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October 26, 2005

"All that time. This is all we get?"

One of the main things that the Reagan and Clinton administrations had in common was a superb understanding of how the media works to form public opinion. Opinions which in turn are reflected in opinion poll numbers, which are in turn reported by the news media as news. If the administration's poll numbers are high the administration has way more clout with Congress, party leaders, and pretty much anyone else who matters in American society. And the just reverse if those poll numbers are low.

With that in mind I saw today that local government types in Florida are now bitching about FEMA screw-ups in the wake of hurricane Wilma. Ever since Bush took the low road and abased himself for FEMA trouble with hurricane Katrina two months ago this is a growing trend. One that I expect to grow in velocity and size much as a snowball rolling down hill does.

What Bush should have done was remind everyone that local issues about preparedness for emergencies are for local authorities to deal with for the most part. It isn't like Florida or the Gulf of Mexico states have never heard of hurricanes before is it?

Most local officials in these places are partisan hacks of the Democrat variety. So by bashing Bush they'll push his poll numbers down even further and/or get more funds from Washington to boot. Either way they win, eh?

It would have been hugely unpopular (at first anyhow) for Bush to have to reminded the mayors and governors out there of this unpleasant fact. And further, such experts at emergency relief operations as Kanye West would have no doubt hammered the President in the media, but hey, he should have done it for the good of the country. Or at least for the good of his poll numbers and us tax donors out here in the rest of America as well.

Posted by Ali Massoud at October 26, 2005 05:02 PM

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