Louisiana senior senator turns up heat on Bush

Bush pledges a ‘more vibrant’ Gulf Coast
In his weekly Saturday radio address, President Bush said Americans will come together and make the Gulf Coast “more vibrant than ever,” just as they rebuilt after the devastation brought by terrorist attacks four years ago this weekend.

“Even in the deepest darkness, we can see the light of hope, and the light shows us the way forward,” he said. “We will honor the memory of those we have lost; we will comfort the victims of Katrina; and we will make the Gulf Coast more vibrant than ever.”

Bush marked the fourth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by remembering the victims of that tragedy and Hurricane Katrina.

“Our greatest resource in such times is the compassionate character of the American people, because even the most destructive storm cannot weaken the heart and soul of our nation,” the president said in his address. “America will overcome this ordeal, and we will be stronger for it.”

Harsh criticism from Democrats
Democrats said Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress did not learn a painful lesson of Sept. 11 — America must be ready for disaster. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, in the Democratic party radio address, said victims of the hurricane are suffering because the government was unprepared.

“This year, Republicans in Congress cut first-responder homeland security programs by $604 million, and an additional cut of $1.1 billion was requested by the president for fiscal year 2006,” Thompson said.

FREE VIDEO Determined to rebuild Sept. 10: In his weekly radio address, President Bush marks the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and compares the aftermath to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. MSNBC

“This is funding for resources on the local level to defend our families, protect our communities and respond during times of crisis. Diminishing the ability of our sheriffs, police, firefighters and all first responders to get the job done is simply unacceptable.

“We need a real citizen preparedness plan — one that takes care of children, the elderly and the disabled,” Thompson said. “Mothers and grandmothers should not drown in nursing homes because help never arrived.”

Bush did not note widespread complaints about government handling of the disaster, instead calling on Americans to help with recovery by contacting the USA Freedom Corps volunteer network.

He said he signed spending bills this week that will provide an additional $52 billion for response and recovery and called for special evacuee status for people in the disaster areas so they can more easily collect federal benefits.

Bush links Sept. 11, Katrina
Bush often talks about Sept. 11 when he is under public scrutiny, and Sunday’s anniversary was a natural occasion to reminisce about the attacks as he faces criticism for a slow government response to the hurricane and subsequent flooding. In his radio address, he drew similarities to the two catastrophes that hit the United States four years apart.

“Today, America is confronting another disaster that has caused destruction and loss of life,” the president said in his Saturday broadcast. “This time the devastation resulted not from the malice of evil men, but from the fury of water and wind.”

Bush’s plans for Sunday’s anniversary include a memorial church service and moment of silence at the White House before he makes his third trip to the states hit by the hurricane.

“Four years later, Americans remember the fears and uncertainty and confusion of that terrible morning,” he said. “But above all, we remember the resolve of our nation to defend our freedom, rebuild a wounded city, and care for our neighbors in need.

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