in "a panic and arguing" over what to do.

Chief of Staff Andy Card is behind one side that wants the President to "stay the course" and continue visiting New Orleans.

"Card doesn't see any value in visiting Houston at this time," said one aide. "He feels that we need time, we need to see destroyed homes and flooded streets to get any impact for the photo opportunities."

However, another camp in the West Wing, led by Special Advisor Karl Rove, is advocating to the President that he "get in front of the storm" and visit Houston.

"This is the President home turf," said another aide. "Karl believes he can't lose by visiting Houston before the storm. He knows the area, he knows all the players and, right now, until the storm hits, he doesn't have to promise too much in the way of aid."

Rove, considered by many to be the 'architect' of Bush's presidency, wants the President to take a pro-active approach to disasters, believing he can leverage better approval ratings being photographed before the storm damage occurs.

One person in the White House is said to be ignoring those strategies and believes the President should "remain aloof and distant".

Vice President Dick Cheney, who is schedule for surgery tomorrow, is said to have advised the President to "pack the guitar and head to San Diego" again.

"Dick really wants the President," said a source close to the Vice President, "out of the way completely. He doesn't want to worry while he's having his surgery about the President screwing something up, especially when it comes to the oil industry."

President Bush was criticized for visiting San Diego and playing a guitar the day after Hurricane Katrina hit and New Orleans was being flooded.

Still another course of action is being suggested, by the First Lady.

Reports indicated that Laura Bush, the former liberian, has told the President to "pack up some children's books, head to some schools in other parts of Texas and read to the children while the hurricane is pounding the coastal areas."

In a related matter, Congress, in a late-night session, voted to give Halliburton a blank check for the anticipated clean-up of Texas after Hurricane Rita hits.













To ward off the repeated scenes of widespread looting, in the wake of Hurricane Rita, President Bush this morning, federalized the Knights of Columbus, who will begin patroling the streets of Houston as soon as the storm passes