Think Progress obtains GOP talking points re: Bush's speech tonight

[DemsUnited]

President Katrina Speech Talkers:

* America and the Gulf Coast are recovering from one of the greatest natural disasters this country has ever faced.

* Tonight President Bush will talk about how there is some optimism that we can see as we move forward. We’re going to build a better Gulf Coast, a better New Orleans and we’ll work with local officials to make sure that happens.

* This will be a massive funding effort at every level of government. We shouldn’t just look at government - we’re seeing private charities, and the American people’s enormous compassion.

* There were breakdowns of communication and planning at all levels of government - federal, state and local levels. It is very critical we learn why those breakdowns took place in the first place.

ON Edit: http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-speech-tps/

[displacedtexan]

1. In other words...

You're on your own when disaster strikes 'cause we suck at homeland security and emergency management.

But, if by some miracle you do survive the next one, we'll offer you optimism.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Yep!

After the fact that you are dead, drowned, and destitute....Yeah....we'll find out what happened.

Nothing like a promise to have a thorough after-the-fact action reports to take one's mind off of the current fuck-up until it's doctored and fixed......

Of course, the ever self serving Phrase "to make sure nothing like this ever happens again" will be repeated ad nauseum...but if something else not quite the same happens....well, shit, that will be "different"!

[stevebreeze]

2. do you think Bush will point out the effect of the Davis Bacon ruling?

That largely Bush-co connected large multinational corporations will have increased profits while those doing the actual work will receive less then under the rules as they existed just days ago?
I don't think Bush will either.

[forintegrity]

3. DUH on #1; with or without African Americans for #2;

right, we should never TRUST our government ever again on #3; and you should investigate yourelves so you can get busy with the cover-up and spinning that you do so well for #4!!

[librechik]

4. B-O-O-O-RING!!!

that's the same thing he said the other day!

How is this a solution? How is this original? How is this not lying (gotta love the little hedge there where he talks about "private charities") Like Operation Blessing?

THEY are going to build a better New Orleans? When they never understood or appreciated it in the first place?

[Rowdyboy]

7. He still doesn't have a clue....If he thinks people in general and

Democrats in particular will be satisfied with a Frist and Hastert whitewash, he is sorely mistaken. If he was smart, he'd personally call for an independant commission-that might give him a tad of credibility. But he's too stupid to see just how deep a hole he's in.

[teach1st]

6. same ol’ same ol’

This is going to require difficult decisions in Washington. It’s going to be important that we don’t have the same ol’ same ol’ that we see in Washington. Tough choices will be to have made and President Bush is willing to do that.

Bush is the same ol' same ol'. So the spin is going to be that he suddenly become an outsider, the one who can cut through the morass of government red tape? Ha!

[Inland]

8. No, those aren't the highlights.

It'll be money. Money, money, money appropriated by Congress to Bush to dole out as he wants. Money that would help people, rebuild NO, rebuild infrastructure, rebuild lives----in the hands of a president who could think through the problem of HOW without becoming bored and switching back to the right wing to-do list.

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. Nothing like good old local government, right DimSon?

What the hell do we need you for, George?

You make me sick.

[AirAmFan]

10. The weakest talking point: What recent model for investigation is missing

from the list in this talking point:

"* Senator Frist and Speaker Hastert have indicated that Congress will conduct a thorough investigation modeled after some of the most serious investigations that Congress has ever undertaken: the 1973 Watergate Committee, the 1987 Iran Contra Committee, the 1994 and 1995 Whitewater Committees and the 1997 Campaign Finance investigation." http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-speech-tps/

[sinkingfeeling]

11. "breakdowns of communication " - same thing said after 9-11-2001!

Hey, George, what have we spent all those $billions for in the last 4 years?